GB1587355A - Explosive charge or blasting agent fuse - Google Patents

Description

(54) AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE OR BLASTING AGENT FUZE (71) We, DIEHL GmbH & Co., formerly known as Diehl, of Stephanstrasse 49, 8500 Nürnberg, Germany, a Kommanditgesellschaft organised under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, the present personally-responsible Partner being Siiddeutsches Metall-Kontor G.m.b.H., do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an explosive charge or blasting agent fuze having delay means.

An object is to provide, in an explosive charge or blasting agent fuze having delay means, delay means which may be sealed in air- and water-tight manner and have a fairly long burning time and which fuze, even in the event of fairly long storage time, irrespective of environmental influences, may keep its full operability. (10--15 years) Detonating capsule fuzes having delay means are known and are very wide-spread in practice. Thus, for example, in the military sphere and also in the mining sphere socalled fuze lighters are provided with a fuze cord, a detonating capsule being crimped-on at the end of the fuze cord and the ignition of the fuze cord being effected via the fuze lighter. Delay steps of, for example, 10 seconds up to 1 hour and more can be achieved with these fuzes.

Furthermore, in the military sphere detonating means are known which are detonated by mechanical action, for example by impact or by puncture with the aid of a suitable firing pin or with friction- or pull igniters. These known fuzes have delay means up to 6 seconds, the delay means consisting of a pyrotechnical delay means and this is always ignited by primary detonating means.

As a result of the reaction time of the delay mixture, there results a delayed time function which either, as in the case of detonators, brings about a detonation shock or, as in the case of other fuzes having delay means, can be a flame-, heat- or gasdevelopment.

These known detonating capsule fuzes having delay means have the disadvantage that, when the delay means consists of a powder composition or of a fuze cord, the same is only capable of storage for a limited period, for example 3 years, and that after this time the desired burning times are, as a result of chemical decomposition of the powder composition or of the fuze cord, almost double or the desired delay times are in any event severely altered. In addition to this, in the event, in the military sphere, of storage for an extreme period, the functioning can be jeopardised.

The problem underlying the invention is to provide a simple, reliably functioning explosive charge or blasting agent fuze having delay means with or without a detonating capsule and which can be of a construction such as to be unaffected by storing for a long time, and with which any desired delay time may be achieved and which, irrespective of temperature effects, moisture and so forth, can ensure a reliable delay and a reliable ignition.

According to the invention, there is provided an explosive charge or blasting agent fuze having: a housing in the form of a block having formed therein a plurality of passages; delay means in the form of a chain of multiple countercurrently-acting delayed action compositions each disposed in a respective one of said passages in said housing; and ignitable means for transmitting combustion between successive compositions of said chain.

Preferably, said housing is fitted into an interior chamber in a body part of the fuze and said passages are formed by through passages each extending between two masking caps fitted, in said chamber, one at each of two opposite ends of the housing with -said ignitable means for transmitting combustion between successive compositions of said chain being disposed between respective ones of said masking caps and the respective ends of the housing, with one of said masking caps being apertured to permit combus tion to enter the inlet end of that passage which contains the first in sequence of said compositions of said chain, and the other one of said masking caps being apertured to permit combustion to leave the outlet end of that passage which contains the last in sequence of said compositions of said chain.

The delay means may be pressed into the respective passages and sealed in air- and water-tight manner by seals disposed adjacent to said masking caps.

In the case of countercurrently-acting delayed-composition charges where delay times of up to 60 seconds are to be achieved, the housing may be produced from metallic materials. but also from ceramic materials.

The advantages of the invention consist more especially in that it enables there to be constructed an explosive charge or blasting agent fuze, having delay means, with which fairly long delay times can be achieved and which, irrespective of environmental influences, is unaffected by storage and is completely operative for example for 10 to 15 years.

The explosive charge or blasting agent fuze having delay means can be simply and cheaply produced.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention, and is a longitudinal section through an explosive charge or blasting agent fuze constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the explosive charge or blasting agent fuze shown therein comprises a fuze lighter 1.1, a winged nut 1 provided on the fuze, a striker 1.2, a striker spring 1.3, a percussion cap 1.4, an intermediate piece 2, a housing in the form of a block 3, delay means in the form of a chain of delayed-action compositions 3.1 disposed in respective passages in said block, run-in pieces constituting masking caps 4, 5 and having apertures 4.1 and 5.1, a seal 6, ignition platelets 4.2 and 5.2, a seal 7, a detonating capsule 8, and a protective cap 9. The seals 6, 7 seal the delay means in an air- and water-tight manner.

Within the scope of the invention, the explosive charge or blasting agent fuze may also be used without a detonating cap.

The operation of the explosive or blasting cap fuze with delay means shown is such that after the release of the fuze lighter the percussion cap 1.4 is ignited, the percussion cap causes piercing of the seal 6, the ignition flame strikes into the aperture 4.1 of the masking cap 4 and causes the first delayed-action composition 3.1 to ignite, which composition, in the desired burning time, burns down, and ignites the ignition platelet 5.2, which then causes the countercurrently arranged second delayed-action composition, via the ignition platelet 4.2, causes the third delayed-action composition 3.1 to burn off.

After the burning-off of the delayed-action compositions, the detonating capsule 8, which is arranged, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, under the chain of delayedaction compositions, is caused to detonate.

If desired, the chain of countercurrentlyacting delayed-action compositions may be formed of, for example, five delayed-action compositions, instead of three delayed-action compositions.

As a result of the simple kind of construction, there can be provided an explosive charge or blasting cap fuze, having delay means which is unaffected by storage for a long time and operates reliably irrespective of environmental influences and water storage, and which fuze can meet military requirements, and be usable also for civil use and be produced simply and cheaply.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. An explosive charge or blasting agent fuze having: a housing in the form of a block having formed therein a plurality of passages; delay means in the form of a chain of multiple countercurrently-acting delayed action compositions each disposed in a respective one of said passages in said housing; and ignitable means for transmitting combustion between successive compositions of said chain.

2. A fuze as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said housing is fitted into an interior chamber in a body part of the fuze and said passages are formed by through passages each extending between two masking caps fittted, in said chamber, one at each of two opposite ends of the housing, and wherein said ignitable means for transmitting combustion between successive compositions of said chain are disposed between respective ones of said masking caps and the respective ends of the housing, one of said masking caps being apertured to permit combustion to enter the inlet end of that passage which contains the first in sequence of said compositions of said chain, and the other one of said masking caps being apertured to permit combustion to leave the outlet end of that passage which contains the last in sequence of said compositions of said chain.

3. A fuze as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the delay means is sealed in an air- and water-tight manner by seals disposed adjacent to the masking caps.

4. A fuze as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the ignitable means, for transmitting combustion between successive compositions of the chain, are ignition platelets.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. tion to enter the inlet end of that passage which contains the first in sequence of said compositions of said chain, and the other one of said masking caps being apertured to permit combustion to leave the outlet end of that passage which contains the last in sequence of said compositions of said chain. The delay means may be pressed into the respective passages and sealed in air- and water-tight manner by seals disposed adjacent to said masking caps. In the case of countercurrently-acting delayed-composition charges where delay times of up to 60 seconds are to be achieved, the housing may be produced from metallic materials. but also from ceramic materials. The advantages of the invention consist more especially in that it enables there to be constructed an explosive charge or blasting agent fuze, having delay means, with which fairly long delay times can be achieved and which, irrespective of environmental influences, is unaffected by storage and is completely operative for example for 10 to 15 years. The explosive charge or blasting agent fuze having delay means can be simply and cheaply produced. The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention, and is a longitudinal section through an explosive charge or blasting agent fuze constructed in accordance with the invention. Referring to the drawing, the explosive charge or blasting agent fuze shown therein comprises a fuze lighter 1.1, a winged nut 1 provided on the fuze, a striker 1.2, a striker spring 1.3, a percussion cap 1.4, an intermediate piece 2, a housing in the form of a block 3, delay means in the form of a chain of delayed-action compositions 3.1 disposed in respective passages in said block, run-in pieces constituting masking caps 4, 5 and having apertures 4.1 and 5.1, a seal 6, ignition platelets 4.2 and 5.2, a seal 7, a detonating capsule 8, and a protective cap 9. The seals 6, 7 seal the delay means in an air- and water-tight manner. Within the scope of the invention, the explosive charge or blasting agent fuze may also be used without a detonating cap. The operation of the explosive or blasting cap fuze with delay means shown is such that after the release of the fuze lighter the percussion cap 1.4 is ignited, the percussion cap causes piercing of the seal 6, the ignition flame strikes into the aperture 4.1 of the masking cap 4 and causes the first delayed-action composition 3.1 to ignite, which composition, in the desired burning time, burns down, and ignites the ignition platelet 5.2, which then causes the countercurrently arranged second delayed-action composition, via the ignition platelet 4.2, causes the third delayed-action composition 3.1 to burn off. After the burning-off of the delayed-action compositions, the detonating capsule 8, which is arranged, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, under the chain of delayedaction compositions, is caused to detonate. If desired, the chain of countercurrentlyacting delayed-action compositions may be formed of, for example, five delayed-action compositions, instead of three delayed-action compositions. As a result of the simple kind of construction, there can be provided an explosive charge or blasting cap fuze, having delay means which is unaffected by storage for a long time and operates reliably irrespective of environmental influences and water storage, and which fuze can meet military requirements, and be usable also for civil use and be produced simply and cheaply. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. An explosive charge or blasting agent fuze having: a housing in the form of a block having formed therein a plurality of passages; delay means in the form of a chain of multiple countercurrently-acting delayed action compositions each disposed in a respective one of said passages in said housing; and ignitable means for transmitting combustion between successive compositions of said chain.

2. A fuze as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said housing is fitted into an interior chamber in a body part of the fuze and said passages are formed by through passages each extending between two masking caps fittted, in said chamber, one at each of two opposite ends of the housing, and wherein said ignitable means for transmitting combustion between successive compositions of said chain are disposed between respective ones of said masking caps and the respective ends of the housing, one of said masking caps being apertured to permit combustion to enter the inlet end of that passage which contains the first in sequence of said compositions of said chain, and the other one of said masking caps being apertured to permit combustion to leave the outlet end of that passage which contains the last in sequence of said compositions of said chain.

3. A fuze as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the delay means is sealed in an air- and water-tight manner by seals disposed adjacent to the masking caps.

4. A fuze as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the ignitable means, for transmitting combustion between successive compositions of the chain, are ignition platelets.

5. A fuze as claimed in any one of the

preceding claims, wherein a detonating capsule is provided.

6. A fuze substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.