Improvements in Fuses for Projectiles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 24th Feb. 1892-Accepted, 23rd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fuses for Projectiles.
I, HENRY SCHLUND of Aston Lane, Perry Barr, Birmingham, Engineer do
bereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to fuses applicable to shells, and projectiles for igniting the
explosive charge when it has reached the desired distance after leaving the gun,
but it is also so arranged that should the projectile strike an object before the fuse
naturally discharges it the concussion would effect the explosion irrespective of the
time or distance from the gun.
The following description will serve to illustrate the general principles of this
invention.
In
The discharge of the detonator or fuse which ignites the main charge is effected
by the passage of the projectile through the air and may be carried out in. the
following manner. In the nose of the projectile is screwed a hollow plug or casing
preferably of brass upon which is screwed one or more preferably two caps having
a central opening closed in the ordinary way by a lead or similar plug or washer
which normally serves to prevent the operation of the fuse and keep out dirt.
the upper part of the plug is a vane wheel capable of being revolved when a current
of air is directed upon it in the right manner; this wheel is contained in a suitable
recess which is covered by the caps above mentioned. These caps are so arranged
with suitable passages that upon the discharge of the projectile the leaden plug
previously described is forced inwards thus exposing a passage through which the
air rushes and strikes the vanes of the wheel in a suitable manner the air escaping
by a suitable provision in the cap. The admission of the air to the vane is arranged
a flat
to take place through what I may term the second cap which is preferably
disc provided with a number of holes of different sizes any one of which may be the
one through which the air has to pass before-or if preferred after-reaching the
vane wheel. The periphery of this disc or cap carries numbers to indicate the size
of the hole so that the distance from the gun when the explosion will take place
may be regulated by placing a suitable sized hole for the air to pass through to
If a small hole be
reach the vane or to escape through after passing the vane.
employed the vane wheel will be revolved less rapidly and the fuse will take longer
to operate but if a large hole be placed in position the wheel will revolve more
rapidly and the discharge will take place sooner. The scale upon the periphery of
the disc may be graduated in simple numbers or may be arranged to indicate
the number of yards from the gun when the fuse will act, as 500, 1000 etc.
vane wheel is screwed upon the end of a rod or tube a loose key connecting the
wheel and the rod so that it cannot unscrew and this tube or rod is externally
provided with a screw thread chased preferably in the opposite direction to that
which connects the wheel and the rod or tube. Upon the rod or tube screws a nut
preferably a relatively heavy one so arranged as by grooves and feathers to travel
longitudinally in the fuse but not to revolve. The rod or tube carries at its inner
end the point which strikes and discharges the detonator. The operation is as
follows:
The
The shock of discharge forces in the leaden disc and the air at once attacks the
vane wheel and revolves it, this revolves the screwed rod or spindle and the nut is
When the nut ha::
thus drawn up this rod in a direction away from the detonator.
got nearly to the end of its travel it comes in contact with the inner end of the
loose key which connects the vane wheel and the rod or tube and as the wheel
continues to revolve the key is forced upwards until eventually the portion in the
nature of a head which connects the wheel and rod is lifted past the wheel and the

page_text: wheel is independent of the rod and consequently unscrews. As soon as the wheel
is entirely unscrewed from the rod the momentum of the rod and nut which together
are vastly lighter than the rest of the fuse and the shell and its charge is insufficient
to carry it on at the same speed, as the rest of the fuse which continues to be urged
on by the combined momentum of itself and the rest of the shell consequently the
rod and nut are as it were left behind and the point strikes the detonator with
sufficient violence to set it off. :
The detonator may be protected by a split tube or other suitable means if
desired although owing to the particular construction of this fuse there is little, or
no necessity for any such protection.
It will readily be seen that considerable modifications can be made in the
construction of this fuse without in any way departing from the spirit of this
invention.
Dated this 24th day of April 1891
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fuses for Projectiles.
I, HENRY SCHLUND, formerly of Aston Lane, Perry Barr, Birmingham, and
now of 19 Westminster Road, Birchfields, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
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 relates to fuses applicable to shells and projectiles for igniting the
explosive charge when it has reached the desired distance after leaving the gun,
but it is also so arranged that should the projectile strike an object before the fuse
naturally discharges it, the concussion would effect the explosion irrespective of the
time or distance from the gun.
The following description will serve to illustrate the general principles of this
invention.
The discharge of the detonator or fuse which ignites the main charge is effected
by the passage of the projectile through the air and may be carried out in the
following manner :-In the nose of the projectile is screwed a hollow plug or casing
preferably of brass upon which is screwed one or more, preferably two, caps having
a central opening closed in the ordinary way by a lead or similar plug or washer
which normally serves to prevent the operation of the fuse and keep out dirt. In
the upper part of the plug is a vane wheel capable of being revolved when a
current of air is directed upon it in the right manner; this wheel is contained in a
suitable recess which is covered by the caps above mentioned. These caps are so
arranged with suitable passages that upon the discharge of the projectile the
leaden plug previously described is forced inwards thus exposing a passage through
which the air rushes and strikes the vanes of the wheel in a suitable manner the air
escaping by a suitable provision in the cap. The admission of the air to the vane
is arranged to take place through what I may term the second cap which is
preferably a flat disc provided with a number of holes of different sizes any one of
which may be the one through which the air has to pass before-or if preferred
after-reaching the vane wheel. The periphery of this disc or cap carries numbers
to indicate the size of the hole so that the distance from the gun when the explosion
will take place may be regulated by placing a suitable sized hole for the air to pass
through to reach the vane or to escape through after passing the vane. If a small
hole be employed the vane wheel will be revolved less rapidly and the fuse will
lake longer to operate but if a large hole be placed in position the wheel will
revolve more rapidly and the discharge will take place sooner. The scale upon tl:è
periphery of the disc may be graduated'in simple numbers or may be arranged to

page_text: provided with a screw thread chased preferably in the opposite direction to that
which connects the wheel and the rod or tube. Upon the rod or tube screws a nut
so arranged as by grooves and feathers to travel longitudinally in the fuse but not
to revolve. The rod or tube carries at its inner end the point which strikes and
discharges the detonator.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of distance fuse constructed according to this
invention.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4 and partly broken away
and with part of the interior shown in elevation, and
Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections taken respectively on the lines 4-4 and 5—5
of Fig. 2.
Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a central vertical section and an elevation of a
slightly modified arrangement of the vane wheel, and
Fig. 8 is an elevation of this vane wheel.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A is the hollow plug or casing preferably of brass and which is externally
threaded so that it may be screwed into the nose of the projectile. Upon the
upper surface of the hollow plug A as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, is provided a rim
or short cylindrical projection A' which is cut away at a and a¹ to form air admission
and exhaust ports as hereinafter more particularly described. The interior of this
projection constitutes a chamber A2 in which the vane wheel B is capable of
rotating and the exterior of said projection is threaded so that the downwardly
pending rim of cap C may be screwed to it. This cap is provided with a hole or
port & Fig. 2 and its rim is formed with an opening or port c¹ which ports when the
parts are put together, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, coincide respectively with the
admission and exhaust ports a a¹ of chamber A². At the underside of the cap C is
formed the annular recess C2 and at its upper side is provided the short tube C³
which has openings at C₁ and at its upper end is externally screw threaded to
receive the nut D. E is the leaden or equivalent plug which normally closes the
end of the tube C³.
Fis the disc perforated with a number of holes F¹ of preferably gradually
increasing size as shown clearly in Fig. 4 and G is the cap which by means of the
nut D secures the disc F on the cap C. The edge of the disc may bear numbers
as shown in Fig. 1 to indicate the size of the hole F¹ which at any particular time
coincides with the ports c and a, and a mark or index not shown in the drawing, if
desired may, for facilitating this object, be provided on the periphery of C to
indicate the position of the port a.
His a tube preferably screwed and fitted into the hollow plug A and whose
lower end is internally screw-threaded to receive the tube J in whose lower end,
which is partially closed by a flange J, is loosely fitted the tenoned end of the
tube J' which supports the detonator J³. J³ is an ordinary longitudinally split
safety tube or sleeve the lower end of which fits on to the tube J¹ and at its interior
is provided with a shoulder or conical portion in contact with J¹. The tube J³
serves to prevent the tube J¹ from accidentally shifting its position when being
handled and as soon as the shot is expelled from the gun the force of the explosion
causes the tube J³ to be forced over the tube J and allows the point K' to
subsequently strike the detonator J. The point K is rigidly carried in the end
or may form an integral part of the tube K which is externally provided with a
preferably left-handed screw thread to receive the nut L which is provided with
one or more feathers L' which work each in a groove H' formed in the inner
surface of the tube H; or instead of this arrangement the feathers may be provided
on the tube H and the grooves or recesses in the nut L.

page_text: At its outer end the tube K may be of larger external diameter than its inner
end and at said outer end it is turned so that it will nicely fit and rotate in the
central opening of the hollow plug A and above this part said tube is provided
with-say a right-handed screw thread so as to fit into the correspondingly screwed
boss of the vane wheel B. M is the key which is capable of sliding in a key-way
formed in the external surface of the tube K and the lead M' of which fits into a
recess in the vane wheel B.
So long as the key M occupies the position in which it is shown in the accom-
panying drawings with its head embedded in the recess in the vane wheel the
tube K when the vane wheel is rotated will rotate with it as one piece. When the
key is moved so that its head no longer rests in the recess in the vane-wheel B
these two parts viz. the vane wheel and the tube K operate as separate parts and
the further rotation of the vane-wheel causes it to unscrew off the end of the
tube K.
The various sized holes F in the disc F allow of the rate of admission of air to
the vane wheel B being adjusted for example if say the largest of the holes F¹ is
made to coincide with the port c the air will be admitted to the vane-wheel at its
maximum rate and the wheel will be rotated quicker in a given time than it would
if another of the holes F¹ were presented to the port e the result being that the
tube K will be rotated quicker, and the nut L will the sooner push the key-head M'
out of the recess in the vane-wheel B and the projectile will the sooner be
exploded.
The operation of the before described apparatus is as follows,-
Supposing the projectile is to be exploded at its maximum distance from the
gun from which it is fired the smallest of the holes F' is then made to coincide
with the ports and a so that during the flight of the projectile the air will be
admitted to the vane wheel B at its slowest rate the vane-wheel and tube K being
thereby rotated at the slowest speed.
When the projectile is discharged from the gun the sleeve J³ as ordinarily is
forced over the tube J and the leaden plug which normally closes the end of the
short tube C³ as shown in Fig. 2 is forced inwards and the openings C are thus
exposed and consequent on the flight of the projectile the air is forced inwards
through the holes C4, under the cover G and through the ports F', c and a into the
chamber A2 where it causes the vane wheel B to rotate, the air after having
expended its force on the wheel B escaping from the chamber A² by way of the
ports a¹ and c¹. The tube K rotating with the wheel B causes the nut L to move
towards the key M and eventually to push its head M₁ out of the recess in the
vane wheel B into the annular recess C2 provided for this purpose in the cap C,
whereupon the said wheel by its further rotation becomes unscrewed from the
tube K. As soon as the wheel B is entirely unscrewed from the tube K the
momentum of the tube K and nut L which together are vastly lighter than the rest
of the fuse and the shell and its charge, is insufficient to carry it on at the same
speed as the rest of the fuse which continues to be urged on by the combined
momentum of itself and the rest of the shell, consequently the tube K and nut L
are, as it were, left behind and the point K¹ strikes the detonator J2 with sufficient
violence to explode it.
In the event of the shot striking the mark aimed at or any other obstacle before
the distance fuse has had time to release the tube K the force of the concussion
will cause the tube J' and the sleeve J³ then jammed upon it to fly forward and
the detonator J2 to strike the point K and be discharged or ignited thereby.
In the following description of the fuse shown in Figs. 6 to 8 only those parts
modified from those in the example shown in Figs. 1.to 5 will be fully described it
being understood that all the other parts are similar to those already described.
In Figs. 6 'to.8 I have shown the device for controlling the passage of the air
which operates the vane wheel operating upon the exhaust passage which I find
preferable to controlling the air at the inlet.
The front or leading portion of the plug or casing A as here shown is almost all.

page_text: of conical form and it is provided with a hole or passage N which may preferably
run parallel with the surface of the cone and is enlarged to a trumpet-mouth N³ as
shown at the smaller end of A; this end N2 is not shown plugged as in the previous
example. At its rearward end the hole N opens into the chamber A2 in which the
vane wheel B rotates, and from this chamber another hole N constituting the air
exhaust port extends laterally to the outer surface of the casing A at which part
there is provided the conical band P part of the lower edge of which rests on; a
shoulder formed on A and part of which is cut away at an incline so that by turning
the band P on A more or less of the opening N' may be covered to allow the air
to escape slower or quicker; in Fig. 6 the hole N¹ is shown completely closed
by P and in Fig. 7 it is shown only partially covered by P. Instead of the vanes
of the wheel B being parallel with the axis of the screw K as in the before
described example they are angular and they rotate at the part of chamber A² in
which the passages N and N¹ open into it so that as the air is driven through N it
impinges upon the inclined faces of the vanes drives the wheel B round and escapes
through N
For the sake of lightness the underside of the wheel B may be recessed as
shown.
At its upper part the band P is provided with an internal flange or rib P¹ which
may be, jammed against a shoulder on the outer surface of A by means of the
partly taper nut Q the threaded part of which screws on to the forward part of A. ;
this enables the band P after it has been turned to expose the desired extent of the
outlet N¹ to be firmly secured in that position.
To prevent the head M' of key M from becoming accidentally disengaged from
the wheel when the projectile is being loaded into a gun or otherwise handled I
may fit loosely into the wheel-carrying end of the tube K as shown in Fig. 6, a
block R provided with spring arms R which extend out beyond the end of the
tube K and are bent outwards, one of the arms bearing on the key head M¹.
Between the forward end of the block R and the opposite face A³ of the casing A
a spring R² is held in compression and presses the arm R' firmly on the head of the
key M and prevents it from being jarred or otherwise accidentally shifted out of
position. When the projectile is fired from a gun the resilient arms R¹ yield to
the drag or inertia of the block R and the block is left behind as previously
described in relation to the operation of the firing point, until it reaches the closed
end of the tube K so that the key is then free to be released by the nut L as before
described.
For reducing the amount of work imposed upon the screw K and through it on
the vane wheel B the nut L may be lightened by having its exterior grooved as
shown in Fig. 6 or it may be hollowed out so that only its two extremities will be
threaded on the screw.
For reducing the friction that would be caused by the provision of only one
bearing for supporting the screw K as in Figs. 2 and 3 I may fix a collar K² on
the inner end of the screw and allow this collar to rotate inside the tube J. the
safety sleeve J³ being made shorter so that it may be accommodated at such part.
This collar as shown in Fig. 6 is held in position by the point K¹ which in this
example is screwed into the end of K and is formed with a shoulder which binds
the collar K2 against the end of K; the collar K* may however be formed in one
with the screwed point K.
The collar K2 is perforated or notched at its edges so that the air may pass
freely from one side to the other when the screw K is released and moving within
the fuse to explode it.
The three last described features relating to the block R and its appurtenancés,
the lightening of the nut L and the provision of the bearing collar K2 may be
applied to the fuse shown in Figs. 1 to 5 as well as to that shown at Figs. 6 and 7.
The screw thread upon the outside of K in Fig. 8 is the reverse of that shown
in Fig. 3 because the vane wheels B in the two figures are shown adapted to work
in opposite-directions.

page_text: The before described apparatus may be modified without departing from the
spirit of the invention for example instead of the plate F F of Figs. 1 to 4
regulating the admission of air to the vane-wheel chamber A² it may be arranged
to control the outlet from said chamber, or other means may be provided for this
purpose.
A further modification may be made in arranging the nut L, by means of a
sliding connection with the rod or tube K so as to rotate along with it and have
its exterior surface screw threaded and engaging with a screw-thread formed on the
interior of the wall or, tube H.
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 a distance fuse the combination with a chamber such as A2 formed within
said fuse of a vane wheel such as B working in the chamber and ports for the
admission and exhaust of air to and from the chamber substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a distance fuse the combination with a vane wheel and chamber in which
it works of means for controlling the admission or exhaust of air to or from the
chamber substantially as described.
3. In a distance fuse the combination with a vane wheel and chamber in which
it works of an exhaust-aperture-covering-band such as P substantially as and for
the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a distance fuse the combination with a tube or rod such as K carrying a
point or striker K¹ for striking the detonator of a vane-wheel such as B with which
when the projectile is fired it rotates and from which it is automatically detached
at the appointed time.
5. In a distance fuse the combination with a vane wheel working in a chamber
within said fuse of a right and left handed screwed tube or rod such as K on which
the vane wheel is mounted and from which it is released when the shell or shot
reaches the distance at which it has been adjusted to be exploded substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In a distance fuse the combination with a rod or tube and point or striker
such as K K' and vane wheel such as B screwed thereto of a movable key such
as M M¹ for securing the tube and vane wheel together substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. In a distance fuse the combination with a vane wheel and screw threaded rod
or tube and key such as B K and M M¹ of a nut such as L adapted when moved
by the screw on the tube K to release the key M M' substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
8., In a distance fuse the combination with a right and left-handed screw threaded
tube or rod such as K and a vane wheel such as B secured thereon by a key adapted
to be disengaged therefrom by a nut L travelling on the screw of a block such as R
carrying one or more spring arms such as R' and upon which a spring acts so as to
keep one of the arms in contact with the key substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete fuse
substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
10. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete fuse
substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 of the accompanying
drawings.
T: 00th day of Tohman 1802
HENRY SCHLUND.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.