IMPROVEMENTS IN FUSES FOR PROJECTILES
Year: 1885

page_text: "
I ANDREW NOBLE late Captain in the Royal Artillery of Jesmonddine House
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Manufacturing Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FUSES FOR PROJECTILES to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in fuses for projectiles.
The fuses to which this invention relates are armed or rendered sensitive by the
movement of a bolt or locking part caused by the rotary motion of the projectile
imparted by the rifle grooves of the gun. The explosion takes place on impact a
pellet of fulminating material then coming into contact with a cone or point by
which the explosion is determined.
Such fuses may take different forms, the one which I will first describe is a
fuse to be inserted into the nose of the projectile. It contains within it a small
cylindrical weight capable of movement within a chamber of corresponding form.
There is a passage bored through this cylindrical weight axially and in this passage
the fulminating pellet is lodged.
The movement of the weight within the chamber is prevented until the time of
firing by means of a small bolt capable of moving radially in a passage formed to
contain it and this bolt itself is locked by a split pin inserted into a hole parallel
to the axis of the fuse and of the projectile and there retained by a small transverse
wire. The action of this fuse then is as follows.
When the projectile is started rapidly into movement by the pressure of the
powder gas behind it the inertia of the split pin causes the retaining wire to be
shorn or cut through, the pin then passes to the rear end of the hole in which it is
lodged and there becomes jammed and held out of the way. The bolt is now free
and as soon as the projectile receives the rotation which the rifle grooves in the
gun are designed to impart to it the bolt moves outwards by centrifugal action
thereby freeing the small cylindrical weight. When the projectile after leaving
the gun encounters an obstacle and its forward movement is checked the cylindrical
weight continues its course and passes to the front end of its chamber. The pellet.
of fulminating material is thus brought into contact with a cone or point fixed in
the end of the chamber and the explosion ensues.
Or the arrangement may be modified by causing the cylindrical weight to carry
the cone or point for firing the fulminating pellet and lodging this pellet in a
cavity provided for the purpose at the front end of the cylindrical chamber. This
arrangement admits of the pellet or detonator being readily removed from the fuse
and replaced which circumstances may render this advisable.
The cylindrical weight may also be retained independently of the action of
the bolt. I have designed a fuse adapted to be screwed into the base of the
projectile in which an appliance of this purpose is provided. The fuse has a
cylindrical cavity in its rear face which is closed by a disc, and this is supported in

page_text: its place hy a leaden ring. Two screws are inserted into the disc, and their heads
overlap the fore end of the cylindrical weight and prevent it from moving forward.
The radial bolt also is kept in place by a double pin or staple parallel to the axis
of the fuse, and held down in its place either by a coiled spring or by a pillar of
soft metal.
When the gun is fired the powder gas acts against the movable disc in the base
of the fuse, and crushing the leaden ring by which it is retained drives it forward
so far as to carry the screw heads clear of the end of the cylindrical weight, and
allow it freedom to move. At the same time the disc comes against the rear end
of the double pin or staple and lifts it out of the way of the radial bolt, compressing
the spiral spring or crushing the piece of soft metal which opposes the movement
of the staple. Then as before as soon as the projectile takes up the rotary motion.
which the grooves in the gun impart to it, the bolt moves outwards leaving the
cylindrical weight entirely free.
When the forward movement of the projectile is checked by impact with any
obstacle the weight moves forward bringing the fulminating pellet into contact
with the cone or point provided to fire it; the flash passes forward through
perforations in the fore end of the fuse and the main charge contained within the
body of the shell is ignited.
.
Another modification in which the release of the cylindrical weight is so contrived
as to ensure that it shall not take place before the projectile has left the gun, is as
follows.
Between the fore end of the weight and the front of the chamber within which
it moves, a hard metal ball is provided and this ball is held in its place by a ring
or outer cylinder surrounding the weight and projecting from its fore end a notch
is cut in the ring and in this notch the sphere is lodged. The outer cylinder or ring
is prevented from moving along the weight until the gun is fired by a copper cap
which is placed on the fore end of the weight and which has outwardly projecting
flanges supporting the rear end of the ring. A stud projecting from the side of
the ring enters a groove in the side of the cylindrical chamber and prevents it
turning.
When the gun is fired the flanges on the copper cap are insufficient to retain the
ring in its place, and its inertia causes it to fall to the rear.
The metal sphere which the ring previously retained now finds itself between
flat surfaces and within a spiral or snail like enlargement at the fore end of the
cylindrical chamber.
At the instant when it is released the ball is resting against the side or wall of
the chamber where it approaches most nearly to the centre or axis of the fuse.
When the projectile commences to revolve this ball rolls along the walls of the
chamber outwardly away from the centre until, finally, when it has made nearly a
complete circuit of the chamber it passes clear of the end of the cylindrical weight
and drops down into a small pocket provided for it, where it is retained out of the
way. Then, as in the previous case, the cylindrical weight being entirely free, it
moves forward in its chamber as soon as the velocity of the projectile is checked by
impact. The fulminating pellet then comes into contact with the cone or point
provided to effect its discharge, it explodes, and the flash passes to the main charge
within the shell.
This arrangement may be combined with time mechanism of an ordinary
description to form a combined time and percussion fuse.

page_text: I ANDREW NOBLE late Captain in the Royal Artillery of Jesmonddine House
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Manufacturing Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in fuses for projectiles.
The fuses to which this invention relates are armed or rendered sensitive by the
movement of a bolt or locking part caused by the rotary motion of the projectile
imparted by the rifle grooves of the gun. The explosion takes place on impact a
pellet of fulminating material then coming into contact with a cone or point by
which the explosion is determined.
Such fuses may take different forms, the one which I will first describe is a fuse
to be inserted into the nose of the projectile. It is shown in section at Figure 1 of
the drawings hereunto annexed. It contains within it a small cylindrical weight A
capable of movement within a chamber of corresponding form. There is a
passage A¹ bored through this cylindrical weight axially and in this passage the
fulminating pellet B is lodged.
The movement of the weight within the chamber is prevented until the time of
firing by means of a small bolt C capable of moving radially in a passage formed
to contain it and this bolt itself is locked by a split pin D inserted into a hole
parallel to the axis of the fuse and of the projectile and there retained by a small
transverse wire E. All endway movement of the weight A before the projectile
carrying the fuse is fired, is prevented by a ring A² of lead or other compressible
material carried at its rear end being pressed against by a perforated screw plug G
which closes the rear end of the fuze.
The action of this fuze then is as follows:-
When the projectile is started rapidly into movement by the pressure of the
powder gas behind it the inertia of the split pin D causes the retaining wire E to
be shorn or cut through; the pin D then passes to the rear end of the hole in
which it is lodged and there becomes jammed and held out of the way. The bolt C
is now free and as soon as the projectile receives the rotation which the rifle
grooves in the gun are designed to impart to it the bolt moves outwards by
centrifugal action thereby freeing the small cylindrical weight A. When the
projectile after leaving the gun encounters an obstacle and its forward movement
is checked the cylindrical weight A continues its course and passes to the front end
of its chamber. The pellet B of fulminating material is thus brought into contact
with a cone or point F fixed in the end of the chamber and the explosion ensues.
Or the arrangement may be modified in the manner shown by the section
Figure 2. In this modification the cylindrical weight A is made to carry the cone
or point F for firing the fulminating pellet B and this pellet is lodged in a cavity
in a screw plug H made to screw into the front end of the cylindrical chamber.
This arrangement admits of the screw plug carrying the pellet or detonator B being
readily removed from the fuze and replaced when circuinstances may render this

page_text: advisable. In other respects the fuse is constructed in the way described with
reference to Figure 1.
The cylindrical weight may also be retained independently of the action of the
bolt C Figure 3 shows a front view of a fuse adapted to be screwed into the base
of the projectile in which an appliance for this purpose is provided. Figure 4 is a
longitudinal section of the same taken through the line A. B. Figure 3 and
Figure 5 a section taken through the line C. D. The fuse has a cylindrical
cavity I in its rear face which is closed by a disc J and this is supported in its
place by a leaden ring K. Two screws Lare.inserted into the disc and their heads
overlap the fore end of the cylindrical weight A.and prevent it from moving
forward. The radial bolt C also is kept in place by a double pin or staple M
parallel to the axis of the fuse, and held down in its place, either by a coiled
spring N as shown or by a pillar of soft metal.
When, the gun is fired the powder gas acts against the moveable disc J in the
base of the fuse and crushing the leaden ring K by which it is retained drives it
forward so far as to carry the heads of the screws L clear of the end of the
cylindrical weight A and allow it freedom to move. At the same time the disc J
comes against the rear end of the double pin or staple M and lifts it out of the way
of the radial bolt, compressing the spiral spring N or crushing the piece of soft
metal which opposes the movement of the staple. Then as before as soon as the
projectile takes up the rotary motion which the grooves in the gun impart to it,
the bolt C moves outwards leaving the cylindrical weight A entirely free.
When the forward movement of the projectile is checked by impact with any.
obstacle the weight A moves forward bringing the fulminating pellet B into
contact with the cone or point F provided to fire it, the flash passes forward
through perforations in the screw plug O, which closes the front end of the fuse
and which carries the cone or point F and the main charge contained within the
body of the shell is ignited.
Another modification in which the release of the cylindrical weight is so
contrived as to ensure that it shall not take place before the projectile has left the
gun, is shewn at Figures 67 and 8-Figure 6 is a section through the line B. B.
Figure 7 a section through the line AA and Figure 8 a section through the
line D. D.
Between the fore end of the weight A and the front of the chamber within
which it moves, a hard metal ball P is provided and this ball is held in its place
by a ring or outer cylinder Q surrounding the weight and projecting from its fore
end. A notch is cut in the ring and in this notch the ball P is lodged a projection
from the weight also enters this notch and rests against the ball. The outer
cylinder or ring Q is prevented from moving along the weight A until the gun is
fired by a copper cap R which is placed on the fore end of the weight A and which
has outwardly projecting flanges supporting the rear end of the ring Q. A stud Q¹
projecting from the side of the ring enters a groove in the side of the cylindrical
chamber and prevents the ring from turning.
When the gun is fired the flanges on the copper cap are insufficient to retain the
ring in its place, and its inertia causes it to fall to the rear.
The metal sphere P which the ring previously retained now finds itself between
flat surfaces and within a spiral or snail like enlargement at the fore end of the
cylindrical chamber.
At the instant when it is released the ball P is resting against the side or wall
of the chamber where it approaches most nearly to the centre or axis of the fuse.
When the projectile cominences to revolve this ball rolls along the walls of the
chamber outwardly away from the centre until, finally, when it has made about
of a revolution it drops down into a small pocket S provided for it, where it is
retained out of the way. Then, as in the previous case, the cylindrical weight A
being entirely free, it moves forward in its chamber as soon as the velocity of the
projectile is checked by impact. The fulminating pellet B then comes into contact
with the cone or point F provided to effect its discharge, it explodes, and the flash

page_text: passes back as in the fuses previously described to the main charge within
the shell.
This arrangement may be combined with time mechanism of an ordinary
description to form a combined time and percussion fuse as shown at Figures 9, 10
and 11. Figure 9 is a section through the line B B. Figure 10 a section through
the line CC and Figure 11 a section through the line A A.
The concussion portion of the fuse shown in these figures is constructed in the
manner described with reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8 whilst the time mechanism
is of ordinary construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The construction of fuses for projectiles in such a manner that they are
rendered sensitive by the movement of a locking bolt caused by the rotary motion
of the projectile imparted by the rifle grooves of the gun.
2. The construction of fuses for projectiles in such a manner that they are
rendered sensitive by the movement of a locking bolt caused by the rotary motion
of the projectile imparted by the rifle grooves of the gun and which bolt is released
at the time when the gun is fired by the movement of a second bolt caused either
by the pressure of the powder gases or by the forward movement imparted to the
projectile when the gun is fired.
3. The construction of fuses for projectiles substantially as herein before described
and illustrated at Figure 1.
4. The construction of fuses for projectiles substantially as herein before described
and illustrated at Figure 2.
5. The construction of fuses for projectiles substantially as herein before described
and illustrated at Figures 3, 4 and 5.
6. The construction of fuses for projectiles substantially as herein before described
and illustrated at Figures 6, 7 and 8.
7. The construction of fuses for projectiles substantially as herein before described
and illustrated at Figures 9, 10 and 11.
Dated this 6th day of November 1885.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.