US3345947A - Projectile fuze with anti-sabotage means - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 10, 1967 A. COMBOURIEUX PROJECTILE FUZE WITH ANTI-SABOTAGE MEANS Filed March 16, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet l Q AL MW A. COMBOURIEUX PROJECTILE FQUZE WITH ANTI-SABOTAGE MEANS Oct. 10, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1966 0 0, 1967 A. COMBOURIEUX 3,345,947

Filed March 16, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 10, 1967 A. COMBOURIEUX 3,345,947

PROJECTILE FUZE WITH ANTI-SABOTAGE MEANS Filed March 16, 1966 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 f7//////// l l Get. 10, 1967 A. COMBOURIEUX 3,345,947

PROJECTILE FUZE WITH ANTI-SABOTAGE MEANS Filed'March 16, 1966 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 I @wwgfw/M Jim/gag) Oct. 10, 1967 A. COMBOURIEUX 3,345,947

PROJECTILE FUZE WITH ANTI-SABOTAGE MEANS Filed March 16, 1966 7 SheetsSheet 6 Illll' *ge 1/ JQL/ Oct. 10, 1967 A. COMBOURIEUX PROJECTILE FUZE WITH ANTI-SABOTAGE MEANS Filed March 16, 1966 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 aggas 3,345,947 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 ABSCT OF THE DISQLOSURE A projectile fuze with an anti-sabotage device operating upon impact having a body and a hood rotatably mounted thereon. Trajectory safety means are provided comprising a balance-bar, a spring for actuating the balance-bar and a primer-holder rack cooperating with the spring to control the arming of the fuze. Locking means are provided to prevent the operation of the balance-bar before firing. Manually operated fire conditioning means include a primer-holder movable between a safety position and at least one operative position. The fire conditioning means control the locking means and a locking member is also provided controlled by the primer-holder rack to immobilize the body relative to the hood if the rack assumes an operative position while the hood and the body are still in a relative safety position.

The present invention has for object a projectile fuse, of the type operating upon impact and comprising trajectory safety means including a balance-bar actuated by a spring, through the agency of a primer-holder rack, to control the arming of the fuse, locking means to prevent the operation of the balance-arm before firing, and fire conditioning means including a primer-holder movable between a safety position and at least one operative position, these means being actuated by the gunner and controlling the locking means.

This fuse is characterized in that it comprises an antisabotage device including a locking member controlled by the primer-holder rack, to immobilize one relative to the other the body and the hood of the fuse if the rack assumes the operative position whereas the hood and the body of the fuse are still in a relative safety position.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, two embodiments of the fuse according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a view thereof in axial section along 11 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 2 is a view in cross section along 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in cross section along 33 of FIG. 1 showing the members in the safety position.

FIG. 4 is a View similar to FIG. 3, but showing the members in the so-called instantaneous position.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the members in a so-called delay-action position.

FIG. 6 is a view in partial section along 66 of FIG. 7 on a larger scale, showing the balance-bar and escapement device.

FIG. 7 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the members in the operating position which they occupy after firing and after arming.

FIG. 9 is a view in partial section corresponding to FIG. 1, showing certain members in the so-called safety position.

FIG. 10 is a view in cross section corresponding to FIG. 9 and along llL-IO of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but showing the same members in the so-called delay-action position.

FIG. 12 is .a view similar to FIG. 10 and corresponding to FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but showing the position occupied by the same members after arming the fuse.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 10, to FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 10, but relating to an alternative form of construction.

FIG. 16 is a view in axial section of the second embodiment.

The fuse shown comprises a body 1 on which is rotatably mounted a hood 2 itself provided with a cap 3. A seal joint 4 is provided between the body 1 and the hood 2. The axial immobilization of the hood relative to the body is effected due to a slit elastic ring 5 disposed in two complementary grooves made the one at 6 in the body 1 and the other opposite at 7 in the hood 2. This elastic ring is normally contracted so as to be entirely in the groove 6. A pointed screw 8 disposed in a corresponding threaded hole of the hood 2 is provided to separate one from the other the two ends of this ring when one firmly screws the screw 8 in its hole. The spacing apart of the ring has for effect to expand the latter and to bring it into the position shown in FIG. 1 (on the right) where it is seen that this ring is partly engaged in the two circular grooves 6 and 7, which prevents any relative axial movement of 1 and 2 while leaving the hood free to rotate relative to the body.

When the hood is in the position shown in FIG. 1 which corresponds to FIG. 3, the members are in a socalled safety position, in which the striker 9 is held stationary by a striker bolt 10. Simultaneously, a solid wall of a primer-holder barrel 11 is opposite the striker. On the other hand, in this safety position, a primer-holder rack 12 ensures the interuption, as will be seen later on, of the pyrotechnical chain by means of which firing takes place.

In the safety position, a radial hole 13 made in the body 1 is opposite to a solid part of the hood 2. In this hole are disposed two balls 14, 15, the first completely engaged and the second only partly. The ball 15 is partly engaged in a notch 16 of a rod 17 parallel to the axis of the fuse. This rod is provided to slide in a conduit 18 made in the frame 19 of a safety device which will be described further on. The lower end of this rod 17, which is hollow, is engaged in a socket 20 itself disposed in a housing of the body 1. A compression spring 21 is disposed inside the socket 20 and operates upwardly in FIG. 1, on the rod 17. So long as the balls 14 and 15 are in the position shown in FIG. 1, the rod 17 is immobilized. In this safety position, the rod 17 immobilizes the striker bolt 10, that is to say prevents it from rotating about its pivoting axis 22 (FIG. 2).

The following means are further provided to immobilize the striker bolt 10. A ball 23 is partly engaged in a housing 24 of the lower face of the bolt 10 and partly in a hole 25 parallel to the axis of the fuse and made in the upper part 26 of the frame 19. This frame 19, 26 is in two parts for reasons of mounting. This ball is held in the position shown in FIG. 1 by a rod 27 disposed in the hole 26 to slide therein. The lower end of this rod abuts against the primer-holder rack 12 when the members are in the position according to FIG. 1.

When it is desired to arm the fuse to bring it either into the instantaneous position shown in FIG. 4, or in the delay-action position visible in FIGS. 2 and 5, one rotates the hood 2 in the desired direction relation to the body 1. One will describe what happens in each of these two cases.

One rotates the hood 2 so as to bring the members into the position according to FIG. 4, that is to say up to but corresponding the moment when the index I figuring on the hood occupies the position which was that of the index S when one was in the safety position (FIG. 3). A driving dog 28 stationary relative to the hood 2 is partly engaged in a slot 29 made in the primer-holder barrel 11. Upon relative rotation of the hood with respect to the body, this dog 28 obliges the barrel to rotate about its own axis causing it to pass from the position visible in FIG. 3 to that shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the priming 30 has placed itself in the axis of the fuse. This priming is provided for instaneous firing upon impact. The other priming 31 of the barrel 11 occupies, in the instantaneous position, the place shown in FIG. 4.

In order to pass from the safety position to the delayaction position, one causes the hood to rotate so as to bring the index R into the position occupied by the index S in the safety position. In the delay-action position, the members are shown as in FIGS. 2 and 5. The rotation of the hood in the reverse direction to that described previously occasions, through the agency of the dog 28, the rotation of the barrel 11 in such a way that it is the priming 31 which, this time, places itself in the axis of the fuse (FIG. 5). This priming differs from the priming 30 by its nature, to ensure slower firing than in the case of the instantaneous.

The bringing into the correct position of the instantaneous or of the delay-action, that is to say the correct angle of rotation of the hood relative to the body, is ensured by the following means: a lug 32 is fixed in the body 1 and is opposite a milling 33 made in the hood 2. In the safety position, this lug is between the two ends of the milling whereas in the instantaneous position it abuts one of these ends and in the delay-action position, against the other end. Thus, the selection of one of th two operating positions, delay-action and instantaneous, may be effected without the help of the eyes. When the members of the fuse are either in the instantaneous position, or in the delay-action position, the projectile may be fired.

This is what takes place at the moment of firing: the bringing of the hood 2 into one of the positions, instantaneous or delay-action, has for effect to bring opposite the hole 13 a milling 34 of sufficient depth to permit the balls 14, 15 to move so as to reach the position according to FIG. 8, where the ball 15 is completely disengaged from the notch 16. The rod 17 is therefore no longer immobilized by these balls.

Upon firing, through inertia, the rod 17 passes from the position according to FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. {3, by compressing its spring 21. As soon as this position is reached, a blade-spring 35 fixed in a manner not shown on a part of the frame of the mechanism slackens and passes from the position according to FIG. 1 to that according to FIG. 8, where its free end places itself opposite the upper end of the rod 17. From this moment, this spring 35 prevents the rod 17 from obeying the actlon of the spring 21. This rod is thus immobilized in the lower position.

In this lower position, another notch 36 of the rod 17 is opposite a balance-bar mounted to pivot about a hollow spindle 38 coaxial with the fuse. Before the firing of the shot, that is to say so long as the rod 17 was in the upper position, this rod blocked the balance-bar and prevented it from oscillating. Now that it is in the lower posltion, it no longer opposes this oscillation. This balance-bar thus starts to oscillate under the action of a driving spring 39, due to the following means: this spring 39 is disposed in a case 40 mounted to slide between the frame 19 and the primer-holder rack 12.

In the safety position (FIGS. 1, 9 and the spring 39 is slackened and the case is engaged in a 'hollowing 55 of the hood 2, forming, on either side of the spot where this case makes contact, two inclines 56, 57. When one passes from the safety position (FIG. 10) to the delayaction position (FIG. 12), the incline 56 acts on the case 40 and causes the compression of the spring 39. Similarly, if one passes into the instantaneous position, the spring will be compressed, but by the incline 57. At 41 is seen the priming carried by 12 and at 42 (FIGS. 6 and 7) the escapement cooperating with a toothed wheel 43 integral With a pinion 44 itself meshing with another toothed wheel 45'; this latter is integral with another pinion 46 which itself meshes with the teeth 47 of the primer-holder rack 12. One understands that under the action of the spring 39 (compressed as has been seen), as soon as the balancebar can oscillate, the gear train described starts to rotate and the escapement 42 to operate, which causes the rack 12 to advance step by step. This movement of the rack 12 in the frame 19 continues until the moment when this rack abuts against a part of the body of the fuse, as shown in FIG. 13. At the end of the travel of the rack, the priming 41 of the latter is in the axis of the fuse and, as from that moment, the different elements of the pyrotechnical chain 30 or 31, 41 and a relay 53 of a detonator 54 (FIG. 8) are in line and firing may occur. In fact, before reaching the end of the travel of the rack, the rear end 48 of the latter has passed in front of the lower end of the rod 27, so that this rod is no longer blocked in the position according to FIG. 1. Under the action of a torsion spring not shown, acting on the bolt of the striker 10, this bolt starts to rotate, which forces the ball 23 and the rod 27 downwardly since nothing any longer holds back this rod. As soon as the bolt of the striker has released the striker, the latter is able to bring about firing at the moment when the projectile meets an obstacle. The operation of the striker may be carried out in two ways: either by percussion of the central part 49 of the cap 3 which crashes causing the driving back of the striker downwardly in FIG. 1, or simply by inertia, if the projectile hits an obstacle in a skimming way and in this latter case, at the moment of braking or stopping of the projectile, through inertia, the primer-holder barrel 11 is projected forwards and the priming 30 or 31 which is in the axial position strikes the point of the striker. At 50 is seen the spring which normally maintains the striker in the rest position.

It is seen that the fuse shown comprises trajectory safety means including a balance-bar actuated by a spring and regulating the speed of radial movement of a primerholder rack, this adjustment being effected through the agency of an escapement. These trajectory safety means moreover comprise first locking means (rod 17) to prevent on the one hand the operation of the balance-bar before firing and on the other hand the movement of the striker bolt. Additional locking means shown by the rod 27 and the ball 25 are provided so as completely to release the striker only after a certain movement of the rack.

The spring 39 for actuating the balance-bar is a flexion spring of general V-shape with unequal legs open in the free position and which are brought to close at least partly when tensioned. Calculation and experience show that such a spring has, as compared with the usual coil spring, the advantage of much less bulkiness, the force being the same. It will be noted, in considering FIG. 9 to 14, that the spring 39 is disposed between two members (12 and 2) movable one relative to the other during the work conditioning operation which consists in rotating the hood relative to the body 1 and that the members are shaped, as already seen, to cause tensioning of this spring during this operation. The spring is therefore in the free state so long as the fuse is stocked and can therefore not sustain any fatigue. It is only at the moment of the fire conditioning operation, thus just before the operation of the fuse, that it is armed. Independently of this advantage, this disposition offers yet another one: the spring 39 not being under tension, if accidentally, for example as a result of the fracture of an element, the safety means break down, the primer-holder rack cannot accidentally take up the alignment position of the pyrotechnical chain before the fire conditioning, which avoids serious accidents. Due to the inequality of the two legs of the spring 39, one gains an advantage which appears in comparing FIG. 9 and 13. The travel necessary to tension the spring, thus to bring it into the position according to FIG. 11, is notably less than the work travel visible in FIG. 13. Moreover, in this figure, the spring, is not completely slack since one must be sure that the rack effectively reaches the end of travel under the action of a tension, still sufficient, of the spring.

The embodiment described comprises so-called antisabotage means. By sabotage, is to be understood a fuse rendered voluntarily dangerous either during manipulations of the fuse, or during its transport, or again when the shot is fired, without anything being visible from the outside of the fuse. In a fuse of the type described, the sabotage will consist in bringing about surreptitiously the arrival of the primer-holder rack 12 in the position corresponding to the arming of the fuse, that is to say in the position shown in FIG. 13, and for which the elements of the pyrotechnical chain are all in line, of course without rotating the hood 2 relative to the body 1, thus apparently leaving the members visible from the exterior in the safety position. The anti-sabotage means here provided consist of a pin 58 in the right hand end in FIG. 1 of the rack 12. A compression spring 59 disposed in a hole of this rack constantly urges the pin 58 to project outwardly of this rack as is seen in FIG. 1. A hole 60 is provided in the part of the body 1 which is opposite the pin 58 when the fuse members are in the safety position. This hole 60 has a diameter just sufiicient to allow the pin 58 to pass therethrough.

The hood 2 of the fuse extends lower than the spot where the hole 60 is to be found and it presents opposite this hole (always when the members are in the safety position) a radial hole 61 having a thread 51 in which is screwed a plug 52. If by a Sabotage operation, someone succeeds in causing movement of the rack 12 to the right in FIG. 1 without rotating the hood 2 relative to the body 1, the result will be that the pin 58 the existence of which is supposed to be ignored by the saboteur, passes through the hole 60 and engages partly in the hole 61. From this moment, the hood 2 is completely immobilized relative to the body 1 and it is no longer possible for the gunner to act on this hood so as to bring the members into the fire preparation position. His attention is thus drawn to the fact that something is not in order and the fuse is put aside.

These anti-sabotage means do not hinder the normal operation of the fuse. In fact, when one rotates the hood 2 relative to the body 1 to bring the members either in the so-called instantaneous position, or in the delay-action position, the rack 12 is at the left hand end of its trajectory, that is to say that the pin 58 is out of the holes 60 and 61. The hood may therefore rotate without opposition on the part of the pin 58. When now the spring 39 brings the rack to the right hand end of its travel, the pin 58 passes through the hole 60 and abuts against a solid part of the hood 2 (FIGS. 13 and 14). The spring 59 being much weaker than the spring 39, it gives way and the pin 58 retreats as the rack approaches the end of its travel.

In the case of FIG. 15, one has to do with a modified form in which the spring pin 58 is replaced by a pin 62 screwed in the rack 12. One again finds the hole 60 of the body 1, the hole 61 of the hood 2 and the plug 52 outwardly closing this hole 61. A radial hole 63 is provided i s the hood 2 opposite the position occupied by the pin 62 when the members are in the delay-action position. Similarly, a radial hole 64 is provided in the hood oppo- Site the position occupied by the pin 62 in the so-cailed instantaneous position. These holes, which are closed outwardly sby plugs 65, 66 serve as a housing at the end of the pin 62, to permit the rack 12 to move to the end of its stroke without opposition from this pin. This disposition offers the additional advantage of immobilizing the members in the operative position and thus preventing any accidental relative movement of these members at the moment of impact.

In the example according to FIG. 1, most of the members are identical to those of the first embodiment and they will not be described afresh. One will restrict oneself to describe what is different.

In this second embodiment, the hood 2 does not extend as low down as in the first example and it does not reach the level of the plane in which moves the rack 12. A member carried by this rack, such as the pin 58, cannot therefore cooperate directly with the hood 2. Instead of this pin 58 there is provided a conical head 67 opposite to which is formed a radial hole 68 in the body 1. This hole is closed on the outside by a threaded plug 69. A dog 70 urged by a spring 71 is disposed in an oblique hole 72 of the body 1. The lower end of this dog projects at the entrance of the hole 68 on the inner sides so as to be in the trajectory of the conical head 67. The opposite end of the dog 70 is provided to penetrate into a notch 73 of the hood when the head 67 acts on the dog 70 to move it obliquely and upwardly in FIG. 16. The arrival of the dog 70 in the notch 73 ensures the immobilization of the hood 2 relative to the body 1 under the conditions which have been explained in detail in respect of the first embodiment. Of course, notches such as 53 must be made in the hood 2, not only at the point opposite to 70 in the safety position, but also at the points opposite to 70 in the position of instantaneous operation and in the position of delay-action.

In FIG. 16, the V-shaped spring is replaced by a spiral compression spring 74 disposed in a housing for a threaded plug 75. Apart from this, this fuse is the same as the one already described.

What I claim is:

Projectile f uze with anti-sabotage device operating upon impact comprising a body, a hood rotatably mounted on said body, trajectory safety means comprising a balance-bar, a spring for actuating said balance-bar, a primerholder rack cooperating with said spring to control the arming of the fuze, locking means to prevent the operation of said balance-bar before firing, manually operated fire conditioning means including a primer-holder movable between a safety position and at least one operative position, said fire conditioning means controlling said locking means and a locking member controlled by said primer-holder rack to immobilize said body relative to said hood if said rack assumes the operative position while said hood and said body are still in a relative safety position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/ 1958 Sheeley 10276 X 9/1964 Varaud 10284 X

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