(Fig. 31)

This device is intended to cause detonation of German H.E. bombs if an attempt is made to withdraw Rheinmetall fuzes from them. The device can be applied to any German Rheinmetall electric fuze fitted with a gaine, but is most likely to be used in conjunction with the long delay fuze El.A.Z. (17).

The drawing indicates the arrangements to the device except that its gaine, which screw into the bottom, is not included.

The needle member (1) is pressed forward by the spring (2) but is held away from the detonator (5) by a detent (3). The latter is located by the ball (4) below it and main-tained in position by the pressure exerted by the needle member (1).

Fig. 31

When the gaine of a Rheinmetall fuze is inserted in the top of the device the needle member (1) is pushed outwards slightly, thus removing the frictional constraint from de-tent (3), which is now located by ball (4) under the action of the detent spring (7).

The device is not armed until the force of impact, transverse to the fuze, shakes the ball (4) out of the conical recess in the detent (3), which is then pushed clear of the needle (1) by the spring (7) and all three components fall into recess (8).

If an attempt is made to withdraw the fuze from the bomb the device is pulled upwards also owing to the pressure of the needle member (1) on the gaine of the fuze. This mo-vement is prevented however, by the two knife edges (6) held out-wards by springs which bite into the wall of the exploder tube of the bomb. The gaine of the fuze is there-fore with-drawn from the device and after a movement of about 0.6 inch the needle member (1) is clear of the gaine and is forced by the spring (2) into the detonator (5). The flash from the latter passes to the gaine screwed into the bottom of the device (not shown on the drawing) and the bomb is detonated.