GB529589A - Improved firing device for hand grenades - Google Patents

Abstract

529,589. Hand grenades. ABTER, A. May 18, 1939, No. 14888. Convention date, May 19, 1938. [Class 9 (i)] The casing 6 of the fuze of a hand grenade of the kind having a firing pin or pins adapted to engage a percussion cap or caps to ignite a delay fuze, as well as other parts of the firing mechanism in proximity to the firing pin, are made of non- oxidizable and preferably thermo. plastic substance or substances and the mechanism and delay fuze 28 are isolated from the atmosphere by means of discs 8 27 of non-oxidizing materials The firing pins comprise a spring 16, Fig. 3, hinged about a pin 14 Fig. 2, depending from a back plate 13 within the casing 6 and loops 17, 18 in the arms carrying the firing points 19, 20 are held in inoperative position by a pin 12 passing through and clamped tc an upper sealing disc 8 by means of a collar 10 and nut 11. The disc is of a flexible non-metallic material such as fibre. A central bore 23 in the stem of the casing 6 houses the fuze cord 28 having an inflammable head 29 at one end and the primer 30 of the detonator 26 at the other end. A sealing disc 27 of tinfoil separates the members 26 and 30. The firing mechanism 5 is housed in the lower part of the grenade handle 2 which may also be of non-metallic material, and a projection 9 of the pin 12 is connected by a cord 31 to a porcelain ball 32 resting on a shoulder 33 at the upper part of the handle. On unscrewing the cover 34 and pulling the ball 32, the sealing disc 8 is ruptured and the pin 12 withdrawn to release the firing pins.