Fuze-M563-Used with M546, APERS
This unusual fuze, used to fire the Beehive Shell with its payload of Flechettes, was a mechanical Time device, which could be set at "MA". I have only seen a small sectional view of its working, which does not show the MA feature. The MA feature used the locking action of 4 Setback Pins in one version, and Alpha Weights in another. What are the later? No patents that I can find. One patent for a Muzzle Blast Fuze, but this did not provide Time, and was a much simpler device. No mention of Alpha Weights anywhere-could they be another name for "Heavy Metal" weights? Has anyone, please, full details of the mechanism, rather than the single drawing to be found?
Thanks,
Martin.
This unusual fuze, used to fire the Beehive Shell with its payload of Flechettes, was a mechanical Time device, which could be set at "MA". I have only seen a small sectional view of its working, which does not show the MA feature. The MA feature used the locking action of 4 Setback Pins in one version, and Alpha Weights in another. What are the later? No patents that I can find. One patent for a Muzzle Blast Fuze, but this did not provide Time, and was a much simpler device. No mention of Alpha Weights anywhere-could they be another name for "Heavy Metal" weights? Has anyone, please, full details of the mechanism, rather than the single drawing to be found?
Thanks,
Martin.