EMPLOYMENT: Mechanical Nose Fuze with self-destroying arrangement for 3.7 A.A. gun H.E. shells (See fig. 565.)

DATA:

Over-all length: 1.75 inches.

Maximum diameter: 1.25 inches.

Threaded length: 0.312 inch.

Number of threads: 5 RH.

CONSTRUCTION: The above is apparently an improved type of the earlier version of the 3.7-cm Kopfzünder Zerl.P. Only minor modifications are incorporated. The cnetrifugal bolt holding the striker off the detonator is flat and is held in position by a detent which sits on a gunpowder pellet.

ACTION: On acceleration the igniferous detonator in the displaced recess sets back on the striker. The flash from the detonator passes through the flash channels to the pow-der pellet in the radial channel and to the lower end of the delay filling in the first of the vertical channels. When the pellet in the radial channel distintegrates the bolt is thrown out-wards by centrifugal force leaving the striker held off the detonator in the magazine by the creep action resulting from deceleration. On impact the striker is driven in by the hammer and pierces the detonator in the top of the magazine. During flight, the burning of the delay composition in the first vertical channel is transmitted by the gunpowder in the traverse channel to the delay composition in the second vertical channel. When di-rect action does not occur before the composition burns to the base of the second channel, the disk of gunpowder confined in the top of the magazine adapter is ignited and explodes and thus initiates  the detonation of the magazine.

Figure 565 – 3.7-cm Kopfzünder Zerl. Pv.