Command and arm fuze assembly having small piston actuator

Abstract

A command to arm apparatus includes a housing having a hollow interior. A pivotally-mounted rotor is disposed in the hollow interior. The rotor has a first, safe position of rotational adjustment that prevents detonation of an explosive and a second, armed position of rotational adjustment that enables detonation of an explosive. A locking cam is pivotally mounted to the rotor and has a rotor-locking position of repose. The rotor is free to rotate from its safe position to its armed position when the locking cam is rotated out of the rotor-locking position by a piston that extends from a piston actuator. The rotor abuts a flat formed in a sidewall of the housing and can rotate no further when the device is in the armed configuration.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention relates to command to arm devices for bullets and rockets.[0003]2. Description of the Prior Art[0004]Conventional safe and arm (S&A) devices have a large spread in the distance between “no arm” and “all arm.” Typically, the “all arm” distance is three (3) to four (4) times the “no arm” distance. The “all arms” distance may therefore be hundreds of feet, a distance that is unacceptable in urban warfare.[0005]Much of the large-spread-in-distance problem resides in the use of mechanical timers that employ verge escapements.[0006]A verge escapement typically includes a star wheel. The assembly is somewhat bulky and its use results in a safe-and-arm device that occupies an unacceptable amount of space. More importantly, the mechanical structure of such escapements is subject to the effects of friction. Accordingly, such mechanisms are inherently inaccurate.[0007]Electrical timers in rounds have been used to ex...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a new and useful device that prevents a warhead from exploding during the flight of a missile. It is designed to arm the warhead quickly and safely, with a minimum of time between the \"no arm\" and \"all arm\" configurations. The device uses an electrical signal to initiate an explosive actuator, which causes the rotor to move and release the mechanical lock of the detonator. The invention aims to eliminate the spread between the \"no arm\" and \"all arm\" distances of conventional safe and arm devices."

Problems solved by technology

The “all arms” distance may therefore be hundreds of feet, a distance that is unacceptable in urban warfare.

Much of the large-spread-in-distance problem resides in the use of mechanical timers that employ verge escapements.

The assembly is somewhat bulky and its use results in a safe-and-arm device that occupies an unacceptable amount of space.

More importantly, the mechanical structure of such escapements is subject to the effects of friction.

Accordingly, such mechanisms are inherently inaccurate.

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