GB105587A - - Google Patents

Abstract

105,587. Gilmartin, M. W. April 12, 1916. Projectiles; projectile fuses.-Consists in a projectile having explosive charges within the base and nose, and having a time-fuse which is adapted to fire the said charges and is itself adapted to be ignited directly from the propellant charge in the gun. The shell shown in Fig. 1 has the body portion A charged with balls 10 packed in an explosive. The nose portion 31 contains balls 65 embedded in meal powder and shellac, and the chamber in the base C contains powder 28. The screwed-on base has an annular tapered groove into which a projection 17 on the end of the body fits, so as to prevent separation of the base and body when the shell explodes. The driving-band 20 is screwed to the base C by a single heavy thread, and partly overlaps an annular channel 18 in the base. The fuse comprises a plate 42 having an annular timing-channel 53, which leads to a central tube 36 communicating at the forward end with the nose charge through a hole 66, and opening at the rear into the base chamber. A rotatable graduated ring 49 is mounted on the plate 42, a catch coacting with rachet-teeth being suitably interposed, and between the parts 42, 49 a thin perforable diaphragm 50 is fixed. The ring 49 carries a pin 59 which can be screwed in so as to pierce the diaphragm 50 and thus open communication between any selected point in the channel 53 and a passage 58 leading through the fixed tip 47 to an inner longitudinal tube 37. All the passages contain quick-burning powder. The rear end of the tube 37 connects with a bore in the base of the shell, the bore being packed with highly-compressed meal powder which starts the ignition of the fuse when the shell is fired. The arrangement of the fuse, as described, is such that the charges in the nose and base are fired in quick succession. In the modification shown in Fig. 5, a powder charge 75 is contained in a carton 73, the base 76 of which has a timing-channel 86 leading to the charge. Over this is a plate 84 which can be rotated by means of a longitudinal tube 83 connected thereto, on which tube is mounted a graduated tip 94, carrying a spring catch 95. The plate 84 has a perforation 85 through which a flash can pass from the igniting-channel 90 to any selected point of the timing-channel When the charge 75 is fired, a flash passes through a tube 77, perforated at 93 and 92 and containing quick-burning powder, to the nose charge. A percussion fuse 74 is provided in the carton 73. The invention is applicable to high-explosive shells.