Cutaway model of a Russian TM-62M (Metal) anti tankmine. The mine exists of a thin steel ring shaped body , painted olive. Thefuze used in this mine is the VM-62, a pressure fuze. When unarmed, the firingpin mechanism with attached firing cap are rotated in a horizontal position, sothe mine is unable to function. The firing pin mechanism exists of a upper (A)and lower (B) housing which telescope in one another. They are fixed inposition by two shear pins (C). The upper housing contains the firing pin (D), held in itsupper spring (E) tensioned position by two balls (F). These two balls areplaced in the lower fuze body. When the upper and lower body are pushed in oneanother, the balls fall into a groove in the upper body , enabeling the balls tomove outward and release the firing pin. The lower housing also houses thefiring cap (G). The firing pin mechanism is held in horizontal position by a camwheel (H) that is connectedto a gearbox (J) with a clock spring (K) that slowly rotates the camwheel. Thecamwheel has a slot (L) in which the firing pin mechanism fits, allowing thefiring pin mechanism to rotate in the vertical position if it falls in the slotof the camwheel. After the mine is laid, the button (M) on top of the fuze ispressed, after which the camwheel is released and slowly starts rotating. Thisgives a 60 to 70 seconds delay so no accidents can happen during covering ofthe mine.
If a tank or heavy vehicle drives over the bakelitepressure plate (N) of the mine it will push it down and compress the firing pinmechanism between the aluminium plate (O) inside the bakelite pressure plateand the primary booster charge (P), up till the moment the two shear pins (C)are sheared off. The upper firing pin housing moves further down, releasing thetwo balls that lock up the firing pin. The firing pin moves down into thefiring cap (G) which ignites the primary booster (P), the main booster charge and the mine.
The mine can be defuzed again by removing the black rubber cap (R ) ontop of the fuze under which a keyhole is placed. By placing the key androtating this clockwise the camwheel is rotated backward, rotating the firingpin mechanism from vertical to horizontal again, disarming the mine. Thishowever is allowed only for an undamaged fuze.
The mines can be laid manually or automatically from a mine laying machineincluding the PMR-1, PMR-2 wheeled towed mine layers, the GMZ tracked minelaying vehicle and the VMR-2 helicopter mine laying system.In a static test,the TM-62M proved capable of penetrating the hull of a Centurion tank
Data for the Tm-62M anti tank mine :
Diameter : 314 mm
Height with / without fuze : 115 / 80 mm
Weight of the mine : 9,5 kg
Weight of the explosive charge : 7 kg of TNT
Operation pressure : between 150 and 550 Kg
As the mine contains large amounts of metal it caneasily be found with a metal detector.
Regards,DJH
