Fuze initiator

Claim 2

A fuze initiator assembly for projectiles, missiles, bombs and the like comprising: a housing having a bore therethrough, said housing having one end formed to provide a divergent bore portion; a collet for engaging a fuze engagement shaft, said collet being mounted in the divergent bore portion of said housing for slidable movement along the bore; an adapter shaft attachable to said collet and extending through the bore and outwardly of the other end of the housing; and means attached to said adapter shaft wherein when the projectile is launched the force is transferred from said means through the adapter shaft to the collet whereby a fuze engagement shaft is pulled allowing the arming sequence to begin.

Claim 3

An initiator as set forth in claim 1 in which said collet comprises a body portion slidable in said bore and gripping members extending outward into the divergent bore portion, said gripping members being biased outwardly to conform to the divergent bore portion to provide for insertion of a fuze engagement shaft therein; and means for urging said collet axially in said bore so that the gripping members are in the divergent bore portion.

Claim 4

An initiator as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a detent element at the outer end of each gripping member to engage a lip of the engagement shaft upon insertion of the engagement shaft into the divergent bore portion; and in which the means for urging said collet comprises a compression spring mounted and acting against one end of said collet.

Claim 5

A fuze initiator assembly for engaging a fuze engagement shaft for projectiles, missiles, bombs and the like comprising: a housing having a bore therethrough, said housing formed at one end to provide a divergent bore portion at one end of the bore; a collet mounted for slidable movement in the bore adjacent the divergent portion end for engaging a fuze engagement shaft; an adapter shaft attachable to said collet and extending through said bore and beyond the other end of the housing; means urging said collet to a first position for receiving the fuze engagement shaft; said collet being moved to a second position upon insertion of the fuze engagement shaft into the initiator assembly wherein upon release of the projectile the resulting force is transmitted through the shaft and collet and the fuze engagement shaft is pulled allowing the arming sequence to begin.

Claim 6

A fuze initiator assembly for engaging a fuze engagement shaft for projectiles, missiles, bombs and the like comprising: a housing having a bore therethrough, said housing formed at one end to provide a divergent bore portion at one end of the bore; a collet mounted for slidable movement in the bore adjacent the divergent portion end for engaging a fuze engagement shaft; an adapter shaft attachable to said collet and extending through said bore and beyond the other end of the housing; means urging said collet to a first position for receiving the fuze engagement shaft; said collet being moved to a second position upon insertion of the fuze engagement shaft into the initiator assembly wherein upon release of the projectile the resulting force is transmitted through the shaft and collet and the fuze engagement shaft is pulled allowing the arming sequence to begin.

Claim 7

An initiator assembly as set forth in claim 4 in which the collet comprises a main body portion slidable in the bore and gripping members extending axially from the body portion, said gripping members being spring loaded outward into the divergent portion of the bore when the collet is in the first position wherein the fuze engagement shaft can be inserted into the divergent bore portion and when the fuze engagement shaft moves said collet from the first position to the second position said gripping members close about the fuze engagement shaft because of movement of the gripping members from the divergent bore portion to the bore portion.

Claim 8

An initiator assembly as set forth in claim 5 in which said gripping members comprise a plurality of axiAlly extending fingerlike elements; each of said fingerlike elements having a detent at the outer end thereof for cooperative engagement with a corresponding detent receiving portion on the fuze engagement shaft to prevent removal of the fuze engagement shaft when said collet is in the second position; and a compression spring mounted in said bore urging said collet into the first position.

Claim 9

An initiator as set forth in claim 6 further comprising: four gripping members extending axially outward from the collet main body portion; and an initiator lanyard attachable to said adapter shaft.