12 
THE NEW AUSTRIAN EIELD GUNS, 
(P.) Fuzes. 
1. The Percussion Fuze (Fig. 13) is used with the common shell and 
carcass. It consists of (1) a brass fuze-hole screw, a; (2) the fuze-screw, 
b; (3) the percussion pellet and capsule,^; (4) the securing screw-plug, c; 
(5) the outer fuze-case, d; (6) the upper striker, f\ (7) the lower striker, s; 
(8) the copper safety cap, Ji\ (9) the percussion pin, n. 
Fig. 13. Fig. 14. 
(1) The fuze-hole screw is of brass. Its thread fits into that of fuze- 
hole, and it serves to carry and support the other portions of the fuze. 
(2) The fuze screw holds the capsule, p } and is threaded for the screw, c. 
(3) A copper capsule, filled with a pellet of fulminate of mercury and 
having a small hole covered with a disc, fits into the fuze screw. 
(4) The securing screw-plug, c, keeps the capsule with detonating compo¬ 
sition firmly in place. 
(5) The brass case, d, contains the percussion arrangements, and has 
in the base a circular fire-hole. 
(6) The upper striker, /) is a brass cylinder open at both ends, the 
upper surface of which rests against the shoulder of the fire-hole screw, and 
the lower surface on the safety-cap. 
(7) The lower striker, s, is also of brass, and has a spreading base and 
a cylindrical stem, s, the exterior diameter of which is considerably smaller 
than the smallest interior diameter of the upper striker. To the upper end 
is secured the pin, n, the point of which projects through the safety-cap 
above. 
(8) Between the two strikers is the copper safety-cap, h , shown also in 
plan and section in Fig. 14. It prevents the stem of the lower striker 
entering the upper striker and exploding the fuze by means of the pin, n. 
The rim of this safety-cap is split at intervals, so as to allow of eight 
portions being bent at right angles. These bent portions are strong enough, 
under ordinary circumstances, to keep the strikers in their normal position. 
The action is simple enough. On the shock of discharge, the upper 
striker, through its vis inertia , bends down the rim of the safety-cap and 
falls down over the cylinder of the lower striker to the bottom of the fuze, 
leaving the striking pin uncovered. 
On impact, the two strikers are thrown forward together, the needle 
