US3397635A

US3397635A - Release device for land mines

Info

Publication number: US3397635A
Application number: US538466A
Authority: US
Inventors: Madlener Paul; Pecksen Otto
Original assignee: Industrie Werke Karlsruhe Ausburg AG
Current assignee: KUKA AG
Priority date: 1965-03-27
Filing date: 1966-03-18
Publication date: 1968-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 1985-08-20
Also published as: DE1277076B; GB1117949A

Description

1968 P. MADLENER ETAL 3,397,635

RELEASE DEVICE FOR LAND MINES Filed March 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0, 1968 P. MADLENER ETAL 3,397,635

RELEASE DEVICE FOR LAND MINES Filed March 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,397,635 RELEASE DEVICE FOR LAND MINES Paul Madlener, Karlsruhe-Durlach, and Otto Pecksen,

Herrenalb, near Karlsruhe, Germany, assignors to Industrie-Werke Karlsruhe Aktiengesellschaft, Baden, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Mar. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 538,466 Claims priority, application Germany, Mm. 27, 1965,

Claims. ci. z s

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A release device for land mines in which two elastic and liquid-filled hoses extend outwardly from diametrically opposed points of a housing containing a spring actuated firing pin and two independent lever systems, both of which normally hold the firing pin in an inoperative position. Only when both lever systems are operated simultaneously by the pressure developed in both said liquidfilled hoses when a vehicle with both its tracks passes over the release device the firing pin is released.

A rotatably mounted safety member is attached to the housing above the two-lever systems and in one position prevents an operation of the lever systems which would release the firing pin and in another position permits an operation of said lever systems to release the firing pin.

The invention relates to a release device, particularly for land mines, for instance, antitank mines, in which preferably V-shaped disposed elastic and waterproof release hoses filled with a medium and entering the detonator of the mine "are simultaneously put under a load for causing a change in the form of the elastic hoses which in turn actuates a system of levers by means of elastic bellows which causes an ignition of the mine.

It is an object of the invention to provide a release device which causes a detonation of the mine when the vehicle to be destroyed is directly over the mine and not on one side of the same, so that no longer an explosion of a mine without the desired result will take place. In accordance with the invention, the release device is provided with a housing containing a firing pin and two outwardly extending flexible hoses which are filled with a cold resisting fluid and closed at both ends, at one end, however, by a flexible diaphragm engaging pressure pins which in turn engage two double-armed levers pivotally mounted between their ends. These levers are urged by a common pressure spring with their shorter arms against locking balls which normally retain a spring-actuated firing pin in a tensioned position. Only when both flexible hoses are simultaneously subjected to a load, such as the two endless traction chains of an armored tank or other vehicle, both locking balls are simultaneously released by the two levers actuated by the fluid pressure actuated diaphragms and the bolts connected therewith. These bolts move the levers against their common pressure spring, so that the levers release the locking balls, so that the firing pin is propelled against a fuse thereby efiecting a detonation of the mine connected with the fuse.

The invention provides that a detonation of a mine, such as an antitank mine, takes place only in the event that two release-causing flexible hoses are subjected at the same time to a pressure which should be great enough to cause an increase of the pressure of the fluid in the hoses. If only one hose is subjected to such a pressure, a detonation of the mine connected with the release device of the invention does not take place. The vehicle or tank must be positioned directly over the mine to cause an explosion of the latter. If the vehicle is moving only over one flexible hose, namely laterally to one side of the mine, the latter does not explode. Ordinary walking persons, animals or flying rocks will not cause the mines to explode. In fact, a mine field, whose mines are equipped with release devices of the invention, may without danger be entered and traversed by individual p rsons or even by troops marching in a line.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example one embodiment:

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view of the release device including the detonator;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top elevation view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line IIIIII of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view of the release device in a reduced scale.

Referring to the drawings, the detonator housing 1 has screwed into its lower portion a support sleeve 2 with a sealing ring 3. The bore 4 of the sleeve 2 contains a firing pin 6 biased by a helical spring 5 and resting upon two locking balls 7. These balls 7 are engaged by the lower ends of two vertically arranged double-armed levers 8 which project into recesses 9 of the support sleeve 2, and in the latter are pivotally supported between their enrs by horizontally disposed pivot pins 10.

The upper longer ends of the levers 8 have transversely extending projections for receiving the ends of a horizontally disposed helical pressure spring 11 which tends to move the upper ends of the levers 8 apart, so that the lower ends of the levers 8 are urged against the balls 7 and retain the same in their locked position. A tubular ignition cap 13 containing a fuse 14 is screwed into the lower end of the support sleeve 2 with a sealing ring 12 arranged between these parts. The lower end of the cap 13 has an exterior thread 15 for connection with a mine.

The detonator housing 1 is provided with two oppositely disposed connecting nipples 16 on which flexible pressure hoses 17 are attached by means of screw collar rings 18.

The outer end of the two flexible pressure hoses 17 are closed and sealed in any suitable manner. The inner end of each hose facing the housing 1 is provided with an insert 19 into which is sealingly inserted by means of a pressure member 20 a diaphragm 21. These diaphragms 21 carry in their center a pressure bolt 22 which is guided in a bore of the pressure member 20. The hoses 17 are additionally secured to tubular extensions 19a f the inserts 19 by conventional hose clamps 17a.

In the head or upper portion of the detonator housing 1 is rotatably mounted a safety button 23 which by a sealing ring 24 is sealed against the housing 1 and by means of a spring ring 25 is held in place. The inner end of the button 23 is rovided with a transverse slot 25 which is somewhat wider than each one of the levers 8. Perpendicularly to this transverse slot 26, the outer circumference of the button 23 is provided with two shallow grooves 27 which also are wider than the levers 8.

The upper face of the safety button 23 is provided with a transverse groove 28 having a width substantially of that of a coin.

The operation of this device is as follows: When a vehicle, such as a tank, having endless traction belts or traction wheels moves over the device in such a manner that both flexible hoses 17 are depressed simultaneously by the same load which is suflicient to depress the hoses, then the fluid which is in these hoses causes a flexing of the diaphragms 21 and the latter move the bolts 21 against the levers 8 which are then moved against the pressure spring 11 and are pivoted about the pivot pins 10. This has the result that the lower ends of the levers 8 release the locking balls 7 which are displaced laterally and release the firing pin 6 which by means of the tensioned spring is propelled against the fuse 14 and initiates the detonation of the mine. In the event, however, that only one of the two flexible hoses is subjected to the load or pressure of a vehicle, which is the case when the mine lies adjacent to one side of the vehicle, then only one diaphragm 21 and bolt 22 and only one lever 8 is actuated. According only one of the two locking balls 7 is released, while the other one retains the firing pin 6 in locked position and no release of the firing pin 6 takes place. If the pressure upon one of the flexible hoses 17 abates the respective diaphragm 21 returns to its initial position, the previously actuated lever 8 under the action of the Spring 11 also returns to its initial position in which the locking ball 7 is again held in its firing pin locking position.

A safety locking of the device against accidental release is accomplished by rotatably adjusting the safety button 23 with a coin which with its edge is inserted into the transverse slot 28. The button 23 is rotated until the slot 26 is disposed transversely to the levers 8. Thereupon the two lower ends of a safety hoop 29 may be inserted into the marginal recesses 30 of the button 23. If now the flexible hoses 17 are subjected accidentally to a load, the upper ends of the levers 8 which, as shown in FIG. 1, abut the outer circumference of the button 23 and are unable to pivot about their pivot pins 10. In fact, the upper ends of the levers 8 which enter into the shallow gooves 27 in the button 23, so that the latter cannot be rotated, if an attempt is made under these conditions.

If, however, the button 23 is in its Fire Position the transverse groove 26 is in alinement with the upper end of the levers 8. When now both hoses are subjeted to a sufficient load, the levers 8 can center the groove 26 and the mine is detonated.

For practice purposes with blank mines, the release device of the invention may be used again and again, namely any desired number of times. A released or fired device may be tensioned again by pressing the upper ends of both levers 8 together, after previously having removed the flexible hoses 17 and the ignition cap 13, and then moving the firing pin 6 upwardly, whereupon the two levers 8 are released, so that they move the balls 7 toward the firing pin 6 thereby holding the latter again in a locked position.

What we claim is:

1. A release device, particularly for the ignition of land mines, including a housing, two flexible waterproof hoses filled with a cold resisting fluid medium extending from opposite sides of said housing outwardly and closed at both of their ends, means operable by the closed inner ends of said hoses to cause the release of a springactuated firing pin when both hoses are simultaneously deformed by a pressure acting upon the same, said means including a diaphragm at each inner end of said hoses, two independent lever systems within said housing one for each of said diaphragms and adapted to be operated by the latter, two locking members arranged between said firing pin and said two lever systems, a common pressure spring for normally holding said lever systems in a position in which said firing pin is locked by said two locking members in an inoperative position, said firing pin being released when said two diaphragms are sufiiciently flexed at the same time to operate said two lever systems and move the same against the action of said common pressure spring.

2. A release device according to claim 1, in which each one of said lever systems comprises a double-armed lever pivotally mounted between its ends to form a long arm and a short arm, said long arm being engaged by one end of said common pressure spring, while said short arm engages a ball-shaped locking member engaging said firin 3. A release device according to claim 1, including a rotatably mounted safety member attached to said housing above said two-lever systems therein, said safety member having a transverse slot which in one position permits an operation of said lever systems so as to cause a release of said firing pin and in another position of said safety member, the same prevents an operation of said lever systems and thereby retains said firing pin in its locked position.

4. A release device according to claim 1, including a tubular insert in each inner end of said hoses, mean for removably attaching said inserts in a horizontal position to diametrically opposed portions of said housing, means for mounting said diaphragms in said inserts, and a centrally arranged pressure member on said diaphragms for operatively engaging said lever systems.

5. A release device, particularly for the ignition of land mines, including a housing, two flexible waterproof hoses filled with a cold resisting fluid medium extending from opposite sides of said housing outwardly and closed at both of their ends, means operable by the closed inner ends of said hoses to cause the release of a springactuated firing pin when both hoses are simultaneously deformed by a pressure acting upon the same, said means including a diaphragm at each inner end of said hoses, two lever systems within said housing adapted to be operated by both said diaphragms, said firing pin being arranged between said two lever systems, a common pressure spring for normally holding said lever systems in a position in which said firing pin is locked in an inoperative position, said firing pin being released when said two diaphragms are sufficiently flexed at the same time to operate said two-lever systems and move the same against the action of said common pressure spring, each one of said lever systems comprises a double-armed lever pivotally mounted between its ends to form two arms, one of said arms being engaged by one end of said common pressure spring, while the other arm engages a ball engaging said firing pin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,790,387 4/1957 Billon 102-8 3,282,212 11/1966 Romano 102-8 FOREIGN PATENTS 515,512 11/1952 Belgium.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner,