Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A detonating device, ln particular for a propelllng charge -;~-
Or a recoilless antitank weapon
The present invention relates to a detonating device according to the - `
preamble of claim 1.
Such detonating devices are used for detonating a charge encapsulat~
ed in a container. and in particular for a propelling charge of subcaliber ~ ~ g ~ ~ -
practlce ammunition for a recoilless antitank weapon. Such practice weap~
ons have a projector into which a dummy projectile receiving the car-
tridged ammunitlon is inserted, whereby the practice projectile of the
ammunition is expelled with no reaction from the projector with the aid
Or the propelling charge. The propelling charge Or the practice cartridge
is situated in a container, e.g. made of aluminum, and is detonated by- a ~ i;
detonator, the latter containing ill a housing a percussion cap, a detonat- ~ .
Ing charge and a penetrating element. After the detonating charge is ini-
tiated the penetrating element is expelled from the detonator and pene-
trates the container of the propelling charge. The hot gases of the det- `
onatlng charge can then penetrate the propelling charge con~ainer and
detonate this charge. :
The detonator, which must be replaced after each shot, must be held
ln the recelving means firmly and in pressure-tight fashlon wlth respect
to the projector durlng the detonation process. Furthermore, the detonat- ~ .
lng charge must be sealed from the outside so that no air or molsture
can penetrate. Thls is the only way to ensure that the detonatlng charge
Is detonated reliabl~ even after a long storage time. `
. In order to solve the problems mentloned, a detonating device is
known whereln the detonator is screwed into the recelving means with
the ald of an outslde thread on the periphery Or its casing. The caslng of
thls detonator ls blpartlte, an inside casing belng screwed into an outslde
casi,ng bearing the thread, the inside casing containing the percussion
cap, the detonating charge and the penetrating element. The penetrating
element ls a cyllnder with a lower ring nange lying on the detonating
charge. A predetermlned breal~ing point is provided between the ring ;~
flange and the cylinder. On the ring flange, beyond the detonating
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charge, there is a ring seal which is pressed against the ring flange by a
border Or the inside casing, thereby sealing the detonating charge.
After the percussion cap is initiated and the detonating charge deto~
nated, the cylindrical portion of the penetrating element is torn off the
ring flange and expelled through a bore in the outside casing towærd the
propelling charge container. The container is penetrated by the penetrat-
ing element, so that the hot gases of the detonating charge thereafter
penetrate the propelling charge and thereby detonate it.
The production of the detonator is complicated by the use of man,v
single parts which must fit one other e.~actly. The outside and inside cas-
ings Or the detonator must be produced separate4~ and then interconnect-
ed. In partlcular the production of the threaded outside casing and the
production Or the inside casing with the pressure-tight holding means ror
the penetrating element require e!aborate production machines and many
different production steps. An inexpensive production in view of the use
as dlsposable articles cannot be expected with this construction.
Furthermore, it is troublesome to replace the detonator. To remove
the detonator from the receiving means one must, in a known practice
antltank weapon~ first turn two turning rings before one can screw the
detonator out of the recelvlng means and Insert a new detonator. The
detonator caslng has a holdlng edge on ~he underside that mal;es it easier
to screw the part ln and out, but this edge has a diameter of only just
over I cm. It is evident that it takes a lot ot time and patience as well
as sklll both to screw out a used detonator and to screw in a new one.
The lnvention is based on the problem of constructionally designing a
detonatlng device of the type in question so as to al;ow for economical
mass productlon and slmple handling during insertion and replacement of
the detonators
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Thls problem ls solved according to the invention by the features or
claim 1.
Accordlngly, the detonating device comprises an easil~v produced sln~
gle turnlng member ror the casing of the detonator having a conical out-
slde wall and a center bore, as well as a receiving means that is likewise
Or conical deslgn. The detonator is no longer screwed. but only pushed.
into the recelvlng means, whereby the conlcal design of the outside walls
or the detonator and the Inside walls of the receiving means ensures a
gastlght ~lt of the detonator. To allow for the percussion cap, the deto~
natlng charge and the penetrating element to be received, one need only
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provide a preferably stepped bore in the detonator caslng. The penetrat~
lng element is preferably a ball that is pressed into the narrowest part of
the stepped bore on the top of the detonator casing and therefore seals
the detonating charge from the outside. The seal can be improved by fill~
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ing in the space between the ball and the bore with a sealing agent, e.g.
a sealing varnish. : -
The detonator casing can be produced automatically from one blank
on a machine tool. The percussion cap, the detonating charge and the ball
are thereafter introduced into the finished detonator casing. ~ - `
Handling during insertlon and replacement of the detonator can also
be substantially simplified lf the receiving means Is adapted to be closed
by a pivoted lid which, in the closed state, lies with an inside fsce
against the underside of the detonator casing. The lid preferably contains ' ," ' ~,,` ' ,r, !
below the aforesaid inside face a compartment that houses a spring-
supported striking pin for the percusslon cap, said pin penetrating the ;
lnside face~ and a locking element for the striking pin. The lid is prefer-
abl,y held closed by a ball catch. To insert a new percussion cap into the . -
receiving mear~s, one need therefore only open this inside lid, remove a
used detonator, if any, slmply lnsert a new one lnto the recelvlng means `~
and then close the lld. These actlons can be performed very quickly with ;, ,; ~,,,. ,;.;,.,~.,?;,~
no problem even under unfavorable conditions.
Further embodiments of the invention are indicated in the subclaims. ;
The inventlon shall be explalned in more detail in an exemplary em- : -
bodiment with reference to the drawing, in which ~- .
Fig. 1 shows a partly cross-sectional longltudlnal view of an antitank
rockes launcher having a detonating device according to the invention; ~-~
Flg. 2 shows a iongitudlnal section of a detonating device according
to the invention;
Flg. 3 shows a longltudlnai section of a detonator for a detonating -
devlce accordlng to the lnventlon. ~ ~;
Flg. 1 shows a practice weapon 1 in the form of an antitank rockes
launcher having a pro~ector 2 and a dummy pro~ectile 3 inserted there-
into. The pro~ector is connected with a firing means 4 and an aiming
telescope 5. A practice cartridge 6 is inserted lnto an lnside tube in dum-
my projectiie 3, said cartridge having not only a subcaliber practice pro- ;
~ectiie but also a propelling charge 7 for expelling the practice projectile,
and a counteruelght. Propelling charge 7 is detonated by a detonating ;
device 8 whlch ls sho-vn ln more detail in Fig. 2.
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Propelling charge ~ is contained in a cylindrlcal aluminum container 9
uhich has a predetermlned breaking point 10 in the area of detonating
dsvice 8.
The detonating device comprises a receiving means 21 penetrating
through the wall of projector 2, a detonator 22 inserted in said receivlng
means, and a lid 23 covering receiving means 21.
Detonator 22 has a blunt conical casing 31 with a conical side wall
32, a holding ring 33 on the broad base of the blunt cone, and a cylin~
drical extension 34 on the narrow base of the blunt cone.
Receivlng means 21 has a conical inside wall 35 corresponding to
conical outside wall 32 of the detonator, and a cylindrical inside bore 36
which opens into pro3ector 2 in the area of breaking point 10 of propel-
ling charge 7. In cylindrical extension 34 of detonator 22 there is a
peripheral groove 37 having inserted thereinto an O-ring 38 which seals
detonator 22 from cylindrical bore 36 of receiving means '' 1. When deto-
nator 22 ls pushed into recei~ing means 21, the conical walls of the deto-
nator and the recei~ing means also lie against each other, so that these
two parts are sealed in gastight fashion from each other and from the
pro3ector.
In detonator casing 31 there is a central stepped bore 41. A first
part 42 of the stepped bore having the greatest diameter on the broad
base of the blunt conical casing has inserted thereinto a percusslon cap
43. Thls part 42 is followed by a further part 44 of the bore ha~ing a
smaller dlameter and receiving a detonating charge 45. This part 4~ Or
the bore extends axially approximately as far as the area in which conical
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outslde wall 32 of the detonator runs lnto cylindrical extension 34. Fol~
lowing part 14 there Is a further part 46 of the bore with an even small-
er diameter and having pressed thereinto a ball 47 which seals propelling
charge 46 from the outside. The space between ball 47 and part 46 Or the
bore ls filled In with a sealing varnish 48.
When percussion cap 43 is initiated, e.g. by a striking pin, thls deto~
nates detonatlng charge ~5, thereby expelling ball 47 from part 46 of the
bore and making lt penetrate container 9 of propelllng charge 7 in the
area of breaking point 10. The hot gases of burning detonating charge 45
then nOW into the container through the broken hole and detonate the
propelling charge. The subcaliber projectile of practice cartridge 6 is ex-
pelled In the Icnown way from projector 2 with no reaction by the expul-
sion of the counterwelght with the ald of the propelling charge, whereb~
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dummy projectile 3 remains in projector 2.
The gastight connection between the interior of projector 2 and the
detonating device can be further improved by a stepped cross-sectional
design of conical outside wall 32 of detonator 22, as shown b~ broken
line 51 in the left half of Fig. 3. These peripheral sealing ribs act as a -~
labyrinth seal, ensuring an absolutely gastight fit of detonator 22 ln re~
ceiving means 21.
Detonator 22 lnserted into receiving means 21 is also held in posltlon
by aforesald lid 23. Thls lid can be swung ln the direction of arrow P
about a shaft 61 connected wlth proJector 2 and is locked by a ball catch .
62 ln the closed state, as shown in Fig. 2. In this position an inside face
63 lies against the underslde of detonator 22. This inside face 63 has a
central opening 64 penetrated by a striking pin 65 which is supported by
springs 66. Striking pin 65 and sprlngs 66 are disposed together wlth a
locklng pin 67 in a compartment 68 of lid 23 extending downward to in-
slde face 63. When locklng pln 67 supported by a spring 69 is dlsplaced a
certain distance? the spring-supported strlking pin is released and hits
percusslon cap' 43 of detonator 22.
The descrlbed detonating devlce can also be used with live ammuni-
tlon.
