US2458473A

US2458473A - Detonator

Info

Publication number: US2458473A
Application number: US473650A
Authority: US
Inventors: James D Jordan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1943-01-26
Filing date: 1943-01-26
Publication date: 1949-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 1966-01-04

Description

' J. D. JORDAN DETONATOR Jan. 4, 1949.

Filed Jan. 26, 1943 FIG. I.

R\\0 2 0 3, 0 a Z 2 Z I 3 5 G 3 I II. F 2 4 2 3 INVENTOR v JAMES 0; JORDAN Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES ?AT ENT QFFiQE DETONATOR James D. Jordan, Washington, D. C., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Application January 26, 1943, Serial No. 473,650

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to detonators for explosive, projectiles and has particular reference to a novel detonator having two independently operable detonating means included in a unitary construction.

One object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel detonator for projectiles which includes both mechanically and electrically operable detonating means mounted in a single body. The body is preferably of cylindrical shape, whereby it may be readily mounted in the usual cylindrical casing of the projectile, and is formed with a chamber for receiving an electrically operable squib. The body is also provided with a bore communicating with the chamber, and a recess in the front end of the body communicates with the bore. A detonating charge is disposed in the bore, and the recess contains a mechanically actuated explosive device, such as a fulminate cap, for firing the charge in the bore. The squib is adapted to be fired electrically through a detonating circuit which may be closed automatically by a radio apparatus in the projectile in response to proximity of a target. The body of the detonator is preferably mounted in the projectile to the rear of a clockwork mechanism, as shown in the above identified application, so that the mechanically actuated explosive device is in line with a firing pin operable by the clockwork mechanism. With this construction, if the radio apparatus or other automatic means should fail to fire the squib electrically, the explosive device is actuated by the firing pin to set off the detonating charge and thereby explode the projectile. Thus, the

detonator of my invention includes both a main 3 detonating element and an independently operable auxiliary detonating element which serves as a safety device to insure explosion of the projectile in its flight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a detonator of simple and compact construction which may be fired either electrically or, in the event of failure of the electrical means, by a mechanically operable element.

These and other objects of the invention may be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of part of a projectile embodying one form of the new detonator;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the detonator shown in Fig. 1, and

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views on the lines 3--3, 4-4 and 55, respectively, in Fig. 2'.

In the drawing, the numeral [0 designates an 2 explosive projectile comprising a casing H and a nose |2 threaded in the front end of the casing. The explosive charge (not shown) in the casing is adapted to be detonated electrically upon closing of a normally open switch 13 which may be actuated automatically by a radio apparatus (not shown) in response to proximity of the projectile to a target, as disclosed in the above-identified application of M. A. Tuve et al. The switch I3, as shown, is connected in series with a battery I4 and the detonator l5 of my invention through wires l6 and IT. A clockwork mechanism I8 is mounted in the projectile casing in front of the detonator and is adapted to operate a firing pin I8a. at a predetermined time interval after the projectile is fired, the clockwork mechanism having suitable adjusting means for varying the time interval.

The detonator l5 comprises a cylindrical body 20 having a generally circular opening 2| extending through its central portion. A web 22 projects into the opening from one side of the body and abuts again-st an electrically operable squib 23 extending across the opening at right angles to the Web. The squib 23 is seated at its ends in suitable recesses in the body and is provided with

terminals

24 and 24a.

A detonating charge 26 is disposed in a central bore in the web 22, the bore being inclined rearwardly toward the squib 23 and communicating at its inner end with the opening 2|. At its outer end, the bore opens into a recess 2'! in the front end of the body 20. A mechanically operable explosive device, such as a fulminate cap 28, is seated in the bore 21 in line with the firing pin |8a of the clockwork mechanism. The body 20 may be provided on its opposite faces with

cover plates

30 and 3|, the rear plate 3| having an explosion discharge opening 32 and an opening 33 through which the wires I6 and IT extend into the squib chamber 2|. From the chamber 2|, the wires extend through suitable routes 33 in the body to the

squib terminals

24 and 24a.

In operation, when the switch I3 is closed, the squib 23 is energized electrically through the circuit including battery I4, with the result that the detonator explodes through opening 32 in the rear cover plate and fires the usual booster (not shown) to the rear of the detonator. In the event that the squib 23 should fail to operate for any reason, such as failure of the radio means for closing the switch It, the clockwork mechanism l8 operates the firing pin |8a after a predetermined time interval, whereupon the fulminate cap 28 is fired and sets all the detonating charge 3 26. The latter then explodes through the inner end of its bore into the chamber 2| and through the rear cover plate 3! to the booster.

It will be apparent that the detonator of my invention occupies a relatively small space and may be readily mounted in the projectile casing. The housing 26 contains two independently operable detonating means which are so disposed that neither one interferes with the operation of the other. The web 22 serves not only to house the auxiliary detonating charge 26 but also to lend lateral support to the electrically operable squib in the chamber 2|.

I claim:

1. In a detonator, a body having an opening, an electrically operable squib extending across the opening and seated at its ends in the body, a web extending transversely from one side of the body into the opening and abutting at its free end against the squib, the web having a bore perpendicular to and communicating at one end with the opening and at the other end with a recess in the body, a detonating charge in the bore, and a mechanically operable explosive device in the recess for firing said charge.

2. In a detonator, a body having an opening, an electrically operable squib extending across the opening and. seated at its ends in the body, a Web extending transversely from one side of the body into the opening and abutting at its free end against the squib to support the squib, the web having a bore inclined inwardly from the front face of the body to the rear face thereof, the bore being perpendicular to and communicating at its rear end with said opening and at its front end with a recess in the body, a detonating charge in the bore, and a mechanically operable explosive device in the recess for firing said charge.

JAMES D. JORDAN.

REFERENCES CEI'ED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Wright Apr. 12, 1921 Number