US2960036A

US2960036A - Hollow-charge warheads of projectiles

Info

Publication number: US2960036A
Application number: US795383A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas I Curl; Michael J F Ambrose; Allen E Burch
Original assignee: Vickers Armstrongs Aircraft Ltd
Current assignee: Vickers Armstrongs Aircraft Ltd
Priority date: 1958-03-10
Filing date: 1959-02-25
Publication date: 1960-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 1977-11-15
Also published as: NL104213C; NL236705A; GB851460A; FR1218767A; ES247540A1

Description

T. l. CURL El AL HOLLOW-CHARGE WARHEADS OF PROJECTILES Nov. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25. 1959 Nov. 15, 1960 T. I. CURL- ETAL HOLLOW-CHARGE WARHEADS 0F PROJECTILES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25. 1959 HOLLOW-CHARGE WARHEADS or rnomcrnns Thomas I. Curl, Pyrford, Surrey, Michael J. F. Ambrose, Staines, Middlesex, and Allen E. Burch, West Byfleet, Surrey, England, assignors to vVickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Limited, London, England, a British com- P y Filed Feb. 25,1959, Ser. No. 795,383

Claims priority, application Great Britain Mar. 10, 1958 Claims. (Cl. 102-56) The invention has reference to the warheads of hollowchar-ge projectiles, more particularly projectiles which are adapted to be detonated by an impact fuze contained in the nose. It is known to be desirable, in order to ensure the maximum effect of the explosion of the hollow charge, that detonation should occur when the internal apex of the charge is located at a predetermined off-set distance from the surface of the target, but the consequent necessity for mounting the impact fuze upon a probe or forward extension of the projectile entails such an increase in the dimensions of the latter as to require an unduly unwieldy container for its stowage.

With the object of obviating this draw-back, the present invention proposes that the percussion contact of the impact fuze of a hollow-charge projectile shall be mounted upon the extremity of a forward extension member or probe which is itself capable of retraction within the casing of the projectile when the latter is stowed, resilient means being provided for urging the said member forwardly into the operative position, and further means being provided for locking said member in said operative position except when retraction is required.

The application of the invention to the warhead of a hollow-charge projectile of the kind which incorporates a propulsion unit and which is capable of being directed to the target by remote-control means, is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, Fig. l is a perspective view of the apparatus incorporating the invention and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the rear end of the locking mechanism. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus but shows an alternative locking mechanism and Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

It will be seen that the forward part of the cylindrical body of the projectile takes the form of a frustoconical casing 11 which is apertured axially at 111 so as to form a guide for a slidably mounted tubular extension member or probe 12. The forward extremity of said probe 12 terminates in inner and outer percussion contacts respectively marked '13 and 14 which are connected by suitable electrical conductors with the fuze, detonator or igniter of the charge contained in the body 10. The forward end of the probe 12 may also carry a stout protector cap (not shown) to shield the percussion contacts against shocks or damage when the weapon is being handled. The arrangement is such that although the tubular probe 12, together with said percussion contact, is normally locked in the operative position, it is capable of being retracted slidably within the casing 11 until it is substantially entirely housed within the latter. A helical spring 15, wound about the barrel of the probe 12, is compressed between a coller 16 on the latter and a recessed abutment 112 in the nose of the casing, so that it is energized when the probe is retracted and then tends to urge the probe outwardly into the operative position. The forward travel of the probe is limited by a flange 17 on its rear end which abuts against the inside iteci States Patent 0 2,969,035 Patented Nov. 15, 1960 surface of the casing adjacent the aperture 111 in the fully extended position. The probe 12 is prevented from rotating by the engagement of a pin 18 in the casing with a longitudinal slot 19 in the probe 12.

The flange 17 on the probe is recessed at 171, 171 etc. to form splines which are adapted to cooperate with a conformably shaped central hole 20 in a collar 21 which is mounted in the casing 11 and is to the rear of the flange 17 when the flange 17 is in the operative position. The collar 21 is capable of rotation and is ordinarily held by a tension spring 22 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or by a torsion spring 211 as shown in Fig. 2, so that the splines on the probe flange 17 are out of registration with those of the collar 21, and retractile movement of the probe 12 into the casing 11 is thereby prevented.

In order to position the probe 12 in the casing 11 for stowage, the collar 21 is rotated by a lever 23 which protrudes through a slot 24 in the outer casing 11, so that the collar 21 is brought into registration with the probe flange 17, when the probe 12 may be pushed rearwardly against the aforesaid helical spring 15. When the splined flange 17 on the probe 12 has passed through the collar 21, the latter is prevented from rotating and reverting to the obstructing position under the influence of said tension spring 22 or the torsion spring 221 by the engagement of a pin 25 in the collar 21 with the abovementioned slot 19 in the probe. Thus, the projectile may be stowed in a container which is made sufliciently long to accommodate it when the probe 12 is fully retracted, the pressure of the spring 15 ensuring that as soon as the end of the container is removed the probe 12 will immediately assume the operative position automatically.

If desired, means may be provided for positively retaining the probe in the retracted condition.

The collar 21 is also provided with

slots

213, 213, through which

pass bolts

214, 214 which are screwed into the casing 11. Said slots 213 arranged to permit the required rotation of the collar 21 but they prevent any axial displacement of the latter.

The collar 21 is alternatively provided with male splines 212 which, when the collar is turned into a given position, will register with recesses 26, in an inwardly turned rim 27 which forms an integral part of the casing 11. This arrangement permits the easy insertion of the collar 21 behind said rim 27 and provides means for holding the collar against axial displacement therein.

The ability to effect a complete retraction of the probe into the casing is of considerable advantage in that it permits the use of a shorter and more easily portable container, while it affords protection for the percussion contact and other parts of the probe when the weapon is transported without the container.

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

1. In a hollow-charge projectile warhead, including a hollow nose casing terminating in .a slidable mounting for an extension member the improvement comprising, a substantially cylindrical extension member having an impact fuze percussion contact and including an outwardly extending flange portion at its inner end, said member being axially slidable between an extended position outside said casing wherein said flange portion abuts against a portion of said casing to a retracted position within said casing, a collar rotatably mounted in said nose casing, said collar and said flange portion including complementary outstanding and recessed portions arranged to permit passage of said flange portion through said collar when said complementary portions are aligned, and means to bias said extension member to a fully extended position with the flange portion abutting against a portion of said casing and with the major portion of said extension member extending outside said casing.

2. A warhead as claimed in claim 1 including means effective, when said extension member is in the retracted condition, for holding said rotatable collar in position to permit the outward movement of said member to the operative position.

3; A warhead as claimed in claim 2, wherein the extension member is longitudinally slotted and including a pin in said casing extending into said slot, whereby said rotatable collar is locked angularly to saidextension member.

4. A warhead as claimed in claim 1, comprising means 5 which it will prevent retraction of the extension member.

References Cited in the me of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rost et a]. Dec. 17, 1946 2,737,888 Brandt Mar. 13, 1956