AN IMPROVED PERCUSSION FUZE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth & Company, Patent
Agency, of Frankfort-on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED PERCUSSION FUZE." A communication from the
Gussstabl & Waffen-Fabrik Witten, vormals Berger & Co." (Cast Steel
Works and Arms Manufactory, Witten, late Berger & Co.), of Witten-on-the
"
Ruhr (Germany).
Sealed the 21st August 1877, and dated the 1st March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st March 1877.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth & Company, Patent Agency, of Frankfort-
on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany. "AN IMPROVED PERCUSSION FUZE."
A communication from the "Gussstahl & Waffen-Fabrik Witten, vormals Berger
and Co." (Cast Steel Works and Arms Manufactory, Witten, late Berger & Co.),
of Witten-on-the-Ruhr (Germany).
This Invention has for its object a percussion fuze which can be applied to pro-
jectiles of all kinds, and offers much greater advantages than those heretofore used
as regards safety and possibility of being transported with the projectile without
danger to the persons or goods accompanying the charged projectile during its
transport. The said improved fuze affords also a much greater security with regard
to the ignition of the projectile.
The said Invention comprizes the following principal parts, namely:-
First. A bolt casing and catching base plate.
Second. A priming screw with a primer and screw for securing the primer.
Third. The needle bolt with a steel needle, a frangible lead pin, two catching
needles, and a safety device consisting of a brass wire.
A fuze is set in each prepared projectile, whilst the brass wire, drawn through the
bolt casing and the needle bolt, and bent over on one end (in order that the same
cannot fall off) supports the frangible lead pin, and affords full security during the
transport. Before setting the projectile into the gun, the said brass wire is simply
to be drawn off for getting the projectile ready for use. By discharging or firing
off the gun, and by the resistance opposed to the projectile by the rifling of the gun

page_text: bore the frangible lead pin is broken, the needle bolt is pushed back, and the two
catching needles catch the base plate. By these means the projectile is prevented
from exploding in the gun, and before entering the bore as the needle bolt is caught
in the base plate, at least until the projectile has begun a certain trajectory. On
the other side, the needle bolt, in consequence of the rotation given to the projectile
will, during the trajectory, be loosed from the catching base plate, so that at the
least resistance from snow, water, or the like, it will be pushed forward and cause
an explosion.
The said fuze has the following advantages over fuzes heretofore used, namely:-
First. The fitting of the priming screw and detent pin to the projectile before
loading the gun is dispensed with.
Second. The primer can be made more sensitive than that heretofore used, with
which a double copper foil must be provided.
Third. There is a much greater security with regard to the explosion of the pro-
jectile in the gun bore, and the damaging of the gun bore by the detent pin is made
impossible; furthermore the projectile will not miss fire as heretofore by reason of
particles of earth entering the hole of the detent pin..
Fourth. For preventing particles of the ground or earth from entering the detent
pin hole, a closer has hitherto been used to close the hole after the detent pin has
left the projectile. This closer, in this improved fuze, is dispensed with.
Fifth. Great facility is offered to the gunner to make the projectile ready for
loading..
Sixth. The embarassments caused by the imperfect fitting of the detent pin and
primer screw is prevented..
Seventh. By the frangible lead pin which breaks only by extraordinary shocks,
the projectile is prevented from exploding if the same by accident falls to earth, in
consequence whereof a greater security to the gunner is afforded.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th August
1877.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of Frankfort-
on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany. "AN IMPROVED PERCUSSION FUZE"
A communication from the "Gussstahl and Waffen-Fabrik Witten, vormals Berger
and Co." (Cast Steel Works and Arms Manufactory, Witten, late Berger and Co.),
of Witten-on-the-Ruhr (Germany).
This Invention has for its object a percussion fuze which can be applied to pro-
jectiles of all kinds, and offers much greater advantages than those heretofore used
as regards safety and possibility of being transported together with the projectile
without any danger to the persons or goods accompanying the charged projectile
during its transport. The said improved fuze affords also a much greater security
with regard to the ignition of the projectile. In the accompanying Drawing, A is a
longitudinal sectional view of one of the said fuzes applied to a projectile, and B is
an end view of the same. The remaining Figures shew details of the said fuze.
The said Invention comprises the following principal parts, namely:-
1st. The bolt casing a and catching base plate b.
2nd. The priming screw c, with primer d and screw e for securing the primer.
3rd. The needle bolt f with the steel needle g, the frangible lead pin h, the two
needles i, i, and the safety device k, consisting of a brass wire.
One of these fuzes is completely set in each prepared projectile, whilst the brass
wire, drawn through the bolt casing and the needle bolt, and bent over on the
one end (in order that the same cannot fall off) supports the frangible lead pin, and
affords full security during the transport. Before setting the projectile into the

page_text: gun, the brass wire k is simply to be drawn off to prepare the projectile for use.
By discharging or firing of the gun, and by the resistance opposed to the projectile
by the rifling of the gun bore the frangible lead pin h is broken, the needle bolt is
pushed back, and the two needles catch in the base plate b, which for that purpose
is made of suitable material. By these means the explosion of the projectile in the
gun hole and before it enters the bore is prevented, as the needle bolt is caught in
the said base plate and held until the projectile has begun a stable trajectory. On
the other side the needle bolt, in consequence of the rotation given to the projectile,
will, during the trajectory, be loosened from the aforesaid base plate, so that at the
least resistance (from snow, water, or otherwise), it will be pushed forward and
cause an explosion.
The said fuze has the following advantages over fuzes heretofore used, namely:
1. The fitting of the priming screw and detent pin to the projectile before
loading the gun is dispensed with.
2nd. The primer can be made more sensitive than that heretofore used, which
require a double copper foil to be provided.
3rd. There is a much greater security with regard to the explosion of the pro-
jectile gun bore, and the damaging of the gun bore by the detent pin is rendered
impossible; furthermore the projectiles will not miss fire as they have heretofore
frequently been caused to do by reason of the entrance of particles of earth into the
hole of the detent pin.
4th. For preventing such entrance of the earthy particles into the detent pin hole,
a plug has hitherto been used to close the hole after the detent pin has left the pro-
jectile. This plug or closer in this improved fuze is dispensed with.
5th. The preparation of the projectile by the gunner for loading is greatly
facilitated.
6th.. The embarassments caused by the imperfect fitting of the detent pin and
primer screw is prevented.
7th. By the frangible lead pin which will break only in case of extraordinary
shocks, the explosion of the projectile by its accidentally falling is prevented, in
consequence whereof a greater security to the gunner is afforded.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same,
I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The bolt casing a and catching base plate b, constructed and combined as
above described and for the purpose specified.
Second. The priming screw c, with primer d and screw e, as above described and
for the purpose specified.
Third. The combination of parts comprising the needle bolt with the steel
needle g, the frangible lead pin h, the two needles i, i, and the safety device k, as
above described and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. The combination of the whole of the above described parts forming the
fuze, as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twenty-second day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WIDMTY
F. WIRTH.
(L.S.)