US2667123A - Safety release device for mechanisms - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 26, 1954 R. B. GIORGI' SAFETY RELEASE DEVICE FOR MECHANISMS Filed April 1o,- 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l U .l m M M W m p 4 2 6o 0 HMWM 20w MIN-WW w g a H mm a: v N n L 2 Jan. 26, 1954 GIORG] 2,567,123

SAFETY RELEASE DEVICE FOR MECHANISMS Filed April 10, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 26, 1954 R. B. GIORGI SAFETY RELEASE DEVICE FOR MECHANISMS Filed April 10, 1951 3 Sheefs-Sheet :5

r VIIIIYIIYIIIIIQIIIIII Patented Jan. 26, P1954 SAFETY RELEASE DEVICE FOR MECHANISMS Rodolfo B. Giorgi, Ernesto Klein, Federico Unkel, and Alberto J. Giorgi, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application April 10, 1951, Serial No. 220,242

11 Claims. (01. 10265.d)

The present invention which is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 20,948 filed April 14, 1948, relates to release and safety devices for mechanisms.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a safety release device for mechanisms including time delay means, whereby under normal circumstances the mechanism may be held securely in inoperative position, and when desired, said device may be actuated to bring the mechanism into a set position after a predetermined time interval, whereby said mechanism may thereafter be instantaneously caused to become operative.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device or" the type described which shall comprise a mechanical retaining means for an operative member and loosely coupled thereto, the assembly when not otherwise blocked being responsive to shocks to instantaneously release said member, and having associated therewith mechanical time delay means arranged to counteract the shock responsiveness of said detaining means, and means for normally locking said time delay means in counteracting position.

The novel safety release device of the present invention may be applied to a variety of mechanisms where a trigger action release of an operative member is desired to take place in certain eventualities in response to shock-like disturbances, as for instance in burglar alarms, but since the novel release device is particularly suitable for fire-arms, and especially for firearms of the hand grenade type, said device will hereinafter be more particularly described as ap plied to hand grenades, but it is not intended thereby to limit the usefulness or applicability of the safety release device, since, as will be clear to those skilled in the art, it may readily be applied to other mechanisms.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent in the course of the following detailed description of certain. preferred embodiments thereof illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a handled type of hand grenade incorporating the safety release device of the present invention, showing the release device in the locked position.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the grenade of Fig. 1 showing the release device in fully released position.

Fig. 3 is a detail view partly in section, of the shock responsive coupling means.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a handleless hand grenade provided with the safety release device of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the grenade of Fig. A

Fig. 6 is a vertical section along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the grenade of Fig. 4., showing the release device in fully retracted position, and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section showing the safety release device applied to yet another type of hand grenade.

Considering first Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be observed that the grenade therein shown is of the type comprising a head casing i having at one end an end closure 2 and at the other end a handle 3, whereby to grasp the weapon so as to facilitate throwing same. Inside the head casing are partition means dividing the head casing into a charge chamber 35 and a firing chamber, said partition means consisting of a tubular housing 5 extending inwardly of the head i and suitably secured to the end closure 2, which tubular housing 5 also projects slightly beyond the end closure on the outside thereof to receive a primer or detonator 26 conveniently held in position as by a screw cap 21. Said tubular housing 5 extends to the neighborhood of the closed bottom 2a of the head i, where said housing meets and is connected, as by screwing, to a tubular casing or cylinder i, which extends through hole 21) in said bottom 2a, into the handle 3, which is made hollow for this purpose. At a point of said tubular casing i lying within the thickness of the bottom 2a of head i, a circumferential constriction I3 is provided concave on the outside of the casing l, to receive the inturned end I ia of a cylindrical projection i i of relatively small diameter extending axially from a thimble 6 of relatively large diameter, between which thimble and the projection is there is an annular shoulder Mb, between which and the outer face of the bottom 2a a packing (it may be provided. It is to be understood that the tubular casing i is fixedly'secured, as by press fitting, welding, or screwing, to the bottom 264, so that, owing to the presence of the constriction l3a, said casing will hold the thimble E5 in position. The thimble 8 has a lateral hole to for a purpose to be presently described.

The tubular casing 4 extends slidably through an elongatedbushing 3! provided in the end of handle 3 adjacent the head i, and projects 3 therebeyond into a chamber #311. of diameter greater than of said bushing, the chamber 3a being closed at its end remote from the head I, as by a plug 20 inserted into the axial bore of the handle 3.

Near but not at the extremity of the casing 4 lying within the chamber 3a, a plunger ring it is provided which is in sliding engagement with the inner cylindrical surface 322 defining the chamber 3a, and is consequently adapted to be engaged and stopped by the annular shoulder 32 formed between the bushing 31 and the surface 312 which is of greater diameter as already indicated, when relative movement occurs between the plunger ring and the handle as will hereinafter be explained. The extremity of the tubular casing t which lies within the chamber 3a is closed by a cover member I? suitably secured thereto as by screwing, and provided with lateral perforations [9, whereby restricted communication is established between the interior of the cylinder or casing 4 here shown as the interior room a, and the circumambient medium, which in this embodiment is represented by a lower portion b of the chamber 3a.

Returning now to the tubular housing 5, it will be observed that it is provided with a wall on floor 5a defining in the firing chamber a primer chamber in which detonator 25 is located and serving as a seat for one end of a compression spring 25 the other end of which abuts against a head 24 of an actuating member, here shown as a firing pin 23, including a stem 23a the end of which remote from head 24 has a peripheral groove 35, said head being located on the same side of the floor or wall 5a as said primer or detonator 26, and said stem passing freely through said wall or fioor 5a.

In the normal or safety position of the parts. said firing pin is adapted to be retained in retracted position, in which the grooved end thereof extends beyond the fioor 5a through a perforation 5?), by releasable means comprising a generally circular resilient member 31, as seen also in Fig. 3, which is adapted for radial compression and expansion. In the expanded con dition of resilient member 31, it defines an aperture which will readily allow the grooved end of pin 23 to pass therethrough, so that normally said resilient member is held in radially compressed condition by a retaining cap 2| having an end recess 22 adapted to receive the grooved end of pin 23 and said resilient member 31. The mouth of the recess 22 is so formed that when said retaining cap is in position, the frictional engagement and the spring pressure of the resilient member 37, with respect both to said retaining cap 2| and the grooved end of pin 23, is just sufiicient to retain said retaining cap 2| in position over said resilient member, unless subjected to a disassembling or releasing force of a desired and predetermined intensity, say of the order of 100 grams. Hence, even with the retaining cap [freely suspended as just described, from the grooved end of the firing pin 23, the grenade will not be exploded until the requisite releasing force or shock is applied, because the firing pin 23 will be held in retracted position as regards the detonator 26 which will therefore not detonate any charge provided within interior or charge chamber 35 of the head I. It should be noted that the releasing force may be applied to the retaining cap 2 I in any direction.

For normal handling, storage and the like, of the grenade, said retaining cap 2| is adapted to- 4 be held positively and securely in retaining position by a retractable time delay means, which in turn is adapted to be held locked in inoperative position.

The time delay means comprises a plunger means l6 slidably located in tubular casing 4, between the constriction l3 and the cover ll thereof, the tubular casing 4 acting as a cylinder for said plunger. Said plunger it has secured to it, as by a screw Iii, a hollow elongated sustaining member [0 having, at a point intermediate its ends, an external annular flange l2, between which and the convex side of the constriction l3 a compression spring H is provided whereby said sustaining member and the plunger secured thereto are urged towards the perforate end, in this embodiment the end cover ll, of the tubular casing or cylinder 4.

The end of the sustaining member remote from the plunger I6 is closed and has an axial hole 8a of smaller diameter than the axial bore 3?) of said hollow sustaining member 8, through which hole 8a projects coaxially with the sustaining member the shank of a delaying member such as the pin 9, telescopically associated with the sustaining member, and having a head to located within the bore 8b, so that the delaying pin cannot be withdrawn from the sustaining member from the closed end of the latter. The delaying pin is urged to fully projecting position towards said cap member 2! by a compression spring l5 located in the bore 82) of the sustaining member 8, one end of said spring abutting against the head 9a and the other end thereof abutting against the plunger E6, or, as shown against a stop associated therewith, for example the inner end of screw I 9. The plunger I6 is normally held in retracted position as regards the end cover I? by a filling C' of a fiowable material, such as a fluid, semi-liquid granular or pulverulent substance, preferably a substance of substantiallyconstant viscosity under all conditions likely to be met in practice. Preferably such substance is a silicone, which has been found to give highly satisfactory results. How this substance operates will be hereinafter explained.

The handle which, by reason of the bushing 3 l is slidably mounted on the tubular casing 4, is adapted to be normally locked in safety position by suitable locking means, which while they form an essential component of the safety release device of the present invention, will vary in design in accordance with the requirements of the particular type of-mechanism. to which said safety release mechanism is to be applied. Examples of some of the variations will be given hereinbelow, but in connection with the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the locking means conveniently takes the form of a push button 28 which is hollow and open at one end, and around which there is an external fiange 28a, adapted to be held normally in abutting engagement with a lip 1a defining a hole 712 in the side wall of a ferrule 1 fitted over the end of the handle nearer to the head I and permanently secured to said end, as by being spun over at the open end of the ferrule as indicated at ic. The hole lb of ferrule l registers with a recess or perforation 29 extending laterally into the ferruled end of the handle 3 and providing a chamber in which a spring 30 is housed to hold said button 23 in said abutting relationship.

In the locked, safety position of the parts, the push button 28 is adapted to project through the lateral hole 6a of thimble 6, thereby holding the handle 3 in close-up, contracted relationship to the head I In this position of the handle 3, the free closed end of the sustaining member 8 is firmly held in engagement with the retaining member 2!, against the action of spring H by reason of the fact that the room a defined between the plunger i5 and the end cover I! is filled with said fiowable material C which is prevented by check means from escaping through the perforate end of the cylinder or casing 4, that is to say, in this embodiment, through the holes 59. As shown in the drawings, in this embodiment the check means consists in that the portion b of the chamber 3a lying between the plunger ring 18 and the plug and surrounding the end cover l? is likewise filled with the same kind of material, as indicated at C.

It will be recalled that the handle 3 is slidable on the tubular housing 4%, to be retracted from the head i to an extent determined by the position on the tubular housing, of the plunger ring l8. Hence, in the contracted position of the handle there will be a free space between the shoulder 32 of chamber 3a and said plunger ring to permit retracting movement of the handle when unlocked, whereby the portion b of chamber 3a will gain in volume at the expense of the annular space between said plunger ring and shoulder 32, to thereby permit the material C contained in the room a to escape through the holes 19 into portion b, under the thrust communicated to plunger it by the spring H, which, in the unlocked position of the parts, will be free to expand.

l/Vhile the parts are still in locked position, the pin 9 will have its free end in engagement with the retaining member 2!, which, to this end, is conveniently recessed as indicated at Zia, and the arrangement of the parts is such that, in said locked position thereof, the pin 9 is pushed back somewhat into the bore 8b, so that the spring i5 is compressed.

Thus it will be understood that in the locked position of the parts as illustrated in Fig. 1, the firing pin 23 is positively held in retracted position with respect to detonator 2t, and cannot be released even by shock, until the retaining member is at least free to drop oii the grooved end or" said firing pin.

To free said retaining member and thereby put the grenade in a condition to be instantaneously detonated on being subjected to shock or impact, the handle is first unlocked by depressing the push-button 28 and giving the handle a slight turn in either direction, to bring an imperforate part of the thimble 6 opposite said button 28 to lock same in depressed position. It is then possible to cause the handle 3 to be retracted from the head I, either under the action of centrifugal force, as when throwing the grenade, or by pulling on the handle, or even by leaving the handle to be slowly pushed to retracted position by the thrust of the expanding spring H, the action of which is essentially the same in any case, so that one description thereof is deemed sufficient.

When the handle 3 has been unlocked as just described, spring ii can make its stored energy felt by exerting a live thrust upon the annular flange 52 to urge the sustaining member 8 and the plunger it away from the head I. The retraction of the sustaining member 8 and the plunger i6, is however opposed by the material C filling the room a, which as already indicated, cannot, in the locked position of the handle, escape through the holes 19 owing to the fact that, in those circumstances, the volume of portion I) of chamber 3a is positively restricted and is also full of the same kind of material C. When, however, the handle is unlocked, the handle may slide along the tubular housing 4, to thereby increase the volume of portion b thus allowing material C from room a to escape through holes I!) into said portion 1), at a rate depending on the viscosity of the material and on the size of the holes, and, owing to the emptying of said room a, the plunger it may move towards the end cover to take up, as it were, the place previously occupied by the filling C of flowable material inside the room a. The retracting movement of the sustaining member ii is assisted by the expansion of spring it, which, so long as the head So of delaying pin 9 is out of engagement with the internal shoulder formed between the bore 8b and the smaller bore 841, will maintain the free end of said delaying pin in engagement with the retaining member 2i. The arrangement of the parts is such that said engagement of the head 8a and shoulder 80 does not take place until the spring l l is fully expanded as indicated in Fig. 2, and the amount of time which elapses between unlocking of the handle 3 and full expansion of spring II, will depend principally upon the rate of outflow of the iiowable material C through the holes l9. Thus, by suitable choice of such ma terial, any desired time delay may be provided for between unlocking of the handle and the arrival of the parts at a position in which the grenade is set for detonation instantaneously by impact or shock. This set position is shown in Fig. 2 from which it will be seen that the retaining member 2! is still in position to hold the resilient member 3'! in the groove of the firing pin 23, and thereby hold the firing pin in retracted position with respect to the detonator 26. However, the connection between the retaining member 2! and the firing pin 23 is, as has already been explained, so precarious as to be instantaneously broken if the head I or the grenade as a whole is subjected to a shock, as upon impact of the grenade against an object at any angle, or upon the application thereto of a blow or kick. By properly choosing and designing the shape of the recess 22 with respect to the strength and design of the resilient member 3!, the sensitivity of the retaining member may be adjusted to a predetermined lower limit, such for example as grams, or may even be adjusted for certain purposes in such a manner that the re taining member will drop off the firing pin 23 as soon as the delaying pin 9 has been suiiiciently retracted.

The purpose of the delaying pin 9 is to provide sufiicient time for the plunger t5 and the sustaining member 8 to reach almost fully retracted position, before the retaining member ii is liberated to respond to shock, and it also provides an additional element in the combination whereby the timing of the safety release mechanism may be preadjusted to a desired. value.

As will be understood from the foregoing description of one embodiment of the novel safety release mechanism of the present invention, when applied to arms such as hand grenades, it has the great advantage that, with the elimination of a time match, which, unless something is not in order with the detonator or the charge of the grenade, will at the end of a predetermined time interval, inevitably cause the grenade to explode, irrespective of circumstances, and will not cause explosion until the expiry of such time interval, the present mechanism provides not only instantaneous explosion of the grenade upon impact or shock, but also the greatest measure of safety to the user and a considerable flexibility in design. Thus, so long as the handle is in the locked position, as in the case of other types of grenade provided with safetypin or safety catch, the grenade cannot explode. If the handle is unlocked, the grenade will not explode until the sustaining member and delay mechanism have operated to free the retaining member, and even then the grenade may be handled gently without provoking explosion. Thus, it may be laid upon the ground, where it will be perfectly innocuous for an indefinite time until given a shock. Hence, if for some reason a user, after unlocking the mechanism, does not throw the grenade, or throws it short, neither he norhis companions, if any, need rush to cover. All that is required is that he and they withdraw to a reasonable, safe distance depending on the rating of the grenade, and then explode same,-either by firing a bullet at the grenade, or even by throwing a stone or other missile at it. Moreover this property of the novel safety release mechanism of the present invention, makes it possible to utilize -a hand grenade or the like fitted therewith, as a land-mine, booby-trap or the like personal attack, since all that is needed is to unlock the mechanism and, if necessary, move such parts as may require it, into the set position, for the grenade to be ready to be, as it were, touched off, at the slightest shock above the rated minimum, as by being kicked by advancing enemy troops. Aside from this, the advantages of an impact grenade over a time match type will be obvious to those skilled in the art of warfare, and furthermore, the elimination of the time match makes the safety release device applicable to other than bellicose purposes, as already indicated.

Again, as pointed out hereinabove, the safety release mechanism is adaptable as to its precise design and construction so as to allow it to be combined with different types of objects to be governed thereby. As instances of such modifications, the application thereof to two other'types of hand grenade have been illustrated in the drawings.

In Figs. 4, and 6, there is shown a handleless type of hand grenade comprising a hollow body member IIiI having a closed end II) Ia from which extends inwardly of the body member IIlI a tubular housing IE5 which, as in the caseof Fig. 1, receives a detonator I26 held in position by a screw cap I27. The other end of the body member ItI is closed by a closure member I02 in the bottom IGZa of which is secured the safety release mechanism of the present invention. As best seen in Fig. 6, said mechanism again comprises a retaining member I 2| holding resilient member it? position in groove I38 of firing pin I23 between the head I24 of which and the floor idfib of the tubular housing I05 is located the firing spring I25.

Said tubular housing I95 is secured, as by screwing, to the tubular casing I 04 which in general is similar to the casing'4 of Figs. 1 to 3. As seen in Fig. 6, however, the casing I 04 has, intermediate its ends, an external flange I84a on the side of which, remote from the housing I05, said casing m4 is externally screw-threaded, as at Ill-4b to receive a clamping ring I40 having a hexagonal shoulder I40a between which and the flange IMa the internal margin I020 defining a central hole 'I02b inthe bottom I02a.:of the end closure ItLmay be gripped to secure the casing I84 tosaid end closure and hence to the body of thehand grenade. If desired, packing I36 may be inserted between the clamping ring I40 and the inner margin .I02c as shown. At a point inside the casing I04 lying within the enclosure of the hand grenade proper, that is the assembly of the body portion WI and the end closure I02, is a transverse bridge member or disc II2, which is centrally perforated to permit the sustaining member N58 to pass slidingly therethrough, so that said bridge member II2 functions much as the flange I 2 in the embodiment of Fig. l, to guide the sustaining member when moving and to support it centrally of the casing I04. Likewise inside the casing I04 and on the side of the bridge member II'Z remote from the retaining member iii, and spaced an appreciable distance from the bridge member H2, is a centrally perforated plug I4I, the bore I42 of which is somewhat larger in diameter than the sustaining member I08. Mounted on that portion of the sustaining member Hill which lies within the spacedefined between the bridge member I I2 and the plug MI, is a plunger member H6, between which and said bridge member I I2 is a compression spring III tending to'urge toward the plug I lI the plunger H6 and hence the portion of the sustaining member m8 on the side of the plunger member II-ii remote from bridge member I I2, which portion acts as a check rod. Between the plunger .5 and the plug I4! is a charge of flowable material C, the space thus filled corresponding functionally to the room a of Fig. 1, but being distinguished in Fig. 6 as variable space (1.

The casing I04 extends beyond the screw ring 54% to receive as a sliding fit an end cover I20 which is appreciably longer axially than the projection of easing IE4, and has fitted within it for free sliding a closure member I43 which, in the assembled condition of the parts, defines with the plug I4! a space which is functionally the equivalent of the restricted space or portion b shown in Fig. 1 and contains a filling C of flowable material. Between the closure member I43 and the closed end I44 of the end cover I20 is located a compression spring I4 5 of strength greater than that of spring III. The end cover I2II is adapted to be held in place by a U-shape or stirrup-like clip I46 having a pair of legs pivoted to the screw ring I40 and including .a cross bar I46a adapted to engage a diametral depression I44a of the closed end I44 of cover I20, as clearly seen in Fig. 6.

:As in the example of Figs. 1 to 3, thesustaining member I03 is hollow to receive delaying pin I09 with its head Wild, and the compression spring H5. It will thus be clear that with the end .cover I20 in position, the spaces d and e are full of fiowable material C, C, held in check, as it were, by the more powerful spring I45 against the thrust of spring ,I I I, so that plunger H5 is immobilized, so long as clip I46 is in cover holding position. When the clip I45 is swung to the cover free position as indicated in Fig. 4 in broken lines, the spring I45 becomes effective to cause the end cover I20 to leave the projecting portion of the sustaining member I08, thereby allowing the material C previously contained in space e to disperse, and also permitting material C from space d to discharge through the clearance between thecheck rod portion and the margin defining the bore 142, at a rate depending on the viscosity or flow characteristics of the material and the strength of spring I I l. The plunger l [6' moves under the thrust of spring Hi to take up the space left available by the discharge of the material C from space d, as before, and carries with it the sustaining member "38, with the same functional results as regards the retaining member and delaying pin, as in the case of Figs. 1 to 3.

In Fig. 8 is shown a further application of the safety release device of the present invention, to an egg-shape grenade having a shell 26!, 202 of standard pattern into which is fitted in a central axial position a casing and housing assembly 294, 295 comprising the detonator 226, screw cap 221, firing pin 223, with head 22% and firing spring 225, and the retaining assembly including the retaining member 22! and resilient member 231 fitting into the groove 233 of the firing pin. The casing 2% also accommodates the sustaining assembly comprising a sustaining member 288 which is similar to the sustaining member we of Fig. 6 and includes a plunger member 2H3 fixed externally thereon, between which and a transverse bridge or disc member 2l2 secured peripherally to the casing is located a compression spring 2| 6, and between which and a plug member 244 is contained a quantity of fiowable material C. The plug M! has a bore 262 which is slightly larger in diameter than the check rod portion of the sustaining member 298, which member, however, has at the end remote from the retaining member 22L an enlargement 247 which has an accurate sliding fit in said bore 2A2, and beyond which the sustaining member has a head 2 38, which is held in close engagement with the outer side of the plug 2:31, by a U-shape portion 24% forming part of a check lever 25!! and comprising a yoke member 2 39a, a free leg 29b terminating in a catch lip 253, and a second leg from which an extension or tail 2490 extends to form a shoulder of suiiicient width to fit between a pair of ears 252 upstanding from the outside of the shell of the grenade, and located at a point diametrically opposite a catch member such as a bridge-like member 254 projecting also from the shell of the grenade. The extension 2490 lies closely adjacent the outside of the shell of the grenade and the yoke member 24911 is designed to engage said enlargement 211 when the catch lip 253 is engaged with said bridge member 254 and said shoulder 2 590 is between the ears 252. To retain the check lever 25:: in the position just described, a releasable locking pin 25% is provided of a size to pass through alined perforations in said ears 252 and having a ring 255 for facilitating manual withdrawal of the pin 255 from ears 252, as in the case of standard safety pins of similarly shaped grenades. Between the outer surface of the plug it! and the floor 249a of the U- shape portion 2 :9 is a spring 25! whereby, after the safety pin 2% has been withdrawn, the U- shape portion M9 is assisted to disengage itself from the free end of the tubular casing 25m, to free the lever 259, so that under the combined thrust of springs 2i i, 2 l 5 and 2 5?, the check lever 256 as a whole swings about the bridge 25% until it reaches an angular position in which the lip 253 can disengage itself from the bridge 254, to allow said assembly to drop off the shell of the grenade. Obviously, if desired, as when laying land mines or setting booby-traps, the check lever assembly may, after withdrawal of the safety pin 255, be removed by hand, since this can be done with perfect safety, because the plunger 256 and the moving parts associated therewith are still in their retaining means sustaining posi- 10. tion, thus holding the firing pin 223 in retracted position.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the novel safety release mechanism of the present invention, not only provides a maximum of safety and a device which when in released position is responsive to shock or impact, in contradistinction to a time match, but also provides a device which can readily be designed to be fitted to a large variety of mechanisms or devices, including a large variety of explosive missiles, such as hand grenades, shells, bombs and the like, and can also be combined, if desired, with a time match actuated detonator, for although in the foregoing description, the firing has been described as alined with a detonator directly, as a preferred embodiment giving impact response, it is obvious that such firing pin may be alined with a primer cap adapted to ignite a match. In non-explosive applications, the firing pin or equivalent member might be alined, for instance with an electrical device of the push-button type connected in a remote control circuit or the like, or such pin or member might be directed to a gas container, containing, for instance, tear gas. Numerous other applications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, practically all of which would involve no more than design or detail modifications such as would lie well within the capacity of skilled persons.

We claim:

1. A safety device for mechanisms which comprises a wall, an actuating member movable relatively to said wall and releasable means for holding said actuating member in non-operative position, said actuating member including operative means located on one side of said wall and a stem passing freely through said wall and having a free end and a peripheral groove adjacent said free end, said releasable means including an annular resilient radially compressible member normally defining a central aperture of diameter greater than that of the portion of said stem between said groove and said free end, a retaining cap having a recess at one end of a size to receive said resilient annular member in radially compressed condition, said cap and said annular member being mounted on said free end of the stem, said annular member grippingly engaging said groove and said one end of said cap engaging the other side of said wall to retain said actuating member in retracted position, the resiliency of said annular member and the friction between said annular member and said cap and. said groove being sufficient to hold the cap in assembled condition on said stem against disassembling forces less than a predetermined minimum, retractable time delay means for positively holding said retaining cap in operative position on said stem, said time delay means comprising a cylinder fixedly located on the same side of said wall as said cap member, and having a perforate end remote from said wall, said perforate end communicating the interior of said cylinder with the ciroumambient medium, plunger means reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, said plunger means having a sustaining member projecting coaxially therefrom towards said cap member, resilient means normally urging said plunger means towards said perforate end, a delaying member telescopically associated with said sustaining member and extending coaxially therewith towards said cap member, resilient means normally urging said delaying member towards said cap member, a charge of fiovvable material said cylinder between said plunger and said perforate end, said charge acting to deter advanceof said plunger means to said perforate end at a rate depending on the dimensions of the perforations in said end, check means for preventing the outflow of said fiowable material from the interior of the cylinder to the circumambient medium and manually releasable locking means normally maintaining said check means in operative position.

2. A safety device for firing mechanisms for firing explosive charges, said mechanisms comprising a wall, primer means on one side of said wall, a firing pin movable relatively to said wall and to said primer means, and releasable means for holding said firing pin in retracted position from said primer means, said firing pin including a head located on the same side of said wall as said primer means, and a stem passing freely through said wall and having a free end and a peripheral groove ad acent said free end, said releasable means including an annular resilient radially compressible member normally defining a central aperture of diameter greater than that of the portion of said stem between said groove and said free end, a retaining cap having a recess at one end of a size to receive said annular resilient member in radially compressed condition, said cap' and said annular member being mounted on said free end of the stem, said annular resilient member grippingly engaging said groove, and said one end of said cap en aging the side of the wall remote from said primer means to retain said firing p n in retracted position. the resiliency of said annular member and the friction between said annular me ber and said groove and said can eing sufficient to hold sa d cap in assem ed condition on said ste n again t disassembling for es ess than a predetermined minimum, retra ta e t e de ay me ns f r posit vely holding said reta ning can in o erative position on said ste n. said ime le av means comprisin a cylinder coa al with said firing pin and fixed y lo ated on the si e of a d wa l remote from said primer means. and havin a perforate end re ote from said wa l. said perforate end establish n communi ation between the interior of said cylinder and the c rcuma h ent med um. p un er me ns mounted on sa d cy nder for movement a ial y ther f. sa d n er me ns h in a sustain n member ioroiect ng axia ly therefrom towards said r tain n can. resi ent eans nor ally orging sai l unger to ds said erforate end of id rev i el c q, de aviriq' me ber te esnnnirallly guflfliqfhefl with aid su ta n ng member and 8" ten ioq no vi l v t e ewith t ards sa d cap me er. r s ent me ns nor l y ur ing said de- 19 vin w o hqvhome we]; aid nor mg nhep a, charge nwolol mater al in aid vlinder between said 11 o'o-r mpaflq and said nerinra.te'end Said'nharge acting to deter advance of said plunger means to a ds said erforate end at a rate depending on the ize of the perforations in said end and the vi cos ty of said fi able material, check means for prevent ng outflow of said fiowable material through said perforate end into the circumambient medium and releasable locking means normally maintaining said check means in operative position.

3. A safety device for firing mechanisms for firing explosive charges, said mechanisms comprising a conta ner, partition means in said container, dividing the container internally into a charge chamber and a firing chamber, a perforate wall in said firing chamhilf' lqfining a primer chamber, a firing pin movable relatively to said wall and releasable means for holding said firing pin in a ready position, said firing pin including a head on the same side of said wall as said primer chamber and a stem passing freely through said wall and having a free end and a peripheral groove adjacent said free end, said releasable means including an annular resilient radially compressible member normally defining a central aperture of diameter greater than that of the portion of said stem between said groove and said free end, a retaining cap having a recess at one end of a size to receive said annular resilient member in radially compressed condition, said cap and said annular member being mounted on said free end of the stem, said annular resilient member grippingly engaging said groove and said one end of said cap engaging the side of the wall remote from said primer chamber to retain said firing pin in retracted position, the resiliency of said annular member and the friction between said annular member and said groove and said cap being sufficient to hold said cap in assembled condition on said stem against disassembling forces less than a predetermined minimum, retractable time delay means for positively holding said retaining cap in operative position on said stem, said time delay means comprising a cylinder coaxial with said firing pin and fixedly located on the side of said Wall remote from said primer chamber and having an inner end adjacent said wall and a perforate end remote from said wall, a hollow handle surrounding said cylinder and having a cavity therewithin of diameter greater than that of the cylinder and coaxial with said cylinder, said handle having a shouldered inner end defining a bore for sliding engagement with said cylinder, and a closed outer end defining a floor of said cavity in relatively closely spaced relationship with said perforate end of said cylinder, stop means on the outside of said cylinder intermediate the ends thereof for engaging said shouldered end of said handle on displacement of said handle relatively to said cylinder, said perforate end establishing communication between the interior of said cylinder and said cavity, plunger means mounted on said cylinder for movement axially therein, said plunger means having a sustaining member projecting axially therefrom towards said retaining cap, resilient means normally urging said plunger means towards said perforate end of said cylinder, a delaying member telescopically associated with said sustaining member and extending coaxially therewith towards said cap member, resilient means normally urging said delaying member towards said cap member, a charge of fiowable material in said cylinder between said plunger means and said perforate end, said charge acting to deter advance of said plunger means towards said perforate end at a rate depending on the size of the perforations and the viscosity of said fiowable material, a filling of fiowable material in said hollow handle between said stop means and said floor, and releasable locking means for normally holding said handle in retracted position with said shouldered end remote from said stop means whereby said filling prevents outflow of said charge until said locking means is released and said shouldered end is engaged with said stop means.

4. A safety device for firing mechanisms for firing explosive charges, said mechanism comprising a container, partition means in said con 13 tainer dividing the container internally into a charge chamber and a firing chamber, a perforate Wall in said firing chamber defining a primer chamber, a firing pin movable relatively to said wall and releasable means for holding said firing pin in a ready position, said firing pin including a head on the same side of said wall as said primer chamber and a stern passing freely through said wall and having a free end and a peripheral groove adjacent said free end, said releasable means including an annular resilient radially compressible member normally defining a central aperture of diameter greater than that of the portion of said stem between said groove and said free end, a retaining cap having a recess at one end of a size to receive said annular resilient member in radially compressed condition, said cap and said annular member being mounted on said free end of the stem, said annular resilient member grippingly engaging said groove and said one end of said cap engaging the side of the wall remote from said primer chamber to retain said firing pin in retracted position, the resiliency of said annular member and the friction between said annular member and said groove and said cap being sufficient to hold said cap in assembled condition on said stem against disassembling forces less than a predetermined minimum, retractable time delay means for positively holding said retaining cap in operative position on said stern, said time delay means comprising a cylinder coaxial with said firing pin and fixedly located on the side of said wall remote from said chamber and having an inner end adjacent said wall and an open outer end lying outside said container, a perforate partition in said cylinder adjacent said outer end, said partition defining a single central perforation, plunger means mounted in said cylinder for movement axially therein between said inner end and said partition, a sustaining member projecting axially from said plunger means towards said retaining cap, a chest: rod projecting axially from said plunger means on the side thereof remote from the sustaining member, said check rod passing freely through said central perforation, spring means normally urging said plunger means towards said partition, a delaying member telescopically associated with said sustaining means and extending coaxially therewith towards said cap member, resilient means normally urging said delaying member towards said retaining cap, a closure member fitted in said cylinder in spaced relation to said partition and on the side thereof remote from said plunger and arranged to slide freely in said cylinder, an end closure cap fitted over said outer end, a compression spring located in said outer end between said end closure cap and said closure member, releasable locking means for normally locking said end closure cap in closing position, said locking means comprising a U shape member having a cross bar and a pair of legs extending from opposite ends of cross bar and having free ends pivoted to support on the outside of container, said cross bar normally overlying said end closure cap, a charge of flowable material in said cylinder between said plunger means and said partition, said charge acting to deter advance of said plunger means towards said partition at a rate depending on the viscosity of said fiowable material and the difference in diameter between said perforation and said check rod, and a filling of flowable ma terial between said partition and said closure 1 T. member, whereby said filling prevents outflow of said charge through said perforation until said U shape member is moved to release said end closure cap.

5. A safety device for firing mechanisms for firing explosive charges, said mechanism comprising a container, partition means in said container, dividing the container internally into a charge chamber and a firing chamber, a perforate wall in said firing chamber defining a primer chamber, a firing pin movable relatively to said wall, and releasable means for holding said firing pin in a ready position, said firing pin including a head on the same side of said wall as said primer chamber and a stern passing freely through said wall and having a free end and a peripheral groove adjacent free end, said releasable means including an annular resilient radially compressible member normally defining a central aperture of diameter greater than that of the portion of said stern between said groove and said free end, a retaining cap having a recess at one end or" a size to receive said annular resilient member in radially compressed condition, said cap and said annular member being mounted on said free end of the stem, said annular resilient member grippingly engaging said groove and said one end of said cap engaging the side of the wall remote from said primer chamber to retain firing pin in retracted position, the resiliency of said annular member and the friction between said annular member and said groove and said cap being suificient to hold said cap in assembled condition on said stem against disassembling forces less than a predetermined minimum, retractable time delay means for positively holding said retaining cap in operative position on said stem, said time delay means comprising a cylinder coaxial wish said firing pin and fixedly located on the side of said wall remote from said primer chamber and having an inner end adjacent said wall and a perforate outer end located outside said container and defining a single central perforation, plunger means mounted in said cylinder for movement axially therein between said inner end and said partition, a sustaining member projec ing axially from said plunger means towards said retaining cap, a check rod projecting axially from said plunger means on the side thereof remote from the sustaining member, said check rod passing freely through said central perm-ration, an enlargement on said check rod outside said outer end, said enlargement being of a size to close said central perforation, catch means located on the outside of said container adjacent said outer end of the cylinder, a pail of spaced ears having alined perforations, said ears being located on the outside of said container at a point diametrically opposite said catch means with respect to said cylinder, a ohecl: lever ineluding a substantially U shape portion comprising a yoke member, a free leg terminating in a catch lip for engagement with said catch means, and a second leg, an extension exten ng from said second leg and forming a shoulder adjacent said second leg of width to fit between said ears freely, said extension being shaped to lie closely adjacent the outside of said container and said yoke member being proportioned to engage said enlargement when said catch lip is engaged in said catch means and said shoulder is loeater between said ears, a releasable locking pin of a size to pass through said alined perforations to overlie said shoulder and releasably lock said check lever in checking position, spring means normally located between said perforate end and said yoke member, a charge of fiowable material in said cylinder between said plunger means and said perforate end, said charge acting to deter ad- Vance of said plunger means towards said perforate end at a rate depending on the viscosity of said fiowable material and the difference in diameter between said central perforation and said check rod, upon withdrawal of said locking pin to release said check lever.

6. A safety device for firing mechanisms for firing explosive charges, said mechanism comprising a container, partition means in said container, dividing the container internaly into a charge chamber and a firing chamber, a perforate wall in said firing chamber defining a primer chamber, a firing pin movable relatively to said wall, and releasable means for holding said firing pin in a ready position, said firing pin includinga head on the same side of said wall as said primer chamber and a stem passing freely through said wall and having a free end and a peripheral groove adjacent said free end, said releasable means including an annular resilient radially compressible member normally defining a central aperture of diameter greater than that of the portion of said stem between said groove and said free end, a retaining cap having a recess at one end of a size to receive said annular resilient member in radially compressed condition, said cap and said annular member being mounted on said free end of the stem, said annular resilient member grippingly engaging said groove and said one end of said cap engaging the side of the wall remote from said primer chamber to retain said firing pin in retracted position, the resiliency of said annular member and the friction between said annular member and said groove and said cap being sufiicient to hold said cap in assembled condition on said stem against disassembling forces less than a predetermined minimum, retractable time delay means for positively holding said retaining cap in operative position on said stem, said time delay means comprising a cylinder coaxial with said firing pin and fixedly located on the side of said wall remote from said primer chamber and having an inner end adacent said wall and a perforate outer end located outside said 0011- tainer and defining a single central perforation, plunger means mounted in said cylinder for movement axially therein between said inner end and said partition, a sustaining member projecting axially from said plunger means toward said retaining cap, a check rod projecting axially from said plunger means on the side thereof remote from the sustaining member, said check rod passing freely through said central perforation, an enlargement on said check rod outside said outer end, said enlargement being of a size to close said central perforation, check means for normally holding said enlargement in closing position, manually releasable locking means for locking said check means in normal operative position, spring means normally located between said perforate end and said check means, a charge of fiowable material in said cylinder between said plunger means and said perforate end, said charge acting to deter advance of said plunger means towards said perforate end at a rate depending on the viscosity of said fiowable material and the difference in diameter between said central perforation and said check rod upon 1'6 withdrawal of said locking pin to release said check lever.

7. A safety device for hand grenades having a casing, a firing pin in said casing and a hollow handle movable with respect to the casing, said device comprising a tubular member slidably arranged in the hollow handle and having a closed end, a plunger slidably movable in said tubular member between two end positions and defining a first chamber with said closed end of said tubular member, said first chamber having a small hole arranged in the wall of said closed end of said tubular member, a second chamber arranged in the handle and communicating with said first chamber through said hole, the relative size of said chambers depending on the positions of said tubular member in the handle and said plunger in said tubular member, a substance consisting of small particles and arranged in said chambers and adapted to retard the change of the relative size of said chambers in response to the flow of said substance through said hole, a protective member for the firing pin, a recess in said protective member for engagement with said plunger in one of its end positions, a cavity in said protective member, a trigger connected, to the firing pin and having a slot, and an expansion Washer adapted to hold said slot of said trigger when said washer is confined in said cavity of said protective member.

8. A safety device for hand grenades having a casing, a firing pin in said casing, and a hollowhandle movable with respect to the casing, said device comprising a tubular member slidably arranged in the hollow handle and having a closed end, a plunger slidably movable in said tubular member between two end positions and defining a first chamber with said closed end of said tubular member, said first chamber having a small hole arranged in the wall of said closed. end of said tubular member, a second chamber arranged in the handle and communicating with said first chamber through said hole, the relative size of said chambers depending on the positions of said tubular member in the handle and said plunger in said tubular member, a substance consisting of small particles and arranged in said chambers and adapted to retard the change of the relative size of said chambers in response to the flow of said substance through said hole, a spring-loaded bolt arranged for displacement in the end of said plunger turned away from said first chamber, a protective member for the firing pin, and a recess in said protective member for engagement with said bolt in one of the end positions of said plunger.

9. A safety device for hand grenades having a casing, a firing pin in said casing, and a hollow handle movable with respect to the casing, said device comprising a tubular member slit.- ably arranged in the hollow handle and having a closed end, a plunger slidably movable in said tubular member between two end positions and defining a first chamber with said closed end of said tubular member, said first chamber having a small hole arranged in the wall of said closed end of said tubular member, a second chamber arranged in the handle and communieating with said first chamber through said hole, the relative size of said chambers depcnding on the positions of said tubular member in the handle and said plunger in said tubular member, a substance consisting of small particles and arranged in said chambers and adapted to retard the change of the relative size of said 17 chambers in response to the flow of said substance through said hole, a spring-loaded bolt arranged for displacement in the end of said plunger turned away from said first chamber, a protective member for the firing pin, a recess in said protective member for engagement with said bolt in one of the end positions of said plunger, a cavity in said protective member, a trigger connected to the firing pin and having a slot, and an expansion washer adapted to hold said slot of said trigger when said washer is confined in said cavity of said protective member.

10. A safety device for hand grenades having a casing, a firing pin in said casing and a hollow handle movable with respect to the casing, said device comprising a tubular member slidably arranged in the hollow handle and having a closed end, a stop on the inner side of the handle, a gasket arranged at the outer surface of said tubular member and adapted to abut against said stop, a plunger slidably movable in said tubular member between two end positions and defining a first chamber with said closed end of said tubular member, said first chamber having a small hole arranged in the wall of said closed end of said tubular member, a second chamber arranged in the handle and communicating with said first chamber through said hole, said second chamber being limited by said gasket and said closed end of said tubular member, the relative size of said chambers depending on the positions of said tubular member in the handle and said plunger in said tubular member, a substance consisting of small particles and arranged in said chambers and adapted to retard the change of the relative size of said chambers in response to the flow of said substance through said hole, a spring-loaded bolt arranged for displacement in the end of said plunger turned away from said first chamber, a protective member for the firing pin, a recess in said protective member for engagement with said bolt in one of the end positions of said plunger, a cavity in said protective member, a trigger connected to the firing pin and having a slot, and an expansion washer adapted to hold said slot of said trigger when said washer is confined in said cavity of said protective member.

11. A safety device for hand grenades having a casing, a firing pin in said casing and a hollow handle movable with respect to the casing, said device comprising a tubular member slidably arranged in the hollow handle and having a closed end, a stop on the inner side of the handle, a gasket arranged at the outer surface of said tubular member and adapted to abut against said stop, a plunger slidably movable in said tubular member between two end positions and defining a first chamber with said closed end of said tubular member, said first chamber having a small hole arranged in th wall of said closed end of said tubular member, a second chamber arranged in the handle and communicating with said first chamber through said hole, said second chamber being limited by said gasket and said closed end of said tubular member, the relative size of said chambers depending on the positions of said tubular member in the handle and said plunger in said tubular member, a substance consisting of small particles and arranged in said chambers and adapted to retard the change of the relative size of said chambers in response to the fiow of said substance through said hole, a spring-loaded bolt arranged for displacement in the end of said plunger turned away from said first chamber, a protective member for the firing pin, a recess in said protective member for engagement with said bolt in one of the end positions of said plunger, a cavity in said protective member, a trigger connected to the firing pin and having a slot, an expansion washer adapted to hold said slot of said trigger when said washer is confined i said cavity of said protective member, and a spring-loaded press button arranged in a fixed position on the handle and adapted to engage an opening being in a fixed position with respect to said tubular member.

RODOLFO B. GIORGI. ERNESTO KLEIN.

FEDERICO UNKEL. ALBERTO J GIORGI.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,311,740 Asbury July 29, 1919 1,319,103 Miller Oct. 21, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 121,273 Great Britain Sept. 29, 1919

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