Fuze mechanism having integrated safety functions
OwnerKaj Backstrom, Rolf V. Grahn +2inventors
InventorsKaj Backstrom, Rolf V. Grahn, Per O. T. V. Hedenmark, Kjell G. Ohrstedt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuze mechanism for projectiles and the like is provided with a number of integrated safety catches which must be successively released before the fuze may be detonated. A firing pin lock cannot be released until the fuzing time has first been set. Release of the lock and the firing pin is also prevented by a centering piston response to inertial forces at the time the projectile is launched and another piston controlled by the clockwork of the fuze. The clockwork may be overridden by mechanism detecting impact of the projectile to permit detonation in a period of time shorter than the fuzing time.
Claims9
A fuze mechanism for projectiles and the like, which mechanism contains a clockwork (25) brought into operation when the projectile is launched and a blasting cap (35) which is rotated into registration with a firing pin (16) for detonating the fuze after a predetermined series of safety conditions have been met wherein the improvement comprises:
- a firing pin lock (14) locking the firing pin and releasable in several successive steps from corresponding positions to unlock the firing pin;
- manually adjustable means (19) for releasing the firing pin lock from a first position when the fuze is set or timed;
- inertial means (26) for also releasing the firing pin lock from the first position in response to inertial forces generated while the projectile is launched;
- a catch (24) connected with the clockwork to inhibit clockwork operation and responsive to preselected movement of the firing pin lock from the first position to release the clockwork and begin clockwork operation;
- and
- time responsive means (30) connected with the clockwork to release the firing pin lock from a second position at the end of a pre-set time whereby the firing pin is released at the end of the pre-set time to fire the blasting cap.
A fuze mechanism as defined in claim 10 wherein:
- the time responsive means includes a stop member (30) engageable with the firing pin lock, and two rings (6, 7) frictionally engaged with one another for rotation relative to one another in opposition to friction forces and connected with the clockwork for rotation as a unit, the one ring (6) having a shoulder (34) engageable with the stop member for release of the member after a first increment of rotation, the other (7) of the rings having a groove (33) registrable with said stop member for releasing the member after the pre-set time and the firing pin lock at the second position to permit the firing pin to detonate the blasting cap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.