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Contact switch british no XVII sea mine

pzgr40

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Who can help me on a detailed drawing of the electric contact switch of a British WW2 No XVII sea mine.
 
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not sure exactly what you want. Have you looked at Wadlow, Mechanical Engineering Aspects of Naval Mining ?
Alan1
 
I've looked in wadlow, but I cannot find anything simmilar.
The fuze I have is 225 mm long and has a lead middle part. In this lead part a pin is placed (Pin 1) that pushed downward a pin (pin 2) in the bakelite box. As long as this pin is kept in downward position the wider pat with the chamfered edge will not touch the two contacts (C) closing the electric circuit.
As soon as force is applied to the steel rod, it bends the lead, bending away pin 1, allowing pin 2 to rise and close the electric circuit. It means that it is a "make ' contact, however a seperate electric souce is needed.
As the only mine I can find with a battery is the type XVIII , so, that is a possibillity.
The second switch that could do is with the German GR mine and is called "switch horn". However , the mine has no battery , so it is not clear to me how it would be activated as on top are herzhorns that make current only after the glass ampoule is broken.
Or... does the switch horn have a different function , like rendereing the mine safe if damaged.
 

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  • Fuze.jpg
    Fuze.jpg
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  • Pin 1 and pin 2.jpg
    Pin 1 and pin 2.jpg
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  • Electrical contact.jpg
    Electrical contact.jpg
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  • MkXVII mine.jpg
    MkXVII mine.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 33
  • switch horn Mine type GR.jpg
    switch horn Mine type GR.jpg
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I just realized the reason that no herzhorns are used on the lower side: the acid will run downward and not run over the electrolite, so the herzhorn will not function. Hence the electric switch. But it will need a battery to function.
 
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Today I learned a trick to seaily determine if a sea mine fuze is German; if the nut part for the spanner is octagonal (not a Hexagon), the fuze is German.
The fuze is definetely for the German GR mine.
I cut the fuze and it does look quite interesting.
 

Attachments

  • German electric sea mine switch cutaway.jpg
    German electric sea mine switch cutaway.jpg
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Here a drawing of the switch.

Greetings - Antoon
 

Attachments

  • Switch Mk XVII Mine.pdf
    2 MB · Views: 20
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