A./P. and Anti-Tire Mine (Service)

Diameter

Height

Total weight

Explosive weight

Material

Color

Fuzing

Pressure required

Description: This mines resembles a small, round, tin ointment box, and consists of two telescoping steel halves. The smaller bottom half houses the igniter, while the larger top half contains the doughnut-shaped explosive charge, which is glued to the under side of the top with a sticky adhesive substance.

The fuze consists of the brass cap holder, cap holder sleeve, detonator holder, stri-ker, and striker spring. The cap holder is threaded into the base of the lower portion of the mine body and contains the percussion cap. A brass striker retained by a shear wire, and a striker spring are located in the cap holder sleeve in the lower half of the mine body. Two diametrically opposed detonators are located in the detonator holder. Two blast holes are drilled in the lower portion of the cap-holder sleeve to allow the flash from the percussion cap to contact the two detonators.

Functioning: When the two halves of the mine are compressed, the detonator holder slides down over the cap-holder sleeve, compressing the striker spring. At the same time it forces the striker through the copper shear wire, which passes through the head of the striker and the walls of the cap-holder sleeve. The detonator holder has two diame-trically opposed longitudinal grooves, about one third of an inch long, which allow it to slide freely over the cap-holder sleeve without interference from the top projecting ends of the shear wire. This also serves to position the detonator holder with reference to the cap-holder sleeve, so that the two blast holes in the latter will be adjacent to the two detonators in the former. When the shear wire is sheared, the spring forces the striker against the cap. The flame escapes out-ward through the blast holes, exploding the two round detonators and the main charge.

Use: This mine is designed for use by the airborne forces. It will be found laid in fields, along the edges of roads, or in other conspicuous places where the foot soldier or light transport is likely to go. The charge is sufficient to blow off a man's foot or rupture the tire of a vehicle. The mine can easily be detected by any type of mine detector.

Assembly and Arming: Place the detonator holder over the cap-holder sleeve and screw the cap into the bottom half of the mine body. Place the top half of the mine over the bottom half, and lay the mine in the ground.

Neutralization: Reverse the procedure out-lined for assembly and arming. This mine has no safety devices incorporated in it.

Remark: This mine has been discovered frequently in France. It was first reported to be of German origin and labeled the "Ointment Box Mine".