Ammunition and explosives – Mines – Igniting means
Patent
1995-01-10
1997-02-04
Carone, Michael J.
Ammunition and explosives
Mines
Igniting means
102401, F42B 2310
Patent
active
056000863
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of the present invention is that of devices for detecting a target by means of a trigger wire.
Such devices may be used in combination with a mine of the antipersonnel or anti-vehicle type.
Trigger wires are known which are placed on the ground by hand when the mine is laid.
These wires must be attached to a point remote from the mine so that they are in tension. Pulling or breaking the wire causes a firing pin to be released which detonates the explosive in the mine.
Patent FR2406180 describes such a device, Its principal disadvantage lies in requiring the trigger wires to be laid by hand, which prevents its dispersal by a shell, rocket or a launch system mounted on a vehicle.
Moreover the detonation device used with the wire is a complex and expensive mechanical system and cannot discriminate between different types of targets.
Trigger wires are also known which consist of flexible conductors designed to be broken by the target.
The break is detected by the electronics in the mine from the resulting change in electrical resistance of the wires.
The principal disadvantage of these wires is that they are fragile. Automatic deployment of the wires by pyrotechnic means (for example using the means described in patent FR2677750) is liable to break them, thus rendering the mine totally ineffective.
Finally trigger wires are known which consist of an optical fiber. Crushing of the said fiber modifies the light signal transmitted by the fiber and detonates the mine.
This approach is expensive. Moreover it involves substantial energy consumption because light muse be continuously transmitted through the fiber.
To limit this power consumption it is necessary to have recourse to a passive monitoring system (for example acoustic) which further complicates the detonation system of the mine.
This kind of trigger wire is usually reserved for antitank mines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the invention is to propose a trigger wire detection device which does not have such drawbacks.
The purpose of the invention is therefore to propose a robust and inexpensive trigger device which can be deployed automatically by the mine itself.
This device, nevertheless, has excellent reliability and permits target recognition.
The subject of the invention is a device for detecting a target, and for initiating the detonation of a mine. The device comprises a trigger wire intended to be displaced by the target, and means of processing a signal provided by the displacement of the trigger wire. The processing means may include a component attached to the trigger wire and capable of being moved longitudinally and/or of being deformed with respect to a fixed support when the trigger wire is displaced, and means of detecting the displacement and/or the deformation of the component with respect to the support. According to a first embodiment, the component attached to the trigger wire comprises a permanent magnet and the means of detecting the displacement of this component comprises a contactor with at least two magnetic reeds, the contactor being attached to the support and placed in the vicinity of the magnet.
The support may then be attached to the mine. According to a second embodiment, the component attached to the trigger wire comprises a contactor having at least two magnetic reeds, and the means of detecting the displacement of this component comprises at least one permanent magnet attached to the support and placed in the vicinity of the contactor.
The support may take the form of a cylindrical casing, the contactor being attached to a bushing which is slidably mounted inside the casing and the magnet will comprise a central cavity which the contactor is able to penetrate when the trigger wire is displaced. The contactor may be attached to the bushing by means of a resin.
According to a third embodiment, the component attached to the trigger wire is a small plate. One end of the plate is attached to the support, and the plate includes a strain gauge. The means of detecting the defor
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Carone Michael J.
Giat Industries
Montgomery Christopher K.
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