US2317942A

US2317942A - Irritant gas discharge device

Info

Publication number: US2317942A
Application number: US413704A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sabini Frederick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-10-04
Filing date: 1941-10-04
Publication date: 1943-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 1960-04-27

Description

April 27, 1943.

v F. SABI'N'I IRRITANT @AS DISCHARGE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed ot. 4, 1941 ATTORNY.

April 27, 1943. sABlNp 2,317,942

' IRRITANT GAS DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1941 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' w J E 1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 27, 1943 UNrreo stares OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to hold-up and theft prevention systems suitable for installation in banks, commercial and other establishments for the protection of tellers cages, cashier booths or other locations which are subject to the risk of hold-up and theft; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to protective means operative to discharge an irritant or incapacitating gas, such e. g. as tear gas, into the air in the vicinity of the area desired to be protected.

This invention has for an object to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive device for storing a frangible gas container or bomb in the vicinity desired to be protected; said device including means which is operative, when actuated, to automatically break or shatter the gas container or bomb, and thereupon expel the gas content liberated therefrom into the atmosphere for dispersion therethrough within the zone of the area desired to be protected.

This invention has for another object to provide, in a device for the purposes above mentioned, a spring actuated means for both shattering a gas container or bomb and then expelling, from the container or bomb storage space of the device into the external surrounding atmosphere, the gas liberated by the shattering of the container or bomb, together with electromechanical control means for releasing said spring actuated means.

The invention has for a further object, to provide a spring actuated breaker and gas expulsion means and electro-mechanical control means therefor which can be quickly and easily reset to normal initial condition, whereby the device may be quickly recharged with a replacement gas container or bomb when required.

Other objects ofthis invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from thefollowing detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the irritant gas discharge device according to this invention, and as initially set ready for operation; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, viewed from the left in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view, taken on line 4 4 in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional View, taken on line 6-6 in Fig.4.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view similar to that of Fig. 4, but drawn on an enlarged scale, and showing the operated release of the mechanism for breaking a gas container or bomb and expelling the liberated gas content thereof; this View including a wiring diagram of an electrical control circuit in which the device is connected.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character IU indicates a casing, the lower interior of which provides a storage space or chamber II in which a frangible gas container or bomb I2 (see Fig. 4) may be deposited. The lower end of said casing is closed by a removable bottom plate I3, and the arrangement of the thus closed bottom of the casing is such as to provide gas egress openings I4 adjacent to the bottom thereof. Illustrative of one arrangement whereby said gas egress openings I4 are provided, the casing wall is formed with diametrically opposite'extensions or bottom offsetting tongues I5, and the bottom plate I3 is provided at diametrically opposite points with upstanding attachment wings I6; the latter having'bayonet slots I1 to engage coupling studs I8 which oppositely project from the sides of the casing. When the bottom plate I3 is attached to the casing I0 it will abut the offsetting tongues I5, while at the same time the attachment Wings I6 will be angularly offset relative to said oisettng tongues I5, thus forming intermediate these parts the gas egress openings I4. It will be obvious that the described form and relative arrangement of the casing and vits detachable bottom plate is only one of many possible ways of providing the desired gas egress.

openings, and consequently I do not limit myself thereto, since any construction or arrangement calculated to provide gas egress openings leading outwardly from the lower part of the gas container or bomb storage space or chamber II, would be deemed within the scope of my .invention, so far as such gas egress featureV is concerned.

The upper end of the casing IU is closed by a tcp cover I9 suitably alnxed thereto. Said top cover is provided with a central perforate bearing hub 20, in which is slidably guided a piston rod or stem 2|, the inner end portion of which extends downwardly into the interior of said casing. Afxed to the extremity Vof the .external end portion of said piston rod or stem 2l is a finger piece 22, which may be so formed as to provide a stop-shoulder 23 adapted, on downward movementI of said rod or stem 2l, to abut the bearing hub 2i), and thereby limit downward movement of said rod or stem within the casing interior.

Afllxed to the inner extremity of said piston rod or stem 2| is a piston member 24, which is preferably provided with an upstanding peripheral flange 25, thus providing an upwardly open interior in which is seated the base of a conical spring member 26, the upper end part of which bears against the underside of the casing top cover I9. Aiixed to the lpiston member andnits rod or stem, so as to be centrally located Vfor projection downwardly from the bottom face of said piston member, is an inverted conical striker or breaker member 21. Said piston member 24 is sized to, slidably and conformably, substantially iit the interior of the casing I0, for operative downward movement, under proper conditions, within the 'chamber I I in which Va gas container 'or bomb I2 is deposited.

A detent means is provided for holding the piston member 24 in normal initial uplifted position within the chamber II of the casing, and above the gas container or bomb I2 deposited within the latter, and so that the striker or breaker member 21 is poised above said'gas container or bomb. This .detent means comprises a lever 29, the fulcrum or hinge knuckle 2'9 of which is pivoted by a pin 30 between bearing ears 3l of a. fulcrumed block 32; the latter being suitably affixed to the top cover I9. vlrom the lower arm of said lever u23 extends a latch element V33, which passes through an opening 34 Yin the side wall of the casing I0, so as to vengage beneath the uplifted piston member 24, whereby to retainthe latter in normal initial raised position, `within the casing and abovethegas container or bomb deposited within the chamber I I, and against-the tension ofthecompressed spring member 26 (see Fig. 4). The upper arm of said lever 23 terminates in Aan ,upwardly open bifurcate yoke 35, which is preferably provided with an internal thread element Y36.

Mounted on the cas/ing top Vcover ISL is an electric motor .31, the `armature 4shaft 3 8 o f which terminates in ascrew-threadedlportion 39. Said motor is hingedly supported subject to .up-swinging movement at desired times, and tothis end is carried 'by a 4clamp frame 40 which embraces its 'rearward end portion; said cla'np frame -4'0 being pivotally connected with e hinge bleek nl, whichis suitably affixed to Said'top coverl9. To normally retain the motor against accidental'upswinging movement, its forward endis brought torest upon a pillow-block 4'2,which'is'als"o'af fixed to`the't`op cover I9. vHinged to said pillowblQCk '4:2 is a. felels'able Clamp member 753, 4the free end of which is releasajbly coupled tothe pillow block by 'a 'thumb-screw bolt'4'4, or in any other suitablemanner. y

lVhen thedetent means is disposed in 'its'normal operative'po'sition wherein'tlie latch element 33 is ldisposed to eng'age'and uphold vthe piston member '24, the 'screw-threaded portion 39 ofthe -motor shaft 38 is dropped into the yokeo 35 fs'o as to operatively'engage the thread elements 'of the lattenwhereupon the` motor 31 is secured against upswinging displacement.

Afxed tothe exterior of the casing lil is an electric switch 'element orv circuit breaker`45 having a yieldable push-piece'46 so positioned as to be"'engaged by the latch element 33, whenth'e latter is operatively disposed to engage and uphold the piston member 24. Said -push-piece 46 is inwardly moved by said latch element 33 so as to close the contacts of said switch element or circuit breaker in an electric circuit closing condition.

The electric circuit for controlling operation of the irritant gas discharge device includes wiring 41 leading from a suitable source of electrical energy through said switch element or circuit breaker 45 to one pole of the motor 31, and thence from the other pole of the latter back to said source through the wiring 48. Connected in the electrical circuit thus provided is a normally open manual switch means 49, which may be suitably Vlocated within the area to be protected subject to convenient operation by the person stationed within said area.

in normal circuit closing position, while the .man-

ual switch 49 is=normally open.

r-Ihe device may be suitably supported from `a wall, partition or other lplace of support within v the area desired to be protected, and to 4this end maybe provided with 'any suitable form of supporting or 'carrying bracket 250 to 'which the Icasing I0 is 'ainxed vand vwhich in turn may be mounted upon and affixed to said wall, partition or other .p'laceofsupporlt- In operation, I a 'frangibl'e vgas Acontainer orbemb I2 havingbeen x'deposited1in the chamber 'II of the casing I0, 'and Vthebottom vlplate attached -to the latter, 'and the piston 'member 24 l'havin'g'been raised against 'the 'iteri'sio'n o'f the spring member 25, tand held in suchposition bythe inserted det'ent latch'33, fthernotor 31 is swung clown torenter :the threaded portion-39 of 4its :shaft 38 =into operative engagement with :the threaded yoke 35 of thedetentmeansthus settingthedevice-ready fora-gas dischargeoperation (seelig. 2i). When the device -is -thus set, the-latchelement 33 will depress -the .push-piece 46 of .the circuit breaker 45, thus normally closing the vlatter, while .the manual switch 49 remains open, soa-s -to .normallyrinte'rrupt ilow of electrical current to the motor '31.

In the event 'of attempted hold-up or theft, the threatened 'or other 'person "will 'close 'the manual -switch 49, whereupon 'current 'will 'be immediately delivered through the 'closed circuit breaker 45 to the'motor 31,thus starting operation of the jlatter, s'o'as to revolve'the shaft; 38 and its threadedl portion ed. Turning ofthe threaded 'fipotion -fifa-s eng-aged withthe yoke 5 of 'the K'detent '-m'ans will cause -said yoke 'to travel back 'threuponlanld fwillthereby-fswingthe lever `28 so as to"e`f'e`ct.outwa'rd Withdrawalmov'ementof'th'e latch el'ement`f33. AsI-thellatch delemen't '33 is 'thlisiwithdrawn "from 'its 'upholding engagement with the piston memberf2f4, :fso that the latter is'freed, the thrust of the'sprin'gf'membei' 2B drives said piston member 2-4A downward, whereby the breaker or striker 21 forcibly strikes the frangiblegas container or bomb I2'so a'sfto shatter 4the same, Vand-thus liberate its Sas centent. Upon such collapse 4of the gas ,container or bomb,thelpiston member'24 continues its downward movementand thereby compresses the gas liberated within the. casing chamber -I I so as'to "forcibly Ieiipel the .same through' the 'egress openings I4 Aand into `the 'surrounding `atmosphere in various directions, whereby such surrounding atmosphere is quickly permeated with the gas, with incapacitating effect upon the attacking person or persons. In the course of such operation of the device, as the latch element 33 swings out of the casing, thus releasing the pistonmember 2c, it also moves away from and releases the push-piece 46 of the circuit breaker 45, whereby to so operate the latter as to immediately interrupt the motor circuit, thus stopping the motor 3l after it has released the detent means.

To reset the device in operative condition, the clamp member 43 is released so that the motor and its shaft 38 may be swung upward, to withdraw the screw-threaded portion 39 of the latter from the detent yoke member 35, thereby to release the detent lever 28. Thereupon the piston member 2 may be retracted against the tension of the spring member 26 lto normal initial upliited position, after which the detent lever 28 is swung inward to reengage the latch element 33 in holding relation to the uplifted piston member. When these parts are thus restored to normal initial condition, the motor 31 and its shaft 38 are again swung down to operatively engage the screw-threaded part 39 of the latter with the detent yoke member 35, whereupon the' motor is again secured by the embrace of the clamp member 43. To recharge the chamber I I with a replacement gas container or bomb I2, the bottom plate I3 is detached from the casing I0, said gas container or bomb inserted into the chamber il, and the latter again closed by reattachment of said bottom plate I3, whereupon the device is again ready for use.

It will be understood that various changes could be made in the above described constructions, and that widely dierent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof as deiined in the following claims. It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying `drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Iclaim:

l. For a hold-up and theft prevention systeml or the like, a device for discharging an irritant gas comprising, a casing providing a chamber for holding a frangible gas container, said casing having gas egress means leading from the lower portion of said chamber, spring actuated means operative within said casing chamber adapted upon release to shatter, the gas container, said means including a piston conformable to the cross-sectional area of lsaid chamber and ada-pted on descent to expel the liberated gas through said gas egress means, a detent means for normallygholding said spring actuated means and piston upraised above the gas container deposited within said chamber, electro-mechanical means for releasing said detent means, a normally open electric control cir-cuit serving said release means, said circuit including means to close the same as occasion may require, and said circuit further including a circuit breaker adapted to be normally closed by said detent means when the latter occupies its operative position.

2. For a hold-up and theft preventive system or the like, a device for discharging an irritant gas comprising, a casing providing a chamber for holding a frangible gas container, said casing having gas egress means leading from the lower portion of said chamber, a spring actuated piston means conformable to the cross-sectional area of and sldably mounted within said chamber and operative, when released, to shatter the gas container and by its descent to forcibly expel the liberated gas through said egress means, a plv-- oted vdetent means having a latch element Lto engage -and hold said piston means in raisedposition against the tension of its actu-ating' spring and above the gas container, electro-mechanicalmeans for releasing said 'detent means, and a normally open electric control circuit serving said release means, said circuit including means to-v close the same as occasion may require.

3. For a hold-up and theft prevention system or the like, a device for discharging an irritant.' gas comprising, a casing providing a chamber for holdinga frangible gascontainer, said casing. having gas egress means leading from the lower portion of said chamber, a spring actuated piston means conformable to the cross-sectional area of and slidably mounted within said chamber and operative when released to shatter the gas container and by its descent to forcibly expel the liberated gas through said egress means, a pivoted detent means having a latch element to engage and hold said piston means in raised position against the tension of its actuating spring and above the gas container, electro-mechanical means for releasing said detent means, and a normally open electric control circuit serving said release means, said circuit including means to close the same as occasion may require, and said circuit further including a circuit breaker adapted to be normally cl-osed by the engagement therewith of the detent latch element when the latter operatively eng-ages said piston member.

4. In a device of the kind described as dened in claim 2 wherein, the piston means is provided with a rod slidable through a wall of the casing to project exteriorly of the latter subject to manipulation for setting said piston means in detained initial raised position.

5. In a device of the kind described as dened in claim 2 wherein, the piston means is provided with a rod slidable through a wall of the casing to project exteriorly of the latter subject to manipulation for setting said piston means in detained initial raised position, and wherein said piston means is further provided at its operative face with a projecting striker element for shattering contact with the gas container during operative movement of the piston means.

6. For a hold-up and theft prevention system or the like, a device for discharging an irritant gas comprising, a casing providing a chamber for holding a frangible gas container, said casing having gas egress means leading from said chamber, a spring actuated piston means slidably mounted within said chamber and operative, when released, to shatter the gas container and eXpel the liberated gas through said egress means, said piston means having a rod slidable through a wall of said casing to project exteriorly of the latter subject to manipulation for raising said piston means to normal initial position, a pivoted detent means having at one end a latch element to engage and hold said piston means in raised position against the tension of its actuating spring and above the gas container, said detent means having at its other end a bifurcate yoke, an electric motor the armature shaft of which is provided with a screw-threaded section engageable with said yoke, means to mount said motor subject to movement for removing said screw-threaded section of its shaft from said yoke to permit resetting of said detent means after a motor actuated :releasing movement thereof, and-a normally'open electric :circuitser-ving ,said motor, said circuit including means to close the same as occasion may require.

'7. For a hold-up and theft prevent-ion system or the like, a device for discharging an irritant gas comprising,a casing providing a chamber Ifor holding a frangible gas container, said casing having gas egress means leading from said chamber, a spring actuated piston means slidably mounted Iwithin said chamber and operative, when released, to shatter the gas container and expel the liberated gas through said egressmeans, said piston means .having .a rodslidable through a Wall of said casing to project exteriorly of the latter subject to manipulation for raising said piston means to normal initial position, a pivoted detent means having .at :oneend a latch element to engage and hold .said piston means in raised position against the tension of `its actuating spring .and above the gas container, -said rdetent means having at its .other end a bifurcate yoke, an electric motor `the armature shaft of which is provided with a screw-.threaded section engageable with said yoke, means to mount said motor subject to movement for Iremoving said screw-threaded section of its shaft `from said yoke -to permit resetting of said detent means after a motor actuated releasing movement thereof, a normally open electric circuit serving said motor, said circuit including means kto close the same as occasion may require, and said circuit iurther including .a circuit breaker 'adapted to be normally closed -Icy the engagement .therewith of the detent latch .element when the :latter operatively engages said piston member.

FREDERICK SABINI.