Year: 1888

page_text: ---Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Nov., 1888
I. WILLIAM GEORGE, Baron ARMSTRONG, of the Elswick Works, Newcastle on
Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The fuse consists of the following parts as shewn in the drawing annexed, viz.; the
body, cap, nut, time pellet, suspending wire, thimble, adjustable cover, two leather
washers, bottom plug, concussion pellet, copper cap, guard, copper cover with wings,
and sphere. Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, Figure 2 a side elevation, Figure 3
a section on the line A A, and Figure 4 a section on the line B B.
The upper part of the body containing the time arrangement is made of white
metal, and the lower part for the concussion arrangement, of gun metal. The upper
part is attached to the lower part by casting it on, the gun metal being tinned to
ensure the adhesion of the two metals. The lower part carries a tube having holes
in it, which projects into the white metal, and thereby ensures the rotation of the one
part with the other.
The neck of the fuse is screwed to receive the nut, and chambered to admit the
time pellet; around the larger diameter of the body a spiral groove is cut, in which
lead tubing containing pit powder is inserted.
A hole is made in the body of the fuse at the lower end of this tubing, which is
stemmed with gunpowder and makes communication with the concussion chamber.
A vertical annular channel painted with powder containing a quick match makes
communication with the time pellet chamber. The time needle is inserted directly
below the time pellet.
The chamber for the concussion arrangement is made to receive the guard. At the
top of this chamber a volute spiral groove is cut horizontally, which starts on the side
of the chamber and increases in depth as it goes round, finally terminating in a
vertical hole. The recess below the concussion chamber is screwed to suit the bottom
plug. The fuse is screwed to the general service fuse hole guage."
The concussion pellet is made of muntz metal and has a projecting wing which
slides in a slot in the guard. It is chambered at the top to receive the detonator, the
bottom being filled with a pellet of powder.

page_text: The guard is made of brass tubing around its top a path is cut on which the sphere
revolves when in motion. A slot is cut at one side to admit the projecting wing on
the pellet.
The copper cover with wings is fastened to the body of the pellet, the wings being
bent upwards to support the guard, one of these wings being longer than the others,
projects into a notch in the body and keeps the parts from moving.
The sphere is made of brass. It is pressed into the slot in the guard and rests upon
the wing of the concussion pellet, in close proximity to the commencement of the
volute spiral groove.
The copper cap containing the detonating composition is burnished into the pellet.
It rests upon a perforated leather washer.
The bottom plug is screwed into the fuse and keeps the parts in position. It has a
hole in its centre which is closed by means of a brass washer.
The nut is screwed to suit the neck of the fuse.
The cap is made of sheet brass (stamped) and fits the neck of the fuse.
The time pellet is suspended in the thimble by means of a 15 lb. shearing wire.
The pellet and thimble are kept separate until the fuse is screwed into the shell."
The thimble is screwed to fit the nut, and is recessed to receive the time pellet; it
has two holes or air passages drilled at right angles to each other.
The adjustable cover fits on the larger part of the body and has holes in it marked
off in inches. These holes are cut on a spiral and follow the stemming in the lead
tubing. A vernier at one side gives the division of tenths.
The fuse can be set to burn any length up to 10-4 inches by means of the vernier
on the adjustable cover. A drill is supplied to bore the hole through the white metal
into the channel containing the quick match.
The action of the time arrangement is as follows.
Upon discharge the suspending wire shears, and allows the detonator to strike the
needle. The flash then passes into the channel containing the quick match and from
thence, through the hole made by boring, into the powder in the spiral groove, which
at its termination ignites the charge in the horizontal chamber, fires the magazine in
the concussion pullet, and explodes the shell.
The action of the concussion arrangement is as follows.
Upon discharge the weight of the guard shears the wings on the copper cover, and
sets back, thereby liberating the sphere which revolves round the volute spiral groove,
and shoots into the vertical pocket, thereby allowing the detonator, pellet and guard,
to go forward against the needle on impact or graze.
Other suitable concussion arrangements might be used but the above arrangement is
preferred.
DL: 1421
T
-- 1000

page_text: I, WILLIAM GEORGE, Baron ARMSTRONG, of the Elswick Works, Newcastle on
Tyne, 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 :-
The fuse consists of the following parts as shewn in the drawing left with the
provisional specification which is enlarged to about twice the actual dimensions. The
several parts of which the fuse consists are the body, cap, nut, time pellet, suspending
wire, thimble, adjustable cover, two leather washers, bottom plug, concussion pellet,
copper cap, guard, copper cover with wings, and sphere.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section. Figure 2 a side elevation. Figure 3 a section
on the line A A and Figure 4 a section on the line B B.
The upper part a of the body containing the time arrangement is made of white
metal, and the lower part 6 for the concussion arrangement, of gun metal. The
upper part is attached to the lower part by casting it on, the gun metal being tinned
to ensure the adhesion of the two metals. The lower part carries a tube c having
holes in it, which projects into the white metal, and thereby ensures the rotation of
the one part with the other.
The neck of the fuse is screwed to receive the nut d and chambered to admit the
time pellet e. Around the larger diameter of the body a spiral groove a* is cut, in
which lead tubing containing pit powder is inserted.
A hole a¹ is made in the body of the fuse at the lower end of this tubing, which is
stemmed with gunpowder and makes communication with the concussion chamber
through holes in the diaphragm bx. This diaphragm is firmly fixed in its place and
it carries the tube c. A vertical annular channel a painted with powder containing
quick match makes communication with the time pellet chamber. The time needle /
is inserted directly below the time pellet.
The chamber for the concussion arrangement is made to receive the guard i. At
the top of this chamber a volute spiral groove 62 is cut horizontally, which starts
on the side of the chamber and increases in depth as it goes round, finally termi-
nating in a vertical hole 6³. The recess below the concussion chamber is screwed
to suit the bottom plug k. The fuse is screwed to the general service fuse
hole guage.
The concussion pellet 7 is made of muntz metal and has a projecting wing l¹ which
slides in a slot in the guard. It is chambered at the top to receive the detonator m
the bottom being filled with a pellet of powder n.
The guard i is made of brass tubing around its top a path is cut on which the
sphere o revolves when in motion. A slot ¹ is cut at one side to admit the projecting
wing on the pellet.
The copper cover p with wings p' is fastened to the body of the pellet, the wings
being bent upwards to support the guard, one of these wings being longer than the
others, projects into a notch 63 in the body and keeps the parts from moving.

page_text: The sphere o is made of brass. It is pressed into the slot in the guard and rests
upon the wing of the concussion pellet, in close proximity to the commencement of
the volute spiral groove 62.
The copper cap containing the detonating composition m is burnished into the
pellet . It rests upon a perforated leather washer.
The bottom plug k is screwed into the fuse and keeps the parts in position. It has
a hole in its centre which is closed by means of a brass washer k².
The nut d is screwed to suit the neck of the fuse.
The cap q is made of sheet brass (stamped) and fits the neck of the fuse.
The time pellet e is suspended in the thimbler by means of a 15 lb. shearing
wire s.
The pellet and thimble are kept separate until the fuse is screwed into
the shell.
The thimble r is screwed to fit the nut d and is recessed to receive the time pellete;
a hole is drilled near the top through which the shearing wire passes.
The adjustable cover t fits on the larger part of the body leather washers u being
interposed. The cover has holes t' t' in it marked off in inches. These holes are cut
on a spiral and follow the stemming in the lead tubing. A vernier t² at one side gives
the division of tenths...
The fuse can be set to burn any length up to 14 inches by means of the vernier
on the adjustable cover. A drill is supplied to bore the hole through the white metal
into the channel containing the quick match.
The action of the time arrangement is as follows:-
Upon discharge the suspending wire s shears, and allows the detonator to strike the
needle h. The flash then passes into the channel a² containing the quick match and
from thence, through the hole made by boring, into the powder contained in the
tube in the spiral groove a* which powder at its termination ignites the charge in
the horizontal chamber a¹ fires the magazine n in the concussion pellet, and explodes
the shell.
The action of the concussion arrangement is as follows:-
Upon discharge the weight of the guard i, shears the wings p¹ on the copper cover p
and sets back, thereby liberating the sphere o which revolves round the volute spiral
groove band shoots into the vertical pocket 63 thereby allowing the detonator m,
pellet I, and guard i to go forward against the needle on impact or graze. Other
suitable concussion arrangements might be used but the above arrangement is
preferred.
The fuse berein described is an improvement on that shown in the Specification
No. 1673 in the year 1885.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
'claim is.:
1. In fuses for projectiles, the combination substantially as described of the soft
metál body a the annular quick match chamber a² therein, the spiral groove a* around
the body, the powder charged tube f laid in the groove a* and the adjustable cover t
substantially as described.
2. A time and concussion fuse substantially as described and represented in the
annexed drawings.