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Friction primer fuze ID.

C

Costas

Member
Identification please this old primer tube. It was found in the shipwreck, Baltic sea. The ship had a wooden hull.

Early_friction_primer_tube.jpgfric.jpg
 
Usually the wire pull is at right angles to the quill body, those I have seen in British service anyway, I do wonder if it has been bent to the position that it is in now during excavation or whatever. Copper tubes were used for Land Service but not Naval Service because the tube would fly from the vent with some force & would ricochet from the deck & beams above, injuring sailors, feather quill tubes were not injurious. However when attaching the lanyard & pulling sharply the quill is weak & liable to have its top torn off without ignition, to prevent this two screw holes were tapped just before the vent hole, on the side towards the muzzle, & a screw with a raised head was fitted to one, the second hole being in effect a spare in case the screw snapped off flush. When introducing the quill tube into the vent the leather thong was passed over the raised screw, this braced the top of the quill against the pull of the lanyard so that the friction wire was jerked clear, providing ignition, and the top of the quill was not merely ripped off.

The example you have has the components I am familiar with on British quills but in different configuration, so either it is non British or has somehow become deranged.

The image below is usually encountered & is probably a newer design than the thread example.
quill w leath thong & ring pull.gif
 
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