US2451764A - Fuse setting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

OC. 19, 1948.' D W MOUNS ET AL 2,451,764

FUSE SETTING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 www; W M f mm www@ Filed NOV. 24, 1942 Oct. 19, 1948. D. wMo| |Ns ET AL FUSE SETTNG APlARATUS 8 sheets-shed 2 Filed Nov. 24, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet I5 D. W. MOLINS ET AL FUSE SETTING APPARATUS ,zyf'zors nimo JAA/nula www. Pauw@ 507i fue ./Jtsw A TTOR NEX Oct. 19, 1948.

Filed Nov. 24, 1942 Oct. 19, 1948. D. w. MoLlNs ET AL FUSE SETTING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 24. 1942 GAMMA;

ma f1 Tron/yf 7 Oct. 19, 1948. D. w. MoLlNs -x-:T AL l 2,451,764

FUSE SETTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 24, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 19, 1948. D W, `MQMNS ETAL I 2,451,764

FUSE SETTING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 24, 1942 I :aven/fors Oct. 19, 1948. D. w. MoLlNs ETAL 4 FUSE SETTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 24, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Attorney OC- 19, 1948- D. w. MoLlNs ErAL 2,451,764

FUSE SETTING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Nov. 24, 1942 Patented Get. 19,

2,451,764 FUSE SETTING APPARATUS Desmond Walter Molins, Valentine Pearce Harvey, J ames Arthur Mason,

Powell, Deptford, London S. E. '8,

Wellington and Gordon Francis England, assignors to Molins Machine Company Limited, Deptford, London S. E. 8, England Application November 24, 1942, Serial No. 466,808 In Great Britain June 18, 1941 This invention concerns improvements in or relating to fuse-setting apparatus (for example fuze-setting apparatus for use with anti-aircraft guns), of the kind having an adjustable control member which determines the setting of the movable fuZe-element. Usually this control member is a worm-wheel driven by the followthe-pointer hand-wheel.

The objects of the present invention include a construction whereby the setting of a iuze may be accomplished while the round is supported in a receptacle or the like (e. g. a loading tray) so that immediately the setting operation is iinished, the round can be moved towards and into the breech thereby enabling a rapid rate of re to be attained.

According to the present invention there is provided a fuZe-setting apparatus comprising in combination, a fixed stop, an adjustable stop, a gripping device rotatable between said stops to an extent determined thereby and adapted to grip the movable {uae-element of a fuze to be set and arranged to be reciprocated in the direction of its axis of rotation to engage and disengage respectively the movable fuse-element, driving means arranged to be rotated a constant angular amount during each setting operation to reciprocate the gripping device, said driving means being arranged to rotate the gripping device between the end of its outward stroke and the comm-encement of its return stroke, and a clutch device located between the driving means and the gripping device and arranged to disconnect the rotational drive to the gripping device on engagement with the stop determining the extent of rotation of the gripping device. The clutch may comprise a pivoted pawl member on a driven member of the clutch, a rotatable driving element having a recess to be engaged by the pawl, and means operable on engagement with the stop determining the extent of rotation of the gripping device to move the pawl out of said recess. Means carried by the driving element of the clutch may be provided to engage the pawl on a reverse movement and to rotate the driven member so as to give it a return movement, and in this case an abutment (e. g. the other of the said stops) is arranged to return the pawl into said recess at the end of the said reverse movement. The operating means of the fuze-setter may comprise a plurality of cams which are arranged to control the sequence of operations of the gripping device.

Further according to the invention there is provided in fuZe-setting apparatus as set forth in ber against movement in the reverse the preceding paragraph and driven by an electric motor, an electrical'switch comprising avmember. axially movable to make the switch and connected to a switch operating member by a toggle,- axially movable 'mem.

the position of the axially movable member.

Means may also be provided to release the catch member at a predetermined time.

One way of carrying the invention into effect will 'be described with .reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a small scale diagram showing,` part' of a gun on which are mounted a fuze-setter and a loading tray.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a fuse-setting apparatus construction according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of Figure 2 taken in the direction of the arrow A.

Figure 4 shows a side elevation of a portion of and illustrates the the rotatable fuze- Figure 2 to a larger scale, clutch and driving devices of setting element.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of Figure 4 taken in the direction of the arrow B.

Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of two details of the said clutch.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 show details of an electric switch for controlling the driving motor.

Figure 11 is a wiring diagram.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view of the upper portion of Figure 5, but omitting some of the parts shown in that figure. f

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure k12 but showing the parts in a different position.

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 12, but showing the parts in a further diiierent position. Figure 15 is a perspective view, partly broken I away, showing the clutch and its driving gear together with the worm wheel and the adjustable f and fixed stops, the parts being in a position occupied when at rest and prior to a setting operation.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary viewof the upper part of Figure 14 showing the parts in a position occupied during a setting operation.

4Figure 1'7 is a view generally similar to Figure 15 but showing the parts in a different position.

Figure 18 is a view generally similar to Figure 14 but showing the parts in the position occupied when reversal of thedriving mechanism is about to start.

ng disc moves in this direction for a distance uicient toallow the longest possible fuZe-seting to be accomplished wherever the adjustable top may be. The extreme possible position of he adjustable stop 4 is shown in chain lines near .he .left hand bottom part of Figure 5. After ',he disc 3| has moved this distance (see Figure L8) the driving disc is moved in the reverse direc- ;ion (i. e. as shown by the arrow D) by the feverse movement of the double arm lever 2| nperated by the grooved cam I9.

A pivoted catch pawl 40 is provided to hold the movable stop against the adjustable stop 4 When the former engages the latter in order to enable the movable stop and consequently the driven disc to move with the adjustable stop if the latter is moving in response to the indications of the receiver needle of the predictor. The pawl 40 which is shown in perspective in Figure 7 has two pins 4| forming pivots which are located in holes in the body of a wormwheel 42 and an arcuate plate 43 screwed into a recess in said wheel. The pawl is provided with a tail 44 at one end which is engaged by a compression spring 45,--Figures 5, 12'and 14. The other end of the pawl has a hook 46 which is engaged by the movable stop 5 and forced upwardly thereby as shown in Figure 13, and then snaps over the movable stop 5 'under the pressure of the spring 45, when the pawl takes up the position shown in chain lines in Figure 5, and more clearly shown in Figures 12 and 1'7. The pavvl is further provided with an arcuate lug 41 which acts as a cam follower, for when the projection 33 on the disc 3|, on its reverse movement, passes beneath said lug, it raises the pawl against the pressure of the spring 45 into the position shown in Figure V14, and thus releases the movable stop 5 from control of the hook 46.

On the reverse movement of the disc 3| the projection 33 on the driving disc also engages the arm 36h of the bell-crank when the projection 33 on the driving disc returns into contact with the bell-crank just after releasing the stop 5 from the hook 45 as mentioned above. Continued reverse movement vof the driving disc thereafter rotates the driven disc 34 in the direction of the arrow D and brings the movable stop 5 (or if desired the bell-crank) ultimately into engagement with the fixed stop 3. This latter is so shaped that on such engagement the bell-crank will be turned so that the first arm 36a thereof again enters the recess 32 in readiness for the next cycle. See Figure 15, and also the lower part of Figure 5 Where the bell-crank is shown in broken lines (two dots and a dash) thus turned and ready for the next setting.

The body or mounting 48 which rotatably supports the fuze setting gripping devices and to which the non-rotatable member 8 of the round gripping device is Xed has attached thereto a guide rod 49 which slides in bushes 50 in the frame of the setting apparatus and it is reciprocated to and fro at the necessary times by means of a lever 5| having a forked end 52 provided with rollers 53 engaging a circumferential groove 54 formed in a collar on the outside of the inner end of the hollow sleeve 3U which carries at its outer end the rotatable gripping device of the fuse-setting apparatus. The lever 5| is loosely mounted on a shaft 55 pivoted to the frame of the setting apparatus and to this shaft there is also xed a bell-crank lever 56 having cam rollers 51 and 58 on its free ends. cams 59 and BIJ comprising These rollers engage two of the previously mentioned plate cams mounted on'y camshaft 9. 'I'he cams are so shaped that the fuze-setting gripping devices are positively reciprocatedl to and fro at the necessary times. In order to accommodate varying positions of the noses of rounds, the lever 5| which engages the groove in the rotatable gripping device is coupled to the shaft 55 by means of a` spring cushion arrangement permitting the lever 5| a restricted degree of movement with respect to the shaft sufcient to allow for the above variation. As shown, one arm of the bell-crank lever 56 houses a spring 6| which is located at its other end in a recess in the lever 5|. A stud 62 prevents the levers from separating and also provides means whereby the spring 6I may be adjusted.

The adjustable stop 4 is formed as a projection on the arcuate plate 43 which is Xed to the wormwheel 42 which latter is concentric with and embraces the hollow sleeve 30 of the fuze setting gripping devices. This wormwheel is engaged by a worm 63 fixed to a shaft 54. A bevel gear wheel B5 on the shaft 64 engages another bevel gear wheel 66 on a shaft 6'! which receives its movement in the usual manner from a fuzesettinghand wheel (not shown) rotated by the operator who watches the receiver dial.

The operation of the apparatus so far described is as follows: A round is placed in the loading tray and the operator presses the button 20 kwhich starts the electric motor and immediately the camshaft starts rotating. One of the plate cams which operates the lever 5| engaging the grooved collar on the fuze-setting gripping devices causes these devices to slide in the guides previously mentioned unti1 the grippingdevices of the apparatus engage a fuze of the round as previously mentioned. Normally thisoperation, from the moment the switch is pressed, takes one quarter of a second. At the completion of this interval the grooved cam I9 has rotated sufficiently far to cause the gearing which drives the gripping device I for the movable element of a fuze, to start operating and this gripping device moves through a distance determined bythe angular displacement of the adjustable stop 4 with respect to the fixed stop 3. As soon as themovable stop 5 engages the adjustable stop 4, the clutch in the drive for the rotatable gripper I operates to release the driven disc 34 but the drivingdisc 3| completes its movement as previously described and as shown in Figures 1'? and 18. The reverse movement of the rotatable gripping device is timed to commence only after the member or head 8 carrying the gripping devices has moved back away from the movable fuze-element.

As soon as the head /8 is clear of the round the loading tray is moved up to carry the round in front of the breech. A latch arrangement is provided to lock the loading tray against movement until the fuze-setting gripping devices are clear of the round. v

While these operations are taking place it will be understood that the man watching the receiver pointer is constantly turning his hand Wheel to follow the pointe-r and thusthe worm Wheel 42 of the setting apparatus which carries the adjustable stop 4 is constantly on the move, and the gripping device moves with it since the stops 4 and 5 are locked together. by' the catch pawl40as shown in Figure 13. Thus up to the moment when the knives of the gripping device are disengaged from the fuze, the angular displacement given to the fuze corresponds with the movements of the pointer.

7 f At the end of a cycle, that is one revolution of the camshaft, the motor is stopped and the a-pparatus is ready for the next shell. It will be apjparent that the stopping must occur at a predetermined time so that the camshaft rotates only lone revolution per cycle.

The stopping of the motor is performed byv a switch which is operated at the desired instant from the camshaft in the following manner: On `the camshaft 9 is liixed a disc 58 having a pin '69 which is fixed in one face thereof and which 'at the correct time strikes a'pivoted lever 10 fixed on a spindle 1| journalled in the frame Il) as shown in Figure 9. To this spindle 1| there is also xed a detent or pawl 12'. The pawl or de- Y y tent 12 may be angularly adjustable relatively to the lever.

The stopping switch is the same switch as the press button starting switch and consists of an ordinary switch contact arrangement comprising spring contacts 13 and 14, Figure 9. The contacts 13 are attached to a switch operating member |15 and the switch can be made and broken by axial movements of a rod 15. The rod has a groove 16 in it, or any equivalent abutment with which the detent 12 can engage, and when the press button 2li is pushed in, the switch makes and the detent catches in the groove and holds the switch in the "on position against the action of a spring 11. When the pin 69 in the disc E8 strikes the lever 1D the detent is lifted and the rod 15 could ordinarily be returned by the spring 11. But as the time of a cycle is so short it may well happen that the setter operator might still be pressing on the button at the end of a cycle, in which case the motor would not' stop. To prevent such an occurrence, the rod 15 is specially constructed and embodies a knee-joint or toggle 18, see Figures 9 and 10, with which it is connected to the switch operating member |15. This toggle is so arranged, assisted, if desired, by springs, that the parts 15, 18 and |15 all normally form a rigid rod, and when the button 20 is pressed the rod moves axially as a rigid member. To ensure the positive breaking of the switch irrespective of pressure on the button 2B a lever 19 xed to the shaft 1| is arranged to engage the toggle from one side and bend it, whereupon the spring 11 causes the contact 13 to move to the left ,as seen in Figure 9, thus breaking the switch.

Referring now to the wiring diagram, Figure 11, as the apparatus is intended for use in the eld, the motor, which is preferably compound wound, may be ldriven by a battery B` which in the example being described is a 24 volt' storage battery; To assist in rapidly stopping the motor at the end of a cycle, means may be provided whereby the motor is caused to act as a generator as the switch is broken. For this purpose, one line from the battery leads to the press button switch 2U and through said switch to-the coils of a contactor C and a shunt field relay S. F. R. in parallel therewith, to the other line and back to the battery. The rst line also passes on beyond the button switch terminal to the motor through the series field S. F. and armature A and-to one Contact of the contactor, being tapped between the press button switch terminal and the series field by lines leading to a second contact of the contactor and to one terminal of the shunt iield Sh. F. respectively. The other end of the shunt field is connected to one contact of the shunt iieldl relay and the second contact of said relay is connected to the other pole of the battery, being tapped en route for the othe ends of the contactor and shunt field relay coil and for a line leading to a third contactor con tact. The fourth contactor contact is joined `t the rst contact. A condenser and resistanc are shunted across the shunt eld relay con tact.

VWhen the press button is pushed, the movin! contact bar of the contactor is connected to thi rst and third contacts and the shunt iie'ld i: energised by the shunt eld relay so that the motor runs as a compound motor. When the but. ton switchr is broken the contactor bar move: back by spring pressure to the second and fourth contacts (i. e. the upper pair in Figure 11) and the series field and armature are short circuited. Meanwhile the shunt eld is still energised due to the delay action incorporated in the shunt field relay, so thatthe back E. M. F. of the motor iiowing through the low impedance o! the armature and seriesk field gives instant and heavy regenerative braking; after a period of say half a second the shunt field relay opens and the-shunt eld is removed.

Should it prove impossible to drive the apparatus by the motor owing to a failure in the circuit, or an exhausted battery, the setter may be operated manually. For this purpose a hand crank 89 may be xed on to the camshaft 5, as shown in Figure 3. To ensure that the camshaft is only turned a single revolution per cycle when manually operating, a spring pressed abutment or stop 8| is fixed to the frame at a position corresponding to the beginning and end of the revolution and this stop latches into a spring plunger 8'2 of square cross-section in the crank arm. As the operator grasps the crank handle to operate the apparatus he presses the knob 83 of the his thumb to release the crank from the spring stop. For this purpose the plunger is slotted at a position such that it clears the stop when the plunger is pressed in'. It is, however, impossible to maintain the thumb pressure during an entire revolution as the hand twists round on the crank handle so the plunger springs out again and Iwhen it meets the spring stop at the end of the revolution the parts lock together again until the plunger is pressed once more.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Fuze-setting apparatus comprising the combination of a rotatable fuze-engaging element mounted for axial reciprocation into and out' of setting engagement with the movable fuze-elemovement of the fuse-engaging element, an adjustable control member, a stop which is. carried by said adjustable control member andk whose momentary position determines the end of rotationalsetting movement of the fuze-engaging element, rotatable driving means, means `operable to stop said driving means after the latter has rotated a predetermined constant amount, meansl operated by sai'd driving means. for reciprocating the fuze-engaging element, and means driven by the driving means to rotate the fuze-engaging element to set the fuze after the fuse-engaging element' has' reached the endlof its outward stroke and before the commencement of its return stroke, said driven means comprising a clutch device having av movablamembei: adapted to engage, the stop carried' bythe adjustable control member and to be moved thereby to break the rotational drive to the fuzeengaging element.

2. FuZe-setting apparatus comprising the combination of a rotatable iuze-engaging element mounted for axial reciprocation into and out of setting engagement with the movable uze-element of a round, a nxed stop whose position determines the beginning of rotational setting movement of the fuze-engaging element, an adjustable control member, a stop which is carried by said adjustable control member and Whose momentary position determines the end of rotational setting movement of the fuZe-engaging element, rotatable driving means, means operable to stop said driving means after the latter has rotated a predetermined constant amount, means operated by said driving means for reciprocating the fuze-engaging element, means driven by the driving means to rotate the fuze-engaging element to set the fuze after the fuzeengaging element has reached the end of its outward stroke and before the commencement of its return stroke, said driven means comprising a clutch device having a movable member adapted to engage the stop carried by the adjustable control member and to be moved thereby to break the rotational drive to the fnac-engaging element, and a locking device carried by the adjustable control member adapted to engage and to be moved by the movable member at the end of a setting movement of the fuze-engaging element to lock the latter to the stop carried by th-e adjustable control member, whereby subsequent to the breaking of the rotational drive and before the return stroke of the fuZe-engaging element, any further movements of the control member are imparted to the fuze-engaging element.

3. Fuse-setting apparatus as claimed in claim 2', wherein said locking device comprises a latch carried by the adjustable control member and adapted to engage a part rotatable with the fuzeengaging element to couple said element to the adjustable control member when the clutch is disconnected.

4. Fuze-setting apparatus comprising the combination of a rotatable fuze-engaging element mounted for axial reciprocation into and out of setting engagement with the movable fuse-element of a round, a fixed stop Whose position determines the beginning of rotational setting movement of the fuZe-engaging element, an adjustable control member, a stop which is carried by said adjustable control member and whose momentary position determines the end of rotational setting movement of the fuZe-engaging element, rotatable driving means, means operable to stop said driving means after the latter has rotated a predetermined constant amount, means operated by said driving means for reciprocating the fuze-engaging element, means driven by the driving means to rotate the fuze-engaging element to set the uze after the uZe-engaging element has reached the end of its outward stroke and before the commencement of its return stroke, said driven means comprising a clutch device including a driven member carrying a pivoted pawl, a rotatable driving element having a recess to be engaged by the pawl, and means operable by engagement with the stop carried by the adjustable control member to move the pawl out of said recess and thereby to break the rotational drive to the fuZe-engaging element.

5. Fuze-setting apparatus comprising the combination of a rotatable fune-engaging element l0 mounted for axial reciprocation into and out of setting engagement with the movable fuZe-element of a round, a fixed stop Whose position determines the beginning of rotational setting movement of the fuze-engaging element, an adjustable control member, a stop which is carried by said adjustable control member and Whose momentary position determines the end of rotational setting movement of the fuZe-engaging element, rotatable driving means, means operable to stop said driving means after the latter has rotated a predetermined constant amount, means operated by said driving means for reciprocating the hize-engaging element, means driven by the driving means to rotate the fuzeengaging'element to set the fuze after the fuzeengaging element has reached the end of its outward stroke and before the commencement of its return stroke, said driven means comprising a clutch device including a driven member carrying a pivoted pawl, a rotatable driving element having a recess to be engaged by the pawl, a movable member carried by said pawl, said movable member being operable by engagement with the stop carried by the adjustable control member to move the pawl out of said recess and thereby to break the rotational drive to the fuzeengaging element, and a locking device carried by the adjustable control member adapted to engage and to be moved by the movable member at the end of a setting movement of the uzeengaging elementto lock the latter. to the adjustable control member, whereby subsequent` to the breaking of the rotational drive and before the return stroke of the fuese-engaging element, further movements of the adjustable control member are imparted to the fuze-engaging element.

6. Fuse-setting apparatus comprising the oombination of a rotatable fuze-engaging element mounted for reciprocation into and out of setting engagement with the movable fuze-element of a round, a fixed stop whose position determines the beginning-of rotational setting movement of the fuze-engaging element, an adjustable control member, a stop which is carried by said adjustable control member and whose momentary position determines the end of rotational setting movement of the fuze-engaging element, rotatable driving means, means operable to stop said driving means after the latter has rotated a predetermined constant amount, means operated by said driving means for reciprocating the fuze-engaging element, means driven by the driving means to rotate the fuze-engaging element to setthe fuze after the fuze-engaging element has reached the end of its outward stroke and before the commencement of its return stroke, said driven means comprising a clutch device including a driven member carrying a pivote-d pawl, a rotatable driving element having a recess tc be engaged by the pawl, means operable by engagement with the stop carried by the adjustable control member to move the pawl out of said recess and thereby to break the rotational drive to the fuze-engaging element, means carried by said driving element to engage with the pawl on a reverse movement and to rotate said driven member so as to give it a return movement, and an abutment to return the pawl into said recess at the end of the said reverse movement.

7. -Fuze-setting apparatus comprising the combination of a rotatable fuZe-engaging element mounted for axial reciproc'ation into and out of vsetting engagement with the movable zfuze-elea ment of'a round, a ixed 'stop whose position de-` rtermines the beginning of :rotational settingy movement rof the fuzeenga'ging element, :an adjustable control member,`r a stop which is carried` L by' saidadjustable control member and' whose f means operated by said driving vmeans forv ref ciprocatingthe? iuZe-engagingA :element meansv y driven by theldriving kmeans to rotate theviuzeengaging element to set the yfuzey after the fuzey engaging element has` reached .the end yof its out-v Ward .stroke= and before the ycommencemellt, of

` its' return; ystroke, said driven means comprising t v 1 la clutch -devce including :a i driven lrmember icarf rying av pivoted pawi, a rotatable driving elementr v having ia lrecess ito be engaged by the'pawl, means l movable with the? :fuzefengaging element' op'erable byengagementwith Ithe stop rcarried by the adiustable controlmember 'to move?r the pawi out i of? said; recess and therebyv to break'th'e rotational drive to the fuzef'engagingj elemenualocking de* l vice carried by the adjustable control element l f kadapted "tofenga'ge and to be movedv bythe saidy last named meansfatithej end of a setting movez y v,ment ,ofA the fuzeeengaging yelement tov lockr the latter tothe adjustable control ymember, rwhereby l y 1 subsequent to the .breakingof therotational drive returnv stroke ofthe fuzeeengag-v i n yandbefore the y Qing elenrlent,y any .further movements ofthe adinstable? control member" are imparted -to vsaid k,fuse,-engagingl element; means ica'rried by said i f v i driving element .to i engage with the pave/i' on a j rreverse;mov'eroemtand to rotate "said driven niem- -ber so "as to' give yit a vreturn movement,- and ,an abutmentto return the pjawlint'o said yrecess at the vend ofthe'saidreversemovemena 8. Puzo-setting' apparatus comprising thecom# bination of a rotatable ruzie-engaging element mounted for axial reciprocation into and out of setting engagement with the movable fuze-ele ment of a round, a fixed stop whose position determines the beginning of rotational setting movement of the filza-engaging element, an adjustable control member, a stop which is carried by said adjustable control member and whose momentary position determines the end of rotational setting movement of the fuse-engaging element, rotatable driving means, means operable to stop said driving means after the latter has rotated a predetermined constant amount, means including a cam device and operated by said driving means for reciprocating the fuzeengaging element, and means including cam means driven by the driving means to rotate the fuse-engaging element to set the iuze after the fuze-engaging element has reached the end of its outward stroke and before the commencement of its return stroke, said driven means comprising a clutch device having a movable member adapted to engage the stop carried by the adjustable control member and to be moved thereby to break the rotational drive to the `iuze-enn gaging element.

9. Fuse-setting apparatus comprising the combination of a rotatable :Elize-engaging element mounted for axial reciprocation into and out of setting engagement with the movable fuze-element of a round, a ixed stop whose. position den termines the beginning of rotational setting movement of the fuze-engaging element, an adta-tional v setting movement of. the filza-'engaging element; rotatable driving meansA including ani electric motor,v a, switch yaut omatically *operablev to stop said driving means after thelatter hasv .rotated a Q predetermined 'constant amount,` said 1 ,switch comprising. a member axially movable in y `one direction to: makethe switch; a switchf'operating member,l a ytoggle connecting the latter to f f vthe axially movable member, a 'catch device to .hold the vswitch-operating member against move,-y i rment in the reverse direction,- vand means ymovy yable intimedrelationsbip with' the driving :means to bend the toggle jointto break the switch vwhen lr ating member, vmeansv operated by lsaid drivingy end of `its :outward stroke Aand before' .th

ber adapted to engage the: stop carried by the '3Q 'ga'gingelemena 9, whereinmeans is provided Y device at a predetermined time. y y n l v il. Fuzesetting vmaparfntus comprising. inv comsaid adjustable control member and whose momentary position determines the end of rotational setting movement of the fuZe-engaging element, rotatable driving means, a power unit to actuate said drivingmcans, means operable to stop said driving means after the latter has rotated a predetermined constant amount, means operated by said driving means for reciprocating the fuzeengaging element, means driving by the driving means to rotate the fuze-engaging element to set the fuze after the fuze--engaging element has reached the end of its outward stroke and before the commencement of its return stroke, said driven means comprising a clutch device having a movable member adapted to engage the stop carried by the adjustable control member and to be moved thereby to break the rotational drive to the fnac-engaging element, and a clutch device between the said power unit and said driving means so constructed and arranged as to automatically break the `drive from said power unit to saidv driving means if a jam occurs in the apparatus.

12. Puzo-setting apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a gearing is provided through which said power unit actuates the driving means and the clutch device comprises an idler gear forming part of said gearing which swings out of engagement with said gearing when a jam occurs in the setting mechanism.

13. Fuze-setting apparatus comprising the combination of a rotatable fuse-engaging element mounted for axial reciprocation into and `out of 75 setting engagement with the movable fuze-elei :justabev control member; a. stop which is carnedf v by said adjustable gcontrjol'memvber and Whose'y momentary-position determines the end of roe" the; motor yhas rotated iai''predeterminedly amount irrespective of the position of the switelfi-oper'v means'y for reciprocating the. =fuseengaging; elev v i ment, and means driven-by the driving :meanstof f i rotatethe fuse-engaging elementi to lseti the fuze 1 after' the fuze--engagi1ig element has reached :the v mencemejnt or its return strokefsaiddriven. means v t including al clutch -devicehavinga movable vmem v adjustable control member and to-bemoved therej by to `bre'alr..the rotational drive to the fuse-ena. v

10. Fuze-settingapparatns as .claimedinclaim t io release .thecatch bination or a rotatable fuse-.engaging element j y mounted for axialreciprocation into and 'out' of setting: engagement with the movable fuzel-element` ofv a round, ai fixed stop. whose positionde'- 'termines vthe f beginning of y rotationall 'setting mevez/nent ofthe; fnac-engaging element, ad'

y justableoontrol membra,y alst-op whiclris carried'byk ment of a round, a fixed stop whose position determines the beginning of rotational setting movement of the fuze-engaging element, an adjustable control member, a stop which is carried by said adjustable control member and Whose momentary position determines the end of rotational setting movement of the fuze-engaging element, rotatable driving means, means operable to stop said'driving means after the latter has rotated a predetermined constant amount, means operated by said driving means for reciprocating the fuze-engaging element, and means driven by the driving means to rotate the fuze-engaging element to set the fuze after the fuze-engaging element has reached the end of its outward stroke and before the commencement of its return stroke, said driven means comprising a clutch device having a movable member adapted to engage the stop carried by the adjustable control member and to be moved thereby to break the rotational drive to the fuze-engaging element, said driving means comprising a manually operable element and said stopping means comprising a device for stopping said manually operable element at the end-of a cycle.

14. Fuze-setting apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the manually operable element comprises a hand-crank and said device comprises a catch for preventing movement of the crank until said catch is released by pressure of the thumb or a linger, said catch being thereafter spring urged into the operative position when said pressure is relaxed upon the continued rotational movement of the crank.

DESMOND WALTER MOLINS.

VALENTINE PEARCE HARVEY.

JAMES ARTHUR MASON.

GORDON FRANCIS WELLINGTON POWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,409,195 Morse Mar. 14, 1922 1,974,523 Varaud Sept. 25, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 114,408 Australia Dec. 24, 1941

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