Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Other

Alliant Techsystems Inc.

Peter H Van Sloun

James C Hall

Timothy J Kensok

Stephen A Haglund

Paul L Weber

Norman E Jensen

An apparatus and method for safing and arming a projectile is disclosed. The apparatus utilizes an out of line rotor configuration where the detonator is mounted in the rotor. In the safe position, the detonator is out of line with an explosive lead. The rotor is locked out of line with two independent locks. One lock is removed at gun launch setback and the second lock is removed at the time of arming, when a preselected environment is detected by electronics and safe separation is assured. The first lock includes a spring and a weight where the weight is biased in a position to prevent the rotor from moving to an in line position. At setback, the g-forces act on the weight to overcome the spring and the weight is removed from the path of the rotor. Once the selected environment is sensed and safe separation is established the electronic input to arming is permitted. A primer is ignited to remove the second lock shear tab and rotate the rotor to the armed position where the detonator is aligned with the explosive lead. A firing circuit can then be employed to ignite the detonator causing propagation of hot gases and particles to the explosive lead which ignites the warhead explosive/propellent of the projectile.

Electro-mechanical safety and arming device

An safe and arm apparatus is disclosed wherein the apparatus utilizes setback acceleration for in-bore safety and sustained in-bore acceleration to position various members to allow for subsequent alignment of the firing train at arm time. The apparatus includes a rotor that houses an explosive lead and having a side bore hole formed therein which selectively interrupts the initiating explosive train both in front of and after the explosive train lead. The explosive interface between a detonator and a lead is unimpeded when the bore hole is in-line with a second corresponding hole in a protective cover. The rotor is normally secured by a setback lock and a shear tab. Upon launching from a gun, an in-bore lock (in conjunction with a retaining collar) moves down at a low acceleration level to additionally secure the rotor out-of-line while the projectile is in the gun tube. The movement of the in-bore lock also removes an impact drive surface for a piston actuator on the rotor, which eliminates the possibility of an in-bore-arming in the event of an inadvertent firing of the piston actuator. During the period in the gun tube, the setback lock also swings down under a predetermined high acceleration and causes the setback lock to latch, leaving the in-bore lock and a shear/break-away tab holding the rotor. Once out of the gun tube, the in-bore lock releases, leaving the rotor free (except for the shear tab which is overcome by the piston actuator) and restoring the impact drive surface of the piston actuator on the rotor. The electrically activated piston actuator is positioned to rotate and lock the rotor in line such that the detonator in the housing, the side bore hole in the rotor, the explosive lead in the rotor, and the bore hole in the cover are aligned for target initiated detonation. The piston actuator is controlled by an electronics assembly.

Gun launched non-spinning safety and arming mechanism

A rotary cam load positioning apparatus has a base, a bottom cam rotatably mounted on the base, and a top cam rotatably mounted on the bottom cam. The rotary cams have cylindrical wedge-shaped configurations with respective upper and lower surfaces disposed in inclined relation to one another. Thus, rotation of the top cam relative to the bottom cam will produce a change in the elevation position of a load supported on the upper surface of the top cam relative to the base, whereas rotation of both top and bottom cams together will produce a change in the azimuth position of the load supported on the upper surface of the top cam relative to the base.

Rotary cam load positioning apparatus

A safety, locking, pull ring for a munition which must be deformed and simultaneously rotated from a protecting locking recess and which must then be rotated 180 degrees from the recessed position in order to free one end of a pivotably attached bar. The bar must then be rotated 180 degrees, using the ring as a handle, to expose both a safety wire which must be removed to arm the munition, and expose an indicator light, which indicates the safe or unsafe condition of the munition, and finally to crush an ampule to release electrolyte to energize a battery which powers the munition electronic circuitry.

Safety locking pull ring

This portable munition system has multiple modes of operation with the sensor inputs, output actuator circuits, and timing requirements determined by the control electronics. A self-check is performed initially before the munition can be armed. An indicator light driven by the electronics circuitry provides status information to the operator. The warhead can be aimed with integral sights.

Selectable lightweight attack munition

A fuze for missile having a linear axis passing rearwardly through a forward penetrator, an explosive charge with the penetrator, a fuze rearward the explosive charge, a propulsion rocket rearward of the fuze, and a canister rearward of the rocket and containing a deployable parachute, the fuze containing timers for deploying the parachute from the canister a predetermined interval after release of the missile from confinement, and for igniting the rocket a predetermined interval after deployment of the parachute, a further timer for causing discharge of the explosive charge a predetermined interval after axial impact of the penetrator with a target, and a safe-arm arrangement for preventing discharge of the explosive charge prior to the impact of said penetrator.

Boosted kinetic energy penetrator fuze

A safety apparatus to safe or to arm and fire a munition, utilizes a rotor containing an aligned adjacent firing pin and detonator in holes extending completely through the rotor perpendicular to the axis. A first explosively powered piston actuator, when fired, will unlock the rotor and enable a second explosively powered piston actuator, when fired, to rotate the rotor to align the detonator with an explosive charge and to cause a firing pin to fire the detonator. The detonator will fire a transfer lead which, in turn, will fire the main charge. As assembled, a third explosively powered piston actuator is aligned with the detonator and, when fired, will cause the detonator to explode and translate the rotor with part of the axis extending out of the munition where it is held in this position to indicate a safe condition.

Self-sterilizing safe-arm device with arm/fire feature

A safety clip (20) for an ordnance munitions device (10) is fabricated from a wire of resilient material. The clip includes a straight leg (22) having a free locking end (24), an attachment loop (26) carrying a pull ring (27), a back portion (28) having at least one spring element (32), and a closed loop (30) at the terminal end of the back portion (28) for receiving the free locking end (24) of the straight leg (22). The free end (24) extends beyond and through the closed loop (30), and may be extracted from the closed loop (30) essentially by means of a straight, axial pulling force of predetermined magnitude exerted on the pull ring.

Safety clip with controlled release force

In combination with an actuable means which is adapted to be actuated by the unlocking of an initiation means connected thereto. A velocity sensitive safety link means for connecting a lanyard to said initiation means.

Velocity sensitive safety link apparatus

In combination: an explosive propulsion member having an axial percussion primer; an electric primer mounted to discharge toward the percussion primer along the axis; and apparatus between the primers hydrodynamically responsive to discharge of the electric primer to percussively engage the percussion primer.

Hydrodynamic firing pin

A firing pin/safety ring for a portable explosive device characterized by the firing pin being positionable in a wide range of angular positions with respect to the plane of the safety ring.

Safety ring/firing pin for explosive device

In combination: launching apparatus including a discharge tube having an open end and a closed end; a stack of bodies in end-to-end relation in the tube; a flexible tether extending in the tube from the outermost end of the stack past the innermost end thereof, the tether crossing the stack between each pair of the bodies; apparatus at the closed end of the tube for propelling the stack of bodies out of the tube at the open end; and apparatus securing one end of the tether to the launching apparatus in such a manner that the tether does not become taut until the stack has passed out of the tube.

Dispersing mine dispenser

A safety closure lock apparatus for preventing unintended ejection of submunitions from a munitions canister tube comprising a bridle assembly adapted to be applied over the muzzle end of the canister tube at a point of time following the loading of the submunitions.

Safety closure lock

A voltage doubler power supply for deriving power from a unidirectional source, including a driver and means preventing current flow until after a first positive alternation of the driver.

Voltage doubler with delayed loading

A system for activating reserve batteries pyrotechnically, including silicone rubber for conducting the force of detonation from a primer to the ends of the batteries to deform them smoothly and uniformly, and to insulate their casings from metal fragments or combustion products resulting from the detonation.

Growing community of inventors

Hopkins, MN, United States of America

Peter H Van Sloun