Patent GB-526099-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to fuze setting apparatus
IPC: F42C17/00
Filed: 1938-12-09
Abstract: 526,099. Fuze-setting apparatus. CAMPBELL, K. C., HARVEY. V. P., SAUNDERS, E. A., and MOLINS MACHINE CO., Ltd. Dec. 9, 1938, Nos. 35962 and 13582/39. [Class 9 (i)] Apparatus for setting fuzes, of the kind having a fixed and a rotatable fuze-element, comprises a first and second locating element arranged to engage movable and fixed fuze abutments, respectively, and each mounted on a carrier which is rotatable about an axis coincident with that of the fuze to be set, a differential gear so arranged that its sun wheels are relatively angularly adjustable by means of an orbitally adjustable planet wheel, means to gear the carrier for the second locating element to one sun wheel of the differential gear, means to rotate the carrier for the first locating element independently of the differential gear until the first locating element has engaged the moving abutment, and means operable when the first locating element has engaged the movable abutment to couple the carrier for the first locating element to the other sun wheel of the differential gear. The apparatus is designed for setting fuzes of the powder type in which the ring 14 nearer the nose is fixed and also fuzes of the clockwork type in which the ring 15 is fixed, both rings having notches to receive pawls on the setting rings 22, 23, the notches being in different axial positions according to whether it is a fixed or a movable ring. The projectile is supported by means of a hollow body 10 and a concave roller 12 and in the fuze setting position presses back a locating plunger 16 against the action of a spring 17. The ring 22, Fig. 5, has pawls 25 and 27 for engaging the notch of a fixed or a movable ring respectively, the pawls being axially displaced so that pawls intended to engage a fixed ring would merely ride over a movable ring and vice versa. The ring 22 is rigidly connected with a gear 45 and is mounted within a ring 38 having an external gear 39. Rings 22 and 38 may be located by a spring- operated bolt 31 mounted in the ring 22 and adapted to enter a slot in the ring 38. A tailpiece 29 on one of the pawls 27 adapted to engage a movable ring prevents the spring 32 from operating the bolt until the pawls have entered the notch. The ring 38 may also be locked to the gear 45 by means of a manually operated bolt 42. The setting ring 23, Fig. 8, is similarly constructed, being fixed to the gear 48 and mounted within a ring 40 having an external gear 41. Axially displaced pawls 26 and 28 are adapted to engage a movable or a fixed fuze ring and bolts 35 and 420 respectively serve to lock the rings 23 and 40 and the ring 40 to the gear 48. A tailpiece 33 of one pawl 26 engages the bolt 35. A shaft 50 has secured to it a gear 51 meshing with the gear 41 and a gear 52 freely rotatable on the shaft meshes with the gear 48. Another freely rotatable gear 53 is coupled through an idler gear (not shown) with the gear 39. Secured to the gear 53 is a bevel gear 55 of a differential which comprises also a bevel gear 58 fixed to the shaft 50 and bevel gears 56 and 57 secured to a surrounding split worm gear 59 meshing with a worm 60. Freely mounted on sleeves 64 and 65 on a hollow countershaft 61 are gears 62 and 63 either of which may be positively coupled to the shaft by means of a sliding dog 67 movable axially within the shaft by a manually operable knob 72. The gear 62 or 63 which is not positively driven from the shaft is driven through a friction ring 78 or 79 against which the gears are pressed by springs 76 and 77. A reduced end 82 of the shaft has inclined gear teeth meshing with similar teeth on a driving gear 83 freely rotatable on a shaft 84 and adapted to be driven through a slip clutch member 86. The shaft 84 also carries a toothed wheel 88. The operation of the apparatus is as follows. When a projectile is inserted in the apparatus, the consequent movement of the plunger 16 moves an arm 91 so that a locking lever 93 is disengaged from the wheel 88 and the shaft 84 is then free to be rotated by the handle 85. For setting a fuze of the powder type, the dog 67 is moved to couple the gear 62 to the shaft 61 and the bolt 420 is moved out of engagement with the gear 48. On rotation of the handle 85, the inclined teeth cause an axial movement of the shaft 84, this movement rocking a lever 89 to tighten a brake band 95 around the projectile and also the gear 83 drives the shaft 61. Gear 62 drives, through the gear 52, the gear 48 to which is secured the fuze-setting ring 23. The gear 63, operating through an idler gear, drives the gear 45 secured to the setting ring 22 and locked by the bolt 42 to the gear 39 which consequently drives the gear 53 and, through the differential, the shaft 50 so that the gear 51 on the shaft drives the gear 41. The rings 22 and 23 are thus rotated and if, for example, the pawls 25 first engage the notch in the fixed ring 14, this engagement prevents any further rotation of the train of gears driven by the gear 63. Gear 62 then continues to drive the ring 23 until firstly the pawls 26 have entered the notch in the movable ring 15 and secondly the bolt 35 enters the slot in the ring 40. Then the gear 48 is also locked and further movement of the handle 85 causes a slipping of the clutch. The setting of the fuze is dependent on the relative angular positions of the slots in the rings 38 and 40 and this can be adjusted as desired by means of the worm 60. For setting a fuze of the clockwork type, the gear 63 is positively driven and the bolt 42 is withdrawn from the gear 45. The gear 39 is then driven by the friction drive through the gears 62, 52, 48, 41, 51, the differential 53 and idler gear (not shown). After engagement of the pawls 28 with the fixed ring 15, this gear train is stopped and the gear 63 rotates the ring 22 until the pawls 27 engage the notch in the ring 14 and until the bolt 31 has entered the slot in the ring 38. If desired the friction drive could be omitted but in this case the two setting rings could not be rotated at the same time and it would be necessary for the abutment of the movable fuze ring to be engaged first. In the preferred form previously described, either ring could be engaged first and consequently the initial setting of the fuze rings when one projectile is inserted into the apparatus is of no importance.