Self-sterilizing fire-on-the-fly bi-stable safe and arm device

In combination with an energy transfer mechanism of an ammunition fuze having first, second and third elements being alignable in a firing relation, a safe and arm device for aligning said elements of said energy transfer mechanism, said device comprising:

• (a) a housing having a bore and mounting said first and third elements of said energy transfer mechanism in spaced positions adjacent said bore;
• (b) an inertial mass mounted in said bore for movement relative to said housing for producing an arming force in response to occurrence of a predetermined energy-generating event;
• (c) a bi-stable interrupt barrier component mounting said third element of said energy transfer mechanism and being mounted in said bore adjacent to said inertial mass for movement relative to said housing and said inertial mass from a pre-armed stable safe position to a post-armed stable sterilized position in response to applying of said arming force and through an armed position located between said pre-armed and post armed positions in which said elements of said energy transfer mechanism are aligned in said firing relation with one another during a predetermined period of time;
• and
• (d) energy-loadable means disposed in said bore between and interfaced with said inertial mass and barrier component for storing said arming force produced by movement of said inertial mass and for applying said arming force on said component such that before movement of said inertial mass said energy-loadable means is in an unloaded condition wherein no arming force is stored nor applied to said barrier component at said stable safe position, whereas after movement of said inertial mass said energy-loadable means is in a loaded condition wherein said arming force is stored and then applied to said barrier component for driving said barrier component from said stable safe position through said armed position to said stable sterilized position.

In combination with an energy transfer mechanism of an ammunition fuze having first, second and third elements being alignable in a firing relation, a safe and arm device for aligning said elements of said energy transfer mechanism, said device comprising:

• (a) a housing having a bore and mounting said first and third elements of said energy transfer mechanism in spaced positions adjacent said bore;
• (b) an inertial mass mounted in said bore for movement from an inactivated safe position to an activated safe position for producing an arming force in response to a predetermined energy-generating event;
• (c) a bi-stable interrupt barrier component mounting said third element of said energy transfer mechanism and being mounted in said bore adjacent to said inertial mass for movement relative to said housing and said inertial mass from a pre-armed stable safe position to a post-armed stable sterilized position in response to applying of said arming force and through an armed position located between said pre-armed and post armed positions in which said elements of said energy transfer mechanism are aligned in said firing relation with one another during a predetermined period of time;
• and
• (d) an energy-loadable resilient spring mounted in said bore for movement relative to said housing and interconnecting said inertial mass and barrier component for storing said arming force produced by movement of said inertial mass and for applying said arming force on said component such that before movement of said inertial mass said spring is in an unloaded condition wherein no arming force is stored nor applied to said barrier component at said stable safe position, whereas movement of said inertial mass said spring is in a loaded condition wherein said arming force is stored and then applied to said barrier component for driving said barrier component from said stable safe position through said armed position to said stable sterilized position;
• and
• (e) a plurality of releasable safety lock elements, a first of said safety lock elements for imposing a first lock condition on both said inertia mass and said barrier component to hold them at said respective inactivated safe position and stable safe position and being operable in response to occurrence of a first enabling event, being before occurrence of said energy-generating event, to release said first lock condition imposed thereon, a second of said safety lock elements for imposing a second lock condition on said inertial mass upon arrival of said inertial mass at said activated safe position to hold it at such position, a third of said safety lock elements for imposing a third lock condition on said barrier component to hold it at said stable safe position and being operable in response to occurrence of a second enabling event, being independent of said first enabling event and after said predetermined energy-generating event, to release said third lock condition imposed thereon, and a fourth of said safety lock elements for imposing a fourth lock condition on said barrier component upon arrival at said stable sterilized position to hold it at such position. third lock condition imposed thereon, and a fourth of said elements for imposing a fourth lock condition on said barrier component upon arrival at said stable sterilized position to hold it at such position.