Beater
A special type of firing of guns is called a beater tube .
history
The first cannons were always ignited with a fine powder, the so-called detonator , and with a fuse . This method was relatively unsafe, so attempts were made early on to mechanize the firing of a cannon. All types of ignition, as they were also known from handguns, e.g. B. wheel lock or flint ignition were used. Ultimately, however, the fuse ignition was not replaced by the percussion ignition until around 1820 . This very safe and reliable type of ignition quickly established itself in general weapon technology.
The beat tube is a further development of the percussion ignition. All parts necessary for an ignition process are included. The beater tube was inserted into the firing hole of the cannon. A set of powder was ignited by pulling out a corrugated or roughened wire and the resulting pilot jet was directed downwards through the open or perforated bottom of the beater tube. This then ignites the cartridge pouch with the actual propellant powder for the projectile. It was mainly used in field artillery towards the end of the 19th century.
In parallel to the impact tube, the friction ignition screw was also used to fire guns.
literature
- Hein: The small book of the German army , reprint of the edition of 1901 Verlag Lipsius u. Fischer, Weltbild Verlag GmbH Augsburg, 1998, ISBN 3-8289-0271-5 .