US 5,872,324 A · Trimode fuze

Abstract

A trimode fuze is provided which comprises a combination of a standard dual ode fuze with the addition of a void sensing mechanism. The modified fuze provides detonation of a warhead under three distinct scenarios: impact upon a hard target with detonation caused by the deformation of the warhead, displacing the hard target firing pin, penetration and continuous deceleration within a solid target with detonation caused by the expiration of a penetration delay timer, and penetration of a soft target with detonation caused by the transition from a target impact deceleration to the lower preset deceleration threshold. The first two modes of detonation are similar to those found in prior art dual mode fuzes. The third mode is brought about when target impact deceleration causes compression of a spring. As the spring compresses, steel balls slide out of a locking mechanism. Once said deceleration reduces below a preset threshold, an additional set of steel balls is released, which allows the spring loaded firing pin to impact on the detonator.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A trimode fuze comprising:

a casing having an aft end, a center section and a forward end;
a delay detonator located within said casing at the aft end and having a delay firing pin;
a void fuze, located within said casing in the center section of the casing and being aligned with and rigidly attached to said delay detonator, and having a hollowed void firing pin with a path of movement aligned with a firing channel of said delay detonator;
and
a hard target impact detonator located within said casing in said forward end and aligned with and rigidly attached to said void fuze and having an impact firing pin with a path of movement aligned with said hollowed void firing pin and a stab detonator aligned with said impact firing pin.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Trimode fuze

Life of this patent

Trimode fuze

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8