Abstract: A fuze mechanism for a submuntion includes an activation mechanism having a container filled with an activation fluid and an ampoule breaker to break the container upon deployment of the munition, a delay mechanism including a spring-loaded self-destruct firing pin to initiate a secondary detonator in close proximity to a primary detonator, and an interlock unit supported by the ampoule breaker that locks the self-destruct firing pin away from the secondary detonator. The ampoule breaker includes a piston and a timing ball, which accesses the activation liquid. The action of the activation liquid on the timing ball over time causes the timing ball to erode until it is forced into the container by the spring-loaded piston. The movement of the piston frees the interlock unit, allowing the spring-loaded self-destruct firing pin to move under force and impact or initiate the secondary detonator.

Abstract: An exemplary self-destruct fuze delay for a submuntion includes a container filled with an activation fluid, a spring-loaded ampoule breaker to break the container upon deployment of the munition, a spring-loaded self-destruct firing pin to initiate a secondary detonator in close proximity to a primary detonator, and an interlock ball supported by the ampoule breaker that locks the self-destruct firing pin away from the secondary detonator. The ampoule breaker includes a piston and a timing ball, which accesses the activation liquid. The action of the activation liquid on the timing ball over time causes the timing ball to erode until it is forced into the container by the spring-loaded piston. The movement of the piston frees the interlock ball, allowing the spring-loaded self-destruct firing pin to move under force and impact or initiate the secondary detonator.

Abstract: An extractor and method for safely releasing an explosive and liner from a munition is disclosed. An exemplary extractor includes a support device connected to the casing of the munition and adapted to stabilize the munition as the explosive is released from the dome end of the munition casing and a fluid port adjacent the dome end of the casing and adapted to introduce a high pressure fluid through the dome end to the explosive to separate and release the explosive from the dome end. An exemplary method for releasing an explosive and liner from a dome end of a munition casing includes inserting a fluid port into a dome end of the casing and introducing a fluid through the fluid port to the explosive to release and separate the explosive from the dome end and to shear the mechanical coupling between the liner and the casing.

Abstract: A projectile carrying sub-munitions which may exhibit orientational sensitivity utilizes a resilient member to prevent individual grenades from rotating out of the desired orientation. As a skilled artisan would readily understand, the sub-munitions is one type of rotationally sensitive device. Other types of rotationally sensitive devices include but are not limited to grenades, grenade fuses and sub-munition fuses. In the described embodiments, artillery shells carrying grenades packed in circular arrays around a central longitudinal axis may exhibit orientational sensitivity with some types of slide fuses, such that an optimal orientation is that the slide fuse faces outwardly along a radial line from the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A projectile carrying sub-munitions which may exhibit orientational sensitivity utilizes a resilient member to prevent individual grenades from rotating out of the desired orientation. As a skilled artisan would readily understand, the sub-munitions is one type of rotationally sensitive device. Other types of rotationally sensitive devices include but are not limited to grenades, grenade fuses and sub-munition fuses. In the described embodiments, artillery shells carrying grenades packed in circular arrays around a central longitudinal axis may exhibit orientational sensitivity with some types of slide fuses, such that an optimal orientation is that the slide fuse faces outwardly along a radial line from the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A method for removing an explosive charge from a shaped charge munition is disclosed together with a system for carrying out the method. The preferred method for removing a charge from a stackable shaped charge munition, such as a M42 or M46 grenade, involves three punching stages using two hollow punch dies of different diameters and lengths to extract the metal cone-shaped liner and all of the explosive except a layer lining the inner side wall and dome end wall of the casing. The thin layer of explosive can be readily removed in an explosive waste incinerator. The system for carrying out the method includes a delivery conveyor, a rotatable indexing table having multiple gripping devices for holding grenades or other shaped charge munitions, multiple punching stations positioned in sequence around the perimeter of the indexing table, and a take-off conveyor for transporting processed grenades from the indexing table.