US341536A - Available copy - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

B. L. ZALINSKI ELEGTRIG SHELL FUSE.

No. 341,536. Patented May 11, 1886.

' (lumen or 5 1 401 014 02 7 (ma l/Z 1 $513 finer-nai i .Toall whom it may concern/.-

BEST

ELECTRIC SHELL-FUSE.

SPECIFIQAEIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. $51,536, dated May 11, 1.836.

I Application llled Docemborlll), 1885. Serial No. 197.1219. (No model.)

Be it known that I, EDMUND L. ZALINSKT, of the United States Army, stationed at Fort H amilton,.St-ate of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 'in Electric Fuse and Method of Fi'ringProjectiles Thereby, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to electric fuse for projectiles.

The invention consists in the construction of the fuse and its connections and the circuit making and breaking apparatus. a

My improved fnse'is specially intended for use with projectiles andgprojectile torpedoes charged with dynamite or other high explosive, but maybe used with projectiles charged with gunpowder, when found advisable.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a projectile, showing the relative location of the various parts of my, fuse devJ-ce. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section ofa wet and dry battery fuse. Fig. 3 is a section of thesafet-y circuit-- breaker. Fig. {i is a similar section of an auxiliary safety circuit-closer. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the base of the electric battery which ignites on concussion.

A indicates the body of a projectile, which may be of any usual form.

B designates the fuse, which is shown in the.

point of the shell, but may be in the base or any other part, and the battery in said fuse is connected with a detonating charge, (J, preferably at the base of the charge in the shell, to secure the greatest results of the explosion.

lhe fuse B contains the wet battery I) and dry battery E; but under favorable circumstances for such use either battery may be dispensed with. One element of the battery 18 connected to the dct-onator by a wire; but the'retuni-circuit is preferably through the metal of the body of the projectile. The wire from the wet battery is preferably broken at one or-two points, as F and G, in such manner that the circuit can be closed or opened at those points by instrumentalit-ics extending out-side theprojectile.

The fuse-case B is of snlating-piece, a, 11 passes through metal, having an inat 1ts inner end. The wire this piece, and is joined to three, four, or more small copper burst-c c c, which extend lengthwise inside the fuse case, but are insulated from it, A plunger, 11, is

held loosely between the wires or bars 0, but' with sufiicient friction to prevent it from moving by its own weight, even if the fuse be reversed. This plunger (2 has an annulus, e, of non-conducting material attached to its face, and a thin disk, 8, of rubber, extends across the front of this annulus.

The electric battery D, of substantially the construction shown in my Patent No. 313,150, of March 3, 1885, is inclosedin a strong metallic tube, f, which extends forward beyond the end of the fuse case. out is held against movement therein by pins g4 which enter the fuse-case and the tube. The inner end of tubefinuy be faced with a non-coir ductor, h, and is turned in so as to prevent the escape of the battery from the inner end of the tube. The inner end of the battery has a. sharp point, '17, connected to one battery element, and the other element connects by me- .tallic contact with the tubef, fuses-use and shell-body. The outer end of the battery D has a ring, k, of soft metal, ulittle too large to outer the .tubef, but capable of compression or of being cut. away by theshock of firing the projectile in the gun, so that the battery will more inward, as in Fig. 2, after the gun is tired, but will remain at the outerextreinity ofthe tube, Fig. 5, uutil the firing. -Springs Z Z, engaging corrugations in the tube, prevent the escape of the backward movement of the battery during the flight of the projectile,and

a projecting piece, m, holds the battery against forward movement when the shot strikes a target.

'hcn a fuse constructed as described is placed in the frontend or point of a projectile, the battery I) is' held out of possible contact with plung'crd by the ring it engaging theend oftubef. When the gun isiired,this ring strips, and the battery D moves to the bottom of the tuber. At the some time the plunger dinoves to the inner end of the fuse-case, so that there is no contact between the battery and plunger.

'If the projectile strikes in the water, the

plunger d will move forward and the point z,

penetrating the diaphragm flwill enter or engage the metal of plunger 11, thus closing circuit through the detonator and firing the the face of plunger d from a coating of dirt' explode the charge vloy concussion.

charge, the amount of movement of the plans ger determining the delay .in ifiring.

The rubber diaphragm 6' serves to protect or oil, and also acts as apossible safeguard to prevent contact between ihe'plnnger and battery, except by reason of such a shock as will rupture the diaphragm.

It is important that the explosion shall begin at the rear of the charge and not be caused by the shock of striking a target. Thus, when the projectile strikes a solid target, (as an armored ship,) the tubef will bedrivcnin, shearing'ofif the pins y, and causing the battery to engage the plunger before the projectile strikes the target with snch'force'as to The-extension m serves to hold the battery foward in the tnbef.

To prevent explosion of the charge in the gun, the circuit through wire I) (2' Ir is broken at Fby a connection operating follows: A. push-pin, enforced out by a spring, '0, is held in the insulated plug q in the'side of the'projectile. The headot' pin a will come in contact with metal r, and so make connection with the body of the projectile whenever the pin is free to move out under the impulse of its spring; but when the projectile is entered in the gun the pin 11 will be pressed in by the walls of the gun, so that circuit will be broken as long as the projectile is in the gun, but will be closed when it leaves the muzzle. A somewhat similar arrangement at G enables the circuit to be broken all the time until the metallic pin S is inserted between the ends of wires 1) b". This pin will not beinserted until the pin a has entered the breech of the gun, so that circuit is broken at F. The. gunner thus has it in his power to prevent explosion in the gun by reason of the closing of the battery-circuit, no matter what may happen to the battery and plunger.

Should the retardation of the projectile when entering water be insufficient to throw the plunger forward and fire the charge from battery D, or should 'it be desired to throw the projectile into the water and explode it after a few seconds. the dry battery Ewiil fire the projectile, without aid from battery 1), in the following manner: The dry battery contains the chemical elements necessary to produce an electnic current when made sensitive by the to the detonator through wire I). The other connects with the fuse-case and bodyof the projectile. When the p rojectile enters the water, the entrance of liqnidat t sensitizes the.

battery in the course of a very few seconds, and the'charge is fired thereby; The time required for the entrance 0t water may be regulated within reasonable limits, so that the projectile will explode ata greater or less depth thus making the projectile a formidable torpedo destroyer.

It will be understood that the constructions shown-arc diagrammatic, and may be varied by the substitution of equivalents without departing from the spirit of this 'invention.-

I donot claim herein the method of explod ing the projectile by admitting water'to the dry battery, such method being claimed by me in an application filed February 3, 1886, to

which application the Patent Ofiice hasgiyen the Serial No. 190,705. In thisapplication 1 illustrate the application of the circuit-breaker to the battery-wires, whether the battery be sensitized or not.

I claim v 1. A projectile having an electr b battery contained therein and a mechanical connection extending tothe exteriorof the shell, whereby.

the circuit may be broken or closed.

2. A projectile having an electric battery and battery circuit contained therein and a circuit breaker extending outside the projectile and having a bearing the walls'ot the gun, so as to be operated to break circuit by the pressure of the walls of the gun. I

3. (he combination, with an electric battery contained in a projectile, of a projecting piece which drives in the battery to close circuit on contact with a solid target.

4-. The combinatiom'in a shell-fuse, of an, electric battery, atmetallie contact-piece, and

an interposed diaphragm between the battery and said piece, and a perforating-point in line with said diaphragm to penetrate said diaphragm.

In testimony whereof Iaiiixinysignaturc in presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND L. 'ZALINSKI.

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