Description
The fuze consists of an upper portion housing a water chamber with six water entry ports located in its side walls. This upper portion is sealed from the lower fuze body by a rubber diaphragm, which bears downward against the top of the striker. The striker is held in the raised position by two striker levers. One end of each lever engages a groove in the striker. The opposite end is pivoted in a spring loaded lever block, which rides in a horizontal key way. A detonator chamber housing a detonator shutter is located below and at right angles to the striker. A groove, in which rides the end of the striker, is cut in the upper side of the detonator shutter. In the unarmed condition the detonator shutter is held out of line with the striker by a safety wire. A shutter bellows is located on one end of the shutter, and a shutter spring on the other end. This spring resists the force of water pressure exerted on the shutter bellows and acts as the delay arming feature of the fuze. The lower part of the fuze body and the upper part of the magazine are threaded for insertion into the bomb. A rubber sealing ring and a locking ring are screwed onto these threads.
An anti-countermining chamber in the fuze is designed to prevent the hydrostatic fuze from functioning from blast pressure caused by the explosion of another bomb nearby. A mushroom valve in the top of the chamber is closed by the sudden increase in hydrostatic pressure caused by such an explosion. When this sudden pressure passes, however, the valve opens again, and normal water pressure is allowed to exert its force against the fuze.
The fuze is set to explode at a depth of 30 feet of water. This setting cannot be altered.
Functioning
No information about functioning.
See Also
Nothing else to see.
Source(s)
OP 1665, British Explosive Ordnance (1946)
