Tail fuze

Claim 2

A tail fuze comprising in combination: a body having a nose end and a tail end, said body being adapted to fit into a fuze well; a cover at said nose end; a cap on said tail end; an air arming reduction gear cluster disposed in said body adjacent said tail end for transmitting a predetermined rate of angular rotation; a main setting shaft disposed in said body substantially parallel to the axis of said body and along a major portion thereof; a primary safety cam rotatably disposed in said body adjacent said tail end and coupled to said gear cluster and rotatable therewith, said safety cam engaging the end of said shaft disposed nearest said trail end to maintain sad shaft in a substantially fixed position, said safety cam adapted to longitudinally displace said shaft from said fixed position to a first position upon rotation of said gear cluster for a predetermined time interval, said shaft at said first position being free so as to be longitudinally displaced to a second position when said fuze body impacts on said nose end; a preset timer disposed axially of said fuze body and intermediate said nose and tail ends; gear means operably connecting said timer to said shaft, said gear means locking said timer against movement during said fixed and first positions and releasing said timer at said second position; a rotatable timing cam coupled with said timer and rotatable upon rotational movement of said timer, said timing cam having a slot in its periphery; a stop mounted on the nose end of said main setting shaft and disposed within said body; a spring-biased stab firing pin axially disposed adjacent said nose end; a spring biased rotatable release lever having bifurcated first and second arms, the end of the first arm contacting the periphery of said timing cam; a spring-biased rotor mounted for rotation adjacent said nose end; a detonator in said rotor, the second arm of said lever blocking axial movement of said firing pin towards said rotor, said stop engaging said rotor during said fixed and first positions to lock said detonator out-of-line with said firing pin, said stop moving from engagement with said rotor at said second position so that said detonator is aligned with said firing pin, said stop also locking and unlocking said timing cam during said first and second positions, respectively, said timing cam after being unlocked rotating until the end of said first arm enters said slot, said second arm then being moved by the spring-bias acting on said lever so as to unblock said firing pin, said firing pin thereby being free to strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze; a rotatable tamper release cam positioned in said nose end, said release cam being biased from locking contact with said stop, one end of said release cam being locked against rotative movement by said stop during said fixed and first positions and unlocked for rotation at said second position, the other end of said release cam being serrated so as to firmly grip the wall of said fuze well at said second position; and means on said release cam to contact the end of said second arm; said tamper release cam and said means thereon being so constructed and arranged that if subsequent to impact said body is rotated in a direction which would remove said fuze body from said fuze well, said second arm will be moved out of blocking position with said firing pin so that said firing pin can strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze.

Claim 3

A tail fuze comprising in combination: a body having a nose end and a tail end, said body adapted to fit into a fuze well; a cover at said nose end; a cap on said tail end; an air arming reduction gear cluster disposed in said body adjacent said tail end for transmitting a predetermined rate Of angular rotation; a main setting shaft disposed in said body substantially parallel to the axis of said body and along a major portion thereof; a primary safety cam rotatably disposed in said body adjacent said tail end and coupled to said gear cluster and rotatable therewith, said safety cam engaging the end of said shaft disposed nearest said tail end to maintain said shaft in a substantially fixed position, said safety cam comprising an elongated arcuate opening of substantially uniform width concentric with the axis of rotation of said safety cam, said opening terminating in a portion of reduced width; said shaft having a reduced diameter portion disposed near the end of said shaft nearest said tail end, said reduced diameter portion of said shaft being in said portion of reduced width of said safety cam to maintain said shaft in said fixed position; upon rotation of said safety cam said end of said shaft nearest said tail end adapted to be disposed in said opening of substantially uniform width; a cam surface on said safety cam adapted to engage said end of said shaft nearest said tail end to displace said shaft to said first position through said opening of substantially uniform width, said shaft at said first position being free so as to be longitudinally displaced to a second position when said fuze body impacts on said nose end; a preset timer disposed axially of said fuze body and intermediate said nose and tail ends; gear means operably connecting said timer to said shaft, said gear means locking said timer against movement during said fixed and first positions and releasing said timer at said second position; a rotatable timing cam coupled with said timer and rotatable upon rotational movement of said timer, said timing cam having a slot in its periphery; a stop mounted on the nose end of said main setting shaft and disposed within said body; a spring-biased stab firing pin axially disposed adjacent said nose end; a spring-biased rotatable release lever having bifurcated first and second arms, the end of the first arm contacting the periphery of said timing cam; a spring-biased rotor mounted for rotation adjacent said nose end; a detonator in said rotor; the second arm of said lever blocking axial movement of said firing pin towards said rotor, said stop engaging said rotor during said fixed and first positions to lock said detonator out-of-line with said firing pin, said stop moving from engagement with said rotor at said second position so that said detonator is aligned with said firing pin, said stop also locking and unlocking said timing cam during said first and second positions, respectively, said timing cam after being unlocked rotating until the end of said first arm enters said slot, said second arm then being moved by the spring-bias acting on said lever so as to unblock said firing pin, said firing pin thereby being free to strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze; a rotatable tamper release cam positioned in said nose end, said release cam being biased from locking contact with said stop, one end of said release cam being locked against rotative movement by said stop during said fixed and first positions and unlocked for rotation at said second position, the other end of said release cam being serrated so as to firmly grip the wall of said fuze well at said second position; and means on said release cam to contact the end of said second arm; said tamper release cam and said means thereon being so constructed and arranged that if subsequent to impact said body is rotated in a direction which would remove said fuze body from said fuze well, said second arm will be moved out of blocking position with said firing pin so that said firing pin can strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze.

Claim 4

A tail fuze comprising in combination: a body having a nose end and a tail end, said body adapted to fit into a fuze well; a cover at said nose end; a cap on said tail end; an air arming reduction gear cluster disposed in said body adjacent said tail end for transmitting a predetermined rate Of angular rotation; a main setting shaft disposed in said body substantially parallel to the axis of said body and along a major portion thereof; a primary safety cam rotatably disposed in said body adjacent said tail end and coupled to said gear cluster and rotatable therewith, said safety cam engaging the end of said shaft disposed nearest said tail end to maintain said shaft in a substantially fixed position, said safety cam comprising an elongated arcuate opening of substantially uniform width concentric with the axis of rotation of said safety cam, said opening terminating in a portion of reduced width; said shaft having a reduced diameter portion disposed near the end of said shaft nearest said tail end, said reduced diameter portion of said shaft being in said portion of reduced width of said safety cam to maintain said shaft in said fixed position; upon rotation of said safety cam said end of said shaft nearest said tail end adapted to be disposed in said opening of substantially uniform width; a cam surface on said safety cam adapted to engage said end of said shaft nearest said tail end to displace said shaft to said first position through said opening of substantially uniform width, said shaft at said first position being free so as to be longitudinally displaced to a second position when said fuze body impacts on said nose end; a preset timer disposed axially of said fuze body and intermediate said nose and tail ends; gear means operably connecting said timer to said shaft, said gear means locking said timer against movement during said fixed and first positions and releasing said timer at said second position; a rotatable timing cam coupled with said timer and rotatable upon rotational movement of said timer, said timing cam having a slot in its periphery; a stop mounted on the nose end of said main setting shaft and disposed within said body; a spring-biased stab firing pin axially disposed adjacent said nose end; a spring-biased rotatable release lever having bifurcated first and second arms, the end of the first arm contacting the periphery of said timing cam; a spring-biased rotor mounted for rotation adjacent said nose end; a detonator in said rotor; the second arm of said lever blocking axial movement of said firing pin towards said rotor, said stop engaging said rotor during said fixed and first positions to lock said detonator out-of-line with said firing pin, said stop moving from engagement with said rotor at said second position so that said detonator is aligned with said firing pin, said stop also locking and unlocking said timing cam during said first and second positions, respectively, said timing cam after being unlocked rotating until the end of said first arm enters said slot, said second arm then being moved by the spring-bias acting on said lever so as to unblock said firing pin, said firing pin thereby being free to strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze; a rotatable tamper release cam positioned in said nose end, said release cam being biased from locking contact with said stop, one end of said release cam being locked against rotative movement by said stop during said fixed and first positions and unlocked for rotation at said second position, the other end of said release cam being serrated so as to firmly grip the wall of said fuze well at said second position; and means on said release cam to contact the end of said second arm; said tamper release cam and said means thereon being so constructed and arranged that if subsequent to impact said body is rotated in a direction which would remove said fuze body from said fuze well, said second arm will be moved out of blocking position with said firing pin so that said firing pin can strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze.

Claim 5

A tail fuze comprising in combination: a body having a nose end and a tail end, said body being adapted to fit into a fuze well; a cover at said nose end; a cap on said tail end; an air arming reduction gear cluster disposed in said bodY adjacent said tail end for transmitting a predetermined rate of angular rotation; a main setting shaft disposed in said body substantially parallel to the axis of said body and along a major portion thereof; a primary safety cam rotatably disposed in said body adjacent said tail end and coupled to said gear cluster and rotatable therewith, said safety cam engaging the end of said shaft disposed nearest said tail end to maintain said shaft in a substantially fixed position, said safety cam adapted to longitudinally displace said shaft from said fixed position to a first position upon rotation of said gear cluster for a predetermined time interval, said shaft at said first position being free so as to be longitudinally displaced to a second position when said fuze body impacts on said nose end; a preset timer disposed axially of said fuze body and intermediate said nose and tail ends, said timer comprising a circumferentially geared fixed part and a circumferentially geared rotatably movable part; said shaft having a first circumferentially geared portion meshing with said geared fixed part, said shaft having a second circumferentially geared portion meshing with said geared rotatably movable part so that said movable part is immovable with respect to said fixed part when said shaft is in said fixed position and said first position; said shaft having a third circumferentially geared portion; a spring-pressed geared setting rack meshing with said third geared portion; said shaft when at said second position adapted to maintain said first geared portion meshed with said fixed part, adapted to unmesh said second geared portion with said movable part, and adapted to unmesh said third geared portion with said setting rack and mesh said second geared portion with said setting rack, said setting rack preventing rotation of said shaft when meshed therewith, and also preventing return of said shaft to said first position; a rotatable timing cam coupled with said timer and rotatable upon rotational movement of said timer, said timing cam having a slot in its periphery; a stop mounted on the nose end of said main setting shaft and disposed within said body; a spring-biased stab firing pin axially disposed adjacent said nose end; a spring-biased rotatable release lever having bifurcated first and second arms, the end of the first arm contacting the periphery of said timing cam; a spring-biased rotor mounted for rotation adjacent said nose end; a detonator in said rotor; the second arm of said lever blocking axial movement of said firing pin towards said rotor, said stop engaging said rotor during said fixed and first positions to lock said detonator out-of-line with said firing pin, said stop moving from engagement with said rotor at said second position, so that said detonator is aligned with said firing pin, said firing pin thereby being free to strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze, said stop also locking and unlocking said timing cam during said first and second positions, respectively, said timing cam after being unlocked rotating until the end of said first arm enters said slot, said second arm then being moved by the spring-bias acting on said lever so as to unblock said firing pin; a rotatable release cam positioned in said nose end, said release cam being biased from locking contact with said stop; one end of said release cam being locked against rotative movement by said stop during said fixed and first positions and unblocked for rotation at said second position, the other end of said release cam being serrated so as to firmly grip the wall of said fuze well at said second position; and means on said release cam to contact the end of said second arm; said tamper release cam and said means thereon being so constructed and arranged that if subsequent to impact said body is rotated in a direction which would remove said fuze body from said fuze well, said second arm will be moved out of blocking position with said firing pin so that said firing pin can strike said Detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze.

Claim 6

A tail fuze comprising in combination: a body having a nose end and a tail end, said body being adapted to fit into a fuze well; a cover at said nose end; a cap on said tail end; an air arming reduction gear cluster disposed in said bodY adjacent said tail end for transmitting a predetermined rate of angular rotation; a main setting shaft disposed in said body substantially parallel to the axis of said body and along a major portion thereof; a primary safety cam rotatably disposed in said body adjacent said tail end and coupled to said gear cluster and rotatable therewith, said safety cam engaging the end of said shaft disposed nearest said tail end to maintain said shaft in a substantially fixed position, said safety cam adapted to longitudinally displace said shaft from said fixed position to a first position upon rotation of said gear cluster for a predetermined time interval, said shaft at said first position being free so as to be longitudinally displaced to a second position when said fuze body impacts on said nose end; a preset timer disposed axially of said fuze body and intermediate said nose and tail ends, said timer comprising a circumferentially geared fixed part and a circumferentially geared rotatably movable part; said shaft having a first circumferentially geared portion meshing with said geared fixed part, said shaft having a second circumferentially geared portion meshing with said geared rotatably movable part so that said movable part is immovable with respect to said fixed part when said shaft is in said fixed position and said first position; said shaft having a third circumferentially geared portion; a spring-pressed geared setting rack meshing with said third geared portion; said shaft when at said second position adapted to maintain said first geared portion meshed with said fixed part, adapted to unmesh said second geared portion with said movable part, and adapted to unmesh said third geared portion with said setting rack and mesh said second geared portion with said setting rack, said setting rack preventing rotation of said shaft when meshed therewith, and also preventing return of said shaft to said first position; a rotatable timing cam coupled with said timer and rotatable upon rotational movement of said timer, said timing cam having a slot in its periphery; a stop mounted on the nose end of said main setting shaft and disposed within said body; a spring-biased stab firing pin axially disposed adjacent said nose end; a spring-biased rotatable release lever having bifurcated first and second arms, the end of the first arm contacting the periphery of said timing cam; a spring-biased rotor mounted for rotation adjacent said nose end; a detonator in said rotor; the second arm of said lever blocking axial movement of said firing pin towards said rotor, said stop engaging said rotor during said fixed and first positions to lock said detonator out-of-line with said firing pin, said stop moving from engagement with said rotor at said second position, so that said detonator is aligned with said firing pin, said firing pin thereby being free to strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze, said stop also locking and unlocking said timing cam during said first and second positions, respectively, said timing cam after being unlocked rotating until the end of said first arm enters said slot, said second arm then being moved by the spring-bias acting on said lever so as to unblock said firing pin; a rotatable release cam positioned in said nose end, said release cam being biased from locking contact with said stop; one end of said release cam being locked against rotative movement by said stop during said fixed and first positions and unblocked for rotation at said second position, the other end of said release cam being serrated so as to firmly grip the wall of said fuze well at said second position; and means on said release cam to contact the end of said second arm; said tamper release cam and said means thereon being so constructed and arranged that if subsequent to impact said body is rotated in a direction which would remove said fuze body from said fuze well, said second arm will be moved out of blocking position with said firing pin so that said firing pin can strike said Detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze.

Claim 7

A tail fuze comprising in combination: a body having a nose end and a tail end, said body being adapted to fit into a fuze well; a cover at said nose end; a cap on said tail end; an air arming reduction gear cluster disposed in said body adjacent said tail end for transmitting a predetermined rate of angular rotation; a main setting shaft disposed in said body substantially parallel to the axis of said body and along a major portion thereof; a primary safety cam rotatably disposed in said body adjacent said tail end and coupled to said gear cluster and rotatable therewith, said safety cam engaging the end of said shaft disposed nearest said tail end to maintain said shaft in a substantially fixed position, said safety cam adapted to longitudinally displace said shaft from said fixed position to a first position upon rotation of said gear cluster for a predetermined time interval, said shaft at said first position being free so as to be longitudinally displaced to a second position when said fuze body impacts on said nose end; a preset timer disposed axially of said fuze body and intermediate said nose and tail ends, steel sections substantially enclosing said timer whereby said fuze is substantially tamperproof after said fuze is secured in said fuze well and said shaft assumes said second position; gear means operably connecting said timer to said shaft, said gear means locking said timer against movement during said fixed and first positions and releasing said timer at said second position; a rotatable timing cam coupled with said timer and rotatable upon rotational movement of said timer, said timing cam having a slot in its periphery; a stop mounted on the nose end of said main setting shaft and disposed within said body; a spring-biased stab firing pin axially disposed adjacent said nose end; a spring-biased rotatable release lever having bifurcated first and second arms, the end of the first arm contacting the periphery of said timing cam; a spring-biased rotor mounted for rotation adjacent said nose end; a detonator in said rotor; the second arm of said lever blocking axial movement of said firing pin towards said rotor, said stop engaging said rotor during said fixed and first positions to lock said detonator out-of-line with said firing pin, said stop moving from engagement with said motor at said second position so that said detonator is aligned with said firing pin, said firing pin thereby being free to strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze, said stop also locking and unlocking said timing cam during said first and second positions, respectively, said timing cam after being unlocked rotating until the end of said first arm enters said slot, said second arm then being moved by spring-bias from blocking said firing pin; a rotatable release cam positioned in said nose end, said release cam being biased from locking contact with said stop; one end of said release cam being locked against rotative movement by said stop during said fixed and first positions and unlocked for rotation at said second position, the other end of said release cam being serrated so as to firmly grip the wall of said fuze well at said second position; and means on said release cam to contact the end of said second arm; said tamper release cam and said means thereon being so constructed and arranged so that if subsequent to impact said body is rotated in a direction which would remove said fuze body from said fuze well, said second arm will be moved out of blocking position with said firing pin so that said firing pin can strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze.

Claim 8

A tail fuze comprising in combination: a body having a nose end and a tail end, said body being adapted to fit into a fuze well; a cover at said nose end; a cap on said tail end; an air arming reduction gear cluster disposed in said body adjacent said tail end for transmitting a predetermined rate of angular rotation; a main setting shaft disposed in said body substantially parallel to the axis of said body and along a major portion thereof; a primary safety cam rotatably disposed in said body adjacent said tail end and coupled to said gear cluster and rotatable therewith, said safety cam engaging the end of said shaft disposed nearest said tail end to maintain said shaft in a substantially fixed position, said safety cam adapted to longitudinally displace said shaft from said fixed position to a first position upon rotation of said gear cluster for a predetermined time interval, said shaft at said first position being free so as to be longitudinally displaced to a second position when said fuze body impacts on said nose end; a preset timer disposed axially of said fuze body and intermediate said nose and tail ends, steel sections substantially enclosing said timer whereby said fuze is substantially tamperproof after said fuze is secured in said fuze well and said shaft assumes said second position; gear means operably connecting said timer to said shaft, said gear means locking said timer against movement during said fixed and first positions and releasing said timer at said second position; a rotatable timing cam coupled with said timer and rotatable upon rotational movement of said timer, said timing cam having a slot in its periphery; a stop mounted on the nose end of said main setting shaft and disposed within said body; a spring-biased stab firing pin axially disposed adjacent said nose end; a spring-biased rotatable release lever having bifurcated first and second arms, the end of the first arm contacting the periphery of said timing cam; a spring-biased rotor mounted for rotation adjacent said nose end; a detonator in said rotor; the second arm of said lever blocking axial movement of said firing pin towards said rotor, said stop engaging said rotor during said fixed and first positions to lock said detonator out-of-line with said firing pin, said stop moving from engagement with said motor at said second position so that said detonator is aligned with said firing pin, said firing pin thereby being free to strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze, said stop also locking and unlocking said timing cam during said first and second positions, respectively, said timing cam after being unlocked rotating until the end of said first arm enters said slot, said second arm then being moved by spring-bias from blocking said firing pin; a rotatable release cam positioned in said nose end, said release cam being biased from locking contact with said stop; one end of said release cam being locked against rotative movement by said stop during said fixed and first positions and unlocked for rotation at said second position, the other end of said release cam being serrated so as to firmly grip the wall of said fuze well at said second position; and means on said release cam to contact the end of said second arm; said tamper release cam and said means thereon being so constructed and arranged so that if subsequent to impact said body is rotated in a direction which would remove said fuze body from said fuze well, said second arm will be moved out of blocking position with said firing pin so that said firing pin can strike said detonator and initiate detonation of said fuze.