US1878487A - Hand grenade, etc. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 20, 1932 E res PATENT POPE-CE;

N w comramnor CLEVELAND, OHIO, aconronarroiv or onro HAND eannann, ETC,

Application filed July 13,

This invention relates to devicesfor the dispersion of irritating gases, tear gases, d15- abling gases, fumes,and the like, and more particularly to hand grenades contalnlng *1 chemicals which devolop or evolve irritating and disabling gases when fired. The invention also relates to the sealing of such devices and grenades.

An object of the invention is to provide a Afurther object is to provide a destructible ia seal for suchdevices, which will be strong y enough mechanically to resist accidental destruction, and still be capable of quick dei in struction and to liberate the gases or fumes when the pressure and temperature in the "20 grenade reaches a desired degree after it has been fired.

A further object is to provide a metallic seal forgrenades, etc., which is not readily corroded by the contents of the devlce, and which is water-proof, moisture-proof, and permanent.

Hand grenades, or similar devices of this type, are frequently used by the police authorities to disperse mobs, capture criminals,and subdue prison'riots, etc., by throwing the grenades into the mob whereupon the grenade goes off and large volumes of disabling gases and fumes are liberated. If the 1 grenade does not go off promptly, it may W335 thrown backtoward the police, and liberate be pickedup by someone in-the mob and thegases later; but if it is provided with a seal such as described herein, the seal is quickly destroyed and the disabling and irritating gases and fumes are discharged promptly among the mob, with the result that persons in the mob are overcome, or the mob dispersed by said gases and fumes.

mitted the admission of moisture to the con- '60' tents of the grenade resulting in the deteri- Heretofore, grenades ofthis type have been 1931. Serial an. $50,567. j

oration of the chemicalsin the charge, andof leakage ofevolved gases.

"One advantage of a seal ofthe type dc scribed herein, consisting of a softlow-melt--' ingmetallic seal, is that the renade may be hermetically sealed, preventing the deterioration of the charge, andyet the seal is sufiiciently soft and fusible" that upon firing the grenade the seal will be quicklydestroyed and the liberated gases'will be promptly discharged,jwhereas with a high melting point metal seal the gases will. not bejpromptly discharged but will be retained in the grenade for some time, suflicient time for the grenade to be picked up. as noted a'bove,and thrown awayby the persons it is intended to subdue orcapture; i

' In the accompanyin ..drawing--. i Fig. 1 is a longitudinal*setionalview of a grenade, withythe fuse showing one type of seal i i Fig. 2 is abroken view of a grenade show ing a difi'erent type of seal, p a

Fig. 3 are sectional and plan views of a disc or filler of soft'fusible metalxzused .in Fig.1;and l Fig. 4 are side and bottom iviews of asoft head in elevation,

ALvA r. sr'nnve, or OHIO, AssIeNon To The taxi. mun ennmcar.

fusible metalband orcoverr whichis used 7 to seal the grenade in Fig-t2. i

s In Fig. l, agrenade body 1 is provided with a'number of holes, vents, or. openings'2 whichare sealed by pressing therein seals consisting ofdiscs or fillers 3. (Fig. 3) ofa soft fusible metal, such as Woods metal, Rose metal, soft'solder, etc., the seals may have a thickness of from0.004 to0.008 inch, or any desired thickness for special services; the edges of the discs or fillers 3 are suitably sol-. dered to the body of the grenade as shown at 4, afterwhich the burr is ground off, showing a smooth wall as at*5 on the right side of Fig. l. The grenade is then filled with the gas generating chemicals, 6, which have been mixed with a suitable: explosive, for example, smokeless-powdemsa starting mixture 7 is thenplac ed upon the chemicals fi, the starting mixture may consist-of any of the well-knowncompositions used for this purpose, for example, smokeless powder and celluloid. After the starting composition 7 has band may have a thickness of from 0.004 "to 1 solidified, the fuse head 8 is screwed into the grenade body, the fuse head being provided with a cotter pin 9to which is attached the ring by which. the pin 9 is withdrawn. 'The fuse head 8'is provided witha match head which is in'close proximity to the startin composition ig. 2 resembles Fig. 1, except thatthe holes 2 are sealed with a sheet of thin metal, "for example, 'a' metal band 11, Fig. 4; the

0.008 inch, and is placed as shown at Ila, and

then soldered at the edges to the body of the grenade as at 12. The grenade is then filled attached.

Any of the" standard mixtures of chemicals .which generate disabling gases may be used. Forexample, a chargeconsisting of about twenty-seven percent of chloracetophenone, and about three percent of magnesium oxide may be used. Qther. disabling gas-generating composition may also be used. a

TWhe'n'it is desired to use the grenade to subdue a mob, etc., the cotter pin 9 is withdrawnby the ring, which releases atrigger (not shown), andthe grenade immediately thrownrthetrigger fires the fuse and match head 10, igniting the starting mixture 7,'which latter. fires the chemical charge 6, generating considerable heat and pressure, and liberating thedisabling gas. The comsheet, said sheet metallically sealed to said portion to provide a hermetically sealed gasproof, and water-proof metallic joint.

4. A grenadecomprising a body portion,

perforationsin said portion, saidperforations covered by a soft fusible metallic band of .VVoods. metal, said--band metallically sealed to said portion to provide a hermetically sealed gas-proof, andwater-proof metallic joint."

In testimony whereof Thereby aflix my signature. v

ALVA F. SPRING.

as described under Fig. 1, and the fuse head i seventypercent of smokeless powder, about bined'heatand pressure will quickly tear oif or melt the soft fusible seals 3 in Fig. 1, and

11 in Fig. 2, exposing the openings 2 which permit the disabling gas'to discharge as jets low melting temperature solder.

Iclaim: I

. 1. A grenade comprising a body portion,

perforations insaid portion, said perforaintended to cover also Rose metal, and very tions metallically sealed by a soft low melting alloy. sealofWoods metal.

A grenade comprising a body, portion, perforations in said portion, and soft fusible metallic fillers of Woods metal in said perforations and hermetically sealed by a metallic joint to said body portion.

3. A grenade comprisinga body portion,

perforationsin said portion, said perfora- 05 tions covered by-an easily fusible metallic V

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