Fuze

In gunnery, is a contrivance for igniting the bursting charge in a hollow projectile at any point of its flight. The simplest cla ification of fuzes is the time fuze , the percu ion fuze , and the concu ion fuze , which are usually defined as follows: Fuze, Concu ion. Is a fuze that is operated by the shock of discharge, or the shock of impact, excluding direct percu ion effects. It is especially applicable to hollow spherical projectiles. The usual difference between the concu ion and percu ion fuze is, that the former explodes no matter what point of the projectile strikes, whereas the latter requires the projectile to strike at or near the front end; but these are exceptions to the rule. Fuze, Percu ion. As shown below, is a fuze that receives no flame from the charge in the gun, but at the moment of impact a flame is generated by means of fulminates, which produces the explosion of the charge in the shell. Most varieties of this fuze consist e entially of a bra or pewter fuze-plug , or case which contains an iron or steel plunger terminating in a nipple which carries a common percu ion-cap; the plunger is held in its place at the lower end of the fuze-plug by a collar-screw, wire, or other device; when the projectile strikes the plunger breaks loose, and by its inertia is driven forward with such force as to explode the cap and ignite the charge. This form of fuze is used for rifle-shells. Fuze, Time. This fuze is composed of a case of paper, wood, or metal, inclosing a column of burning composition ignited by the charge in the gun; it burns for a certain time, at the end of which the flame is communicated to the bursting charge of the projectile. This fuze is used for both shells and case-shot.