Boosted kinetic energy penetrator fuze

• US 4,896,607 A
• Filed: 03/03/1989
• Issued: 01/30/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: James C. Hall, Peter H Van Sloun
• Inventors: Hall, James C., Van Sloun, Peter H.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/319,853
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 102/247, 102/379, 102/248, 102/251, 102/254
• US Class Current: 102/247
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 11/06 with time delay by electric circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/188 using a rotatable carrier

Abstract

A fuze for missile having a linear axis passing rearwardly through a forward penetrator, an explosive charge with the penetrator, a fuze rearward the explosive charge, a propulsion rocket rearward of the fuze, and a canister rearward of the rocket and containing a deployable parachute, the fuze containing timers for deploying the parachute from the canister a predetermined interval after release of the missile from confinement, and for igniting the rocket a predetermined interval after deployment of the parachute, a further timer for causing discharge of the explosive charge a predetermined interval after axial impact of the penetrator with a target, and a safe-arm arrangement for preventing discharge of the explosive charge prior to the impact of said penetrator.

Claims

1. In a fuze, in combination:

a cylindrical rotor having an axis, ends, an axial bore at one end of said axis, said axial bore having an open end, a transverse bore communicating with said axial bore, said bores containing explosive leads, and a radially extending caming pin;

means supporting the ends of said rotor for rotation about said axis;

an inertia weight bored to receive said rotor and having a helical groove to receive said caming pin, so that displacement of said weight along said rotor between first and second positions causes rotation of said rotor between first and second rotated positions thereof;

and a detonator block engaging said weight to enable axial movement and to prevent rotation of said weight about said axis, said block including a radial detonator bore which is aligned with said transverse bore of said rotor in said second rotated position thereof.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said helical groove communicates with a slot in said weight extending parallel to said axis, to enable rebound of said weight without reverse rotation of said rotor.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising

an explosive booster charge mounted adjacent the open end of said axial bore;

and an electric detonator, mounted in said detonator block so that in said second rotated position of said rotor a discharge of said detonator is conducted through said leads to fire said booster charge, while in said first rotated position of said rotor any discharge of said detonator is isolated from said explosive leads.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, further including a standoff extending parallel to said axis and carrying at least one shorting wire, which normally short circuits said detonator, and a cutting pint extending from said weight toward said standoff is cut said wire as said weight moves from said first axial position to said second axial position, to thereby enable energization of said detonator.

5. Apparatus of claim 4 further comprising an electronic timing means attached said fuze.

6. Apparatus of claim 5 wherein said electronic timing means comprises first delay means connected to said shorting wire and to said electric detonator wherein cutting of said shorting wire upon impact of said fuze results in a delayed energizing signal to said electric detonator such that discharge of said detonator occurs at a fixed period of time after impact of said fuze, such that firing of said booster charge occurs after penetration by a munition to which said booster charge is attached to.

7. Apparatus of claim 6 wherein said electronic timing means further comprises:

second delay means attached to said fuze, wherein said second delay means receives a launch signal upon launch of the munition to which said fuze is attached, and upon a first time delay after receipt of the launch signal, an open parachute signal from said second delay means causes a parachute attached to the munition to open, thereby causing the munition to drop vertically; and

third delay means attached to said fuze and connected to said second delay means, wherein said third delay means receives an open parachute signal from said second delay means when the parachute is opened, and upon a second time delay after receipt of the open parachute signal, a release parachute signal from said third delay means causes the parachute to be detached from the munition.

8. In a fuze, in combination:

a cylindrical rotor having an axis, ends, an axial bore at one end of said axis, a transverse bore communicating with said axial bore, and a radially extending caming pin;

means supporting the ends of said rotor for rotation about said axis;

an inertia weight bored to receive said rotor and having a helical groove to receive said caming pin, so that displacement of said weight along said rotor between first and second positions causes rotation of said rotor between first and second rotated positions thereof;

and a detonator block engaging said weight to enable axial movement and to prevent rotation of said weight about said axis, said block including a radial detonator mounting which is aligned with said transverse bore of said rotor in said second rotated position thereof;

and a shear pin normally preventing relative movement between said weight and said rotor, the mass of said weight and the size and strength of said shear pin being such that said weight shears said pin at a set impact.

9. In a fuze, in combination:

a cylindrical rotor having an axis, ends, an axial bore at one end of said axis, a transverse bore communicating with said axial bore, said bores containing explosive leads, and a radially extending caming pin;

means supporting the ends of said rotor for rotation about said axis;

an inertia weight bored to receive said rotor and having a helical groove to receive said caming pin, so that displacement of said weight along said rotor between first and second positions causes rotation of said rotor between first and second rotated positions thereof;

and a detonator block engaging said weight to enable axial movement and to prevent rotation of said weight about said axis, said block including a radial detonator mounting which is aligned with said transverse bore of said rotor in said second rotated position thereof;

a standoff extending parallel to said axis and carrying a shorting wire;

and a cutting pin extending from said weight toward said standoff to cut said wire as said weight moves from said first axial position to said second axial position.

10. In a fuze, in combination:

a cylindrical rotor having an axis, ends, an axial bore at one end of said axis, a transverse bore communicating with said axial bore, and a radially extending caming pin;

means supporting the ends of said rotor for rotation about said axis;

an inertia weight bored to receive said rotor and having a helical groove to receive said caming pin, so that displacement of said weight along said rotor between first and second positions causes rotation of said rotor between first and second rotated positions thereof;

and a detonator block engaging said weight to enable axial movement and to prevent rotation of said weight about said axis, said block including a radial detonator mounting which is aligned with said transverse bore of said rotor in said second rotated position thereof;

a standoff extending parallel to said axis and carrying a plurality of spaced shorting wires;

and a cutting pin extending from said weight toward said standoff to cut said wires in sequence as said weight moves from said first axial position to said second axial position.