US2887056A

US2887056A - Contactor device for a projectile with electric ignition

Info

Publication number: US2887056A
Application number: US558300A
Authority: US
Inventors: Perret Jean
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-01-11
Filing date: 1956-01-10
Publication date: 1959-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 1976-05-19
Also published as: FR1144713A; DE1015350B; CH319609A; NL203396A; NL102081C; GB782335A; BE544239A

Description

May 19, 195.9 FERRET 2,887,056

CONTACTOR DEVICE FOR PROJECTILE WITH ELECTRIC IGNITION Filed Jan. 10, 1956 III lllllllillllllH ll lNl EN T e JE/w P2 212: T

United States atent O CONTACTOR DEVICE FOR A PROJECTILE WITH ELECTRIC IGNITION Jean Ferret, Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to Motha Treumstitut, Vaduz, Liechtenstein, a corporation of Liechtenstein Application January 10, 1956, Serial No. 558,300 Claims'priority, application Switzerland .lanuary ll, 1955 4 Claims.- (Cl; 102-70i2) This invention relatestoelectrically operated contactor means for a projectile, said means comprising a deformable nose cap adapted to come into electrical. contact with a similarly shaped electrically conducting shell positioned within the said nose cap.

In heretofore known contactor means, the electrically conducting shell within the nose cap is shaped similarly to that of the nose cap, and the outer surface of said shell is spaced, at all portions thereof, a few millimeters from the inner surface of the nose cap, and the nose cap is nsually fabricated from a light metal such as aluminum, thereby resulting in a relatively thin-walled, lightweight structure. Because of this nose-cap structure, projectiles having a firing means of this type are diflicult to handle without producing a permanent deformation in some portion of the nose cap due to its thin wall, and in the handling of such devices permanent deformations have frequently occurred in the nose cap, thereby leaving the so-deformed nose cap wall in short circuit with the said inner shell. Since there are always provided safety means for preventing the firing of the projectile when there is electrical contact between the nose cap and the inner shell, the projectile is rendered useless by any deformation in the nose cap of the firing means, for, if there were no safety means, H1116 projectile would explode immediately upon firing the s ot.

An object of this invention is to provide an electrically operated contactor means for a projectile, said means comprising a nose cap fabricated of a material having an elastic memory, thereby enabling said nose cap to resume its original shape after having been subjected to any shock tending to deform it, the inner surface of said nose cap being electrically conducting for at least a portion thereof.

Other objects and features will become apparent from the following detailed description which is not intended to be limiting but is here set forth to describe the preferred embodiments.

Figure l is a view in section of an embodiment of the contactor means of my invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections of two additional embodiments of my invention showing modifications of the head nose cap.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line IVIV of Fig. 3.

The contactor device shown in Fig. 1, comprises a paraboloidal shaped nose cap 1 of insulating synthetic resin, in the interior of said nose cap 1 is located a conducting part 2, also of insulating synthetic resin, and of which the relative position to the external nose cap is obtained by means of a ring 3 of insulating material.

The internal surface of the nose cap 1 is metal-coated, as is also the outer surface of the part 2. The material of which the nose cap 1 is constructed has a sufficient elasticity or an elastic memory so as to return to its initial position after having been subjected to a deformation, resulting from a shock, causing it to come into contact with the inner part 2. In this manner, if in the course of manipulations, or handling, the nose cap 1 receives a shock or is crushed, it can resume its initial position by reason of its natural elasticity or its elastic memory, so that, at the moment of firing the shot, there 15 not any contact between the parts 1 and 2, and thus the projectile can function normally.

When the part 2 is also of deformable synthetic resin and the. head of the projectile is subjected to a shock or crushing, the nose cap 1 and the part 2 can temporarily be deformed. and then resume their initial position. However, thepart 2 may be of metal and sufficiently solid so as to resist shocks and crushing which may occur during manipulation, or handling, of the projectile by troops.

The nose cap and the part 2 may also be of conducting synthetic resin so that their internal and external surfaces, respectively, need not be metallized.

Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the nose cap of the head of the projectile. Said latter nose cap is formed by a casing 4 of material having an elastic memory, comprising on its inner face a metal reinforcement, comprising a coiled spring 5 conforming with the inner surface or face of the nose cap.

In the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4, the nose cap 1 is paraboloidal shaped and is provided with longitudinal internal ribs 6. As shown in Fig. 4, each of the ribs 6 has a groove with which a steel Wire 7 partially engages. Said steel wires form a metal reinforcement forming the conducting parts of the internal surface of the nose cap and are adapted to close the electric contact with the inner part 2.

The upper and lower ends of the steel wires '7 are bent and embedded in the material of the nose cap 1, as shown in Fig. 3. Near their lower end the Wires 7 are in contact with a conducting ring 8, in the interior of which is located an insulating ring 9, adapted to hold the internal part 2 (not shown in Fig. 3) in position. The ring 8 is for the purpose of placing all the Wires 7 in electrical connection with a part of the ignition circuit of the projectile.

The nose cap 1 and, if desired, the internal part 2 may, for example, be of polyethylene. Said parts may, meanwhile, be provided of other elastic material, for example of rubber, or may even be constituted of a thin sheet of steel. However, in the latter case, the production of the article would be relatively complicated.

As clearly shown, the electrical firing circuit includes the connecting wires 100, the electric primer or detonator 102, and the electric battery 104.

I claim:

1. An electrical contactor device for a projectile, comprising, in combination, a nose cap and an electrically conducting shell positioned within said nose cap and away from said nose cap, said nose cap being formed of an insulating synthetic material having an elastic memory, a metal coating on the inner surface of said nose cap, the outer surface of said shell being spaced from said metal coating, and an electrical firing circuit connected to said metal coating and to said shell, whereby said nose cap will resume its original shape after having been subjected to a shock causing a deformation in being handled and whereby the metal coating will electrically contact the outer surface of said shell at the moment the projectile will hit the target to complete the electrical firing circuit.

2. An electrical contactor device for a projectile, comprising, in combination, a nose cap and an electrically conducting'shell within and away from said nose cap, said nose cap being formed of an insulating synthetic material having an elastic memory, a metal reinforce- "ment on the inner surface of said nose'eap', said'metal reinforcement being a coiled spring contacting the inner surface of said nose cap, said metal reinforcement being spacedfrom the outer surface of said shell, and an I electrical firing circuit connected tosaid metal reinforcement' of said nose cap and to said shell, whereby said nose cap will resume its original shape after having been subjected to a shockcausing. a deformation. in

being handled'and whereby said. metal reinforcementiwill' electrically contact the outer surface of. said shell at I the moment the projectile will hit the targetto complete the electrical'firing circuit.

3. An electrical contactor device for aprojectile, cornprising, in combination, :a paraboloidally shaped nose cap having a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs I on its inner surface and an electrically conducting shell.

= positioned within and awaytrorn said nose cap, said nose cap; being formed, of a material having an elastic memory, the outer surface of said shell being spaced from the inner surface ofsaid nose cap, said nose cap I Being electrically conducting atsaidribs, and an elect positioned therein.

t References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 561,665 omatnrnain.. --;.;Ma ,20, 1944. 1,105,780 France July 6,1955,