US3282212A - Antimagnetic war-mine suitable for rapid setting and sowing - Google Patents

Description

1966 G. ROMANO 3,282,212

ANTIMAGNETIC WAR-MINE SUITABLE FOR RAPID SETTING AND SOWING Filed Sept. 24, 1964 Fig. I

b2 (12 ;1 R B y H WW! M "2 IV J J I: f A J A O Qa% C5 C7 03 I 6 INVENTOR GUIDO ROMANO y film /M HTTORNEYS 3,282,2i2 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 ice ANTHMAGNETEC WAR-MTNE SUITABLE FOR RAPID SETTENG AND SOWWG Guido Romano, Para, Tessin, Switzerland, assignor to Austalt Brind, Trieseu, Liechtenstein, a corporation of Liechtenstein Filed Sept. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 399,016

8 Claims. (Cl. 102-8) The object of the present invention is an anti-magnetic war-mine, suitable for rapid setting, without any risk, onto any kind of ground, and which can be planted by hand or mechanically by means of vehicles or aircraft, as well as by means of throwing apparatus.

The war-mine, according to this invention, is characterized by a basin made of moulded material, containing the explosive charge, and by a cap made of elastic material,

which surmounts said basin and forms, together with a separating flange, an air chamber communicating through a calibrated hole with a bag destined to be inflated whenever a pressure is exerted onto said cap, and to act onto a releasing device, which sets free a striker, while the air compressed by the pressure moreover acts onto a membrane which, in its turn, acts directly on the striker in order to cause it to strike a capsule, the releasing device being arranged in such a way as not to set free said striker as a result of a shock.

In a particular form of execution, the mine is provided with a supplementary safety device which is to be set out of action prior to setting or throwing said mine.

The annexed drawing shows merely by way of example, such a mine, but it goes without saying that the mine without said supplementary safety device is included in the present patent.

FIG. 1 shows a vertical sectional view according to line JJ in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 shows a view of the mine as seen from above, the mine being deprived of its upper elements. The mine as shown comprises an envelope, the lower part of which being constituted by a basin A made of plastic material, containing an explosive charge S. Said basin shows, in its central part, a hole a closed with a screwed plug P.

A fitting Q made of rubber or analogous matter secures tightness. I

The charge S shaped as a flat cake, the central hole s of which is occupied by a cylindrical detonator (primer) T presenting a central hole t and containing the capsule U of a unified type, has a lateral groove s The charge with the detonator and the capsule is held in position by a lid C engaged 'in the basin A and retained by a ring B which has, in its lower section, a threaded part 12 being engaged in the thread a of the basin. In its upper section, the ring is provided with a number of notches b which serve to screw the lid by means of a key-wrench.

The lid C has in its center a reinforced part K extending from each side of the lid. The lower part has the shape of a truncated cone and penetrates into an identically shaped basis t provided in the upper face of detonator T. The central reinforcement is traversed by a square-shaped hole 0 Moreover, said lid shows an eccentric hole 0 extended by a jacket Cg.

Jacket 0 is located in the cavity s of the explosive charge S. On the superior face of lid C arise two pivots c symmetrically arranged with regard to the diameter passing through the axis of hole 0 and diametrically opposed to this hole, as well as four circular-shaped segments 0 and two stops 0 the latter being placed on either side of hole 0 The upper part 6 of the central reinforcement of the lid has two diametrically opposed trenches (FIG. 2).

On the pivots 0 are mounted two symmetrical arms n belonging to the releasing device N of the mine. Both these arms 11 are shaped like a double crank lever whose branches n opposed to the point of pivoting n are attracted towards each other by a spring 0 hooked in two holes 11 of the arms n Facing said spring, the lid has a slot 0 in which spring 0 can move unhindered. On their inner sides the branches 11 are thicker than the remaining parts of the arms n thus forming clamping jaws, which will be the object of further description.

The envelope is completed by a cap E, made of elastic material and having the shape of a truncated cone. The rim of said envelope has a U-shaped interior channel, wherein is engaged the rim of a separator flange D made of plastic material.

Cap and flange together are fixed onto the basin by means of ring B fixing lid C. Tightness is secured by a fitting R and by the rim e of cup E.

Separator D presents in its center a hole d closed by a membrane P which is held in place by a ring H provided with a T-shaped transversel section. Membrane E, made of elastic material, has a peripherical channel wherein is engaged the edge of hole d of flange D. The part I1 of ring H, forming the jamb of the T, is slightly conical. Separator D furthermore has an eccentered hole d corresponding to hole 0 of the lid: the rim of said hole d is engaged in a peripherical channel g provided by the orifice of bag G which penetrates into jacket d of the lid, after having transversed the space separating the clamping jaws 11 from the releasing device N. Bag G is thus fiat tened in its median part. The orifice of bag G is closed by a stopper I which also serves for maintaining in place said bag and has a calibrated hole of small diameter i Located below membrane F is striker L composed of a disk W2 pressing closely against the membrane, of a shaft of quadrangular section, to be inserted in the corresponding hole of lid C, and of a steel firingpin M located in an axial hole of shaft W1 and situated above capsule U.

Said firing-pin is normally hindered to strike the capsule by two pointers n sustained by arms n and penetrating through the trenches of 0 into the quadrangular hole c the base of shaft W1 rests on these pointers located on its trajectory.

Each, basin A, lid C and separator flange D, show an eccentric hole [1 c and d All these three holes are ali ned among each other. Separator flange D shows on its lower side a ring-shaped, threaded proturberance d concentric to hole d wherein is screwed the upper extremity 1/ of a sleeve V, made of plastic material, the other extremity of which has a bottom part provided with a central hole and with circumferential holes v This sleeve penetrates through holes c and (1 A threaded ring W and a fitting Y made of rubber or plastic material provide tightness between the sleeve and the basin. An analogous fitting Y is located in the ring-shaped protuberance d aasaa 12 Within sleeve V is mounted a plunger X of plastic material, supported by a shaft x slightly protruding from the axial hole of the bottom of said sleeve, and showing near its free extremity a diametral hole x the role of which will be explained below. The plunger bears a hemispherically-shaped head x which constitutes a valve obturating hole d under the action of a spiral spring Z surrounding shaft x Plunger X is not tightly mounted in the sleeve.

Functioning of said mine is as follows: If a pressure superior to the pressure of calibration is applied on cap E, the air contained between the cap and separator D is compressed, spring Z being sufliciently strong as to resist to this pressure, the air passes through hole i of the stopper I and inflates bag G, which pushes aside the clamping jaws 12 and, consequently, the pointers 11 As soon as both arms are sufficiently displaced in their angular motion around their pivots c the pointers release the shaft of striker L which, driven by the pressure exercised on it through membrane F by the air compressed in cap E, violently strikes capsule U with its firing-pin M, thus provoking the ignition of detonator T and the explosion of the mine.

The fundamental advantage of said mine lies in its being shockproof, i.e. it cannot be triggered by a shock, since bag G obtains the air which is to inflate it through a little hole, thus preventing an immediate inflating of said bag. In other words, in order to reach an inflation of bag G, the pressure must be applied onto the cap during a certain time: This renders the mine insensitive to shocks and to pressure waves. This insensibility allows the mechanical planting of these mines without incurring any risk. The releasing device itself is conceived in such a way as not to set free the striker as a consequence of a shock or through dropping of the mine onto the ground. In fact, the two pointers cannot simultaneously move away from the shaft of the striker as a result of a shock, for the arms n both being mobile on a same plane cannot move through inertia in the same direction. Only one of these arms can move, whilst the other is held back by the central reinforcement c its pointer n thus retaining the striker.

The safety device incorporated in said mine improves the safety conditions during manipulations prior to setting or throwing the mine. The safety device is operated as follows: after partially extracting shaft x a pin is inserted into hole x This pin comes to rest on the bottom of the basin as soon as the shaft is released, which keeps head x at a distance from hole d Thus the mine cannot explode, for even if a pressure is exerted onto cap E, the releasing device does not work; in fact, instead of penetrating into bag G, the air compressed by the cap escapes unhindered through the holes v after passing through sleeve V. Bag G is therefore not inflated and the pointer 11.; continue to hold back the striker. On removing the pin, spring Z can work again and push head x of plunger X against hole d closing the latter.

The safety device, as described, may allow of a compensation of the pressure which is present in the chamber delimited by cap E and the separator D. It suflices, for this purpose, that head x does not fully obturate hole d or, in other words, to provide the closing of thehole with very small loss. When, under the circumstances, an increase in temperature causes an expansion of the air in said chamber, this air may gradually escape from the chamber through the imperfectly closed hole d A decrease in temperature of the air in the chamber will inversely provoke an aspiration of air from outside, again through the valve that is not perfectly sealed. Hence, a heavy rise in temperature will not cause the mine to explode, nor will a sharp fall in temperature render it inactive.

In its simplified form of execution, which does not com- PIise a supplementary s f ty evice, the mine is identical with that described with regard to the drawing, except that it is not provided with sleeve and plunger, and that the separator, the lid and the basin are deprived of the eccentered holes d c and a The functioning of said mine is entirely the same as that of the aforementioned mine with safety device put out of action, i.e. with an obturated hole d Virtually without any metallic parts, the mine accord= ing to the present invention is diflicult to trace by means of the detecting devices existing to date.

I claim:

1. In a non-magnetic war mine, a basin made of nonmagnetic molded plastic material, an explosive charge contained in said basin, a resilient non-magnetic cap mounted over said basin and having a marginal separating flange engaging said basin, said cap and basin forming together an air chamber, a resilient flexible inflatable bag communicating through a calibrated hole with said air chamber, said bag being so arranged as to be inflated when pressure is applied to said cap, a locked striker, a releasing device adapted to release said striker, said releasing device being adapted and mounted to be released by said bag when it is inflated, and a resilient membrane mounted for displacement by the application of pressure on said cap, said membrane being mounted when displaced to displace said striker and to strike said explosive charge, said releasing device being irresponsive to a sudden applied shock.

2. In a non-magnetic war mine, a basin made of nonmagnetic molded plastic material, an explosive charge contained in said basin, a resilient non-magnetic cap mounted over said basin and having a marginal separating flange engaging said basin, said cap and basin forming together an air chamber, a resilient flexible inflatable bag communicating through a calibrated hole with said air chamber, said bag being so arranged as to be inflated when pressure is applied to said cap, a locked striker, a releasing device adapted to release said striker, said releasing device being adapted and mounted to be released by said bag when it is inflated, and a resilient membrane mounted for displacement by the application of pressure on said cap, said membrane being mounted when displaced to displace said striker and to strike said explosive charge, said releasing device being irresponsive to a sudden applied shock, said releasing device comprising two symmetrically mounted arms, a lid mounted above said explosive charge, said two arms pivoting respectively on one of their ends on said lid, said arms by their four ends and said lid embracing said inflatable bag, a pointer formed on each of said arms which upon closing together of said arms intercepts said striker, and which releases said striker when the bag is being inflated and separates said arms apart.

3. A mine according to claim 2, said two arms being mounted for displacement angularly in one common plane, a stop, a spring normally holding said pointers against said stop, said arms and their said pointers being mounted to release said striker by moving away from said stop, whereby that under the application of shock, one at most of said arms will by inertia be freed from said striker.

4. A mine according to claim 3, said basin having a threaded rim, a single ring screwed on to said threaded rim, said lid, said separating flange and said cap being fixed on to said basin by said ring.

5. A mine according to claim 4, said separating flange being a disk, having a marginal rim, said cap having a peripheral channel, said rim of said disk being engaged in said peripheral channel of said cap, said cap and said disk being pressed against each other by said ring.

6. A mine according to claim 3, and a supplementary safety device comprising a valve mounted and connected on said air chamber which can be blocked in open position to bring said air chamber into direct communication with the outer atmosphere.

7. A mine according to claim 6, said separator flange having a hole, a spring acting on said valve, and said valve being arranged to close said hole in said separator flange under the action of said spring, a pin mounted for holding said valve open, a shaft mounted on said flange, said shaft being accessible from outside said flange, and being displaceable under the action of said spring, said shaft being provided with a diametral bore adapted to receive said pin.

8. A mine according to claim 7, said valve being so ar- 10 ranged that said valve does not seal hermetically tight said hole in said separator flange, so that air may escape from or enter said chamber, as a result respectively of dilations or contractions of said chamber due to variations of temperature.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Miren, German application No. 1,041,394, pub. Oct.

16, 1958, (1 sht. dwg., 2 pp. spec.).

BENJAIVIIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

15 SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A NON-MAGNETIC WAR MINE, A BASIN MADE OF NONMAGNETIC MOLDED PLASTIC MATERIAL, AND EXPLOSIVE CHARGE CONTAINED IN SAID BASIN, A RESILIENT NON-MAGNETIC CAP MOUNTED OVER SAID BASIN AND HAVING A MARGINAL SEPARATING FLANGE ENGAGING SAID BASIN, SAID CAP AND BASIN FORMING TOGETHER AN AIR CHAMBER, A RESILIENT FLEXIBLE INFLATABLE BAG COMMUNICATING THROUGH A CALIBRATED HOLE WITH SAID AIR CHAMBER, SAID BAG BEING SO ARRANGED AS TO BE INFLATED WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO SAID CAP, A LOCKED STRIKER, A RELEASING DEVICE ADAPTED TO RELEASE SAID STRIKER, SAID RELEASING DEVICE BEING ADAPTED AND MOUNTED TO BE RELEASED BY SAID BAG WHEN IT IS INFLATED, AND A RESILIENT MEMBERANE MOUNTED FOR DISPLACEMENT BY THE APPLICATION OF PRESSURE ON SAID CAP, SAID MEMBRANE BEING MOUNTED WHEN DISPLACED, TO DISPLACE SAID STRIKER AND TO STRIKE SAID EXPLOSIVE CHARGE, SAID RELEASING DEVICE BEING IRRESPONSIVE TO A SUDDEN APPLIED SHOCK.

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