FR2506005A1 - Impact fuse for non rotating projectile - has four safety locks to give high security with manual over ride for three - Google Patents

Abstract

The impact fuse is for a non rotating projectile. It has a piston and pin (23,4) and a radially moving primer. This acts by timer (11) action, set in motion by firing the projectile. The mechanism includes four safety locks. The first (13) is inertia released on projectile firing. The second (12) locks the first (13), and the third (17) locks the firing pin with manual control (2) for unlocking. The fourth (18) cannot be overridden and locks the manual lock at the end of the primer movement. The second lock is a turning cap forming a dome, covering the fuse.

Description

 Reinforced safety impact rocket for non-walling projectile.

 The present invention relates to the arms industry. It relates more particularly to an impact rocket with enhanced security for storage, trajectory and against sabotage.

 These safety devices are both simple and effective and allow the transport and use, with increased safety, of projectiles of the type operating on impact, in particular mortar shells.

 The trajectory safety is ensured in a conventional manner by a mobile primer holder which ensures an interruption of the pyrotechnic chain comprising a primer, a relay and a detonator in the safety position. The primer holder moves after the start of a blow, under the effect of a spring, while being slowed down by an escapement timepiece.

The unlocking of the mechanism is caused by the movement of an inertia weight at the start of the blow.

 The safety of this device must eliminate any possibility of operation when a manual control (generally a rotating cap) is in the "safety" position11.

 The sabotage safety device must make it possible to detect a possible displacement of the primer holder in the operating position originating either from an arming caused by the counterweight, or from the rupture of a member of the timing mechanism, or again from an error. mounting. In the presence of such an anomaly, the rocket must be locked in the safety position with prohibition of returning to the "operating" position and informing the user of the presence of this anomaly.

 The invention aims to make a rocket with this set of safety devices using simple, robust and reliable means.

 The subject of the invention is a reinforced safety impact rocket - for a non-rotating projectile with a mechanism comprising a piston-striker with axial displacement and a primer carrier movable radially to establish in the axis of the striker a pyrotechnic channel under the control of a delay device normally triggered by the fire of the projectile. This mechanism comprises a first delay device lock, erasable by inertia at the start of the fired projectile, a second lock for blocking the first lock in the erased position, a third striker lock with manual unlocking control with visual position signaling, and a fourth lock, non-erasable, for immobilization in the normal locking position of the manual control for unlocking the striker, at the end of the primer holder stroke.

 The second lock normally blocks the escape of the time delay device and releases it simultaneously with the blocking of the first lock.

 The manual control for unlocking the striker bolt can be constituted by a rotating cap forming a reinforced warhead and covering the rocket.

 The fourth lock can be constituted by a bolt pushed by the primer holder through a bore in the fixed body of the rocket which is inserted at the end of the race in a housing of the cap to immobilize it.

 The second lock can be constituted by a pin spring, a fixed strand of which bears on the fixed body of the rocket and of which a mobile strand, bearing on the counterweight constituting the first lock and wedging the pendulum of the timing device in normal position safety, comes to interpose on the path of the counterweight to prohibit the return, while releasing the balance when the counterweight has moved due to its inertia at the start of the projectile.

The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows and on examining the appended drawings which represent, by way of nonlimiting example, an embodiment of the invention. On these drawings
- Figure 1 is a schematic view in axial section along the line ABCDE of Figure 3, of a rocket according to the invention;
- Figure 2 is a sectional view along line NN of Figure 1
- Figure 3 is a schematic sectional view, partially along the line FJ and, partially along the line
Figure 1 GH
- Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, of the rocket at the end of trajectory safety
- Figure 5 is a schematic sectional view, analogous - in Figure 3 of the rocket at the end of trajectory safety of Figure 4
- Figure 6 is a schematic view similar to Figures 1 and 4 of the same sabotaged rocket
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 5 of the sabotaged rocket of FIG. 6.

 The rocket shown in the figures essentially comprises a body 1 on which a cap 2 can rotate between two stops determining the "operating" (or cocking) and "safety" positions of the rocket. Visual means, such as a painted index mark, on the one hand on the body of the rocket, on the other. part on the hat or a light in the hat allowing to see appropriate markers according to the positions, allows to visualize in a conventional way if the hat is in the "safety" or "operation" position.

 A segment 3 fixes the cap 2 on the body 1 while leaving it free in axial rotation. This known device allows maneuvering of the hat by the user while preventing it from being torn off. A striker 4 slides in the axis of the cap under the action of a piston 23 solicited by a return spring 30.

 The mechanism housed inside the body 1 comprises a frame 5 immobilized in rotation by a bushing 6 crimped on the frame and housed in a hole 7 in the body 1.

 The internal mechanism comprises a primer holder 8 moving radially in the frame 5 under the stress of a spring 9. This movement is controlled by the action of a timing device comprising multiplier cogs 10 and an exhaust system pendulum 11 of conventional type.

The time delay system and, consequently, the movement of the primer holder 8 is locked by means of a hairpin torsion spring 12 which blocks the pendulum ll when its free strand 25 is supported on an inertia counterweight 13 .

The fixed strand 24 of the spring 12 bears on the frame 5 secured to the fixed body 1.

 The counterweight 13 can move axially in a bore of the frame 5. It is held in the high position by a compression spring 14 which rests on the sleeve 6.

 At the start of the projectile, under the effect of acceleration, the counterweight moves by compressing the spring 14. When the upper face of the counterweight 13 comes to the level of the spring 12, the free strand 25 moves and locks the counterweight 13 in the low position, while releasing the balance 11.

 Between the frame 5 and the cap 2 is disposed a locking lever 17 pivoting around a stud 15 fixed in the frame. This lever is driven by a finger 16 secured to the cap between a position (in solid lines 17 in FIG. 2) where it prevents any movement of the striker 4 and a position 17 ′ (corresponding to the "operating" position of the cap) for which the striker is free to move axially.

 The anti-sabotage device consists of a pin t8 sliding in a bore 31 of the body 1 and whose eoi: end 22 / projecting inside the housing of the mechanism. The bolt 18 is normally held in this position by a spring 19.

The bolt 18 is located in the extension of the primer holder 8 and, in the "safety" position of the cap 2, it is located opposite a hole 20 in the cap, isolated from the outside by a sealing washer 21.

 Thus, if the primer holder 8 is at the end of the stroke as a result of sabotage, while the cap 2 is in the "safety" position, the bolt 18 blocks the cap 2 and prohibits the user from bringing it in the "operating" position. However, the cap 2, in the safety position, keeps the lever 17 in the locked position.

 Thus, when the cap is in the "security" position, the lever 17 prevents any movement of the striker and ensures perfect storage security.

 When the cap 2 is turned relative to the body 1 to bring it into the operating position, the striker is unlocked by bringing the lever to position 17 '.

 At the start of the projectile, and under the effect of the acceleration, the counterweight 13 sinks compressing the spring 14, and when the stroke is sufficient, the free strand 25 of the spring 12 moves and maintains the counterweight in position compression of the spring 14. This same movement of the fixed strand 25 of the spring 12 releases the balance 11 and the exhaust functions, which allows the primer holder 8 to move under the effect of its spring 9 and ensures the safety of trajectory until the end of travel of the primer holder 8 where the primer 26 is aligned with a pyrotechnic relay 27 and the charge of the detonator 28.

 When the primer 26 is thus brought into the axis of the striker 4, as soon as the projectile encounters an obstacle, the piston 23 sinks and causes percussion and firing.

8
The primer holder / has a recess 29, located in the axis of the striker 4 in the safety position. This recess 29 allows the striker 4-to sink by inertia without depth
after improvement at the start of the projectile and to be immediately / returned to the normal position by the return spring 30 of the piston 23.

 According to a variant, not shown, the bolt 18 can be fixed at the end of the primer holder 8 instead of being held on the frame 5. The operation remains the same.

 The device according to the invention thus makes it possible to obtain total security in the event of disorganization of the internal mechanism, that is to say even in the event of accidental alignment of the pyrotechnic chain.

 By the combination of the effects of the two storage and sabotage safeties, not only can an armament be detected, but the rocket's organs are immobilized in a position which ensures complete safety in transport and handling.

 Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and shown; it is susceptible of numerous variants accessible to those skilled in the art depending on the applications envisaged and without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. Reinforced safety impact rocket for non-icing projectile with mechanism comprising a piston-striker (23,4) with (8) axial movement and a primer holder / movable radially to establish in the axis of the striker a pyrotechnic channel under the control of a timing device normally triggered by the firing of the projectile, characterized in that said mechanism comprises a first latch (13) of tenporating device (9,10,11), erasable by inertia at the start of the fired projectile , a second latch (12) for blocking the first latch (13) in the erased position, a third latch (17) of manually operated striker (2) for unlocking with visual position signaling, and a fourth latch (18), not erasable, immobilized in the normal position for locking the manual control5ie unlocking the striker, at the end of the primer holder travel (8).  2. Rocket according to claim 1, characterized in that the second lock (12) normally blocks the exhaust (11) of the timing device and releases it, if simultaneously with the blocking of the first lock (13).  3. Rocket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the manual control (2) for unlocking the striker lock (17) is constituted by a rotating cap forming a reinforced warhead covering the rocket.  4. Rocket according to claim 3, characterized in that the fourth bolt is constituted by a bolt (18)> pushed by the primer holder (8) through a bore (31) of the fixed body (1) of the rocket which is inserted at the end of the race in a housing (20) of the cap (2) to immobilize it.  5. Rocket, according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the second latch (12) is constituted by a pin spring of which a fixed strand (24) bears on the fixed body (1) of the rocket and of which a movable strand (25), bearing on the counterweight (13) constituting the first lock and, wedging the balance (11) of the timing device in the normal safety position, comes to interpose on the path of the counterweight ( 13) to prevent the return, while releasing the balance (11), when the flyweight (13) has moved due to its inertia at the start of the projectile.