US2960915A - Scatter charge - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 22, 1960 s. o. ROCKWELL arm. 2,960,915

SCATTER CHARGE 2 sheets-s3 eat 1 Filed April 12, 1946 INVQENTORS GAY/V05 0. ROCKWELL GEORGE M. 60 EL 19 w 5 E) BY ATTORNEY Nov. 22, 1960 G. Q. ROCKWELL ETAL 2,960,915

I SCATTER CHARGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 12', 1946 SCATTER CHARGE Filed Apr. 12, 1946, Ser. No. 661,593

9 Claims. (1. 89-1) The present invention relates to ordnance devices and more particularly to a novel device for producing a pattern of explosive charges. The new device may be used to particular advantage as a means by which a number of contact-type, fast-sinking, antisubrnarine explosive charges, projected from a surface ship by a single discharge of a projector, are caused to disperse while in flight to form a pattern which gives a greater probability of securing a hit. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to this use.

It has been proposed heretofore to scatter explosive charges for use against submarines by providing a bundle of explosive projectiles surrounding a dispersal mechanism and held in place by a steel strap, dispersal of the projectiles and breaking of the strap being accomplished by electrically operated explosive charges fired after the bundle has been projected from a K-gun or other projector. Devices of this type, as heretofore proposed, have not been satisfactory because of operational difiiculties encountered in dispersal of the projectiles from the bundle.

One object of the present invention, therefore, resides in the provision of a device for producing a pattern of explosive charges and including novel charge-dispersing means which overcomes the difhculties previously encountered with prior dispersal means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having the charges or projectiles normally held together in a bundle by a binding strap, and which includes dispersal means in the form of a mechanical shear adapted to be driven by an explosive force to break the binding strap.

Still another object is to provide a device of the character described having an inertia-operated safety device for insuring against premature operation of the dispersing means for the charges.

A further object is to provide a device of the character described having an improved container for the dispersing charge.

' These and other objects of the invention may be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bundle of antisubmarinecharges embodying the present invention, showing the bundle loaded in a K-gun;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the working head of the dispersal means for the charges shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal and vertical sectional views, respectively, of the working head;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse sectional view of the working head, showing the operating switch and the container for the scattering charge and detonator;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, partly in sections of the operating switch for the working head, and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the firing circuit.

Referring now to Fig. 1, contact charges in the form of antisubmarine projectiles it) are bound up in a bundle 11 by meansof a steel strap 12. As shown, the bundle 11 comprises six projectiles 10, although it will be under stood that any other desired number of projectiles may be used. The projectiles 10 surround a working head included in the bundle 11 and described in detail below. The bundle of projectiles is secured to a standard depth charge arbor 13 by a cable 14 having a shear pin device (not shown) which is broken upon firing or projecting the bundle from a K-gun 15. A block 16 on the arbor 13 insures proper location of the bundle of projectiles with respect to the arbor. The K-gun 15 may be of standard design and has a chamber 15a adapted to receive an explosive propelling charge which acts on part of the arbor 13 extending into the muzzle of the gun, to project the bundle 11 from the gun.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the working head 18 comprises a main cylindrical body 19 containing six equally spaced pistons 20 operating in radial cylinders 21. On the outer end of each piston 20 is a saddle or pressure plate 22 curved to conform to the cylindrical surface of the casing of the adjacent projectile 10. Also attached to the body 19 of the working head is a strap shear consisting of frame members 23 connected to the body 19 and extending radially therefrom, a shear bar 24 connected between the outer ends of the frame members, and a shear blade 25 attached to a shear piston 26 which operates in a radial cylinder 27 in body 19. The shear blade 25 is disposed between the members 23 and is movable radially of the body 19 in guides 28 on the frame members. The strap 12 passes between the shear bar 24 and the shear blade 25. A dispersing charge 30 and its associated time-delay detonator 31 are inserted in a central cavity 32 in the body 19 and are retained by a cover plate 33 bolted on the supper face of the body. The cavity 32 communicates directly with the cylinders 21 and 27.

In the operation of the device, the time-delay detonator 31 explodes the scattering charge 30 at a predetermined time subsequent to firing of the bundle 11 from the K-gun. Explosion of the scattering charge 39 produces a high gas pressure in the chamber 32 which forces the pistons 20 and 26 outward. Outward motion of piston 26 forces the shear blade 25 past the shear bar 24 cutting the strap 12. When the strap 12 is cut, the charges 10 are released and forced outward by the pressure in cavity 32 acting against the pistons 23.

The dispersing charge 30 is held in a container constructed in two parts, an insulating cap 34 and a cup 35, the time-delay detonator 31 being held in a threaded metal holder 36 screwed into the cap 34. The entire assembly is inserted in the central cavity 32 of the main body 19 with the edge of the cap 34 hearing on the bottom of a counterbored section of the cavity. The edge of the cap 34 is bevelled at 34a to permit it to expand to form a gas-tight seal with the wall of the cavity 32 when the dispersal charge explodes. The cover plate 33 is recessed to fit over the upper end of the cap 34.

The detonator 31 is electrically fired. More particularly, electrical connections to the detonator are made through a central contact pin 4% and the body of the holder 36, respectively. The contact pin 40' extends through an insulating bushing 41 in cover plate 33 and is urged against the central insulated contact 36a of the holder 36 by the action of a spring 42 hearing against a shoulder on the pin. A grounding spring 44 is secured directly to the cover plate 33 and bears against the metal part of the holder 36 surrounding the insulated contact 3601 and the detonator 31. A toggle switch 45 is carried on a bracket 46 attached to the outer surface of the cover plate. This switch is operated at the time of firing of the K-gun by the inertia of a weight 47 attached to its operating handle 47a (Figs. 4- and 5). A safety pin 48 is threaded at its lower extremity into a hole in the cover plate 33 and when in place prevents motion of the weight 47 and removes the danger of premature ignition of the dispersing charge. A neck 49 on the safety pin just above the threaded tip makes it possible to twist the pin ofi? in the event that the threaded portion is stuck by corrosion. A cover 50 protects the switch assembly.

Referring to Fig. 7, the ignition circuit for the scattering charge 30 operates in parallel with that for the K-gun propelling charge. When the firing switch 52 on the K- gun 15 is closed, current flows from a battery 53, or other current source, through a detonator 54 in the K-gun to explode the propelling charge in chamber 15a. Upon acceleration of the arbor and the projectile bundle 11, the inertia of the weight 47 causes it to move, closing the safety switch 45. Sufiicient slack is left in wire 55 connecting the switch 45 with the K-gun firing circuit to maintain the electrical connection between the projectile bundle 11 and the gun, after the bundle starts to move from the gun, and to allow time for current to flow through the switch 45 and initiate operation of the timedelay detonator 31. It will be understood that the timedelay detonator 31 is connected to one side of battery 53 on the K-gun through the insulated conductors 36a and 40, the switch 45 and the slack wire 55, and is connected to the other side of the battery through metal holder 36, grounded spring 44, body 19, bundle 11 and the part of arbor 13 projecting into the K-gun, the latter connection being designated in Fig. 7 by the reference numeral 57. On firing of the K-gun, the part of arbor 13 projecting into the gun remains in contact with the gun for a sufficient time interval to cause complete energizing of the time-delay detonator 31 through the circuit described above. The detonator 31, after being thus energized, is operable to explode the dispersing charge 30 after a predetermined time interval which is dependent upon the known trajectory of the bundle 11.

In operation, the safety pin 48 is removed to release the weight 47 after the K-gun is loaded. The operating switch 52 of the K-gun is then closed to fire the propelling charge 54 in the gun, whereupon the cable 14 is sheared and the bundle 11 with arbor 13 is discharged from the gun. Upon firing of the gun, the force of setback on the weight 47, due to its inertia causes the weight to close the switch 45 so that the circuit previously described through detonator 31 is closed. The circuit remains closed until the wire 55 is broken or the part of the arbor 13 normally extending into the K-gun barrel leaves the gun, this time interval being sufiicient to initiate operation of the time-delay detonator 31. After the time interval provided by the detonator 31 and before the bundle 11 strikes the water, the charge 30 is exploded, and the resulting force on pistons 20 and 26 severs the strap 12, as previously described, and expels the projectiles from the head 19. Thus, the projectiles 10 are dispersed outwardly from the head 19 and enter the water in a pattern which is calculated to effect a hit on a submarine in the pattern area. Upon contacting the submarine, any one of the projectiles 10 is detonated by the usual contact fuze (not shown).

It will be apparent that the new device is of simple construction and includes highly effective safty means for preventing premature operation of the dispersing detonator 31. The dispersing device for the charges or projectiles is positive and reliable in operation and is of a compact form so that the projectiles may be clustered closely around the device in a compact bundle.

We claim:

1. In combination, a plurality of objects to be dispersed, a binder for holding said objects together in a bundle preparatory to the projection of said bundle into space, and a working head in said bundle having an explosiveoperated cutter for shearing the binder and having explosive-operated pistons for dispersing said objects outwardly from the head in a pattern during projection of the bundle.

2. Means for dispersing a plurality of objects, said means comprising a current source grounded at one side to a gun from which the objects are intended to be dispersed, an arbor having a part projectable into the gun bore from the muzzle end of the gun, a plurality of projectiles on the arbor, a binder for holding the projectiles and arbor together in a bundle, a working head in said bundle having an explosive charge for shearing the binder and dispersing the projectiles from the head in a pattern, an electrically operable detonator in the head for exploding said charge, means for grounding one side of the detonator through the bundle to the gun, whereby the detonator is connected to said side of the current source, and a conductor for connecting the other side of the detonator to the other side of said current source and having suflicient slack to enable energization of the detonator from the current source after firing the gun.

3. Means for dispersing a plurality of objects, said means comprising an arbor having a part projectable into the bore of a gun from the muzzle end of which the arbor is to be fired, a plurality of projectiles on the arbor, a binder for holding the projectiles and arbor together in a bundle, a working head in said bundle having an explosive charge for shearing the binder and dispersing the projectiles from the head in a pattern, an electrically operable time-delay detonator in the head for exploding said charge and grounded at one side to the gun through said head and bundle, a current source grounded at one side to the gun, a conductor connecting the other side of the current source with the other side of said detonator and having a substantial amount of slack, an electrically operable detonator for firing the gun and connected across the current source in parallel with said first detonator, and a switch between the current source and said detonators for energizing the detonators substantially simultaneously.

4. A device for dispersing objects in a pattern, which comprises a working head having a central cavity and cylinders radiating from the cavity, pistons in the cylinders, means on the outer ends of the pistons for supporting said objects in a cluster about the working head, an explosive charge in the cavity for forcing the pistons outwardly in the cylinders to disperse said objects in a pattern, an electrically operable detonator in the head for firing said charge, a normally open arming switch on the head through which the detonator is adapted to be energized, and means operable by a force of setback to close the switch for energizing the detonator.

5. A device for dispersing objects in a pattern, which comprises a working head having a central cavity and cylinders radiating from the cavity, pistons in the cylinders, means on the outer ends of the pistons for supporting said objects in a cluster about the working head, an explosive charge in the cavity for forcing the pistons outwardly in the cylinders to disperse said objects in a pattern, an electrically operable detonator in the head for firing said charge, a normally open arming switch on the head through which the detonator is adapted to be energized, means operable by a force of setback to close the switch for energizing the detonator, and releasable safety means for locking said setback means against operation.

6. A device for dispersing objects in a pattern, which comprises a working head having a central cavity and cylinders radiating from the cavity, pistons in the cylinders, means on the outer ends of the pistons for supporting said objects in a cluster about the working head, a cup in said cavity, an explosive charge in the cup for forcing the pistons outwardly in the cylinders to disperse said objects in a pattern, a cap closing said cup and having a central opening, an electrically operable detonator in the cup for exploding said charge, a metal holder for the detonator mounted in said opening and in current conducting relation to one side of the detonator, the holder hav- "ing an insulated conductor connected to the other side of the detonator, a cover plate on the head for retaining the parts in the cavity, a contact spring grounded on the cover plate and engaging the holder, a contact pin in the cover plate, means for insulating said pin from the plate, a spring for urging the contact pin against said conductor on the holder, and a setback switch on the cover plate connected to said contact pin and through which the detonator is adapted to be energized.

7. A device for dispersing objects in a pattern, which comrpises a working head having a central cavity and cylinders radiating from the cavity, pistons in the cylinders, means on the outer ends of the pistons for supporting said objects in a cluster about the Working head, a cutter operable by one of the pistons for releasing said objects from the head, and an explosive charge in the cavity for forcing the pistons outwardly in the cylinders to operate the cutter and disperse said objects in a pattern.

8. In combination, a plurality of projectiles, a working head having a central cavity and cylinders radiating from the cavity, pistons in the cylinders, saddles on the outer ends of certain of the pistons for supporting the projectiles, a binder for securing the projectiles in a bundle on the saddles; a cutter on the head for shearing the binder and connected to one of the pistons, and an explosive charge in the cavity for forcing the pistons outwardly to operate the cutter, thereby releasing the pro jectiles, and to disperse the projectiles in a pattern.

9. In combination, a plurality of projectiles, a working head having a central cavity and cylinders radiating from the cavity, pistons in the cylinders, saddles on the outer ends of certain of the pistons for supporting the projectiles, a binder for securing the projectiles in a bundle on the saddles, a frame on the head extending outwardly therefrom between adjacent projectiles and having a shear bar engaging the outer edge of the binder, a cutter guided in the frame and movable by one of the pistons to shear the binder against said bar and release the projectiles, and an explosive charge in the cavity for forcing the pistons outwardly to operate the cutter and disperse the projectiles in a pattern.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,146,950 Pivonka July 20, 1915 1,295,213 Saladiner Feb. 25, 1919 2,335,927 Firth Dec. 7, 1943 2,346,494 Leland Apr. 11, 1944 2,399,248 Patrick et al Apr. 30, 1946 2,411,432 Imber Nov. 19, 1946

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