Fig. 24

The striker is in two parts, the upper part being carried in a recess in the nose of the fuze; the recess is closed by a cover plate. The lower part is housed in a cylindrical wheel carried in a recess in the fuze.

Before firing the various parts are assembeld as shown in Fig. 24, the lower portion of the striker being inclined at an angle of about 45° to the longitudinal axis and retained in that position by two centrifugal bolts which fit in recess one on each side of the wheel.

On firing the two bolts fly outwards under centrifugal force and free the wheel. The wheel, whose centre of gravity does not coincide with the axis of the fuze, tends, also under the action of centrifugal force, to revolve and so bring the lower portion of the striker into line with the upper portion, but his movement is prevented by the effects of set back, due to acceleration in the bore, which forces the wheel back against the bot-tom walls of the recess in which it is placed.

On deceleration after the shell has left the bore, creep action causes the wheel to move slightly forward, it is then free to revolve and thus bring the two parts of the striker into aligment. Creep action and the protection of the cover plate against air pressure, keeps the striker from the detonator until it is forced in on impact.

Fig. 24