US3670656A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fuze arming device
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1965-01-26
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Granted: 1972-06-20
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Expires: 1985-01-26
Abstract
Abstract 1. A safety and arming device for an ordnance fuze comprising: A HOUSING HAVING AN EXPLOSIVE INITIATOR MOUNTED THEREIN AND BEING CONNECTED TO THE FUZE, AN ARMING ROTOR ROTATABLY MOUnted within said housing adjacent said initiator, SAID ARMING ROTOR HAVING AN EXPLOSIVE DETONATOR MOUNTED THEREIN FOR DETONATION BY SAID INITIATOR AND TRANSMISSION OF THAT DETONATION TO THE MAIN CHARGE OF THE ORDNANCE ITEM, SAID ARMING ROTOR BEING NORMALLY HELD IN A SAFETY POSITION WHEREIN SAID DETONATOR IS ROTATABLY OUT OF LINE WITH SAID INITIATOR TO PREVENT IGNITION OF SAID DETONATOR BY SAID INITIATOR AND BEING ROTATABLY MOVABLE TO AN ARMED POSITION WHEREIN SAID INITIATOR AND SAID DETONATOR ARE ALIGNED TO PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS DETONATION PATH FROM THE INITIATOR TO THE MAIN CHARGE, AIR FLOW RESPONSIVE MEANS MOUNTED UPON SAID HOUSING FOR VIBRATORY RESPONSE AT ITS NATURAL FREQUENCY WHEN EXPOSED TO AIR VELOCITIES IN EXCESS OF A PREDETERMINED MINIMUM VELOCITY, AND MOTION TRANSLATING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID FLOW RESPONSIVE MEANS AND TO SAID ARMING ROTOR, WHEREBY VIBRATION OF THE FLOW RESPONSIVE MEANS AT ITS NATURAL RESONANT FREQUENCY FOR A PREDETERMINED DURATION OF TIME WILL CAUSE THE ARMING ROTOR TO BE MOVED FROM ITS SAFETY POSITION TO ITS ARMED POSITION.
Inventors
- 👤 William J Donahue
- 👤 David L Blanchard
- 👤 John M Wack
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:37
CPC Classifications
F; F42; F42C; F42C15/00; F42C15/28; F42C15/295; F42C11/00; F42C11/001; F42C11/006; F42C15/18; F42C15/188; F42C15/29
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
A safety and arming device for an ordnance fuze comprising: a housing having an explosive initiator mounted therein and being connected to the fuze, an arming rotor rotatably mounted within said housing adjacent said initiator, said arming rotor having an explosive detonator mounted therein for detonation by said initiator and transmission of that detonation to the main charge of the ordnance item, said arming rotor being normally held in a safety position wherein said detonator is rotatably out of line with said initiator to prevent ignition of said detonator by said initiator and being rotatably movable to an armed position wherein said initiator and said detonator are aligned to provide a continuous detonation path from the initiator to the main charge, air flow responsive means mounted upon said housing for vibratory response at its natural frequency when exposed to air velocities in excesS of a predetermined minimum velocity, and motion translating means connected to said flow responsive means and to said arming rotor, whereby vibration of the flow responsive means at its natural resonant frequency for a predetermined duration of time will cause the arming rotor to be moved from its safety position to its armed position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
A safety and arming device for an ordnance fuze comprising: a housing having an explosive initiator mounted therein and being connected to the fuze, an arming rotor rotatably mounted within said housing adjacent said initiator, said arming rotor having an explosive detonator mounted therein for detonation by said initiator and transmission of that detonation to the main charge of the ordnance item, said arming rotor being normally held in a safety position wherein said detonator is rotatably out of line with said initiator to prevent ignition of said detonator by said initiator and being rotatably movable to an armed position wherein said initiator and said detonator are aligned to provide a continuous detonation path from the initiator to the main charge, air flow responsive means mounted upon said housing for vibratory response at its natural frequency when exposed to air velocities in excesS of a predetermined minimum velocity, and motion translating means connected to said flow responsive means and to said arming rotor, whereby vibration of the flow responsive means at its natural resonant frequency for a predetermined duration of time will cause the arming rotor to be moved from its safety position to its armed position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said flow responsive means comprises: rotor, a thin, flexible reed having one end thereof mounted upon said housing and having its other end positioned for exposure to an air stream around the ordnance item.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
113 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said motion translating means comprises: a gear train comprised of a plurality of reduction gears, the final gear in the gear train having worm gear mounted upon its shaft for engagement with gear teeth formed on the arming rotor, a pawl connected to said reed and engaging the first gear of the gear train, whereby vibration of the reed at its natural resonant frequency causes reciprocation of the pawl which is translated to rotary motion of the initial gear of the gear train which rotates the worm gear to finally rotate the arming rotor from its safety position to its armed position after a predetermined time interval.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said housing is provided with an end wall having a slot formed therein, said thin flexible reed is mounted exteriorly of said end wall for exposure to the air stream, and said pawl is connected to said other end of the reed and extends through said slot for engagement with the first wheel in said gear train.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 1 wherein, said air flow responsive means comprises: a tuning fork having at least one tine thereof positioned for exposure to the flow of air around said ordnance item.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said air flow responsive means comprises a tuning fork, said housing having an end wall with a slot formed therein, said tuning fork having one tine extending through said slot for exposure to said air stream exteriorly of said housing and having its other tine disposed on the opposite side of said end wall within said housing for connection to said motion translating means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
169 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said motion translating means comprises: a gear train mounted within said housing, a pawl mounted upon said other tine of the tuning fork and extending into said housing in contact with the first gear in said gear train, the final gear in the gear train having a worm gear attached to its shaft, said worm gear being positioned for engagement with spur gears formed on the arming rotor, whereby exposure of said one tine of the tuning fork to an air velocity above the predetermined critical velocity causes said one tine to vibrate at its natural resonant frequency and said other tine is induced to sympathetic vibration at its natural resonant frequency, the vibrating motion of said other tine and reciprocal motion of the pawl is translated into rotary motion of the gear train and rotary motion of the arming rotor to move the arming rotor from its safety position to its armed position at the expiration of a predetermined interval of time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 7 further comprising: means connected to said housing and contacting the tines of the tuning fork to change the resonant frequency of said tuning fork.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
114 words
The device of claim 8 wherein said means for changing the frequency of the tuning fork comprises: a block slideably mounted upon the outer surface of the base of the tuning fork, said block having a leg portion formed thereon and extending perpendicular to said block, said leg portion having a pair of slots formed therein to closely receive each of said tines of the tuning fork, whereby the block may be selectively moved longitudinally along the tuning fork to change the effective length of the tines of said tuning fork and thereby change the natural resonant frEquency of the tuning fork to consequently change the timing interval required for arming of the fuze.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
92 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said flow responsive means comprises: a torsion rod connected at one end to a portion of said housing and extending into said air stream at an angle perpendicular thereto, an elongated thin blade connected to the other end of said torsion rod at a mid-portion of said blade, said blade being disposed longitudinally along the air stream, whereby exposure of said blade to an air stream above a predetermined minimum velocity will cause said blade to oscillate about said torsion bar at its natural resonant frequency.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
132 words
The device of claim 10 wherein said motion translating means comprises: a gear train mounted within said housing, a pawl connected at one end to a portion of said blade and having its other end in contact with the first gear of said gear train, the final gear of said gear train having a worm gear mounted upon its gear shaft, said worm gear being in operative engagement with spur gears formed on the outer peripheral surface of the said arming rotor, whereby the oscillating motion of the blade is translated into rotary motion of the gear train by means of the pawl and the rotary motion of the gear train rotatably drives the arming rotor from its safety position to its armed position upon the expiration of a predetermined time interval.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
96 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said flow responsive means comprises: a torsion bar mounted at one end upon said housing and extending in a direction parallel to the direction of air flow, a thin blade connected at its mid-portion to the other end of said torsion bar and extending in a direction transverse to the air flow, whereby exposure of said blade to an air flow having a velocity in excess of the predetermined minimum velocity will cause the blade to rotatably oscillate about the axis of the torsion bar at its natural resonant frequency.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
123 words
The device of claim 12 wherein said motion translating means comprises: a gear train mounted within said housing, a ratchet pawl connected to said torsion bar and contacting at one end the first gear in the gear train, the final gear in the gear train having a worm gear mounted upon its gear shaft, said worm gear being in operative engagement with spur gears formed on the outer peripheral surface of said arming rotor, whereby rotatable oscillation of the blade at its natural frequency causes reciprocal movement of its ratchet pawl which is translated into rotary movement of the gear train which rotatably drives the arming rotor from its safety position to its armed position upon the expiration of the predetermined time interval.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-20 | 1975-12-20 | 1976-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-20 | 1979-12-20 | 1980-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-20 | 1983-12-20 | 1984-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |