Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41H—ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL
  • F41H9/00—Equipment for attack or defence by spreading flame, gas or smoke or leurres; Chemical warfare equipment
  • F41H9/10—Hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellant gases or chemicals

Definitions

• This invention relates to a less than lethal weapons system, and particularly to the use of forward firing incapacitants with firearms.
• an officer may carry a gun, he may only use reasonable force. Reasonable force does not always include shooting the assailant. Further more, in the case where an officer points a gun at an assailant, and threatens to shoot he only has three options, those being to shoot to kill, to shoot to injure or to retreat. If he cannot do any of these he is faced with the prospect of carrying a live weapon, securable only with a safety catch, which he cannot use.
• an armed officer is disadvan- taged because he cannot allow the assailant to take possession of the gun, but he cannot use it, so he is faced with the prospect of wrestling with the assailant whilst carrying a live weapon possession of which he must retain.
• Incapacitants such as CS, CR, CN, OC gas, and other similar prod ⁇ ucts are known, and are used for policing and military purposes in some countries. These products are often used in riot control, but are also used by individual officers to incapacitate individual assailants or small groups thereof. When incapacitants are used in this manner, they are contained in small aerosol canisters which can be attached to a belt or an item of clothing. When the officer needs to use the incapacitant, he simply takes hold of the aerosol and sprays the incapacitant in the direction of the as ⁇ sailant. This type of equipment works well for the unarmed officer. How- ever, for the armed officer and in particular the armed officer who has already drawn his weapon, using such an aerosol presents problems.
• the armed officer In order to use the aerosol, the armed officer must make safe and put down his gun. Then he must take the aerosol from its holder. This procedure necessitates that the officer either retreat from the assailant to allow himself time to put down his weapon and take hold of the aerosol, or put down his weapon and take hold of the aerosol in close proximity to the assailant. Both of these options present problems.
• the first option pro ⁇ vides the assailant with an opportunity to escape, whilst the second pro ⁇ vides him with an opportunity to attack the officer. - 3 -
• One embodiment of the invention provides such a device.
• An embodiment of the invention provides such a device.
• Incapacitants are commonly available in aerosol canisters, the di- mensions of which vary. It would be desirable to be able to use canisters of different dimensions. Summary of the Invention
• the invention provides a less than lethal weapons system compris ⁇ ing a gun having a barrel through which a projectile may be propelled, and means for selectively ejecting a stream of fluid in a direction substan ⁇ tially parallel to the axis of the barrel.
• the invention provides a means for selectively ejecting a stream of fluid which means is releasably attachable to a gun.
• the means for selectively ejecting a stream of fluid may be formed as an integral part of the gun.
• the means for selectively ejecting fluid is aligned with the sights of the gun to which it is attached, so that fluid is ejected to ⁇ wards the point of aim of the gun.
• the means for selectively ejecting fluid and a fluid sup- ply comprise a pressurized vessel and a valve, which may be in the form of a pressurized canister such as an aerosol canister.
• the aerosol canister may comprise a bag containing the fluid to be ejected, which bag is sealed around a valve an pickup tube, the bag being mounted within a canister and the remaining space in the canister being filled with a propellant which acts on the bag to eject fluid out of the tube.
• the means for selectively ejecting fluid comprises a pump and the fluid supply comprises a reservoir, such as a bag or a tank.
• the bag or tank may be remote from the means for selectively ejecting fluid.
• a nozzle through which fluid is ejected.
• the nozzle may be interchangeable or adjustable, and may be selected or adjusted to produce a spray pattern suitable for the circumstances in which the weapon is to be used.
• the weapon can produce a spray pattern having a diameter between 0.001m to 5m, and more pref ⁇ erably, the spray pattern is sufficiently large to cover the head and shoul ⁇ ders of the person targeted.
• the spray may range from a narrow jet of fluid to a mist of fluid.
• the nozzle may be adjusted or selected to eject the fluid within a range of 0 to 5m from the nozzle.
• the nozzle suitably pro ⁇ vides for the direction of fluid passing therethrough to be changed.
• the means for selectively ejecting a stream of fluid may comprise a trigger mechanism, which is suitably provided with a safety catch.
• the gun be a pistol, a rifle, or a shotgun.
• the pistol, rifle or shotgun may be automatic or semi-automatic weapons.
• the invention provides an attachment for a gun, comprising a hous ⁇ ing in which a fluid containing pressurized canister is mounted, the outlet of the canister co-operating with a nozzle to release fluid from the said canister.
• a trigger mechanism may be provided to control the release of fluid from the canister.
• One embodiment of the invention provides a fluid ejection means for selectively ejecting a stream of fluid comprising a mounting means suit ⁇ able for mounting a pressurized vessel, such as an aerosol canister to a gun.
• the fluid ejection means is releasably attachable to the gun.
• the pressurized vessel may be mounted in or be an integral part of the fluid ejection means.
• the longitudinal axis of the pressurized vessel is at an angle of between 0 and 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the said gun.
• the longitudinal axis of the pressurized vessel is at an angle of 75 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the said gun.
• the pressurized vessel may be removably inserted into the mount ⁇ ing means.
• a nozzle may be provided to co-operate with the outlet of the pressurized vessel so that moving the nozzle towards the vessel depresses the outlet thereof causing release of the contents of the vessel.
• the outlet of the pressurized vessel has fluid releasing and retaining positions with means of biasing, e.g. a spring, the said out ⁇ let to the retaining position being provided.
• the nozzle may be biased away from the outlet of the pressurized vessel, for example by means of a spring.
• a trigger mechanism comprising a lever which when depressed pushes the nozzle against the outlet of the pressur ⁇ ized vessel to release the contents thereof.
• the lever With the nozzle being biased away from the outlet of the pressurized vessel, either by the outlet or a separate biasing means, the lever is pushed to its rest position when the lever is released. Pressure on the lever may be exerted by a user's thumb or one of his fingers.
• the mounting means comprises a housing.
• the housing may replace, or be attached to the fore-end of a gun.
• the housing is preferably releasably attachable to the gun.
• the housing may be pro ⁇ vided with a connector adapted to slide into a rail provided on the fore-end of the gun for releasable attachment of the housing to the gun.
• At least one pin may be used to hold the housing in place on the gun.
• One end of the housing may be adapted to slide into a part of the gun.
• the housing comprises means to retain the ends of a pressurized canister, which means may constrain lateral and longitudinal movement of the canister.
• At least one of the means may be a slidably removable spacer, which is insertable between an end of the canister and a part of the housing, where upon removal of the spacer the said canister is released to allow removal thereof and replacement with a fresh canister.
• a spring between the part of the housing with which the spacer co ⁇ operates and the spacer there is provided a spring. The spring biases the canister towards the means to retain the other end of the canister thereby preventing longitudinal movement of the canister within the housing.
• the spacer may be provided with a protrusion which co-operates with the side of the canister to prevent lateral movement thereof. Providing a selection of sizes of spacer enables canisters of different sizes to be used.
• one end of the housing is threaded and the canister is held in the housing by means of a screw cap.
• a canister when a canister is in the housing, turning the screw cap moves the canister either towards or away from the nozzle and trigger mecha ⁇ nism.
• the provision of a screw cap allows canisters of differ ⁇ ent dimensions to be held in the housing.
• the screw cap may be provided with a convex surface.
• Most aerosol canisters have a concave base. In use, the convex surface co-operates with the concave base of the aerosol canister to ensure that the canister is held in the correct position in the housing.
• a nozzle may be slidably mounted at the end of the housing closest to the breach, a part of the nozzle preferably passing through an aperture in the housing.
• the range of movement of the nozzle may be limited.
• a part of the housing defines a cylinder, in which the nozzle moves.
• the nozzle may be provided with an enlarged portion the dimensions of which enable the enlarged portion of the nozzle to slide on the inner sur ⁇ faces of the said cylinder.
• the housing preferably comprises a trigger mechanism which may comprise a lever pivotally mounted on the housing. One end of the lever may be provided a member which acts on the nozzle, so that when the other end of the lever is pushed or pulled, preferably pushed, the nozzle is forced towards the canister, depressing the outlet thereof releasing the fluid contained therein.
• the lever of the trigger mechanism may be mounted on either or both sides of the housing. Alternatively, lever of the trigger mechanism may be mounted substantially towards the centre of the housing.
• forward movement of the nozzle is limited by the trigger mechanism, and rearward movement of the nozzle is limited by a protru ⁇ sion extending inwardly from the inner surface of the cylinder.
• the protrusion may be a clip located in a groove in the inner surface of the cylinder.
• a spring is preferably located between the nozzle and the said protrusion.
• the spring may be a coil spring.
• the safety catch may lock the lever of the trig ⁇ ger mechanism.
• the safety catch may lock the nozzle, pre ⁇ venting movement thereof when the lever is pressed.
• Means to move the safety catch between a safe position, where the release of the contents of the canister is prevented, and an unsafe position, where the release of the contents of the canister is permitted may be mounted on either or both sides of the housing.
• a light unit may be provided and is preferably mounted on the housing.
• the light unit is aligned with the sights of the gun.
• the fluid may be an incapacitant such as incapacitants known in the art as CS, CN, CR or OC gas.
• the fluid may contain a marker, such as a dye.
• the fluid may be harmless, which is preferably used for the pur ⁇ poses of training users of guns equipped with a device according to the invention.
• the invention provides a particularly advantageous solution to the increased level of violence faced by law enforcers. By providing a weap ⁇ ons system having a less than lethal capability, the marksman using a weapon according to the invention is provided with a less than lethal op ⁇ tion for establishing control over an assailant.
• the personal risk faced by a law enforcer using a weapon according to the invention is considerably reduced. This is because there is no need to wrestle with the assailant if shooting him is not considered a suitable option.
• the first effect is that the law enforcer does not face a physical battle in which the assailant may produce a knife.
• the second is that the law enforcer does not need to worry about the as ⁇ sailant taking control of the weapon, because the assailant is kept at a distance.
• the benefit of these advantages is multiplied where the assail ⁇ ant is physically more powerful than the law enforcer.
• the number of law enforcers who are killed or injured in the course of their duties will be sig ⁇ nificantly reduced by the introduction of this invention.
• Figure 1 shows a semi-automatic rifle provided with a fluid ejection means according to the invention in use
• Figure 2 shows a semi-automatic rifle provided with a fluid ejection means according to the invention
• Figure 3 is a front view of a housing comprising a fluid ejection means according to the invention
• Figure 4 is a sectional view along line A-A, of the device shown in Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a side view of a housing comprising a fluid ejection means according to the invention.
• Figure 6 shows a hand gun provided with a fluid ejection means according to the invention in use
• Figure 7 illustrates an aerosol canister for use with a fluid ejection means of the invention
• Figure 8 is a cross-section of a fluid ejection means according to the invention
• Figure 9 is an exploded view of the components of the fluid ejection means shown in Figure 8;
• Figure 10 is a schematic representation of a rifle and the fluid ejec ⁇ tion means shown in Figures 8 and 9. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
• FIGs 1 and 2 illustrate a semi-automatic weapon 2, to which there is attached a housing 3 comprising a nozzle 4 through which a jet of fluid may be ejected, the ejection thereof being controllable by trigger 6.
• the weapon 2 is held in a firing position by a marksman 1.
• a housing generally indicated at 9.
• the housing 9 may be made from any suitable metal or plastics ma ⁇ terial, and is formed in a casting process.
• Housing 9 is adapted to replace the fore-end of the gun to which it is to be attached.
• the base portion 12 thereof is adapted to slidably engage a protruding part of the gun to which the housing is to be attached.
• Lip 11 is provided to limit vertical move ⁇ ment of the housing 9 when fitted to the gun.
• Housing 9 is locked in place by a pin which passes through aperture 10 and locates in a corresponding aperture in the gun to which the housing is attached. The upper part of the housing fits around the barrel of the gun.
• Housing 9 is provided at its front end with cylinder 13, the rear corners 14 of which are chamfered.
• a groove is provided on the inner sur ⁇ face of cylinder 13.
• a circular spring clip is releasable retained in the said groove.
• the clip 15 together with the inner surface of cylinder 13 to the rear of clip 15 form a first means to retain aerosol canister 19.
• Aerosol canister 19 is a standard aerosol canister, which is well known in the art and is therefore not described in detail. Housing 9 can accommodate dif ⁇ ferent sizes of canister.
• Canister 19 is held in place by spacer 17, which is provided with a lip which co-operates with the side of canister 19 to prevent lateral move- ment thereof, and is biased towards the base of canister 19 by spring 18 which is mounted on and acts against wall 8 of housing 9. Alignment of canister 19 within housing 9 is assured by protrusion 16 upon which can ⁇ ister 19 rests.
• a spacer 17 of a different size may be used.
• the base of cylinder 13 is provided with an aperture 23, in which nozzle 24 is slidably mounted. An enlarged portion 25 of nozzle 24 slides within cylinder 13.
• Aperture 26 runs through nozzle 24. The diameter of aperture 26 varies along its length.
• the rearmost end of aperture 26 is adapted to receive outlet 21 of aerosol 19, chamfering enabling easy inser- tion of outlet 21 into aperture 26.
• a coil spring 22 is mounted between the front most surface of clip 15, and the rearmost surface of enlarged portion 25 of nozzle 24. The function of spring 22 is to bias nozzle 24 away from outlet 21.
• the trigger mechanism comprises a pivot member 26 mounted for- wardly of enlarged portion 25 of nozzle 24 on removable side plates 39. Firing pins 27 extend downwardly from pivot member 26 on either side of nozzle 24 and within cylinder 13. Trigger lever 28 is mounted on the right- hand end of pivot member 26. As can be seen from Figure 5, the end of pivot member 26 is diamond shaped, so that movement of trigger lever 28 causes pivoting of pivot member 26 about its own axis. This in turn causes firing pins 27 to push against the forward surface of enlarged portion 25 of - 13 - nozzle 25, thereby pushing nozzle 24 rearwardly. This in turn pushes out ⁇ let 21 into canister 19, which releases pressurized fluid therefrom. Screw 29 co-operates with an aperture in vertical member 32 which extends from pivot member 26.
• Trigger lever 28 is provided with an aperture adapted to receive vertical member 32.
• the left-hand end of pivot member 26 is pro ⁇ vided with a head 30 and is held in place by a clip 31.
• the trigger mecha ⁇ nism can be adapted for left-handed use by removing screw 29. This allows trigger lever 28 to be slid off pivot member 26. After removal of the nozzle 24 pivot member 26 can be removed by removing side plates 39. These parts can then be reassembled with the trigger lever on the left- hand side of the housing 9.
• Safety catch is arranged to lock the nozzle in place.
• Safety catch 34 comprises a slidable shaft 35, each end of which is releasably attachable to a plate 34 provided with extension 33, and slidable within chambers 40. In the safe position shaft 35 co-operates with an indent in nozzle 24, thereby preventing movement thereof. As is illustrated in Figure 3, slidable shaft 35 has a portion 36 of reduced thickness. Pressing on extension 33 moves shaft 35 side ways, moving portion 36 of shaft 35 to a position beneath nozzle 24, and essentially centred on the centre line of nozzle 24. This per- mits nozzle 24 to move when actuated by the trigger mechanism.
• a spring means may be provided in chamber 40 to bias plate 34 outwardly, and hence shaft 35 into a position where it co-operates with the indent in noz ⁇ zle 24 to prevent movement thereof.
• the provision of plates 34 at both ends of shaft 35 enables the safety catch to be operated by right or left- handed users.
• Figure 5 shows housing 9 equipped with a tactical light unit 38, which may be aligned with the sights of the gun to which housing 9 is to be mounted.
• the pin To replace an aerosol canister 19, the pin must be removed from aperture 10, thereby allowing housing 9 to be pulled away from the rest of the gun. Spacer 17 is then removed which allows canister 19 to be moved rearwardly and removed from housing 9. A fresh canister 19 is then in ⁇ stalled, first moving the outlet end thereof into co-operation with the inner surfaces of cylinder 13, and rear surface of clip 15. Spacer 17 is then in- serted between spring 18 and the base of canister 19. Housing 9 is then re-attached to the gun by means of lip 11, end portion 12 and the pin which co-operates with aperture 10 in housing 9 and the gun.
• a canister 41 comprising a can 42 having a collar 48, a base 49, and a bag 43 having a tube 45 therein, one end of the tube being connected to a valve assembly 44 to which is connected an outlet 47.
• a cap 46 Around valve assembly 44 there is fitted a cap 46.
• Bag 43 contains a fluid 50 to be ejected through outlet 47.
• the bag 43 is inserted into can 42.
• a propellant fills the space between the bag 43 and the can 42.
• Cap 46 fits into the collar 48 of the can 42 to pro ⁇ vide a sealed aerosol canister. This type of aerosol canister is available from IDC Systems AG of Switzerland.
• the aerosol canister shown in Figure 7 is particularly useful be- cause the canister need not be held upright to ensure ejection of the fluid
• Figures 8 to 10 show a fluid ejection means 60 comprising a mount ⁇ ing means in the form of a housing 61 to mount a pressurized canister 74 to a rifle 83.
• the housing 61 mounts a trigger 64 which is pivotally at ⁇ tached to the housing by means of a pin 63 which passes through holes 76 and 80 in the trigger and housing respectively.
• Trigger 64 has a portion 65 which is shaped to accommodate a finger.
• the longitudinal axis of the canister 74 i.e. the axis extending from the nozzle to the base of the canis- ter, is at an angle of approximately 15 degrees to the vertical. Such an angle is sufficiently close to the vertical to permit the contents of most aerosol canisters to be ejected properly.
• Housing 61 also comprises a trigger guard 66 and an elongate con ⁇ nector 62 which is so shaped and dimension as to fit into or on to a rail forming part of the fore-end of a gun.
• a canister 74 fits into the body of hous ⁇ ing 61 and is held in position by threaded cap 69, the said threads engag ⁇ ing with threads 68 of housing 61.
• the canister By twisting cap 69, the canister can be raised or lowered, and furthermore, different sizes of canister can be used.
• Nozzle 71 passes through a space, which may be an aperture, in trigger 64. A lip 77 around the base of nozzle 71 prevents the nozzle from being pushed through the said space.
• Nozzle 71 may be secured in the trigger 64, and may be releasably secured therein.
• nozzle 71 comprises an outlet aper ⁇ ture the diameter of which increases to form a cavity 78 having faces 81 and 82.
• the domed end 70 of cap 69 pushes the canister 74 upwards such that the upper rim of outlet 75 engages with the faces 81 and 82 of cavity 78.
• the trigger 64 pivots about pin 63 moving the nozzle towards the canister 74 which causes the faces 81 and 82 to push the outlet 75 into the canister 74 thereby releasing fluid through cavity 78 and aperture 73.
• Outlet 75 is biased to a fluid retaining position.
• the canisters of most commonly available aerosol incapacitants have concave bases.
• the domed end 70 of cap 69 also co-operates with the concave base of the canister held in housing 61 to ensure that the canister is held substantially centrally therein.
• the domed shape of cap 69 and the provision of threads 68 enables different shapes of canister to be used in the same fluid ejection means 60.
• a safety catch 67 passes through an aperture 79 in the housing 61.
• the safety catch 67 may have a cut away portion and may be rotatable, so that when rotated to a firing position the trigger 64 can move into the space provided by the cut-away portion, but when in a safe position the surface of the safety catch prevents movement of the trigger 64.
• Figure 10 shows a rifle 83 having a fore-grip 84 with a rail 85. Fluid ejection means 60 slides onto rail 85 of the fore-grip 85 of the rifle 83.
• the fluid ejection means 60 shown in Figures 8 to 10 can be sold separately from the rifle 83, thereby allowing the weapon to be updated rather than replaced.
• the fluid ejection means 60 may also be attached to a pistol.
• the fluid ejection means may also be used separately when not attached to a gun, as a hand held device for delivering an incapacitant.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)
• Nozzles (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)

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Publications (2)

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ID=10792392

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• 1996
  • 1996-04-19 GB GBGB9608205.2A patent/GB9608205D0/en active Pending
• 1997
  • 1997-04-21 DE DE69706291T patent/DE69706291T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1997-04-21 WO PCT/GB1997/001094 patent/WO1997040332A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1997-04-21 CA CA002286316A patent/CA2286316C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1997-04-21 EP EP97919505A patent/EP0890073B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-04-21 DK DK97919505T patent/DK0890073T3/da active
  • 1997-04-21 AU AU23949/97A patent/AU724350B2/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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