US2295573A - Fuse setting apparatus for artillery projectiles - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 15, 1942.

G. M. T. A. FONTAINE 2,295,573 FUSE SETTING APPARATUS FOR ARTILLERY PROJECTILES Filed May 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 UR V811 1 0T B7 W407i, #61223 Sept. 15, 1942. G. M. T. A. FONTAINE FUSE SETTING APPARATUS FOR ARTILLERY PROJECTILES Filed May 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 a fig? m,mm v Aid/tn, gw

Sept. 15, 1942.

G. M. T. A. FONTAINE 2,295,573 FUSE SETTING APPARATUS FOR ARTILLERY PROJECTILES Filed May 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Unveni'or.

Sept. 15, 1942- G. M. T. A. FONTAINE FUSE SETTING APPARATUS FOR ARTILLERY PROJECTILES Filed May 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 III/III w IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Sept. 15, 1942 QFFHCE FUSE SETEIN G APPARATUS FOR ARTHLERY PROJECTILES Application May 24, 1939, Serial No. 275,565 In France June 16, 1938 form, intended to receive the projectiles the 11 Claims.

In certain pieces of modern artillery and in particular for those which are intended for antiaircraft firing, the rapidity of loading and firing is such that it may exceed that which can be normally attained in supplying cartridges or projectiles when there is used for the setting of the fuses of these latter a fuse setter with a single station.

Means have thus had to be found for increasing the rapidity of the setting operation and consequently of the supply in question.

A first solution would obviously have consisted in utilising a plurality of fuse setters, but this presents numerous inconveniences and in particular that of not being very practical from the point of view of service and furthermore being very expensive.

Another solution has consisted in providing multiple fuse setters, that is to say, fuse setters comprising a plurality of setting stations controlled simultaneously, but these devices themselves present a certain number of inconveniences. On the one hand, they do not permit of going on with the setting operation of each fuse in as precise a manner as is desirable, that is to say, of going on with this setting operation up to the moment when the loading gunner seizes the cartridge or the projectile to introduce it into the gun. On the other hand, in the course of their utilization, the movements of the supply gunner or gunners which serve the fuse setter and those of the loading gunner who takes the cartridge or the projectiles ready to be fired, necessarily intermingle and consequently impede one another.

The present invention relates to a fuse setter f progressive and continuous operation, the arrangement of which is such that it permits simultaneously the presence on the apparatus atthe same time of a plurality of projectiles to be set and a continuous supply and a continuous withdrawal of the cartridges or projectiles by the loading gunner, without the movements of these different men in any way interfering with one another.

Finally, the setting operation of each fuse can he proceeded with up to the instant when the projectile which carries the fuse in question is withdrawn from the fuse setter by the loading gunner.

The fuse setter in question comprises the combination with a base or bed plate element fixed and carrying the different setting control mechanisms. of a movable plate or drum comprising a certain number of stations or sockets, of ogive fuses of which are to be set, the said movable plate or drum being constituted and mounted in such manner and being connected to the setting control mechanisms in such manner that, owing to the periodical displacement imparted to this drum, each cartridge or projectile, after having been introduced into the socket which at the movement of the said introduction occupied a given position, is carried with the receptacle in question towards a final position of withdrawal and. undergoes during at least a portion of this journey a progressive and continuous preparation of the setting to be effected, the latter nevertheless preferably not becoming definite until the exact moment when the cartridge or the projectile in question is withdrawn by the loader.

The said fuse setter is furthermore characterized by the arrangement and the placing in operation of accessory devices of engagement and synchronization, due to which the setting 01' the fuses is made independent of the orientation of the projectile at the moment when it is placed in position on the setter, and owing to which the movable plate or drum of the latter is only displaced after the cartridge or the projectile which occupies the withdrawal position has been withdrawn from the socket which it occupied.

There is shown in the accompanying drawings by way of example, a construction for carrying out the invention, the latter being applied to the case of a fuse setter intended for setting time fuses of the known type embodying a time ring, the setting of which is obtained by the angular displacement to a suitable extent of a movable ring or plate, provided with an external entrainment tenon, with respect to the body of the fuse, which itself comprises a fixed retaining tenon. It should be understood that this construction may be modified in its details and may be supplemented by any useful accessory device, or may be adapted to other types of fuses without thereby departing from the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention which, by parts being broken away, permits the principle of the constitution and operation of the apparatus to be understood.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation and partial section of the line IIII of Figure 3 of a modified form of the invention, including automatic means for lockin the movable drum in stationary position as long as there is a projectile in thecompartment occupying the withdrawal position. I

Figure 3 is a plan view with partial section on the line IIIIII of Figure. 2.

Figure 4 is a general diagram enabling the various stages of the operations to be followed.

Figures ,5 and 6 are diagrams of details showing the particular arrangement due to .which' 7 interior of which is arranged the setting control mechanism constituted by an endless screw 2 which is driven by means of an external crank not shown and which engages with a toothed sector 3, integral with a cylindrical sleeve 4 adapted, when it is driven by the toothed sector 3, to rotate freely about the axis X-X of the apparatus.

The said cylindrical sleeve ii is provided with a toothed control sector and a-guide cam collar 6, the purpose of which will be explained later.

There is furthermore mounted-and centered on the fixed base I, through the intermediary of ball bearing 1, a cylindrical plate or drum 3, comprising first of all at its upper part a certain number of internally serrated recesses or compartments 9l Ei-l il2 (four in the present case) of dimensions corresponding to the diameter of the munitions to be dealtwith, and then, on its inner face an equal number of hollow cylindrical supports l3-!4-l5-l8 in the interior of which are rotatably'mounted hollow cylindrical sockets ll-l8-l9-2fi, the upper ends of which are also internally serrated as indicated at 2|. Each of these sockets has on its outer surface, at the level of the toothed control sector 5 of the sleeve 4, a corresponding set of teeth 22 and also, at its lower extremity at the level of and opposite the guide cam collar {3 of the sleeve 5, a corresponding guiding and co-operating nose piece or projection 23 with a concave circular edge. 7

The supports l3ll-l5i5 are arranged in such manner that the axes of the sockets lll'8-lS-'2il coincide respectively with the axes of the recesses '9itll ll2, and so that each recess and its corresponding socket constitute a receptacle for the ogival, fuse carrying head of a projectile.

Finally, the movable drum 8 is provided on the outside with manipulating handles 2tl25- 26-27, preferably equal in number to that of the recesses and of locking devices constituted either according to what is shown on Figure 1, at 2829-353l, intended to receive the extremity 32 of a stop bolt 33, subjected to the action of a spring 35 and adapted to be controlled by means of a manipulating handle 35, or according to what is shown on Figure 2, by automatic devices, the details of which will be described later.

To facilitate the description of the operation of the apparatus, there will be indicated respectively by position a, position 1), position 0 and position d the four successive positions which, by substitution, each recess and the corresponding socket successively occupy as the drum is caused to rotate, for example from the right towards the left.

The position a is what will be called the position of supply. The position b is what will be called the intermediate position.

The position 0 is what will be called the withdrawal'or removal position.

The position (1 is What will be called the return position.

If there Were more than four positions, there would naturally be more intermediate positions and several return positions, butthere would in any case be only one supply position and one withdrawal or removal position.

In the position a, the circular portion of the projection '23 of the socket which occupies this position is closely applied'to the guide cam collar 6 of the sleeve 4, the shape of which it fits.

Owing tothis, and by construction, the teeth 25 of the upper edge of the said socket are directed in such manner as to coincide exactly with the teeth 36 of the corresponding recess of the drum 8, and the axis of symmetry m-n of the projection 23 is directed towards the centre 0 of the apparatus. I

Consequently, at the moment when a projectile is introduced, the fixed tenon and the movable tenon of the fuse may, without having to undergo relative displacement one with respect to the other, penetrate simultaneously and respectively:

The'first into one of the teeth 35 of the recess of the drum;

The other into the corresponding tooth 2! of the cylindrical socket.

Furthermore, the external teeth '22 of the sock,- et are in a well defined initial position.

It'is here necessary to point out that the toothed control sector 5 of the cylindrical sleeve t extends over only a portion of the periphery of the said sleeve, its length being strictly equivalent to that of the periphery of the sockets.

The dififerent directions which the said sector 5 takes up, owing to the action of the endless screw 2 on the toothed sector 3 of the sleeve 4, are such that in no case does the said toothed control sector 5 come into engage. lent with the teeth 22 of a socket when the latter is in the position a, that is to say, in the position of sup- P y.

It results from this that at the moment when, by acting in a suitable manner on one or other of the manipulating handles of the drum 8, previousl unlocked, this drum is caused to rotate by a first quarter of a turn to bring to the intermediate position b the recess or compartment, the socket and the projectile which previously occupied the supply position a, this displacement takes place in principle entirely with-out the socket rotating with respect to the recess or compartment, and consequently without the movable plate for setting the fuse rotating with respect to the body of the said fuse, provided, of course, that according to the showing of the diagram of Figure 4, the origin A of the toothed control sector 5 has remained in the second quadrant and has not been brought into the first one.

Naturally, if the said origin A had been brought into the first quadrant, the movement which will now be described would commence in the course of that displacement during which the projectile supplied at a moves'to'b; otherwise, however, nothing would be changed.

When a fresh movement is imparted to the drum 8, the serrated compartment, the socket and the projectile which were in the position b will be transferred into the position of withdrawal or removal 0. Assuming that, as in Figure 4, the rear end of the sector 5 is just in contact with the teeth 22 of the socket in the position b, the teeth 22 of the socket come into engagement with the sector 5, and from this moment the socket acts to some extent as a satellite with respect to the said sector 5, so that as the movement of rotation of the drum 8 proceeds, the socket rotates with respect to the compartment and consequently causes the movable plate of the fuse to rotate with respect to the body of the latter.

In passing from the intermediate position b to the position of withdrawal 0, the projectile therefore undergoes automatically the influence of the setting control mechanism, which itself may also be placed simultaneously in movement for any desired modification of the said setting, as the two operations may be carried out in a mutual manner without interfering with each other.

At the moment when the teeth 22 of the socket engage with the sector 5, the heel 3'5 of the projection 23 (see Figure 4) is caused to approach the centre of the apparatus.

To permit this approachment, there is provided on the guide cam collar 6, a first indentation 38 suitably disposed.

The projectile having, according to what has been stated above, been moved from the intermediate position b to the position of withdrawal 0, it will be noted that its fuse mechanism remains subjected to the influence of the sector 5 and, consequently, of the setting mechanism as long as the projectile remains in position in its compartment.

Its setting therefore undergoes all the variations which the angle 1, comprised between the plane OA of origin of the sector 5 and the plane OR passing through the axis p of the position of withdrawal 0, is made to undergo.

When, after withdrawal of the projectile which has just been set, there is imparted to the drum 8 a fresh rotation of a quarter of a turn, the compartment and the socket which have just been emptied at the position of withdrawal 0, pass to the return position :1 at the same time as the compartment, the socket and the projectile which were waiting at the intermediate position b are brought to the position c, and the compartment, the socket and the projectile which were in the supply position a move to the position b.

During this displacement from position 0 to position d, the teeth 22 of the socket still continue in general and for a certain time, according to what is shown on Figure 4, to be in engagement with the control sector 5 except, naturally, in the situation where, owing to the setting adopted, the plane OB passing through the extremity of the sector 5 would have been made to coincide with the plane OR, in which case that which will be pointed out would have already taken place.

Due to the said supplementary movement of rotation, the socket effects the complete rotation which it had commenced to make, and according to what is shown at e on Figure 4, its projection 23 is again brought into contact with the collar 6, the latter including a second indentation 45 to permit the passage of the heel 39 of the projection 23.

From the moment when the compartment in question and its socket have reached the plane OB, synchronism is re-established between their respective serrations so that they are ready to receive a fresh projectile, and the axis of symmetry m-n is again directed to the centre 0.

Nevertheless, for convenience of service, the fresh projectile is not put in at the return position d (or at any of the return positions at if there are more than one), but is only introduced at the supply position a.

With a view to obtaining a correct and sure commencement of engagement, without wedging, of the sector 5 and the teeth of the rotating socket, it is necessary for the first tooth l! of the sector 5 only to come into contact with the tooth 42 which precedes the axis of symmetry m-n of the projection 23 and which is the nearest to it.

To this end, and according to the dimensions of the toothed parts, the preceding tooth 43 of the toothed part of the socket, or, if necessary, a number of the previous teeth of the said toothed section, are given, according to the showing of Figures 5 and 6, bevellings 44 conforming to the contour of the outer circle 45 of the teeth of the sector 5. g

In the construction shown in Figures 2, 3, 7 and 8 the locking device constituted, in the case of Figure 1, by the stop bolt 33 is replaced by an automatic device fitted on each of the sockets.

The automatic device in question is formed by two telescopic sliding members 56 and 4'! subjected respectively:

The firstto the action of a spring 48 which bears on a fixedportion 55 of the support Hi;

The second to the action of a spring 50 disposed between the bottom 5! of the inner cavity 52 of the part 56 and the upper extremity 53 of the element ll.

There is furthermore provided in the body of the latter an elongated aperture 5 2 through which passes a small bar 55 integral with the part 46.

When a projectile is placed in position, the point 56 thereof rests on the part 45 and thrusts it downward, in spite of the antagonistic action of the spring 48.

Under the action of the spring 55, the part 47, Which is no longer restrained by the bar 55, then freely descends until its lower end 59 comes into contact with the circular sliding track 5! of the base I (see Figure 8).

As will be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the said track is entirely level over the whole of its length except opposite the withdrawal position 0.

At this point it comprises a recess 53 into which the lower extremity 59 of the part 47 drops under the action of the spring 55.

It will be easily understood that the movable drum 8 is thus made stationary as long as there is a projectile in the compartment which occupies the position of withdrawal 0.

On the contrary, as soon as the projectile is lifted from this position, the part 45 rises up automatically under the action of the spring 48, as is shown in Figure 7, and, through the intermediation of the bar 55, also brings up the part 41, raising the lower end thereof out of the recess 58 and out of contact with the track 5'! itself.

From this moment, the drum 8 may be set in movement up to the time when the projectile which was in the intermediate waiting position b moves into the position 0 and causes a fresh look- In the same construction and to facilitate the work, ball bearings and GI are interposed between the diiferent sockets and their respective supports.

While two difierent forms of apparatus embodying the invention have been described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be obvious that the invention is not limited to the exact structures shown but is capable of a variety of mechanical embodiments. Various changes, which will now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, may be made in the form, details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for automatically and progressively setting the fuses of a succession of projectiles, the combination of a fixed base element, a carrier element rotatably supported by said base element and having a plurality of compartments equally spaced circumferentially of said carrier member and so constructed and arranged as to receive and support the projectiles Whose fuses are to be set in vertical inverted positions, said carrier member being rotatable relatively to said base element about a vertical axis to bring each of said compartments successively into a projectile receiving position and a projectile removal position, both of which positions are fixed with respect to said base element, setting means associated with each of said compartments and movable therewith about said axis for eifecting relative movement between the fixed and adjustable elements of the fuse of a projectile supported in said compartment, and means operative at all points throughout a predetermined portion only of the path of movement of said compartments between said projectile receiving and removal positions for actuating said setting means, said actuating means including means for varying the length of said portion.

2. A fuse setting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said compartments and setting means are so constructed and arranged as to eifect uniform settings of said fuses without regard to the orientation of the projectiles when the latter are placed in said compartments.

3. A' fuse setting apparatus according to claim 1 including means for preventing rotation of said carrier member as long as there is a projectile supported in the compartment occupying the projectile removal position.

4. In an apparatus for automatically and progressively setting the fuses of a succession of projectiles, the combination of a fixed base element, a carrier member rotatably supported by said base element and having a plurality of compartments equally spaced circumferentially of said carrier member and adapted to receive the projectiles whose fuses are to be set, said carrier member being rotatable relatively to said base element to bring each of said compartments successively into a projectile receiving position and a projectile removal position, both of which positions are fixed with respect to said base element, setting means associated with each of said compartments for effecting relative movement between the fixed and adjustable elements of the fuse of a projectile present in said compartment, means operative during movement of each of said compartments between said projectile receiving and removal positions for actuating the associated setting means, and means responsive to the presence of a projectile in the compartment occupying the projectile removal position for preventing rotation of said carrier member.

5. In an apparatus for automatically and progressively setting the fuses of a succession of projectiles, the combination of a fixed base element, a carrier element rotatably supported by said base element and having a plurality of compartments equally spaced circumferentially of said carrier member and so constructed and arranged as to receive and support the projectiles whose fuses are to be set in vertical, inverted positions, said carrier member being rotatable relatively to said base element about a vertical axis to bring each of said compartments successively into a projectile receiving position and a projectile removal position, both of which positions are fixed with respect to said base element, setting means associated with each of said compartments and movable therewith about said axis for effecting relative movement between the fixed and adjustable elements of the fuse of a projectile supported in said compartment, means operative during movement of said compartments through a predetermined portion only of the path between said projectile receiving and removal positions for actuating said setting means, and control means operable whether said carrier member is at rest or moving for varying the length of the portion of said path during which said setting means are actuated.

6. In an apparatus for automatically and progressively setting the fuses of a succession of projectiles, the combination of a fixed base element, a carrier member rotatably supported by said base element and having a plurality of compartments equally spaced circumferentially of said carrier member and ada ted to receive the projectiles WhCSB fuses are to be set, said carrier member being rotatable relatively to said base element to bring each of said compartments successively into a projectile receiving position and a projectile removal position, both of which positions are fixed with respect to said base element, setting means associated with each of said compartments for effecting relative movement between the fixed and adjustable elements of the fuse of a projectile present in said compartment, including relatively rotatable members operatively engaged with said fixed and adjustable elements throughout the time when the projectile is present in said compartment, and means operative during movement of each of said compartments through a limited portion only of the path between said projectile receiving and removal positions for actuating the setting means associated therewith, said actuating means including means for varying the length of said portion.

7. In an apparatus for automatically and progressively setting the fuses of a succession of projectiles, the combination of a fixed base element, a carrier member rotatably supported by said base element and having a plurality of compartments equally spaced circumferentially of said carrier member and adapted to receive the projectiles whose fuses are to be set, said carrier member being rotatable relatively to said base element to bring each of said compartments successively into a projectile receiving position and a projectile removal position, both of which positions are fixed with respect to said base element, setting means associated with each of said compartments for efiecting relative movement between the fixed and adjustable elements of the fuse of a projectile present in said compartment, means operative during movement of said compartments through a predetermined portion of the path between said projectile receiving and removal positions for actuating said setting means, including relatively rotatable members operatively en aged with said fixed and adjustable elements throughout the time when the pro jectile is present in said compartment, and means for positively preventing relative rotation of the members of each of said setting means until the associated compartment has moved a predetermined distance beyond the projectile receiving position.

8. In an apparatus for automatically and progressively setting the fuses of a succession of projectiles, the combination of a fixed base element, a carrier member rotatably supported by said base element and having a plurality of compartments equally spaced circumferentially of said carrier member and adapted to receive the fused ends of the projectiles whose fuses are to be set,

said carrier member being rotatable relatively to said base element to bring each of said compartments successively into a projectile receiving position and a projectile removal position, both of which positions are fixed with respect to said base element, setting means associated with each of said compartments for effecting relative move ment between the fixed and adjustable elements of the fuse present in said compartment, including a socket member adapted to engage said adjustable fuse element and to be rotated relatively to said carrier member and the associated compartment, and means for rotating said socket members comprising a gear fixed to each of said members and a cooperating gear sector mounted 9. A fuse setting apparatus according to claim 8 including control means for adjusting the angular position of said gear sector about the axis of said carrier member.

10. A fuse setting apparatus according to claim 8 including means for positively preventing rotation of said socket members at all times except when the gears thereof are in mesh with said gear sector.

11. In apparatus for automatically and progressively setting the fuses of a succession of projectiles, the combination of a fixed base element, a carrier member rotatably supported by said base element and having a plurality of annular, internally serrated compartment members equal- 1y spaced circumferentially f said carrier member and adapted to receive the fixed elements of the fuses to be set, said carrier member being rotatable relatively to said base element to bring each of said compartment members successively into a projectile receiving position and a projectile removal position, both of which positions are fixed with respect to said base element, and setting means associated with each of said com- I partment members for effecting relative movement between the fixed and adjustable elements of the fuse present in said compartment, including an annular, internally serrated member coaxial with th associated compartment member but rotatable relatively thereto and means for maintaining the teeth of each of said serrated setting members in coincidence with those of the associated compartment member when the latter occupies the projectile receiving position, whereby uniformity of fuse setting is assured regardless of the orientation f the projectiles when the fuses of the latter are placed in said compartment members.

GEORGES MARIE TELESPHORE ALEXANDRE FONTAINE.

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