GB217955A - Improvements in or relating to high explosive shells - Google Patents

Abstract

217,955. Vickers, Ltd., and Johnson, F. G. L. Feb. 24, 1923. Projectiles; fuzes.-A percussion fuze at the front end of a projectile communicates with a gaine or detonator at the rear end by a flash tube containing no detonating charge. As shown in Fig. 1, the percussion fuze is of the kind described in Specification 180,422, and comprises a firing-pin B with a piston B<x> and a stem B<2> adapted to be moved forwards by air pressure during flight and to be driven in on impact to strike a percussion cap B<1>, which is also moved forwards to the operative position by air pressure on a piston B<1x> during flight. The fuze also includes inertia and centrifugal safety devices. The flash from the percussion cap B<1> passes through a flash tube C to a detonator C<1> at the rear end of the projectile, which contains a rear charge E of tytryl and a front charge of T.N.T. In modifications, the detonator C<1> is reinforced by a charge of tetryl pellets such as Cxx, Fig. 4, contained in a socket C<x> secured to the tube C and bearing against or screwed into the base of the projectile or screwed into a base plug C'. The bursting charge F may be enclosed in a paper container f and a moulded block F<x> of the same explosive may be placed behind the main charge F. The percussion fuze may be situated in the contour cap A<3> and be connected to the flash tube C by a passage a<1> in the armourpiercing cap A<1> and a passage a in the nose of the projectile proper A. The contour cap A<3> has a flange a<3>, Fig. 5, which bears against a flange a<2> on a tubular member A<2>. This member is screwed to the projectile and contains the percussion fuze H, which has an extension a' serving as a guide for the stem B<2> of the firing- pin B. A nut A<4> is screwed to the end of the member A<2> over against the end of the contour cap A'.