Improvements in Combined Time and Percussion Fuses.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan.. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 15th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Combined Time and Percussion Fuses.
I, FELICIEN JOSEPH MAUBEUGE, of Termonde, in the Kingdom of Belgium
Major in the Belgian Army, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows: -
My invention relates to fuses in which the rotation of the projectile around a
spindle prevented from partaking of this rotation is utilized for producing the
movement of a mechanism which causes the delivery of the percussion, the object
being to produce a combined time and percussion fuse which shall be absolutely
sure and precise in its action, more easily manipulated by any ordinary soldier, and
free from danger during transport, storage and firing, and which can be kept for
any length of time.
mass
The combined time and percussion fuse consists essentially of a percussion
apparatus acting perpendicularly to the axis of the fuse and the parts of which are so
arranged as to be in centrifugal equilibrium during the rotation of the projectile
or so as to utilise for their operation the centrifugal force of their own
produced by this rotation and of the combination with such an arrangement of
percussion apparatus of a disengaging mechanism arranged to simultaneously rotate
around and to slide in the direction of the axis of the fuse, thus allowing a double
effect; of a safety apparatus sliding parallel with the axis of the fuse and causing
a partial disengagement of the percussion at the moment of departure of the
projectile; of a movable explosive cartridge especially adapted to the particularly
system of percussion above described and the priming of which can only be
reached laterally and by a pointed instrument and finally of suitable means arranged
outside the projectile for keeping immovable the spindle of the "time mechanism"
during the rotation of the projectile and on which is based the working of the
various elements above referred to.
The striker and the sear of the percussion apparatus have their centres of
rotation at the circumference of a floor of the body of the fuse so that the
striker shall be projected by a spring towards the axis of the fuse immediately the
sear is deprived of its support.
The striker and the sear are so arranged as to have, when cocked or set, their
centres of gravity situated on radii of the fuse passing through their centres of
rotation so that these parts are in centrifugal equilibrium during the rotation of the
projectile and consequently the working of the sear and percussion of the striker
are not clogged nor modified by the violent rotation of the projectile.
The striker and sear are curved or bent so as to give the former the greatest
percussive stroke possible.
In a modification of the percussion apparatus the percussion spring is dispensed
with and the required result is obtained by a striker arranged so that its centre of
gravity comes, when in a cocked or set position, outside the radius which passes
through its axis of rotation and on that side towards which the rotation of the
striker is to be effected for the purpose of solely utilizing the centrifugal force for
producing the movement of the point of the striker towards the axis of the fuse.
The double action disengaging arrangement consists of a flanged disc formed
integral with a wheel of a time mechanism, the said disc being arranged to rotate.

page_text: and slide on its axis at the same time being held back by a spring; on the flange
on the said disc bears a catch on the sear of the percussion apparatus so that this
catch can pass either into a notch made in the flange of the said disc and brought
in front of the said catch by the movement communicated to the disc by the
rotation of the projectile during its passage, or beneath the flange at the moment
of the projectile striking by reason of the sliding forward of the disc on its axis
caused by the inertia of the said disc and the wheel on which it is secured.
The safety arrangement consists of a clamp or nipper arranged in a block or
heavy holder and retaining the sear of the percussion apparatus during rest and
until the departure of the projectile, the said holder being secured by a pin
designed to be withdrawn only before firing in order that at the moment of
departure of the projectile the holder may remain behind by virtue of its inertia to
disengage the clamp or nipper from the sear and allow the latter to press with its
catch on the flange of the disc.
The priming of the cartridge is located in a block at the inner end of a lateral
passage corresponding to the percussion aperture laterally arranged in a projection
on the floor of the body of the fuse so that the priming of the cartridge can only
be reached laterally and by a pointed striker.
For preventing the spindle of the "time mechanism" of the fuse from partaking
of the rotation of the projectile I employ a device consisting of a weight fixed on
a flexible rod one end of which is placed in the spindle of the fuse and the other
end of which is curved back to a certain distance from a moulding on the fuse, the
whole being provided for the purpose of allowing the free end of the device to bear
on the fuse during the departure of the projectile and to move outwards away from
the support when the device has received its impulse.
Dated this 31st day of January 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Combined Time and Percussion Fuses.
I, FELICIEN JOSEPH MAUBEUGE, of Termonde, in the Kingdom of Belgium
Major in the Belgian Army, 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 :-
My invention relates to fuses in which the rotation of the projectile around a
spindle prevented from partaking of this rotation is utilized for producing the
movement of a mechanism which causes the delivery of the percussion, the object
being to produce a combined time and percussion fuse which shall be absolutely
sure and precise in its action, easily manipulated by any ordinary soldier, and free
from danger during transport, storage and firing, and which can be kept for any
length of time.
My combined time and percussion fuse consists essentially of a percussion apparatus
acting perpendicularly to the axis of the fuse and the parts of which are so arranged
as to be in centrifugal equilibrium during the rotation of the projectile, or so as to
utilize for their operation the centrifugal force of their own mass produced by this
rotation of the combination with such an arrangement of percussion apparatus of a
disengaging mechanism arranged to simultaneously rotate around, and to slide in
the direction of the axis of, the fuse, thus allowing a double effect; of a safety
apparatus sliding parallel with the axis of the fuse and causing a partial disengage-
ment of the percussion and that only at the moment of departure of the projectile ;
of a separate explosive cartridge especially adapted to the particular system of
percussion above described and the cap or priming of which can only be reached
laterally and by a pointed instrument; and finally of suitable means arranged outside
the projectile for keeping immovable the spindle of the "time mechanism "during the
rotation of the projectile and on which is based the working of the various elements
above referred to.

page_text: To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of one form of combined time and percussion fuse
constructed according to my invention, the section being taken on the line M, N
of Figure 4 and the fuse being supposed to be at rest:
Figure 1B is a section on the line V W of Figure 1 and Figure 1 is a plan of a
detail of the arrangement which I employ for preventing the spindle of the fuse
from partaking of the rotation of the projectile :
Figure 2 is a front view of the fuse:
Figure 3 is a vertical section of part of a fuse similar to that shewn in Figure 1
but shewing the disengaging arrangement in the position it occupies at the moment
of the projectile striking the ground or an object:
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line S T of Figure 1 shewing a plan of
the percussion apparatus which acts perpendicularly to the axis of the fuse and
representing the arrangement in centrifugal equilibrium of the parts of the said
apparatus in the cocked or set position :
Figure 4B is a section on the line q, q, Figure 4, shewing the details of the safety
arrangement :
Figure 4° is an elevation of the parts of the percussion apparatus ;
Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line QR of Figure 1:
Figure 6 is a plan of the fuse with the cap removed:
Figure 7 is a similar section to Figure 4 but showing the parts of the percussion
apparatus when they are disengaged:
Figure 8 is a section similar to Figures 4 and 7 but representing a modification
of the arrangement of the percussion apparatus for the purpose of solely utilizing
the centrifugal force for effecting the percussion.
As shewn in the drawings the combined time and percussion fuse comprises a
body C, a box or case B and a cap E connected together by means of screws.
These parts constitute the frame of the fuse and form two compartments in which
aro arranged the parts of the mechanical movement and of the percussion
apparatus.
On the floor of the body C is a percussion apparatus on the arrangement of which
depend the peculiar arrangements of the other parts essential for the improved fuse.
This apparatus comprises a striker subjected to the action of a spring and held
back in a cocked position by a sear , the centres of rotation of the striker and sear
being arranged on the periphery of the floor, that is to say, in such a manner that
the point of the striker shall be thrown by the spring towards the axis of the
fuse when the sear is deprived of its support.
The plane of oscillation of the striker and sear is as shown also perpendicular to
the axis of the fuse, the advantage of which is that the impulse given to the projectile
cannot give rise to any prejudicial effect upon these parts with relation to their
axes of rotation.
The striker and the sear & are of a crauk or bent form corresponding to the two
extreme positions (Figures 4 and 7) that these parts will occupy against the inner
wall of the box or case B of the fuse and being calculated so as to allow the largest
possible stroke for the point of the striker.
So long as the fuse is at rest the nose d² of this sear bears against a split spring
safety-ping, Figures 4 and 48, arranged in a block or heavy holder m, as shewn in
Figure 4B, which is held by another pin g' which is withdrawn only at the moment
of firing on the departure of the projectile the safety-pin is withdrawn and the
sear d presses its stud or catch t upon the outside of a flange on a disc D as shewn
in Figure 1. This latter constitutes the double action disengaging arrangement
which is set in operation by the mechanism mounted in the box or case B,
Figures 1, 2 and 6.
This mechanism comprises a device placed in the spindle a of the fuse and
consisting of a weight P, Figures 1 and 2, fixed on a flexible rod T. The weight P is
of the shape of half a double convex lens, as shewn in Figures 1, 1B and 1º in order

page_text: to present a small amount of surface to the resistance of the air. The end 1 of the
rod which enters a socket in the spindle a is split (it is not shewn so in the drawing)
and the two branches thus formed are slightly separated so as to form springs and
ensure the device being held securely in the spindle a; the other end 2 of the rod
is curved towards the fuse as shewn in Figures 1 and 2 but the spring-rod T keeps
this end separated from the fuse. This suspension of the weight on a flexible rod
one end of which is curved towards the fuse has for object to give to the device at
the moment of departure of the projectile two bearing points upon the fuse, and
this is in order to allow of giving the impulse to the device without which it might
break under the force of inertia of the weight P.
To relieve the pin 1 forming the centre of motion from this strain as much as
possible and to thus avoid the risk of deforming the spindle a, the result of which
would be that it would be impossible to prevent it from partaking of the rotary
motion of the projectile, I give to the centre of gravity of the device and consequently
to the line I J, Figures 1 and 2, along which is directed the force of inertia, a
position as near as possible to the bearing point of the end 2 upon the fuse.
The weighted rod extends to the box or case B the upper part of which covered
with the sheet metal of the cap E is provided with a circular moulding H on which
the downwardly curved end 2 can easily bear without risk of beating in the cap E
by the shock of the weight P.
A portion of the spindle a is screw-threaded and in this thread or worm v
engages a wheel R the arbor a of which is screw-threaded at vand gears with a
wheel R¹. The arbor of the latter wheel carries a pinion p which gears with a
wheel R secured to the disc D and which can, with the latter, slide forward along
its spindle f. A flat spring retains these parts in their rearward position.
The disc D is provided with a projection u¹ which comes in contact with a stop-pin
or stud u on the box or case B, Figures 1 and 5. The projection u¹ is brought in
contact with the stop u to ensure the initial position of the disc D. In the flanged
of the disc D is a notch e (Figures 1 and 3) through which, at a predetermined
moment, the stud or catch t of the sear d of the percussion apparatus can pass.
The point of the striker serves to puncture the fulminate of mercury cap or
priming, Figures 1, 3, 4 and 7, of a cartridge h introduced into the cavity h¹, h² of
the body C only at the moment when the fuse is required to be used and held in
place by a plug 6 having a central hole and screwed into the cavity ha. This cap
or priming k is located in a block w³, Figures 1 and 3, a lateral opening w¹ in which
corresponds to the percussion aperture w made laterally in a central projection O,
Figures 1, 3 and 7, on the floor of the body C. A small pin o, Figures 1 and 3,
projecting from the block w² of the cartridge and corresponding with a small hole
made in the top or end of the chamber h¹ serves to determine without difficulty,
after the introduction of the cartridge, the position of the opening w¹ with relation to
the percussion aperture w. By extending the passage for the striker into the block
of the cartridge itself the length of stroke of the striker is increased and at the
same time the cartridge can only be reached laterally and by a pointed instrument
and can be carried about, handled and even fall upon a hard body without any
danger of explosion. It is evident that such an arrangement of cartridge is only
possible with a striker acting perpendicularly to the axis of the fuse and striking
the cartridge laterally.
It is also owing to the percussion being effected perpendicularly to the axis of
the fuse that I am able to employ a double acting disengaging arrangement of very
simple construction and absolutely sure in its action, as well as a safety device also
of very simple construction. In fact the disc D itself produces the double effect by
allowing the release of the stud or catch t of the sear either through the notch e of
its flange or beneath this flange because this disc whilst being arranged to rotate
can also slide in the direction of the axis of the fuse, and on the other hand only a
stop (such as the pin g) arranged to slide parallel with the axis of the fuse is
required to lock the sear for preventing its movement perpendicularly to the said
axis and to effect its partial disengagement at the required moment.

page_text: But in order that the centrifugal force resulting from the rotation of the
projectile shall not on the one hand completely prevent the movement of the
striker towards the centre or diminish the shock of the percussion, and on
the other hand modify the pressure of the stud or catch t of the sear upon the
disc D; the striker and the sear d are constructed and arranged in such a manner
as to be in centrifugal equilibrium during the rotation of the projectile, that is to
say, in such a manner that when the striker is cocked or set (Figure 4) the centres
of gravity of the striker and sear & will be (for example at x, x) on the radii Z Z
of the fuse which pass through their axes of rotation y, y'. I obtain the required
position of the centres of gravity at these places x, x¹ by providing the striker and
the sear with suitable counterweights; the lever-arm of the striker on which acts
the spring carries a counterweight 2 of dense metal fastened to the striker by
means of rivets and the particular construction of which will be seen by reference
to Figures 4 and 4° whilst the counterweight of the sear d is formed by its nose d²
which is made of the required length and of double thickness with relation to the
lever d which carries the stud or catch t, as will be seen by reference to Figure 4c.
It is obvious that the arrangement of counterweights can be modified provided
I obtain a centrifugal equilibrium of the striker and sear d when they are in the
cocked or set position, Figure 4.
The operation is as follows:-Before firing, the device T P, Figure 2, is placed
upon the spindle a and the pin g¹, Figures 2 and 4B, is removed. The absence or
presence of this pin provided with its ring constitutes a readily visible and easily
controlled signal, indicating if the projectile provided with the fuse is ready to be
discharged or not.
On the departure of the projectile the block or heavy holder m. Figure 4B,
remaining behind by virtue of its inertia, withdraws the safety-pin g and the sear d
brings its stud or catch t to bear upon the flange of the disc D, as shown in
Figure 1.
Also at the departure of the projectile, the device TP by virtue of its inertia in
the direction I J, Figures 1 and 2, bends the rod T and causes the curved end 2 to
bear upon the moulding H of the fuse. These two bearing points allow the device
to receive the impulse of the projectile without breaking the rod T and without
injuring the fuse. As soon as the projectile has left the cannon the inertia ceases
to act upon the device, the rod T resumes its former position and its curved end
ceases to touch the fuse. Thenceforth the device is carried along and maintained
by the action of gravity beneath the axis of the projectile in the plane of fire. It
thus prevents the spindle a from partaking of the rotation of the projectile. The
rest of the mechanism turns with the fuse. The worm causes the wheel R¹¹ to
turn as well as the disc D through the medium of the wheels R, R' and pinion p.
These parts are arranged so as to impart to the disc D a slow and regular move-
ment of precession, that is to say, a movement in advance of the rotation of the
projectile. This movement of precession brings the notch e of the disc D in front
of the stud or catch t. Then the sear d loses its support, the percussion is produced,
as illustrated by Figure 7, and the cartridge h explodes the projectile.
If the fuse has been regulated for a distance greater than that of the fire, the
projectile will strike the ground or the object before the release of the sear by the
notch e. The moment the projectile strikes, the disc D and the wheel R¹¹, by
virtue of the inertia, will be carried forward (as shewn in Figure 3) sliding upon
the spindle f and compressing the spring r₁; the flange of the disc will pass beyond
the stud or catch t and the percussion will take place (Figure 7).
In some cases, owing to the peculiar system of percussion of my fuse, I can
utilize the centrifugal force alone to cause the operation of the striker l. In fuses
to be used with projectiles having a particularly high speed of rotation, I dispense
with the spring 7 and I make the striker of the shape indicated in Figure 8 so as
to place the centre of gravity of this piece at x, that is to say, outside the radius Z
and on the side towards which the rotation of the striker is to be effected. The
force OF. cos. n. component of the centrifugal force OF. augmenting progressively

page_text: E
during the rotation of the striker that it brings about as soon as the sear is deprived
of its support, will act upon the striker with sufficient energy to produce the
deflagration of the fulminate priming.
The projectile, after it has hit the mark, continues to turn whilst its speed of
translation abruptly diminishes and explodes while turning.
For allowing of adjusting the fuse so that it shall explode in a given time I
provide the body C with a graduated scale the zero of which is in the meridian
plane which includes the point where the stud or catch t is held back, Figure 4.
The releasing edge of the notch e is kept in the meridian of the zero of the scale
upon the box or case. This initial position of the disc D is ensured by the stop-pin
or stud u, Figures 1 and 5, against which bears the projection u¹ of the said disc.
To adjust the fuse it is only necessary to loosen the screw connecting the box or
case to the body, to tara the box or case upon its base so as to bring opposite one
another the divisions of the scales indicated in the firing table and then tighten up
the screw.
The adjustment consists in separating the releasing edges of the catch t
and notch e by an arc corresponding to a number of revolutions that the projectile
is to perform before exploding.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. A combined time and percussion fuse consisting essentially of a percussion
apparatus acting perpendicularly to the axis of the fuse and held from moving
towards the axis by, a safety device adapted to slide parallel with the axis of the
'fuse and by releasing device arranged to simultaneously rotate around and slide in
the direction of the axis of the fuse so as to cause a partial release of the striker
on the departure of the projectile and a complete release either at a predetermined
moment during the passage of the projectile or at the moment of its striking,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In a combined time and percussion fuse, a percussion apparatus of which the
striker and the sear d have their centres of rotation y, y' at the periphery of the
floor of the body C of the fuse so that the striker shall be projected by a spring r
towards the axis of the fuse immediately the sear is deprived of its support,
substantially as set forth.
3. In a combined time and percussion fuse, a percussion apparatus of which the
striker and the sear d when cocked or set have their centres of gravity (x, xl)
situated on the radii Z Z of the fuse passing through their contres of rotation y, y
so that the striker and sear are in centrifugal equilibrium during the rotation of
the projectile and consequently the working of the sear and percussion of the
striker are not clogged nor modified by the violent rotation of the projectile,
substantially as set forth.
4. In a combined time and percussion fuse a percussion apparatus the striker
and sear d of which are curved or bent so as to give the former the greatest
percussive stroke possible, substantially as set forth.
5. In a combined time and percussion fuse, such as that claimed in the first
claiming clause, a modification of the percussion apparatus claimed in Claim 2 in
which the percussion spring r is dispensed with and the required result is obtained
by the arrangement of the striker so that its centre of gravity a comes, when in a
cocked or set position, outside the radius Z which passes through its axis of
rotation ย
and on that side towards which the rotation of the striker is to be effected
for the purpose of utilizing the centrifugal force alone for producing the movement
of the point of the striker towards the axis of the fuse, substantially as set forth.
6. In a combined time and percussion fuse a double action disengaging arrange-
ment consisting of a flanged disc D fixed to a wheel R" of a time mechanism, the
said disc being arranged to rotate and slide on its spindle and held back by a
spring, on the flange of which disc bears a stud or catch t on the sear d of the
percussion apparatus so that this stud or catch can pass either into a notch e made

page_text: in the flange of the said disc and brought in front of the said stud or catch t by the
movement communicated to the disc by the rotation of the projectile during its
passage, or beneath the flange at the moment of the projectile striking by reason of
the sliding forward of the disc on its spindle f caused by the inertia of the said disc
and the wheel R" on which it is secured, substantially as set forth.
7. In a combined time and percussion fuse, a safety arrangement consisting of a
safety-ping arranged in a block or heavy holder m and retaining the sear d of the
percussion apparatus during rest and until the departure of the projectile, the said
holder being secured by a pin g' intended to be withdrawn only just before firing
in order that, at the moment of departure of the projectile, the holder may remain
behind by virtue of its inertia and thereby withdraw the safety-pin g from the
sear d and allow the latter to press with its stud or catch t on the flange of the
disc D, substantially as set forth.
8. In a combined time and percussion fuse such as that claimed in the first
claiming clause a cartridge the cap or priming of which is located in a block w
at the end of a lateral aperture w³ corresponding to the percussion aperture w
laterally arranged in a projection O on the floor of the body C of the fuse so that
the cap or priming of the cartridge can only be reached laterally and by a pointed
instrument, substantially as set forth.
9. In a fuse such as is claimed in the first claiming clause, the employment for
preventing the spindle a of the "time mechanism" from partaking of the rotation
of the projectile, of a device consisting of a weight P fixed on a flexible rod T one
end 1 of which is carried by the spindle a of the fuse and the other end 2 of which
is curved back to a certain distance from a moulding H on the fuse so as to allow
the free end of the device to bear at H on the fuse during the departure of the
projectile and to move away from this bearing point when the device has received
the impulse, substantially as set forth.
10. The improved combined time and percussion fuse hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
1
1001
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.