Parrott Time Fuse

[CarlS]

I was looking at Mike's recent posting of a fuse for sale:
     http://www.bulletandshell.com/Items/misc/item.php?id=00105
and had always wondered about the recessed area around the hole that held the paper time fuse.  I can't imagine it was an artistic touch but don't see any utilitarian use.  Perhaps a finger groove for removing a paper fuses?  Perhaps for alignment?  Any thoughts?

[Pete George]

  As that "recessed area" doesn't show up on early-war Parrott fuzes, I believe it is an evolution whose purpose was to allow the paper timefuze's tip to have "better exposure" to the flame from the cannon's propellant-charge.  If I recall correctly, there's a late-war Britten fuze which also has a recess surrounding the hole for the paper timefuze.

Regards,
Pete

[CarlS]

I did recall these post war fuses have a similar recess:
      http://www.ebay.com/itm/NICE-CIVIL-WAR-ARTILLERY-SHELL-CANNONBALL-FUSE-ADAPTOR-/320777398140

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Carl and Pete,
      Are these the two fuse adapters you mentioned?
Regards,
John

[CarlS]

John,

Yes, the top image is like the excellent buy that Mike has for sale    that I was referring to.

Best,
Carl

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Ahh but mine is worth more!
John

[Pete George]

  Yes Bart, that is the Britten timefuze-adapter I was referring to.  I didn't have a photo of one of those Britten fuzes to post.  Thank you for posting your very good diagram, so that other readers here can see what it looks like.

Regards,
Pete

[Garret]

Since it's slow on the Forum and the subject is parrott time fuzes, could someone answer the question on why the zinc time fuze looks beyond recognition on most dug shells?  Pete explained it to me one time and I completely forgot.   

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Sir,
   In my humble opinion galvanic action between the cast iron and zinc eats away at the zinc.
Regards,
John

[mccaul]

John Bartleson is correct about the galvanic action.  This is what happens to folks who mix different types of metal pipes in their water lines.  In corrosion engineering it is known as a sacrifical anode.

[Garret]

Thanks gentlemen.   

[emike123]

Its slow on the forum, because some of us have been too busy slaving away at work.  Here's a picture I took working late into the night last night in Arlington, Texas

[attachment deleted by admin]

[CarlS]

I like Mike's idea of "slaving away at work".  I need to figue out how to do that!  It's been a very good World Series so far.  I hope it goes 7 games.

On the topic of this post it's always amazed me how corroded some fuses can get by the galvanic action.  You'll see a cannonball with nice smooth iron and an eaten up Bormann fuse.  In fact I just finished cleaning up one like that.   Oviously we see the white metal fuses are worse about this while copper and brass are barely affected.

[emike123]

The reverse of this corrosive action is the super cool effect copper fuse adapters have in preserving the paper fuses in them.  I have pulled out several from dug adapters where the writing is still evident on the side of the paper "fuze"

Back to the salt mines....

[ETEX]

Mike, that sure looks like the same dang picture that you sent by test message to me. Gotta love the Rangers, been following them from day one when they came to Arlington as the Washington Senators. Thanks for the shot last night Mike.