US2685253A

US2685253A - Fuze for rocket projectiles

Info

Publication number: US2685253A
Application number: US188141A
Authority: US
Inventors: Apotheloz Robert
Original assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon Buhrle AG
Current assignee: Rheinmetall Air Defence AG
Priority date: 1949-11-24
Filing date: 1950-10-03
Publication date: 1954-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 1971-08-03

Description

Aug; 5 R. APOTHELOZ I FUZE FOR ROCKET PROJECTILES Filed Oct. 5, 1950 NVENTDR:

I beri APcf/j/ u Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STAT FUZE FOR ROCKET PROJECTILES Application October 3, 1950, Serial No. 188,141

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a fuze for rocket projectiles which combines high sensitivity and transport safety and which is armed only after the rocket projectile has left the launcher. The fuze according to the present invention comprises a fuze body, a slide movable transversally to the fuze axis in said fuze body against the action of a spring and carrying a primer cap, said slide being locked in safety position by means of a pin in such manner that the primer cap is removed from the axis of the striker pin, said pin being arranged in a longitudinal bore of the fuze body and having a conical bore with which engages a cylindrical part having a conical tip, the angle of this tip being chosen in such a way that the cylindrical part can be moved laterally when the pin is depressed, said cylindrical part resting with its end opposite to the conical tip against a hollow cylindrical body having a tooth rack and being arranged longitudinally movable inside the fuze body, a plunger arranged inside the hollow cylindrical body, a spring acting on the plunger and pressing it towards the hollow cylindrical body against which the plunger rests by means of a collar, finally an axle carrying a pinion and a spur gear, said pinion meshing with the tooth rack of the hollow cylindrical body and said spur gear enaging with an oscillator body pivoted in the fuze body.

The attached drawing shows a constructional example of the fuze according to the present invention.

Fig, 1 is a perspective sectional view of the fuze in transport position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the fuze immediately after launching or when the projectile has been dropped during transport;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the armed fuze;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the fuze on impact upon the target.

The fuze body I is screwed into the fuze casing 2 and carries the detonator 3. The striker pin 5 is movably arranged inside the fuze casing and held in its normal position by the spring 6. A cap I made from plastic material is arranged on the fuze casing and encloses the head 8 of the striker pin 5 protruding from the fuze casing 2.

The slide I 0 is movably arranged in the groove 4 at the upper part of the fuze body I. On one side the slide ll] carries in a bore the primer cap I I. On the opposite side of the slide a blind bore [2 is arranged. The slide It is subjected to the action of a leaf spring I3 which rests against the interior wall of the fuze casing 2. The leaf spring It tends to move slide Ill in such a way that the primer cap H is placed into the axis of the striker pin 5 and the relay charge E i arranged in a central bore of the fuze body 5. In safe position the slide I t is held by the pin E5 in such a position that the blind bore I2 is immediately below tip of the striker pin 5. The pin it is movably arranged in a longitudinal bore of the fuse body and is held in place by the safety pin it, the tip ll of the latter engaging a conical bore it of the pin It. The included angle of tip ll and conical here It is chosen so as to make possible a lateral movement of the safety pin it when pressure is applied on the pin 15. The safety pin it is disposed in a bore of the fuze body running transversally to the fuze axis and is held against movement by the tooth rack sleeve 9. The tooth rack sleeve 9 is fitted with a tooth rack 29 meshing with a pinion 25. The pinion 21 is connected with the spur gear 22 which engages with an oscillator body It. The oscillator body it is arranged rotatably on the pin 23, attached to the fuze body. The plunger 25 is disposed in the bore of the tooth rack sleeve, At its rear end the plunger is fitted with a collar 25 against which the spring 2 3 rests, which moves plunger 25 and tooth rack sleeve 9 forward.

The action of the fuze is as follows:

In transport position (Fig. l) plunger 25 and tooth rack sleeve 9 are held in normal position by the spring 2 thereby the tooth rack sleeve 9 prevents the safety pin It from moving. The safety pin it itself locks the pin 25 by which the slide it is held in safety position. When the rocket projectile is launched the plunger 25 slides to the rear against the action of the spring 24 due to its inertia (Fig. 2). The tooth rack sleeve 5 also tends to move to the rear. However, its movement is delayed due to the fact that the oscillator' body must be oscillated by the spur gear 22. The tooth rack sleeve 8 reaches its rearmost position only after the rocket projectile has moved through a certain distance. By this arrangement the movement of the tooth rack sleeve 9 and therefore the time between launching and the moment when the fuze becomes armed is independent of variations of the spring force. When the tooth rack sleeve 53 reaches its final position the safety pin it is released which is then pushed out laterally by the pin E5. The pin l5 can then also move to the rear and frees the slide It. The latter is then moved sidewise by the leaf spring l3, and the primer cap 5 l is placed immediately in front of the tip of the striker pin 5 (Fig. 3). The safety pin l6 pushed away by the pin [5 can either protrude partially from its hole or can fall out of its bore. In the former case tooth rack sleeve 9 and plunger 25 are locked in their rear position. In the latter case both parts can return to their initial position.

When the projectile impacts upon a target the cap I is compressed and the striker pin 5 thrown into the primer cap l I. The primer cap i i ignites the relay charge l6 which itself explodes the detonator 3. If the rocket projectile is dropped upon its rear end with unarmed fuze the plunger 25 moves rearward against the action of the spring 24. At the same time the tooth rack sleeve 9 also starts moving to the rear at a slow rate (Fig. 2). As soon as the deceleration caused by the impact on the floor and acting only a very short time has ceased the spring 24 restores plunger 25 and tooth rack sleeve 9 to their initial position. Since the tooth rack sleeve 9 has only moved a very small distance during the short time of deceleration, arming of the fuze is not possible under this condition.

I claim:

1. Fuze for rocket projectiles comprising a fuse body having a longitudinal bore formed therein, a primer cap, a spring, a slide movable transversely to the fuze axis in said iuze body against the action of said spring and carrying said primer cap, a locking pin, a striker pin, said slide being locked in safety position by means of said locking pin in such manner that the primer cap is removed from the axis of the striker pin, said locking pin being located in said longitudinal bore of the fuze body and having a conical bore, a cylindrical part having a conical tip and engaging said conical bore, the angle of this tip being such that the cylindrical part can be moved laterally when the locking pin is depressed, a hollow cylindrical body, said cylindrical part resting with its end opposite to the conical tip against said hollow cylindrical body, said hollow cylindrical body having a tooth rack, said cylindrical part being longitudinally movable inside body, a plunger inside the hollow cylindrical body, a spring acting on the plunger and pressing it towards the hollow cylindrical body, a collar, said plunger resting against said cylindrical body by said collar, an axle, a pinion and a spur gear carried by said axle, said pinion meshing with the tooth rack of the hollow cylindrical body and an oscillator body pivoted in the fuze body and engaging said spur gear.

2. Fuze for rocket projectiles, comprising a iuze body having a longitudinal bore formed therein, a spring, a primer cap, a slide movable transversely to the fuze axis in said fuze body against the action of said spring and carrying said primer cap, a locking pin, a striker pin, said slide being locked in safety position by means of said locking pin in such manner that the primer cap is removed from the axis of the striker pin, said locking pin being arranged in said longitudinal bore of the fuze body and having a conical bore, a cylindrical part engaging said conical bore and having a conical tip, the angle of this tip being such that the cylindrical part can be moved laterally when the pin is depressed, a cylindrical body having a tooth rack and longitudinally movable inside the fuze body, said cylindrical part resting with its end opposite to the conical tip against said cylindrical body, a spring acting on said cylindrical body and pressing it upwards, an axle, a pinion and a spur gear carried by said axle, said pinion meshing with the tooth rack of the cylindrical body, and an oscillator body pivoted in the fuze body and engaging said spur gear.

the fuze References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Andrews Jan. 16, 1951 Number OTHER REFERENCES