US3640012A - Firing mechanism for a pyrotechnic device - Google Patents

Firing mechanism for a pyrotechnic device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3640012A
US3640012A US23338A US3640012DA US3640012A US 3640012 A US3640012 A US 3640012A US 23338 A US23338 A US 23338A US 3640012D A US3640012D A US 3640012DA US 3640012 A US3640012 A US 3640012A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
priming
release lever
striker pin
bore
firing mechanism
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US23338A
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English (en)
Inventor
Alfred James Schermuly
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Pains Wessex Ltd
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Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
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Publication date
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Publication of US3640012A publication Critical patent/US3640012A/en
Assigned to PAINS-WESSEX LIMITED reassignment PAINS-WESSEX LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: SCHERMULY LIMITED
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42C—AMMUNITION FUZES; ARMING OR SAFETY MEANS THEREFOR
    • F42C7/00—Fuzes actuated by application of a predetermined mechanical force, e.g. tension, torsion, pressure
    • F42C7/12—Percussion fuzes of the double-action type, i.e. fuzes cocked and fired in a single movement, e.g. by pulling an incorporated percussion pin or hammer

Definitions

  • Unite tates ate [1 1 3,640,012 Schermuly Feb. 8, 1972 [54] FIRING MECHANISM FOR A 3,051,085 8/1962 0 Finkelstein ..102/37.8 PYROTECHNIC D VICE 2,961,962 11/1960 Jackson ..l02/37.8 3,386,334 6/1968 Temple et a1. ..42/l R [72] Inventor: Alfred James Schermuly, Windswept Kingd near D l, K t, E la d FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22] Filed: Mar. 27, 1970 1,245,193 9/1960 France ..89/1 B PP 23338 Primary Examiner-Benjamin A.
  • Field of Search ..42/69 R, 1 R, 1 F, 1 G, l H comprises a manually actuated [ever Pivotal, attached to the 42/1 J, 1 M, 1 Z; 89/1 B, 1 R; 102/37.4, 37.8, 6 striker pin and employed to prime a striker spring in a first part of its movement and to release the primed striker pin when the lever is aligned with the striker pin.
  • FIRING MECHANISM FOR A PYROTECWIC DEVHGE This invention relates to an improved spring-urged mechanical firing mechanism for pyrotechnic devices such as rockets (line carrying or distress signal rockets), hand-held flare or smoke distress signals, aircraft-home flares or buoyant marine illuminating or smoke signaling devices.
  • a firing mechanism of the kind described will be referred to in this specification as a normally unprimed firing mechanism and has the advantage over preprimed firing mechanisms (i.e., mechanisms in which the priming spring is primed throughout storage) in that they are safer and in that there is less likelihood of the priming spring becoming weakened to the point of being incapable of imparting sufficient energy to the striker pin to fire the detonator.
  • preprimed firing mechanisms i.e., mechanisms in which the priming spring is primed throughout storage
  • This invention relates to a normally unprimed firing mechanism which is of simple construction, is cheap to manufacture and which can be used repeatedly merely by replacing a spent detonator with a new live one.
  • a normally unprimed firing mechanism comprises a housing having a bore therein, a striker pin slidably contained within the bore, means to hold a percussion cap or detonator at one end of the bore, a priming spring within the bore surrounding the striker pin, with one end engaging the housing and the other end engaging the striker pin to urge the latter towards said one end of the bore, and a priming/release lever pivotally secured to the striker pin about a pivoting axis and intermediate the ends of the priming/release lever, the priming/release lever serving (a) to retain the striker pin in spaced relation to the cap or detonator by engagement of both ends thereof with the housing when the lever extends transversely of the axis of the striker pin, (b) to compress the priming spring as the priming/release lever is turned about the pivoting axis towards a position of alignment with the axis of the striker pin and (c) to allow the striker pin to fire the cap or detonator as at least a
  • the primingrelease lever is located in a groove in the housing before a priming and release action is commenced, that end of the priming/release lever, which bears against the groove when the priming/release lever is being turned about the pivoting axis, preferably being curved to facilitate turning of the priming/release lever against the force exerted by the priming spring during its compression.
  • the priming/release lever is secured to the striker pin in a bifurcated end thereof so that the prirningjrelease lever lies within the cross-sectional area of the striker pin when the priming/release lever is in its position of alignment.
  • FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned perspective view of the firing mechanism
  • HG. 2 is a perspective view on a reduced scale showing a pyrotechnic device equipped with the mechanism shown in FIG. 1.
  • a housing formed from an apertured top plate 1 and a tubular barrel 2, contains a striker pin 3 and a helical priming spring 4.
  • a percussion cap 5 is clamped at one end of the barrel 2 by a threaded cup 6.
  • the end of the striker pin 3 closest to the cap 5 is provided with a firing point 7 which is maintained in spaced relation to the cap 5 by a priming/release lever 8 pivotally secured between bifurcation at the upper end of the striker pin 3 by a pivot peg 9.
  • the priming spring 4 is lightly compressed when the mechanism is in the condition shown in FIG. I and the striker pin 3 is prevented from moving towards the cap 5 by engagement of each end of the lever 8 with the bottom of a groove 10 formed in the plate 1.
  • An important feature of the mechanism illustrated is that it can be reused merely by withdrawing the upper end of the pin 3 from the barrel, restoring the lever B to its original position in the groove 10, unscrewing the cup 6 and replacing the spent cap 5 by a new one.
  • the ratio between the lengths of the lever 8 on either side of the pivot peg 9 determines the mechanical advantage available for compressing the spring 4 and this mechanical advantage should be as large as possible commensurate with the desired overall length of lever 8 and the upward movement of the pin 3 necessary to adequately compress the spring 4.
  • the shorter end 11 which engages the bottom of the groove is curved.
  • the lower surface of the groove 10 contacted by the end llll may also be curved to facilitate firing operations.
  • FIG. 2 shows a distress rocket 12 located within a cylindrical casing 13.
  • One end of the casing 13 is formed by the plate 1 and the other end is covered (in known manner) by a removable lid 14.
  • the barrel 2 of the firing mechanism protrudes into the trailing end of the rocket 12 so that the flash from the cap 5 can fire the rocket motor, (shown dotted at 15).
  • the casing 13 can be removably attached to the plate I, the join between the two parts being at 16.
  • the mechanism described above it is convenient to surround the priming/release lever 8 with a sleeve which is slotted at its inner end (the slots accommodate the pivot peg 9) and extends beyond the lever 8 at its outer end, the projecting portion of the sleeve being apertured to receive an end of the static line.
  • the sleeve is secured to the lever 8 in such a manner that the force necessary to remove the sleeve from the lever exceeds the force necessary to turn the lever 8 into its firing position. In this way when tension is applied to the static line (in the general direction of the arrow A) the mechanism is primed and fired before the sleeve is torn off the lever.
  • a shear wire may be employed to inter connect the two, the wire being strong enough to withstand the force necessary to turn the lever 8 into the firing position but breaking on the application of forces in excess of this.
  • a normally unprimed firing mechanism comprising a housing heaving a bore therein, a striker pin slidably contained within the bore, means to hold a percussion cap or detonator at one end of the bore, a priming spring within the bore surrounding the striker pin, with one end engaging the housing and the other end engaging the striker pin to urge the latter towards said one end of the bore, and a printing/release lever pivotally secured to the striker pin about a pivoting axis and intermediate the ends of the priming/release lever, the priming/release lever serving a. to retain the striker pin in spaced relation to the cap or detonator by engagement of both ends thereof with the housing when the lever extends transversely of the axis of the striker pin,

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)
  • Lighters Containing Fuel (AREA)
US23338A 1969-03-31 1970-03-27 Firing mechanism for a pyrotechnic device Expired - Lifetime US3640012A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1668369 1969-03-31

Publications (1)

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US3640012A true US3640012A (en) 1972-02-08

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US23338A Expired - Lifetime US3640012A (en) 1969-03-31 1970-03-27 Firing mechanism for a pyrotechnic device

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US (1) US3640012A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1231671A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3931726A (en) * 1975-01-21 1976-01-13 Amp Incorporated Propellant-driven device for crimping large size wire and terminals
US4192236A (en) * 1976-03-04 1980-03-11 Wallop Industries Limited Firing mechanism for percussion caps
US4326461A (en) * 1979-02-14 1982-04-27 Commonwealth Of Australia Time delay device
US4688466A (en) * 1986-09-11 1987-08-25 Explosive Technology, Inc. Explosive initiator and method
EP0979908A2 (en) 1998-08-12 2000-02-16 Armstrong World Industries, Inc. Ceiling panel

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2586946B (en) * 2019-04-20 2023-12-06 Alford Ip Ltd Safe armed charge

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1245193A (fr) * 1959-01-12 1960-11-04 Amp Inc Cartouche explosive et outil fonctionnant à l'aide de cette cartouche
US2961962A (en) * 1945-01-19 1960-11-29 Leonard D Jackson Trip-wire flare
US3051085A (en) * 1958-11-24 1962-08-28 Del Mar Eng Lab Pyrotechnic flare
US3386334A (en) * 1965-10-20 1968-06-04 Mine Safety Appliances Co Firing mechanism for explosively actuated tools
US3537397A (en) * 1968-08-16 1970-11-03 Us Navy Pyrotechnic signaling device having water reactive igniter

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2961962A (en) * 1945-01-19 1960-11-29 Leonard D Jackson Trip-wire flare
US3051085A (en) * 1958-11-24 1962-08-28 Del Mar Eng Lab Pyrotechnic flare
FR1245193A (fr) * 1959-01-12 1960-11-04 Amp Inc Cartouche explosive et outil fonctionnant à l'aide de cette cartouche
US3386334A (en) * 1965-10-20 1968-06-04 Mine Safety Appliances Co Firing mechanism for explosively actuated tools
US3537397A (en) * 1968-08-16 1970-11-03 Us Navy Pyrotechnic signaling device having water reactive igniter

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3931726A (en) * 1975-01-21 1976-01-13 Amp Incorporated Propellant-driven device for crimping large size wire and terminals
US4192236A (en) * 1976-03-04 1980-03-11 Wallop Industries Limited Firing mechanism for percussion caps
US4326461A (en) * 1979-02-14 1982-04-27 Commonwealth Of Australia Time delay device
US4688466A (en) * 1986-09-11 1987-08-25 Explosive Technology, Inc. Explosive initiator and method
EP0979908A2 (en) 1998-08-12 2000-02-16 Armstrong World Industries, Inc. Ceiling panel

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1231671A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-05-12

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: PAINS-WESSEX LIMITED, HIGH POST, SALISBURY, WILTSH

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:SCHERMULY LIMITED;REEL/FRAME:004525/0274

Effective date: 19860225