British No. 5 General Service Pettman Percussion Fuze;

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

To All interested,
     It is tea time for a change of pace. The G.S. Pettman fuze was in use in the U.K. during our ACW.  A unique fuze in that it could be used in rifled and spherical projectiles.
     It was a safe fuze armed at set  back with the collaspe of a lead cup which unlocked the detonating ball.  The detonating ball consisted of two ribbed cups fitted together with a fulminate paste spread into the vertical gooves of the two halves and covered with a shalloon fabric tied at top and bottom.
     The detonating ball was housed in a rhombic chamber which acted similar in nature to an all-way acting modern fuze.  At impac,t from any direction, would impact the ball against the chamber wallws causing the fulminate to detonate which flashed out the fuze base and into the powder cavity.  The steady ball in the top half of the fuze would be crushed  into the fulminate ring in the top disk.  If you have questions please ask.
Regards,
John

[joevann]

23 of these fuzes were fired at Sandy Hook Proving Ground in 1878. Of these, all but seven were duds. A 3" Dyer projectile loaded with mortar
powder was used for the test.

[Dave the plumber]

      I have one of these, slightly different version in that the threads do not run all the way down the body.  Unfortunately, once I unscrew the top cap, everything inside does not come out to view

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Joe, interesting, I was not aware that any were sent to America.  CAn you send me a copy of your reference for my files?

David,
    If it does not have threads completely from top  to bottom then it is not a No. 5.  Can you send or post photos?  Thanks.
Regards,
John

[Dave the plumber]

 John, well maybe it is a #3 or #4 !!    I have no idea - I believe it was in Chuck Jone's collection. I'll get photo's to you when I can. 

[CarlS]

John,

Is it my eyes or is your fuse both tapered and threaded?

[joevann]

Will do John.

[joevann]

How about a photo of yours, Dave?

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Carl, you have good eyes.  Threaded and tapered.
John

[joevann]

Here's a plate from the Report of the Chief of Ordnance from 1878.  Incidentally, one of the Royal Lab fuzes used in these experiments was actually recovered in the late 1990s during unexploded ordnance operations at Sandy Hook, NJ, and is now in the possession of the NPS.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Joe and to all interested,
      Below is the Royal Laboratory (R.L.) graze sensitive percussion fuze as it was adopted for service use and designated the No. 7 fuze.
FYI the 9 pdr illustrated is not an Armstrong invention but developed by the Royal Laboratory at Woolwich and copied from the lead /zinc studded French design.  Armstrong's Elswick Ordnance Company (EOC) did receive contracts to manufacture and his shells were marked on their ogive with EOC.  Those made by the Royal Laboratory were marked with the R L on their base.
Regards,
John

[joevann]

I'm curious, John:  What source are you using for the No.5 and No.7 Designations?  I realize that the Brits changed their official names from time to time, just as the U.S. did, but I don't find these number designations in the first five editions of "Treatise on Ammunition" , just the name and Mark No. and either L.S. or G.S.  (Limited or General Service).

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Joe,
   The British used noun or inverntor name until 1887 when they realized they needed a numbering system.  All fuzes and shells approved for service use were given numbers, at least the fuzes were.
     Some of the late Treatises on Ammnition use the numbers but I have a list from MOD that gives all the numbers.
G.S. is General Service, L.S. is Land Service.
Cheers,
John

[joevann]

That explains it.  The numbers don't appear in the 1887 edition, but are in the 1902 edition.  You are, of course, correct.  L.S. is Land Service.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Dear David,
       Below is your fuze - a British Boxer Percussion fuze. Developed by Boxer when he was at the royal Laboratory.
Regards,
John