EMPLOYMENT: Plastic nose fuze in German 8-smoke mortar shells. (See fig. 590.)

DATA:

Over-all length: 1.625 inches.

Maximum diameter: 1.313 inches.

Threaded length: 0.375 inch.

Number of threads: 5 RH.

CONSTRUCTION: The black colored plastic body has a closing plate in the nose to pro-tect the striker from air pressure and it is threaded at its midsection for screwing into the mortar shell.

The striker is held in the top of the fuze by a light creep spring and extends down into a central cavity.

The primer fits into the base of a sleeve which is slipped into the bottom of the fuze. A stud on the sleeve rides in a zig-zagged groove in the inside wall of the fuze body.

A locking ball which is held in place by a spring-loaded plunger locks the primer sleeve in the unarmed position.

In the base of the fuze, is a metal spring strip which causes a plastic stud to catch and hold the spring-loaded plunger on set-back.

A celluloid disk seals the base of the fuze and helps to hold the sleeve from falling out of the bottom of the fuze.

ACTION: Set-back throws the spring-loaded plunger back until it is caught and held by the plastic stud. This releases the locking ball and the primer sleeve is free to creep for-ward toward the striker during flight.

Upon impact, the primer will impinge upon the striker and at the same time the nose of the fuze will give, forcing the striker into the primer.

The flash from the primer melts the celluloid disk and fires the round

Figure 590 – Nose Fuze Wgr. ZT. acb