Nose Fuze Mk 156 und Nose Fuze Mk 158Nose Fuze Mk 140
U.S.N.B.D. - ROCKETS AND FUZES
ROCKET FUZES

ROCKET USED IN

7.2" Rocket Ammunition

U.S. NAVY NOSE FUZE

 

for Shipboard use.  

FUNCTIONING

Instantaneous; impact

Mk 135

ARMED CONDITION

No external indiaction

FUZES USED WITH

None

ARMING TIME

15 - 20 feet water travel

 

(30 ft. static water

(Obsolete)

 

pressure)  

MAX. BODY DIAMETER

3.25"

Hydrostatic Arming, Impact Firing

OVERALL LENGTH

5"

Rocket Propellant

GENERAL:

The consists of a nose cap with two water ports which is screwed on the upper fuze housing. A phosphor-bronze diaphragm is housed in the upper end of the fuze. This dia-phragm is housed in the upper end of the fuze. This diaphragm works against the dia-phragm button and two ball cranks. The ball cranks are pivoted on pins fixed to the hal-ves of the nose plate. In the unarmed position the cranks engage the shutter and also keep the body and weight locked together. In this position the firing pin is locked, with spring compressed, by three balls. A freely moving safety sleeve, on setback, engages hooks in the ball cranks and prevents air pressure from arming the fuze. On deceleration in the water this safety sleeve engages the ball cranks to reduce the possibility of pre-mature functioning.

A retaining ring screwed into the lower fuze housing secures the booster magazine and booster lead-in disc in the fuze. A gasket is located on the under surface of the shoulder of the nose cap to provide a water-tight seat in the rocket. A safety pin is in-serted through the nose cap and diaphragm button nut, thereby locking the diaphragm in the unarmed position.

OPERATION:

When the fuzed rocket, with safety pin removed, enters the water, pressure of the water which enters the water ports in the nose cap acts on the diaphtagm. When the projectile has reached a depth of 15 to 20 feet, the diaphragm is "popped" or inverted. This diaphragm action moves the two ball cranks out of engagement with the shutter, which is forced by its spring into position under the striker. The shutter is locked in this position by a detent housed in the body. At the same time the ball cranks also move out of engagement with the body and the weight. The fuze is then fully armed.

If the fuze should arm prematurely, before the charge has slowed down sufficiently, the weight will be pulled off by its own inertia when the ball cranks move outward, al-lowing the firing pin to function before the shutter will have moved into place. The re-sult will be a dud.

The fuze is designed to function upon impact with a solid object but not on impact with soft objects such as muddy or sandy bottom. Upon solid impact the sudden dece-leration pulls the weight forward, forcing the three balls inward. This frees the weight, allowing it to fall out of its engagement with the body. The three balls are then ejected by the force of the firing pin working against its compressed firing pin spring. The firing pin is now free to be forced by its spring against the detonator, thus actuating the fuze. A glancing blow causes the weight to pivot about a point on the edge where it is supported against the body and releases the three balls. The sensitivity to forward and sidewise impat is about equal.

REMARKS:

1. The fuze will function under water on angles of impact up to 75°.

2. Mods 1 and 2 of this fuze are similar to the Mark 135 in general design, except that the sensitivity has been about doubled, and the static pressure to arm has been increased to a head of approximately 50 feet. The fuzes, when fired from launchers, arm as a depth of 20 feet. The Mod 2 differs from the Mod 1 in that detents lock the ball cranks in the armed position and the safety pin arrangement in the nose has been slightly altered.

3. This fuze is now obsolete.

Nose Fuze Mk 156 und Nose Fuze Mk 158Nose Fuze Mk 140