HEAT-ACTIVATED TRIGGERING DEVICE WITH BI-METAL TRIGGERING ELEMENT

• Main Authors: KOEHLER, Frederick B, LYMAN, Ward D, LEE, Anthony O, MEREMS, Paul A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 21.06.2023
• Subjects: AMMUNITION; AMMUNITION FUZES; ARMING OR SAFETY MEANS THEREFOR; BLASTING; EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; WEAPONS

A heat-activated triggering device, such as for a missile or munition, includes a bi-metal trigger element, with a breakable pin of a first metal surrounded by a sleeve made of a second metal that is different than the first metal. The sleeve may be made of a shape memory alloy, such as a single-crystal shape memory alloy, that is pre-compresses around part of the pin. The sleeve may be configured to put a tension force on the pin as the sleeve passes a predetermined temperature, for instance a temperature at which the shape memory feature of the sleeve is activated. The pin may have a weakened portion, such as a notched portion, at which the pin breaks. The breaking of the pin may be used to drive a firing pin into a primer, to initiate a detonation and/or combustion reaction.