US3483822A

US3483822A - Rotor fuze

Info

Publication number: US3483822A
Application number: US152107A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfonso J De Leonardis
Original assignee: US Department of Army
Current assignee: US Department of Army
Priority date: 1961-11-13
Filing date: 1961-11-13
Publication date: 1969-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 1986-12-16

Description

Dec. 16, 1969 J, E LEONARDIS 3,483,822

ROTOR FUZE Filed Nov. 13, 1961 INVENTOR Alfonso J. DeLeonard/s ATTORNEY 3,483,822 Patented Dec. 16, 1969 US. Cl. 102-79 3 Claims The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a fuze. More particularly, it relates to a fuze that is armed by rotation and that is fired by impact and rapid deceleration of rotation. This fuze has special application to munitions that rotate under a free fall and which fire on impact with the ground.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of the fuze in safe position.

FIG. 2 shows a section of the fuze in armed position.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show sections of the fuze in firing condition under two modes of impact.

The fuze is structurally symmetrical about its center and consists of stator having a transverse centrally disposed rotor 12. This rotor has two diametrically positioned

primers

14 and 16. At angles to these primers are the symmetrical

radial cavities

18 and 20 containing springs 22 and 24. These springs bear against

pins

26 and 28 on one end, which pins are fixed to the stator 10. The other end of springs 22 and 24 bear against the radial cavity in the rotor and bias the rotor clockwise into armed position.

Two diametrically disposed recesses in the rotor are positioned clockwise ahead of the primers. These recesses are preferably conical and serve to receive

firing pins

34 and 36 in the unarmed position. The latter pins are in turn recessed into and a part of centrifugal spring loaded

weights

38 and 40. Springs 42 and 44 serve to bias these weights into position in engagement with the rotor. Screw caps 4-6 and 48 complete the structure.

In operation, the primers are inserted and the rotor is locked in the safe position of FIG. 1 against the bias of springs 22 and 24. As the fuze rotates about the rotor axis, centrifugal force causes the conical firing pins to withdraw from conical recesses and 32, whereupon the rotor turns to the armed position of FIG. 2. A sharp reduction in the rotational velocity causes one or both of the firing pins to engage its respective primer to thereby fire the fuze. The primers fire through a common diametral and axial opening shown at 50.

It is to be understood that several variants are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus the rotor may be biased by any type of spring arrangements other than the coil Springs shown. Similarly, the firing pins and weights may be biased inward in any manner that will insure their striking the primers. The primers may be made to fire through independent channels. Other variants are also possible.

This fuze has the advantage of being relatively simple mechanically and inexpensive to produce. It has few parts and is reliable in its functioning. Being symmetrical about a horizontal axis it lends itself well to installation in small free falling munitions without upsetting the center of gravity of such munition.

I claim:

1. A symmetrical fuze comprising a fuze body, a centrally positioned cylindrical rotary primer holder within said fuze body, two diametrically disposed primers positioned in said primer holder, two weighted firing pins in said fuze body disposed on opposite sides of the primer holder and substantially perpendicular thereto and in cooperation with said primers, said firing pins being positioned on a common axis and having a spring bias toward said primers, said rotary primer holder being pivoted about an axis substantially at right angles to the axis of the firing pins and being spring biased about its axis into an armed position wherein said primers are aligned with said firing pins, said rotary primer holder having diametrically opposed indentations at an angle to said primers, each of said firing pins engaging one of said indentations in said unarmed position.

2. A symmetrical fuze comprising a fuze body, a centrally positioned rotary primer holder within said fuze body, weighted firing pins disposed on opposite sides of said primer holder and substantially perpendicular thereto, said primer holder having two diametrically disposed primers in cooperation with said firing pins, said primer holder being rotatable about its axis into armed position wherein said firing pins are aligned with said primers, said primer holder also having two diametrically disposed circumferential indentations positioned at an angle to said primers, each of said firing pins engaging one of said indentations when the fuze is in the unarmed position, said primer holder being spring biased about its axis into armed position.

3. A fuze in accordance with claim 2 wherein the rotary primer holder includes passages whereby the ignition passes out through a hollow axis of the primer holder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,046,349 12/1912 Voller 10276 2,806,427 9/1957 Hager 10271 2,951,444 9/1960 Hunt et a1. 10278 2,427,671 9/ 1947 Graumann et a1. 10279 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,159,841 2/1958 France.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner T. H. WEBB, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 10280

Claims

1. A SYMMETRICAL FUZE COMPRISING A FUZE BODY, A CENTRALLY POSITIONED CYLINDRICAL ROTARY PRIMER HOLDER WITHIN SAID FUZE BODY, TWO DIAMETRICALLY DISPOSED PRIMERS POSITIONED IN SAID PRIMER HOLDER, TWO WEIGHTED FIRING PINS IN SAID FUZE BODY DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PRIMER HOLDER AND SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR THERETO AND IN COOPERATION WITH SAID PRIMERS. SAID FIRING PINS BEING POSITIONED ON A COMMON AXIS AND HAVING A SPRING BIAS TOWARD SAID PRIMERS, SAID ROTARY PRIMER HOLDER BEING PIVOTED ABOUT AN AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE AXIS OF THE FIRING PINS AND BEING SPRING BIASED ABOUT ITS AXIS INTO AN ARMED POSITION WHEREIN SAID PRIMERS ARE ALIGNED WITH SAID FIRING PINS, SAID ROTARY PRIMER HOLDER HAVING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED INDENTATIONS AT AN ANGLE TO SAID PRIMERS, EACH OF SAID FIRING PINS ENGAGING ONE OF SAID INDENTIATIONS IN SAID UNARMED POSITION.