US3333541A - Explosive train safety and arming system - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 1, 1967 R. L. WAGNER ETAL 3,

EXPLOSIVE TRAIN SAFETY AND ARMING SYSTEM I Filed May 26, 1965 FIG. I.

FIG.2.

INVENTORS ROBERT L. WAGNER DONALD E. sazcgg M ATTORNEY-S United States Patent 3,333,541 EXPLOSIVE TRAIN SAFETY AND ARMING SYSTEM Robert L. Wagner and Donald E. Seeger, Sparta, N.J., as-

signors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed May 26, 1965, Ser. N 0. 459,133 6 Claims. (Cl. 102-79) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to an explosive train safety and arming system for use in munitions.

In most high explosive fuzing systems it is desirable for safety purposes to employ some mechanism for mecham'cally separating the more sensitive components from the rest of the explosive train until such time as it is desirable to arm the fuze. Many systems have been devised to accomplish this function. Generally, resort is made to rotors or sliding bars which house the sensitive components and which rotates or translates to position the explosive trains as desired. Inherently these systems contain gaps between the explosive components in the armed position. These gaps or discontinuities create problems in assuring reliable propagation of the explosive train. To overcome these problems explosive components are made sufliciently large for a propagated flame or detonation wave to jump the gap. Because of the explosive power inherent in such large components the surrounding environment must necessarily be designed to contain the explosive propagation until it reaches the main charge of the projectile. When considering a given caliber projectile, structural limitations are quickly reached with regard to particular explosive trains.

The above problems become pronounced when miniaturization of explosive trains is required. Although some semi-miniaturization of explosive trains has taken place in recent years these smaller trains operate on'the same concepts as the larger ones and contain all of .the. associated problems which have existed since the out-of-line systems have become adopted as standard practice.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an explosive train safety and arming system which eliminates gaps between the explosive components when the system is in the armed condition.

Another object of this invention is to provide a system as above which can use smaller explosive components thereby enhancing miniaturization.

A further object of this invention is to provide a system as aforesaid which comprises essentially two layers of explosive separated by a body of nonexplosive barrier material which is removable by conventional means, and a force producing means acting on the explosive layers to urge same into intimate contact when the barrier is removed.

Further objects of this invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of this invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation, and partly in cross-section of an embodiment of this invention, showing also in phantom outline a typical environment for this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the inventive embodiment of FIG. 1 in an armed position;

FIG. 3 is a View in elevation and partly in cross-section showing another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, 10 represents generally an explosive train arming and fuzing system set in a conventional munitions projectile 12, shown in phantom outline. As illustrated in FIG. 1 the system is in the unarmed or safe condition. Two thin films of explosive 14 and 16 comprise an explosive train for initiation of a main charge 18 of explosive. The explosive films 14 and 16 may be conventional sheet explosive. One end of the explosive 14 is operatively connected with a detonator 20 of conventional design and suitable for a particular appli cation. The other end portion of the explosive 14 is positioned above an end portion of the explosive film 16.

These portions of the explosive films 14 and 16 are in fixed space relationship with each other and are separated by a barrier 22 composed of a body of material which is capable of interrupting propagation of the explosive 14 to the explosive 16. Experiments have shown that a body of aluminum 0.010 inch in thickness has the capability of interrupting propagation from a film of PETN inch thick and /8 inch wide. Thinner films of explosive would, however, permit thinner barriers.

It is preferable that arrangement of the end portions of the explosive films 14 and 16, and the barrier 22 be substantially coplanar with each other, or in a sandwich type orientation. The reason for this arrangement will become apparent further on in the course of the present description. A helical coil spring 24 or other force producing means abuts the film 14 at the end portion thereof which forms the upper layer of the sandwich. The spring acts to urge the film 14 downwardly, and thus keep the sandwich intact. v

The barrier 22 can be withdrawn from between the films 14 and 16 by mechanical systems, not shown, but common to the munitions fuze art. For example, spin, setback, or deceleration systems could be readily adapted for withdrawing the barrier 22, as those skilled in the art would clearly understand. Upon removal of the barrier 22 the spring 24 would urge the film 14 towards the film 16 and intimate contact therewith. In this orientation (see FIG. 2) the explosive train system 10 is armed. The

film 16 is operatively connected with the main charge 18 and an explosive propagation initiated by the detonator 20 will eventually reach and cause the charge. 18 to be initiated.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 operates substantially as the embodimentof FIG. 1, but shows further how this inventive system can be miniaturized. Two small bodies of explosive 26 and 28 are arranged substantially coaxially and are interrupted by a barrier 30 to form an explosive train sandwich. A spring 32 urges the body 26 toward the body 28 and will cause the bodies to intimately contact each other when the barrier 30 is withdrawn. Means for withdrawing the barrier 30 is not shown but may comprise any of those commonly known systems mentioned above. A detonator 34 operatively communicates with body 26 and a main charge 36 operatively communicates with body 28. As in the previous embodiment when the barrier 30 is withdrawn an unimpeded explosive train ensues which will result in a propagation when initiated by the detonator 34 which will eventually reach and cause main charge 36 to be initiated.

Since certain changes may be made in the above system without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a projectile having a central axis of rotation, the combination with said projectile of an explosive train arming and fuzing system comprising detonator means;

a main charge including a first body of explosive;

a second body of explosive operatively communicating with said detonator means;

a third body of explosive operatively communicating with said main charge;

a rigid body responsive to centrifugal force away from said central axis and positioned intermediate said second and third bodies in intimate contact therewith, said rigid body maintaining said second and third bodies in spaced relationships with each other; and

spring means for urging said second and third bodies into intimate contact with each other when said rigid body is removed by said centrifugal force.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said rigid body is metallic.

3. In a projectile having a central axis of rotation, the

combination with said projectile of an explosive train arming and fuzing system comprising detonator means;

a main charge including a first body of explosive;

a second body of sheet explosive operatively communicating at one end with said detonator means;

a third body of sheet explosive operatively communicating at one end with said main charge;

a rigid body responsive to centrifugal force away from said central axis and having surface portions interposed between and separable from said second and third bodies and being in frictional engagement therewith, said rigid body normally retaining said second and third bodies in a spaced relationship with each other; and

means for urging said other end portions of said second and third bodies into intimate contact with each other when said rigid body is removed from between said second and third bodies, said means maintaining said frictional engagement until a predetermined centrifugal force removes said rigid body.

4. The arrangement as defined in claim 3 wherein said rigid body is metallic.

5. In a projectile having a central axis of rotation, the

combination with said projectile of an explosive train arming and fuzing system comprising,

a rigid body responsive to centrifugal force away from said central axis, said body having surface portions interposed between and separable from said other end portions and being in intimate contact therewith, said rigid body normally retaining said other end portions of said second and third bodies in a spaced relationship with each other; and

means for urging said other end portions of said second and third bodies into intimate contact with each other when said rigid body is removed from between said other end portions by a predetermined amount of centrifugal force.

6. In a projectile spinning about a central axis, the combination with said projectile of an explosive train arming and fuzing system comprising,

detonator means,

a main charge including a first body of explosive,

a second body of sheet explosive operatively communicating at one end with said detonator means,

a third body of sheet explosive operatively communicating at one end with said main charge, one of said other end portions of said second and third bodies overlying the other,

a rigid body responsive to centrifugal force outward from said central axis, said body having surface portions interposed between and separable from said other end portions and being held in frictional en gagement therewith, said rigid body normally retaining said other end portions of said second and third bodies in a spaced relationship with each other; and

means for urging said other end portions of said second and third bodies into intimate contact with each other when said rigid body is removed from between said other end portions, said means maintaining said frictional engagement until a predetermined centrifugal force removes said rigid body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,325,758 12/1919 Semple 102-80 1,336,391 4/1920 Semple 102-79 1,372,582 3/1921 Weiser 10280 2,458,468 1/ 1949 Flett 1027O 3,015,275 1/1962 Peyton et al 10270 FOREIGN PATENTS 111,161 11/1917 Great Britain.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL FEINBERG, Examiner. G. H. GLANZMAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A PROJECTILE HAVING A CENTRAL AXIS OF ROTATION, THE COMBINATION WITH SAID PROJECTILE OF AN EXPLOSIVE TRAIN ARMING AND FUZING SYSTEM COMPRISING DETONATOR MEANS; A MAIN CHARGE INCLUDING A FIRST BODY OF EXPLOSIVE; A SECOND BODY OF EXPLOSIVE OPERATIVELY COMMUNICATING WITH SAID DETONATOR MEANS; A THIRD BODY OF EXPLOSIVE OPERATIVELY COMMUNICATING WITH SAID MAIN CHARGE; A RIGID BODY RESPONSIVE TO CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AWAY FROM SAID CENTRAL AXIS AND POSITIONED INTERMEDIATE SAID SECOND AND THIRD BODIES IN INTIMATE CONTACT THEREWITH, SAID RIGID BODY MAINTAINING SAID SECOND AND THIRD BODIES IN SPACED RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER; AND SPRING MEANS FOR URGING SAID SECOND AND THIRD BODIES INTO INTIMATE CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER WHEN SAID RIGID BODY IS REMOVED BY SAID CENTRIFUGAL FORCE.

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