Patent ID: 8082845

Claim:
A self destructing impact fuze employed in a low velocity projectile for detonating explosive charge coupled thereto, said self destructing impact fuze comprising: a frame; a self destructing (SD) firing pin assembly disposed concentrically within said frame, said SD firing pin assembly comprising a SD head on one end for receiving a SD spring, a SD firing pin on the opposite end for striking a detonator, and a centrifugal chamber for holding a plurality of spheres therein, said chamber further communicating with a plurality of radial openings and exposing portion of said spheres when the fuze is spun; a groove disposed on the surface of said SD firing pin assembly for receiving two centrifugal locks, each said locks having a pivot offset from the longitudinal axis of said frame and having a symmetric configuration; a setback pin assembly for each of the centrifugal locks for controlling the release of said centrifugal locks from said SD firing pin assembly, said setback assembly having a setback pin retractable upon experiencing acceleration of said projectile; and a support ring disposed concentrically within said frame for balancing the forces exerted radially on said centrifugal chamber with forces exerted axially on said SD firing pin assembly by said SD spring, whereby when centrifugal forces on said projectile push said spheres against said support ring, said support ring prevents said SD firing pin assembly from being lowered onto said detonator so that the detonation is initiated by impact, but when said projectile fails to explode upon impact and reaches the maximum tactical distance, and the compression forces overcome the centrifugal forces on said spheres, said SD spring lowers said SD firing pin assembly onto said detonator so that said projectile is reliably detonated.