Ammunition and explosives – Igniting devices and systems – Arming devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-17
2001-11-20
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Ammunition and explosives
Igniting devices and systems
Arming devices
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318269
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority of German Application No. 199 17 121.1 filed Apr. 15, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a submunition projectile having a deployable stabilizing band mounted on a rearward portion of the projectile.
A submunition projectile (bomblet) of the above-outlined type is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,419. The projectile described therein includes a fuze having an axially shiftable firing pin carrier and a slide which has a detonator charge and which is shiftable transversely to the projectile axis from a safety position into a firing position. A first firing pin is mounted on the firing pin carrier on its side oriented towards the slide. In the safety state of the projectile the first firing pin projects into a recess and is coupled with a projectile stabilizing band on its side oriented away from the slide. Further, as a backup detonator, the slide carries a pyrotechnic delay charge with a primer for the self-destruction of the bomblet. The primer may be ignited by a second firing pin affixed laterally in the fuze housing.
To ensure that the slide, together with the detonator charge is shifted into the firing position in the known bomblets, the bomblet, after being ejected from the carrier projectile, must rotate about its longitudinal axis so that the centrifugal forces affecting the stabilizing band and the slide result in an unscrewing of the first firing pin from the recess of the slide and cause a displacement of the slide from the safety position into the firing position in which the first firing pin is in alignment with the detonator charge.
It is, among others, a disadvantage of submunition projectiles of the above-outlined type that they cannot be fired from weapon systems in which the submunition projectiles, after their ejection over the target area, do not rotate with a sufficient rpm or do not rotate at all. This occurs, for example, when the bomblets are delivered into the target area by wing-stabilized carrier projectiles, such as rockets.
While it is feasible in non-rotating submunition projectiles to cause a shift of the detonator carrier by means of an armed spring, such a solution, however, is, as a rule, not admissible for safety reasons because in case of a break-off of the first firing pin, the detonator carrier would automatically shift the detonator carrier into its firing position and thus the self-destructing (backup) charge would be ignited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved projectile of the above-outlined type wherein the slide which carries the detonator charge is shifted from its safety position into its firing position without it being necessary that the projectile rotate after it is ejected over the target area.
This object and others to become apparent as the specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention, according to which, briefly stated, the projectile includes a fuze assembly which has a firing pin carrier supported for motion parallel to a longitudinal axis of the projectile; a firing pin secured to the firing pin carrier; a slide supported for motion transversely to the projectile longitudinal axis and having a safety position and a firing position; and a detonator mounted on the slide. The detonator is out of alignment with the firing pin in the safety position of the slide and is in alignment with the firing pin in the firing position of the slide. A holding shell is positioned in the projectile and is exposed to a force of an air current during projectile flight for causing the holding shell to fly off the projectile. A force-transmitting component connects the holding shell with the slide for displacing the slide from the safety position into the firing position upon movement of the holding shell away from the projectile.
Thus, according to the invention, laterally of the slide advantageously two shell-shaped holding parts are arranged which may be ejected by forces derived from the air current. Each holding part is connected by a pull cord with the slide in such a manner that upon ejection of the holding parts the slide, by virtue of the removal of the holding parts, is released from its safety position and is shifted into its firing position.
According to a further feature of the invention, the firing pin carrier is connected to the stabilizing band and, in the safety position of the slide, the firing pin projects into a hole in the slide to thus prevent the slide from shifting out of the safety position. The slide is displaced by the pull cord into the firing position, as soon as the firing pin carrier is displaced axially rearward by the deploying stabilizing band and thus the firing pin is pulled out of the hole in the slide.
Advantageously, the two holding parts (holding shells) and the slide are connected with the same pull cord which is trained about the slide.
For preventing the holding parts from adversely affecting the flying behavior of the bomblet, the pull cord is designed to rupture after the slide has been shifted into its firing position.
To ensure that the firing pin may be pulled out of the recess of the slide only when a defined pulling force is reached and thus releases the slide, according to a further feature of the invention on the firing pin carrier an annular spring disk is secured which frictionally engages the inner wall of a recess of the fuze housing.
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patent: 3538787 (1987-05-01), None
Hoffmann Wolfgang
Roosmann Karlheinz
Jordan Charles T.
Kelemen Gabor J.
Lofdahl Jordan M
Rheinmetall W & M GmbH
Venable
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