US2612107A

US2612107A - Means for preventing premature firing of depth charges

Info

Publication number: US2612107A
Application number: US647415A
Authority: US
Inventors: John L Andrews
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-02-13
Filing date: 1946-02-13
Publication date: 1952-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 1969-09-30

Description

MEANS FOR PREVENTING PREMATURE FIRING OF DEPTH CHARGES Filed Feb. 13, 1946 Sept. 30, 1952 J. L. ANDREWS 3 Sheets-Sheet l S m R MD 3N A m L. 4 3 w 2 4 9 5 l B w 54 5 l d 3 l 5 5 24 9 5 7 3 3 3 \1 l1 l L I a Mdmv HIH N L L u 6 1 I 2 4 4 n 3 l 3 6 5 l fi A l 6 0 M55 5 2 3 3 i 2 Sept. 30, J L AN MEANS FOR PREVENTING PREMATURE FIRING OF DEPTH CHARGES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 13, 1946 S W E m R 0 SN A L IU- Sept. 30, ANQ E S MEANS FOR PREVENTING PREMATURE FIRING OF DEPTH CHARGES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 13, 1946 gwua/wbo'v J. L. ANDREWS woman;

Patented Sept. 30, 1952 'YUNITED STATES PATENT 2,612,107 OFFICE MEANS FOR- PREVENTING PREMATURE FIRING OEDEPTHCHARGES This invention relates generally to a depth charge and more particularly to new and improved means for preventing firing thereof in response to shocks such as are received, for example, by the depth charge upon impact with the water during the launching operation thereof.

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) In certain types of depth charges heretofore employed in service and having, among other elements, certain elements adapted to be moved relative to each other in response to the pressure of the surrounding water to fire the depth charge, ithas been discovered that in certain positions of the depth charge at the moment of impact sufficient inertia forces may be developed which cause these parts to move to their firing positions, thereby to fire the depth charge prematurely.

In the device of the present invention this difficulty has been overcome by employing a toggle arrangement having a pair of inertial elements secured thereto for restraining the movement of the hydrostatic element to the firing position until the deceleration of the depth charge has subsided during movement of the depth charge through the water.

In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, this is accomplished by employing the inertial forces set up within the inertial members at the moment of impact of the depth charge with the surface of the water to prevent premature movement of the toggle joint and the hydrostatic element to the firing position as the result of the aforesaid impact or as the result of a shock received through the surrounding water caused by the explosion of another depth charge or the like within the vicinity'of the device.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and improved means for generatingin'ertial forces adapted to prevent the inertial forces of the firing parts from causing movement thereof upon impact of the depth charge with the water.

Another object is to provide inertial means for locking the firing elements of the depthcharge against movement upon impact of the depth charge with the water without interfering with the normal operation of these parts in response to an increase in the hydrostatic pressure of the surrounding water.

Another object is to provide a depth charge having an inertial controlled toggle linkage for preventing firing thereof in response to shocks received thereby in which means are provided for reducing the inertial forces set up within the inertial elements at the moment of impact of the depth charge with, the surface of the water.

A further object is to provide new and improved means for preventing firing of a depth charge in response to shocks received thereby which employs a minimum number of parts.

I Still other objects, features and advantages of. 1 the present invention are those relating to the inder 2| which is held in fixed space relation novel construction combination and arrangement of parts as will best be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l-is a view in elevation and partly in section of a depth charge pistol employing the inertial locking means of the present invention according to thepreferred embodiment thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view of the depth charge pistol taken substantially along the lineZ-Z of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view partly broken away along the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l and illustrating the inertial locking means in the unlocked position thereof; and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of one of the weights comprising the inertia locking means.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral l0 generally designates a depth charge pistol suitable for:use with a depth charge. of a type such as that disclosed and claimed in'the copending application of Harry H. Moore et al. for Depth Charge Firing Mechanism, Serial No. 474,354, filed February 1, 1943; The pistol disclosed in the present application, except for the inertia locking means hereinafter to be described, is substantially the same as that disclosed in the copending application and reference may be had thereto for details of construction and operation.

It will sufiice for purposes herein, therefore, to

briefly point out that the pistol comprises a cylindrical casing. l l to which one end, not shown, of

Cup-shapedmember l3 has mounted thereon a supporting block assembly I4 for a plurality of leaf springs l5, one of which carries on the end thereof a firing pin l6. As the cup-shaped member is driven progressively by the bellows as the depth charge descends through the water, the

firing pin is moved. along the, inclined portion ll of a cam [8 until the pin passes beyond the.

upper end of the cam, thereby causing the pin to strike a percussion cap l9 to ignite an explosive train and booster charge which in turn fires the main explosive charge of the depth charge.

A booster charge is contained within the cylwith flange 23 by the spacing collars and screws 20, the tubular member 22 being interposed therebetween. Flange 23 is fitted into fixed registered engagement with the tubular casing H as at 24. The flange 23 also supports a cylindrical member 25 which is telescopically fitted within member I3 and having a portion of the explosive train arranged therein-and through which the percussion capt'io'perates to ignite the: explosive train, the percussion cap [9 and cam I8 adjacent thereto both being supported by and secured to.- the member 25.

A piston 26 is telescopically fitted-within 'cylindrical member 25 and carries axially thereof an electroresponsive detonator 21, 3,-which I v is electrically connected to terminals 28 forming a part of a magnetic influence. system adapted to fire the detonator when the depth. charge moves within the vicinity of a submarine. The

piston is adapted to be move'd by the bellowssuch:

that the detonator is moved into-cperatiVe reIation with the explosive train during descent of the'depth charge. butprior' to movement of the firing. pininto its"firingposition,- whereby the and limited by surfaces 51.

3 tosim'ake maximum use of inertia even though dimensional' variations exist in the mechanism.

The springs 54 also permit the use of wide commercia'ltolerances without impairing the operait tion offthe mechanism.

The,

levers

35 and 36 have attached thereto,

' or made integrally therewith, the weights 55 and -56--so mounted andarranged thereon as to predepth chargesmay'be fired by the influence means.

prior to self-destruction thereof which is accomplished at a predetermineddepth of submergence by 'th'e hydrostatically controlled: percussion means; e Key'and'slot means 29" and 3| are employed to prevent relative rotation between piston. 26 and-Fmem'ber and, simlarly, aslot 32-.is formed in member 25 torec'eive the tip of a'shoulder screw:33 to' prevent relative rotation between cupmember l3 and member 25 whereby the angular orientation of the detonator with respect to theexplosion Ttrainis not disturbed during movementof the piston. v

The inertia locking means for preventing movement of the firing pin in response to shocks received by the depth charge during launching thereof or'from' other causes such" as result from the inadvertent or accidental dropping thereof or from countermine shocks will now be described. The locking means comprises a toggle system of'levers forv interconnecting the cup? member l3 and flange 23 and a plurality. of. inertia responsive members carried by the levers in such a mannerfias to" cause the lever system to effect a restraining action between the cup member l3 and flange 23: whereby shocks received by the depth charge-are inefiective to actuate the hydrostatic: element to thefiring'position regardless of the direction' 'from which the shocks are received. Under" normal. conditions, however, the cup.- member is free to drive the levers and inertia; members so as'to produce movement of the. firing. pin to" fire the depth charge, as heretofore described. Yieldable' means comprising a pair of springs'is employedwith the lever system to prevent damage to the' pistolby reason ofinertia forces developed by the inertia members when shocks 'arereceived in a direction to set up forces tending to drive the: cup-member in an opposite direction from its normal fl'ring'movement.

'The'lever system includes a T-shaped member 34 'which is secured to cup-member l3. as by the shoulder screw 33. A pair of

leverarms

35 and 36 are pivotally secured to the T-member 34 as at 3Tand38:respectively.

Arms

35 and 36, in turn; have pivotally securedthereto'as at 39V and 41*a; pair'of levers 42 and 43 respectively. These levers, in turn, are pivotally secured as at 44 anda45lwithinaslotted member 46' having apertured' ears 4'!" and 48' through. which shoulder screws and 51' slidably pass; These: screws are: securelytightened into a (i-shaped member 52 -whihz is secured: to flange member 23: as; by. bolts 53 Azpair; ofsprings 54 arecoiledabout screws. 49 and respectively so as to. normally yield'ablyfurge the'slotted' member'rinto substane tiallyabutting relation:.with c.-shaped;member:52;

vent-alignment of-the center lines of the levers as used in combination with the

levers

42 and 43;: vThis is accomplished-by mountingeach of the weights such that surface 51 thereof forms an angle with the center line extending through the pivots of. the lever aflixed thereto whereby the-extending portion 58 of each weightengages: the lever 42 or43-cooperating with the lever arms? 35 or 36 respectively before the centerllinesof these levers move into alignment. as-best seen in; Fig. 1. Thus; a dead center condition ofsthe; lever system .is avoided whereby thesystem may beactuated by the cup-memben l3- to-move theweights outwardly, as best seeninFig. 4,, as the cup-member ismoved from itsposition asseen. in Fig. 1 bythe hydrostatic pressure, acting ,-there-' on;

In the event that-shocks are received bythe'rdepthcharge in such a direction as to tend. to move the cup member l3-andfiring pin I6 carried thereby-toward its firing position;v inertia forcesalsoact-upomweights 55 and 56, which:

forces tend tomove the weights inwardly, thereby to'lockthe lever system and prevent movement. of cup member l3. Shocks received' by the cupshaped member l3 and parts secured thereto? tending to move the cup member'in the opposite direction also tend to move the" Weightsqout wardly. If themember 41 were rigidly secured togC-shaped member 52, these shocksmight pro-' duce stresses in the levergsystem, particularlyat shoulderscrews 49 and 5 I sufiicient to rupture or otherwise-damagethe lever system. This conditionis avoided by the yieldable mountingbe tweenslotted member 46 and C-shaped member 52', which yieldable mounting is adapted to absorb such shock effects sufficiently to prevent. damage to 'the lever system and mountings therefor.

The weights 55. and 56 may be so proportioned as.-- to fit intoany suitable type depth'charge' pistol. In. the pistol I0 disclosedherein; for-example, the inner surface 59- of. each weightiis fromed. to= fit about-the cylindricalmemberi 25-,1

inner-surface 60 iscuiwed so as toclear cup member l3 when the-lever system is fully'actueated; and the outer surface til thereofis curved insuch a manneras to fit inside the casing H and allow movement of the levervsystem'without mechanical interference.

"While the invention has been described with particularity as to a specific example thereof comprising -a---.p1urality of weights and levers adaptedto fulfill theaforestated objects of the invention, it will be understood that this hasbeen: done for purposes of disclosure and that various changes'and'substitutions will 'be'readily apparent to-those skilled in the art; after? under standing the invention, and that the terms em.-

ployed in the claims are to be consideredaswords' of description-ratherthan of limitation;

-The; invention herein described and claimed.

may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a depth charge of the character disclosed, the combination of a support, means including a firing member adapted to be moved within said support to a firing position under pressure of the surrounding water thereby to fire the depth charge, a toggle linkage including pairs of mutually connected links, one end of each of said pairs of links being connected to said member and the other end of each of said pairs being connected to said support and adapted to be flexed by the member as the member moves to the firing position, and a plurality of inertia devices carried by said toggle linkage, one of said inertia devices being attached to one of the links of each pair of links and responsive to shocks received by the depth charge to resist flexing of the linkage for preventing movement of the firing member to said firing position in response to said shocks, said inertia devices engaging the other ones of said pairs of links to prevent looking of said links on dead center.

2. In a depth charge of the character disclosed, the combination of a depth charge pistol having a supporting structure and a firing member adapted to be moved relatively thereto under pressure of the surrounding water into a predetermined firing position thereby to fire the depth charge, a lever pivotally secured at one end thereof to said member, a second lever pivotally secured at one end thereof to said first named lever and at the other end to said supporting structure, said levers being arranged such that their pivotal centers are slightly out of alignment when the firing member is in an initial unmoved position whereby said levers are free to move further out of alignment as said firing member moves to said firing position, and an inertia device carried by one of said levers and arranged thereon, said inertia device being adapted to engage the other of said levers thereby to prevent the levers from being moved into a position such that their pivotal centers are in dead center alignment, said inertia device being urged into said engagement with the other of the levers in response to a shock force which urges the firing member toward the firing position thereby to prevent movement of the member thereto in response to said shock force.

3, In a depth charge of the character disclosed, the combination of a depth charge pistol having a supporting structure and a firing member adapted to be moved with respect thereto under pressure of the surrounding water from an initial position into a predetermined firing position thereby to firethe depth charge, a pair of toggle joints comprising a pair of levers for preventing movement of the firing member to said firing position in response to a shock received by the depth charge, each of said levers bein secured at one end thereof to said member, and a second pair of levers, each of said second levers being pivotally secured at one end thereof to a lever of said first named pair of levers respectively, a movable support pivotally secured to the other end of each of said second levers, means of yieldably securing said movable support to said supporting structure thereby to prevent damage to said levers and the firing member connected thereto as a shock is received by the depth charge, the levers of each of said toggle joints being arranged such that their pivotal centers are substantially in alignment whenthe firing memberis in said initial position, and a pair of inertia devices respectively carried by one of said pairs of levers and movable therewith, said inertia devices being adapted to engage the levers of the other pair respectively when the firing member is in said initial position thereby end thereof to said member, a second lever pivotally secured at one end thereof to said first named lever and at the other end to a su.pport ing member, a yieldable connection between said supporting member and said supporting structure, said levers being arranged such that their pivotal centers are substantially in alignment when the firing member is in an initial unmoved position, and an inertia device carried by one of said levers and arranged thereon, said inertia device being adapted to engage the other of said levers thereby to prevent the levers from being moved into a position such that their pivotal centers are in dead center alignment.

5. In a depth charge of the character disclosed.

the combination of a depth charge pistol having a supporting structure and afiring member adapted to be moved relatively thereto under pressure of the surrounding water into a predetermined firing position thereby to fire the depth charge,. a lever pivotally secured at one end thereof to said member, a second lever pivotally secured at one end thereof to said first named lever and at the other end to a support-V ing member, a yieldable connection between said supporting member and said supporting structure, said levers having the pivotal centers thereof slightly out of alignment when the firing member is in an initial unmoved position and flexed well out of alignment when in the firing position, and an inertia device carried by one of said levers for maintaining the levers against flexing when inertial force is applied to the firing member thereby to prevent movement of the firing member to the firing position, said inertia I device engaging the other of said levers while in the initial unmoved position to prevent movement of the levers into a position such that the pivotal centers thereof are in dead center alignment.

JOHN L. ANDREWS.

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

UNITED STATES PA'I'EN'IS Great Britain Aug. 27, 1926