Description
The float consists of a thin metal body at the upper end of which six smoke-emission holes, covered by a fabric seal, are located. A wire gauze washer, held in place by an upper and lower liner, divides the body into two portions, the upper portion comprising a buoyancy chamber, and the lower portion housing a number of large and small smoke pellets disposed around a pull-percussion igniter. The large smoke pellets are arranged in tiers. The pellets in the upper tier are each contained in a primed cambric cylinder. Below the wire gauze washer, a primed cambric washer rests on the upper ends of the primed pellets, and strips of primed cambric cross over the igniter. The igniter, which is secured to the body, includes a split headed clutch which is movable lengthwise in the igniter body. A whipcord becket is secured to the head of the clutch and threaded through a rubber disc. The upper end of the clutch is sprung over one end of a striker, which is spring-loaded when the clutch is pulled out. Opposite the free end of the striker is a percussion cap, and an anvil housed in an ignited plug screwed into the igniter body. A length of safety fuse, enclosed in a tube, terminates in a capsule filled with igniter composition.
When the float is to be used, proceed as follows: Remove the adhesive tapes securing the covers and remove both covers. Press in the center of the press-cap to release the cap, and then remove the cap. Pull the whipcord becket and the clutch out of the float, and immediately throw the smoke float overboard to leeward.
Functioning: When the clutch is pulled out, the striker is released and fires the percussion cap. The flash from the cap ignites the safety fuse, which fires the igniter composition in the capsule after a delay of not less than eight seconds. The flash from the igniter composition is conveyed by the primed cambric strips and the primed cambric washer to the pellets in the upper tier. The smoke produced raises the pressure in the buoyancy chamber until the pressure bursts the fabric seal, and the smoke escapes to the atmosphere through the smoke-emission holes. .
Remarks: This smoke float is intended for use from an emergency dinghy after a forced landing has been made, to assist search planes.
Functioning
No information about functioning.
See Also
Nothing else to see.
Source(s)
OP 1665, British Explosive Ordnance (1946)
