French 1916 Billiant fuze how does it work

[BMG50]

Looking at the sectioned drawings of the 1916 French Billiant fuze, still can't work out how this mechanism works, can anyone explain?

 

[MINENAZ16]

Hello,

It's quite simple but not easy to explain without drawing and now I can't post picture.
I made a cutaway and I'll post photos later.
This grenade fuze is fitted with two primers and a "V" spring locked by a plunger (locked by the lever, and push by a spring).
The "V" spring is released and initiates the two primers (both side)

Regards

 

[militaria]

Hi, here a cutaway from the mechanism
Regards

 

[MINENAZ16]

So, operation :
-remove safety pin
-Throw grenade, the lever is free.
-During flight the compressed spring of the plunger pushes the lever. The lever and the plunger fall.
-When the plunger is ejected the flat "V" spring is released. The two needles of the "V" spring initiate two primers (cup both sides)
Before firing the "V" spring is like a "8". The plunger passes through a hole of the "8" retaining each leg of the "v" spring.

When I cut my fuze I lost half of "v" spring. I made something with "paint" to show the movement of the "v" spring.

Regards

 

[BMG50]

Many thanks for the information, I now understand how it works, quite and unusual mechanism. I have been eying up an F1 with this Billiant fuze have to snap it up.

Many thanks again.

 

[Rifleman2]

An excellent explanation and drawings..Thanks for posting.

 

[BMG50]

Anyone know where I can get a mint Billiant fuze with the internals or have internals for sale.