Time or Distance Fuze for Explosive Shells.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Time or Distance Fuze for Explosive Shells.
I, PETER WATSON MASSON Draughtsman in Mechanical Engineering 10
Gladeswood Road Belvedere Kent do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
According to my invention I construct a "time fuze," for explosive shells, which
will ignite the explosive charge in the shell; at any predetermined point in the
path of flight.
For this purpose I construct a time fuze, provided with an internal air propeller;
the axis of which is placed at right angles, or nearly so, to the axis of the fuze.
This air propeller is, during the flight of the shell; constrained to rotate on its
axis, by the action of a stream of air, the inertia of which causes to pass through
the chamber in which the propeller is hung. The air is admitted to the propeller
chamber, through an opening which communicates, from the external point of the
fuze, along the axis of the fuze, to the said propeller chamber. The air passes
from the propeller chamber into an annular space, hetween the inner, and outer
cases, of the fuze, and thence, through an opening, or openings in the shell, of the
outer case, into the atmospheric space.
The propeller communicates its motion, to its arbor; and by its arbor, to a train
of wheels. The last wheel in the train carries on its under face a stud or pin;
which stud or pin projects into an annular groove in the rear part of the fuze.
This stud or pin is carried round in the annular groove, by the circular movement
of the last motion wheel in the said train, and ultimately engages with, and carries
off its supporting ledge or seating, an arm or projecting pin, on the stem of the
striking pellet. The striking pellet, when its arm or projecting pin is carried
completely off its ledge or seating; is impelled backwards, by the action of a
compressed spring, and strikes with its diamond shaped point, a percussion cap,
which is placed near the base of the fuze. This movement of the striking pellet
detonates the percussion cap and ignites by it the explosive charge in the shell.
The fuze is externally, conical in shape, with a flattened point; and is con-
structed of three principal parts, which for the sake of description I will call,—
The A or shoulder part
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B rear
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C locking
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The A or shoulder part, when unlocked, is free to revolve in any direction,
within certain limits with reference to the B. or rear part. By this movement the
fuze can be set, to ignite the explosive charge in the shell, at any predetermined
point in the path of its flight. The C. or locking part locks the A. & B. parts
together and fixes their relative position.
The A. or B. part is graduated on part of its periphery for range; and the A
or B. part carries an index finger which indicates, on the graduation, the range,
from zero, to the limit of range, for which the fuze is constructed.
outer cases.
The A or shoulder part is constructed of two principal parts viz.-the inner and
In these inner and outer cases are provided an opening, afore-
mentioned; communicating, from the external point of the fuze, to the propeller
chamber; and the propeller chamber itself. Between the inner, and outer cases,
is an annular space; and in the shell of the outer case, is an opening or openings,
communicating from the internal annular space, to the external atmospheric space.
The inner case contains the air propeller and the train of wheels.
In the B. or rear part is provided a chamber, which chamber contains the

page_text: striking pellet, the striking pellet spring and the percussion cap, or caps. The
striking pellet is provided with a flange or piston end, and is provided with on its
lower face, a diamond shaped pin. The stem, of the striking pellet is provided
with, at its upper end; a projecting pin or arm. The lower part of the pellet
chamber, is made large enough, to allow the piston end of the pellet, to move freely
up and down in it, and its upper part is reduced to suit the diameter, of the pellet
stem. Along the side of this reduced part of the pellet chamber, is provided a
slot, or featherway; which is sufficiently large, to allow the aforesaid projecting
pin, or arm, on the pellet stem, to pass through it. When the pellet stem is passed
through, or partly through, the reduced part of its chamber, it is rotated through a
small angle, and carries with it, the aforesaid projecting pin or arm, which pin or
arm, then rests on a ledge, or seating, provided for the purpose. Between the
shoulder, formed by the reduced part of the chamber, and the piston end of the
pellet is placed a spring, which when compressed, tends to drive the striking
pellet backwards against the percussion cap.
Between the A. & B. parts is placed the C. or locking part.
This locking part is composed principally of the locking ring, and the friction
pin, or pins. The periphery of the locking ring is milled on its face, and by
rotating it in either direction; it either releases or compresses the friction pin or
pins from or against a cylindrical projection on the A or shoulder part. The
friction pin or pins are carried by the B or rear part.
Dated this Seventh day of November 1891.
PETER W. MASSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Time or Distance Fuze for Explosive Shells.
PETER WATSON MASSON, Draughtsman in Mechanical Engineering,
10 Gladeswood Road, Belvedere, Kent do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
According to my invention I construct a time or distance fuze for explosive
shells, which will cause the ignition of the explosive charge in the shell at any
predetermined point in the path of flight.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the fuze.
Figure 2 is a plan section thereof on line A' B' Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an outside view in elevation of the fuze.
Figure 4 is a plan thereof.
Figure 5 is an outside view of the inner upper casing of the fuze.
Figure 6 is a plan thereof on line C¹ D' Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of the outer upper casing of the fuze.
Figure 8 is a detail view partly in section showing the train of gearing for
communicating motion to and releasing the striking pellet.
Figure 9 is a plan thereof with top plate removed and
Figure 10 is an elevation partly in section showing a fuze with a modified form
of locking part for determining the distance at which the igniting pellet shall be
released.
The fuze is provided with an internal air propeller a as shown in elevation on
Figure 1 and in plan on Figure 6 and the axis of this propeller is placed preferably
at right angles as shewn, to the axis of the fuze but I do not limit myself to the
angle. The air propeller a is during the flight of the shell constrained to rotate
on its axis by the action of a stream of air, the inertia of which causes it to pass
through the chamber a¹ in which the propeller is mounted on suitable bearings be.
The air is as shown on Figures 1, 6 and 7 admitted to the propeller chamber a
through an opening a² which communicates from the external point of the fuze and

page_text: along the axis of same to the said propeller chamber. The air passes from the
propeller chamber into an annular space between the inner case A and outer
case A2 of the fuze and thence through an opening or openings d', made in the
outer case A2, into the outer air.
The propeller a communicates its motion to its arbore and as shown in the
example on Figures 1 and 6 by a worm e¹ to a worm wheel (see also Figure 8).
This worm wheel has mounted on the other end of its arbor a pinion which
gears with a wheel y having mounted on the same spindle a pinion g'.
This pinion
again gears with a wheel h having a pinion h¹ which ultimately gears with the
wheel. This wheel i carries on its under face a stud or pink, which projects into
an annular groove ¹ in the rear part B of the fuze. This stud k is carried round
in the direction of the arrow in the groove k¹ Figure 2 by the circular movement
of the last wheel i and ultimately engages with and carries off its supporting ledge
or seating 1, an arm or projecting pin on the stem 2 of the striking pellet 13.
The striking pellet 13, when its arm is completely carried off its ledge l, is
impelled backwards by the action of a compressed spring m (the arm passing down
the slot 6) and strikes with its diamond-shaped point a percussion cap n which is
placed near the base of the fuze. This impact of the striking pellet 1³ detonates
the percussion cap n and ignites thereby the explosive charge in the shell. The
striking pellets is guided in the interior of the rear part B by a piston .
The fuze is as shown externally conical in shape with a flattened point and is
constructed in such manner as to allow of regulating the distance from the muzzle
of the gun at which the pellet shall be released and consequently fire the charge.
The shoulder part A, to which is screwed the outer casing A2, is, when unlocked,
free to revolve in any direction within certain limits with reference to the rear
part B. Thus by regulating the positions of the stud k on the shoulder part A to
the arm on the rear part B I am enabled to cause the release of the striking
pellet to occur at any desired point of the path of the projectile.
The shoulder part A is graduated for range on part of its periphery as shown
on Figure 3 and the rear part B carries an index finger o which indicates on the
graduated scale on shoulder part A from zero to the limit of range for which the
fuze is constructed.
There is a locking part which locks the shoulder and rear parts A and B together
in the required position.
The locking part is composed principally of the locking ring C which is milled
on the outside as shown on Figure 3. The ring C is further provided with an
internal eccentric groove ² see Figures 1 and 2 into which takes a pin p. This
pin is put into a hole in the rear part B and its point projects into a groove p¹ (see
also Figure 5) in the shoulder part A. The shoulder part A and rear part B are
further also normally held together by pointed screws p² p³ see Figure 2. It is
therefore evident that the shoulder and rear parts may be moved round on each
other to any extent within a certain limit and that when in the desired positions
the ring C is revolved and by its eccentric groove causes the pin p to press tightly
into the groove p¹ and thus locks the parts A and B together. The end of the
groove is as shown made of sufficient depth to allow of being put over the pin p
in putting the parts together. In order to prevent an explosion supposing the
shell be jolted accidentally and the arm to be displaced from its ledge l, I secure
the ends of the spring m in a hole in the piston and the upper part of the pellet
chamber respectively so that the tendency of the spring is to keep the arm 1 on its
ledge and away from the slot 6 and in order to prevent any one when handling the
shells from causing an explosion by inadvertently moving the shoulder part A so
far round as to cause the pin k to displace the arm from its ledge l' I further
mount a stud 9 in the lower plate of the train of gearing which is secured to the
shoulder part A and another stud or stop at right angles thereto in the upper
part of the rear part B in such manner that it is impossible to release the striking
pellet except by revolving the train of gearing.
Figure 10 shows a modified and simpler form of locking part consisting as before

page_text: of a ring or flange C which is made in one with the rear part B. The shoulder
part A as before has a groove p³ and the two parts A and B are held together by
one or more screws p which is or are tightened when the desired relative positions
of the parts are obtained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A time or distance fuze for explosive shells provided with an internal air
propeller or fan acted upon by the air during the flight of the projectile, said
propeller having a train of wheels for communicating motion to a striking pellet
which acts on a percussion cap to ignite the explosive charge and means for
regulating the time at which the explosion shall take place substantially as set
forth.
2. The constructions of time or distance fuzes as shown on the drawings.
D
Lah I
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.