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US 4,334,474 AGranted
Warhead initiation system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorDavid R. Coltharp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A warhead initiation system in which a helical magnetic fluxtrapper explo a copper mesh initiator at a single point, several points, along a line and/or over a surface.
Claims4
A warhead initiation system comprising:
- an explosive filled warhead casing;
- a copper mesh initiator embedded within said explosive filled casing formed of a chemically etched copper foil wherein there are formed bridgewires and a secondary explosive which coats said foil and is detonated thereby;
- and
- a helical magnetic fluxtrapper power supply electrically connected to said copper mesh initiator for exploding said copper mesh initiator and thereby detonating the explosive within the warhead casing;
- said helical magnetic fluxtrapper power supply comprising:
- a capacitor;
- a first power supply for charging said capacitor;
- a magnetic fluxtrapper including:
- a detonator;
- an explosive;
- a hollow metal rod filled with said explosive and containing said detonator and said rod is connected to said copper mesh initiator;
- and
- a coil of wire surrounding said rod and connected to said copper mesh initiator;
- a first switch connected between said capacitor and said coil, which when closed, allows current from said capacitor to flow through said coil, said copper mesh initiator and said metal rod;
- a second switch, which when closed, shorts out said capacitor;
- and
- a second power supply which fires said fluxtrapper detonator at the time said second switch is closed, whereupon the fluxtrapper explosive is detonated and said hollow rod expands to short out said coil.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.