Patent GB-577009-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to fuze-setting apparatus
IPC: F42C17/00
Filed: 1941-04-08
Abstract: 577,009. Fuze-setting apparatus. HARVEY, V. P., MASON, J. A., and MOLINS MACHINE CO., Ltd. April 8, 1941, No. 4694. [Class 9 (i)] The socket 1 into which the shell 2 is inserted for fuze-setting is longitudinally movable when the shell is pressed home. Such movement causes radially-movable knives 13 to engage the fuze time ring and thereafter effects the setting rotation of the gripping-device 12 in which the knives are mounted. The rear end of the device 12 carries three radial lugs 15, which project through longitudinal slots 14 in a rotatable sleeve 3 and support a channelsection ring 40, one flange 28 of which has a notch for engagement by a pivoted detent 26. The ring is engaged by rollers 39 on a forked arm 35 mounted on a spindle 37. The spindle also carries a toothed quadrant 42 which drives through a gear train 43, 45, 46 a clutch disc 48 on a shaft 47. The disc is normally clutched to a second disc 53 freely mounted on the shaft 47, and the disc 53 is connected by a lostmotion drive (i.e. a stud 57 running in a slot) to a gear-wheel 55 meshing with a gear-wheel 60 for rotating the sleeve 3. The detent 26 is actuated by a lever linkage 24, 22, 23, 19, 18 when insertion of a shell into the socket 1 moves the gripping-device 12 and an associated rod 17 to the left. A three-armed spider 81 at the end of the rod stresses springs 80, which effect the return movement of the mechanism. The sleeve 3 carries a stop 61 which is moved, when the sleeve rotates, from contact with a fixed stop 62 into contact with an adjustable stop 63 carried by a worm-wheel 70, which is freely mounted on the sleeve 3. The wormwheel is driven by a hand wheel on a shaft H-L, Fig. 1, which also drives the pointer of a follow-the-pointer receiver associated with the predictor. When a shell is inserted and pushed home, the gripping device is moved to the left and the knives 13 become engaged with the fuze time ring. The detent 26 is freed by the lever linkage, and the shaft 47 is rotated by the forked arm 35, quadrant 42 and the gear train. The clutch disc 48 is thus rotated and carries with it the driven member 53, which after the lost-motion is taken up, drives the gears 55, 60 and rotates the sleeve 3. Rotation of the sleeve carries round the lugs 15 of the gripping-device 12 and sets the fuze ring. The rotary motion continues until stopped by the stop 61 making contact with the adjustable stop 63. This causes the coupling between the clutch discs 48, 53 to be broken, so that continued inward movement of the parts 1, 12, 15, 17 will not cause further rotation of the fuze ring. When the knives 13 reach an internal groove 85 in the sleeve 3, they are released by their springs 16, and the shell and fuze may be withdrawn. During this withdrawal, the movement to the right of the socket 1 and gripping-device 12 is prevented by a latch 88, Fig. 4, which engages and retains a plunger 86 on the socket 1 in the innermost position of the latter. Removal of the shell, permits the spring 87 to withdraw the plunger 86 from contact with the latch, and the springs 80 then react to reset the mechanism. Specification 577,004 is referred to in the Provisional Specification.