Impact probe mechanism for ammunition fuzing

摘要

A fuze for firing the explosive charge of a projectile, comprising, in combination, a firing mechanism, including a firing pin, mounted resiliently in said projectile for rearward axial movement of the pin to fire the charge, a probe, including forward and rearward ends and an integral shear washer between the ends, mounted in the projectile with the forward end positioned to receive impact from media traversed by the projectile, with the rearward end slightly spaced forward of the firing mechanism, the washer normally preventing movement of the probe toward the mechanism, so that impact of the fuze with a rigid target shears the washer and enables the probe to engage the mechanism and thereby cause firing of the projectile.