Fuse for projectiles

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The object of the invention is to construct a fuse for a rotating projectile having directive explosive force, in which the rotation in combination with the directive explosive force is utilized for achieving a more reliable and more effective hit of a target as compared with what is possible with known proximity fuses.
By the expression "a projectile having directive explosive force" is herein to be understood a projectile having substantially all its effect in a certain direction, which does not coincide with the length axis of the projectile, and substantially no effect in other directions.
According to the invention this is achieved in that the fuse has two sensors for sensing a target.
The first sensor has a narrow sensitivity lobe directed in a direction which does not coincide with the length axis of the projectile, is directed obliquely forward at a known angle with respect to the direction for maximal explosive force, and delivers a pulse shaped signal each time it is directed towards the target during the rotation of the projectile.
The second sensor is adapted to monitor the distance to the target and to deliver a signal indicating that the projectile has entered a given distance zone from the target.
The signal from the first sensor is fed to an ignition circuit for initiating burst at a moment when the direction for maximal explosive force coincides with the direction to the target, provided that the second sensor indicates that the projectile has entered the given distance zone.
In the fuse according to the invention the distance information is not utilized for initiating burst but only as a coarse indication that the projectile has passed a given distance limit from the target.
Burst is then initated by means of the directive signal obtained from the sensor with the narrow sensitivity lobe.
Thus the fuse according to the invention is not a proximity fuse in its normal meaning but can rather be regarded as a variant of a final guidance system, since although the projectile is not actually guided the explosive force in the final phase of its path is automatically directed to the target by utilization of the rotation of the projectile