Understanding Dynamo-Technology Switches in Early Weaponry

[mishima]

"dynamo-technology switch"?

From this article:
NBC news article

What is a dynamo-technology switch? Why were they not using another type of switch? Thank you.

 

[mishima]

For those not willing to click the link, a nuclear bomb was dropped in North Carolina in 1961, and this switch failing prevented it from exploding.

 

[nsaspook]

From this article:
NBC news article

What is a dynamo-technology switch? Why were they not using another type of switch? Thank you.

They tried to use a CRM-114 switch but it wouldn't fit.

 

[Averagesupernova]

For those not willing to click the link, a nuclear bomb was dropped in North Carolina in 1961, and this switch failing prevented it from exploding.

Where do you get this? I read the article and it isn't completely clear to me whether the failure of the switch prevented a detonation or if a failure would have caused detonation. My first assumption was that had the switch failed it would have detonated.

 

[mishima]

The actual document the guardian links to on that same page says 3 of 4 switches fired. The idea there was all 4 switches had to trigger in sequence to detonate the warhead. One did not. The other three were "set off by the fall."

I just don't know what a dynamo technology switch is to really know how to interpret things. Like, were the other 3 supposed to be triggered by the fall? If not, then yes it was those 3 switches that failed and not the one.

Anyone ever hear of a dynamo technology switch? Is it like a solenoid or something?

 

[mfb]

The actual document the guardian links to on that same page says 3 of 4 switches fired. The idea there was all 4 switches had to trigger in sequence to detonate the warhead. One did not. The other three were "set off by the fall."

So one switch was operating properly, and the other three were not (unless someone armed them for whatever reason).

I don't know what "dynamo technology" means.

 

[nsaspook]

So one switch was operating properly, and the other three were not (unless someone armed them for whatever reason).

I don't know what "dynamo technology" means.

It's a fancy name for a "motor driven rotary switch". I've no idea what type(s) were actually inside that bomb but these are some common types.
http://www.surplussales.com/switches/SWLedex-1.html

This information is about early locking systems that 'might' have been on some weapons of that era in addition to normal arming. (ESD devices, mechanical locks or a PAL type devices) All modern weapons do have these systems.

https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb/nsam-160/Theater_Control/chap1.pdf
hardware https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb/nsam-160/Theater_Control/chap2.pdf
https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb/nsam-160/Theater_Control/chap3.pdf