Rifle grenade fuze

Description

SPECIFICATION'^’-'-’The present invention relates generally to fuzes but more particularly to a rifle grenade fuze that is safe and prevents misfiring and premature firing.Commonly available fuzes for rifle grenade has an inadequate delay mechanism resulting to a poor and insufficient safety and efficiency, thus endangering the user. Such delay mechanism for said fuzes are clearly shown in figure 9 and 10 of the drawing. Said delay mechanism has a direct rotation mechanism defined by a rotor ( R ) and a star wheel assembly (S) incorporated thereof and is in communication with a C-shaped pallet (P). In this construction, the C-shaped pallet controls the rotation of the star wheel by engaging the opposing ends thereof to every tooth of the star wheel (S) . When the rotor turns, the star wheel stops for every tooth travel as the end of the pallet is trapped on the next tooth of said star wheel. In this delay mechanism, however, since the rotor is urged to rotate under pressure, there is a tendency that a tooth of said star wheel suddenly jumps off and not caught by the end of the pallet, shortening therefore the period of aiming, thus, there is a sudden premature firing that can bring damage to nearby military troop s.The primary object of this invention therefore is to provide a rifle grenade fuze having a star wheel separately engaged with the rotor to eliminate the danger of sudden jumping off or slip of the rotor and preventing therefore premature firing. The separate star wheel acts as speed reducer as the pallet easily catch every tooth of the star whee1.Another object of this invention is to provide a fuze for rifle grenade that is accurate in terms of muzzle safety test and arming distance which is required by the mi 1i tary.Another object of this invention is to provide a fuze for rifle grenade that is so simple in construction with accurate clockwork delay mechanism and water-proof capability and that can be manufactured locally.Yet, an object of this invention is to provide a rifle grenade fuze having a C-shaped lock spring that catches the detent pin when such sets-back during flight. This will ensure that the detent pin which releases the clock delay mechanism will jot return to its initial position thereby the clock preventing an accidental stoppage of the delay mechanism which causes non firing.Still an object of this invention is to provide a rifle grenade fuze that is so simple, much easier and cheaper to manuf acture.These and other objects and advantages will come to view and be understood upon a reading of the detailed description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings .Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention for a rifle grenade fuze;Figure 2 is a cut-away sectional view of the present rifle grenade fuze showing the internal parts with the delay mechanism in initial position;Figure 3 is a cut-away sectional view of the present rifle grenade fuze showing the internal parts thereof with the delay mechanism in the armed position;Figure 4 is an exploded view of said fuze;Figure 5 is a top view of the lower body of said fuze showing the delay mechanism in the initial position;Figure 6 i s a top view of the 1 ower body of said fuze showing the delay mechanism : Ln the armed position; Figure 7 i s a top view of the del ay mechani sm showing the interrelationship of every part thereof; Figure 8 i s a side view of t he delay mechanism; Figure 9 i s a top view of the delay mechani sm o f a conventional grenade fuze ; and Figure 10 i s a side view thereof. Referring now to the several views of the drawing, there is shown an invention for a rifle grenade fuze generally designated as reference numeral 10.Said fuze 10 comprises a bullet - shaped fuze body 11 having a hollow upper body 12 and lower body 13 secured within said upper body 12.Said upper body 12 is defined by a substantially frusto-conica1 shell 14 having a central bore 15 securing a hollow plunger 16 protruding outwardly from the top portion thereof. The lower portion of said plunger 16 is a flange 17 being held by a stopper 18 formed by the upper lip 19 of a lower bore 20 provided axially therein. The hollow plunger 16 houses a striker spring 21 mounted underneath thereof and projected downwardly therefrom. A plug 22 is screwably attach at the bottom of said upper body 12 on to where lower portion of said spring 21 is held. Axially secured and downwardly projecting from the bottom of said plunger 16 is a striker pin 23, the lower portion of which passes through centrally of said plug 22. Said hollow upper body 12 is integrally provided with an apron 12A downwardly extending thereof and enveloping said lower body 13.The lower body 13 is cylindrically shaped and preferably made of high-grade aluminum which is engaged and friction welded to the upper body 12. On the top portion is an eccentrically disposed circular recession 24 having a circular groove 25 at the lower portion thereof.Also mounted on top of said lower body 13 is a clock delay mechanism 26. Said clock delay mechanism 26 consists of a rotor 27 provided with an eccentrically disposed blind hole 28 and a spaced apart detonator hole 29 that secures a detonator 30, and a concentrically positioned hole 31 where a rotor shaft 32 is secured and which in turn being rotatably held centrally of said recession 24. Said rotor 27 is further provided with a rotor gear 33A at the peripheral upper portion thereof and is being engaged with the lower gear 34 of a star wheel assembly 33 rotatably mounted beside the rotor 27. Said star wheel assembly 33 is also provided with an upper gear 35 that is diametrically larger than the lower gear 34. The rotation of the upper gear 35 is controlled by a pallet 36 which is pivotally secured on top of said upper body. Wound around the upper portion of the rotor shaft 32 is a rotor spring 37 which causes the rotation of the rotor 27. One end of said rotor spring 37 is held on said rotor shaft 32 and the opposing end thereof being anchored to the rotor spring pin 38 provided on said rotor such that when the rotor is rotated or wound in one direction, such would unwind when released.About the recession 24 is a detent pin 39. Said detent pin 39. Said detent pin 39 is provided with a pair of spaced apart upper and lower annular grooves 40 and 41 defining therefore a pair of opposing upper and lower end discs 42 and 43. The upper end disc 42 is frictionally engaged with the rotating gear 33A of the rotor 27 while the lower end disc 43 seats on a detent pin spring 44 provided thereto. The upper annular grooveonthe other hand,receives the C-shaped lock spring 45 which is secured to the circular groove 25 of the recession 24 while the lower annular groove 41 receives the safety pin 46 that traverses said apron 12A and lower body 13.To secure the position of all the members in the lower body, a circular disc cover 47 is screwably connected on top of said lower body 13. Said cover 47 is provided with a central hole 48 through which the striker pin 23 passes through when hitting the detonator 30.In using the rifle grenade fuze 10, the lower portion is screwably attached to the main body of a rifle grenade (not shown) , which in turn is mounted to the barrel of a rifle. Before launching, the safety pin 46 is pulled out therefrom freeing the detent pin 39. Although the safety pin 46 is already pulled out, the detent pin 39 is still firm on its position and does not release the clock delay mechanism 26 due tothe presence of the C-shaped lock spring 45caught by the upper annular groove 4 0 of said detent pin 3 9 and the t ipward force brought about by the detent pin sp r i ng 44 . When grenade i s already in flight , the pul 1 back force acting thereto would cause the detent pin 3 9 to slide downwardly against the detent pin spring 44. The C-shaped lock spring 45 would then contract until the upper disc 42 has passes. When upper disc of said detent pin 39 has passed, the C-shaped lock spring would lock the detent pin 39 from its position as clearly shown in Fig. 3, thereby releasing the clock delay mechanism 26.In the initial position of the rotor 27, the blind hole 28 is held right below the striker pin 23. When the rotor 27 turns due to the unwinding of the rotor spring 37, the star wheel assembly 33 would also rotate. The rotation of said rotor 27 however, is made to delay due to themovement of the pallet 36 which sporadically stops the upper gear of the star assembly-33. When a tooth of the upper gear 35 is caught by one end of the pallet 36, the movement or rotation thereof temporally stops or suddenly slows down. When the time that said tooth is released, the other end of the pallet 36 catches another tooth. Once the engagement of the rotor gear 33A and the lower gear 34 of the star wheel assembly 33, the rotation stops. At this point the the detonator 30 is right below the striker pin 23 ready for impact. To ensure waterproofing of the rifle grenade fuze 10, a rubber cap 50 is provided to cover the plunger 16 .FRAMCl,3, L, KOtAUACPEZ, JK,I oye ntror-Fig. 3wtetw~FRANCIS LV7ROMUAlD~EZ| JR,T nven+orFfcAbJClS L. ROMltALpEZ JJn> / <£ rHo r~J nverv+orU(<

Claims

CLAIMS :CLAIMS :A rifle grenade fuze comprising - a hollow upper body having an apron downwardly thereof, and a lower body enveloped within said apron;said upper body having a plunger secured on top of said upper body, a plunger spring axially mounted underneath said plunger, a plug secured at the bottom of said upper body, on to which said plunger spring is sealing, and a striker pin downwardly projecting from the bottom of said plunger and axially with said plunger spring.said lower body having an eccentric recession at the top portion thereof, a circular groove provided at the lower portion of said recession, a C-shaped lockspring secured on said circulargroove, a clock delay mechanism disposed on top of said lower body, said clock delay mechanism 5 being defined by a rotor having a shaft rotatably disposed' on said recession, a rotor gear integral to the periphery of said   rotor,    a   star   wheel 10 assembly having a lower gear engaged with said rotor gear, and an upper gear diametrically larger than said lower gear, and a pallet pivotally provided on 15 said lower body having opposing end   communicating   with   said starwheel disc and a detent pin slidably communicating with said rotor, a detonator eccentrically 20 provided on top of said rotor, a rotor spring would on said rotor shaft with one end fixed theretoand the other end secured on top of said rotor and a disc covering the top portion of said1 owe r body . 2 . A rifle grenade fuze according t o claim 1, wherein said upper body i s provided with a rubber cover t o ensure waterproofing thereof.

3. A rifle grenade fuze according toclaim 1, wherein said detent pin being provided with a pair of spaced apart annular groove, one of said annular groove receiving a part of said C-shaped lock spring.

4. A rifle grenade fuze according to claim 1, wherein a safety pin traversing said apron and lower body of said grenade fuze and being received by the other annular groove of said detent pin.

5. A rifle grenade fuze according toclaim 4, wherein said detent pinseatsdetentpinspr ingprovided thereof.FRANCIS L. ROMUALDEZ, JRInvent or