US2897630A

US2897630A - Toy hand grenade

Info

Publication number: US2897630A
Application number: US731810A
Authority: US
Inventors: Horowitz Harry; Schneiderman Abraham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-04-29
Filing date: 1958-04-29
Publication date: 1959-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 1976-08-04

Description

Aug. 4', 1959 H. HOROWITZ ETAL TOY HAND GRENADE Filed April 29, 1958 United States Patent 2,897,630 v TOY HAND GRENADE Harry Horowitz and Abraham Schneiderman,

, New York, N.Y. Application April 29, 1958, Serial No. 731,810 4 Claims. (Cl. 46-496) This invention relates generally to the toy art, and more particularly to a toy hand grenade adapted to simulate grenades in current use by the armed forces of this country.

Actual grenades are designed to incorporate a time fuse which is ignited by percussion cap in turn detonated by a resiliently biased hammer which is released at the time the grenade is thrown. Until such time as the grenade leaves the hand of the thrower, it is held in cocked condition by manual pressure upon a handle which is pressed against the side of the grenade body. When the grenade leaves the hand of the wearer, the hammer pushes aside the handle which is loosely pivoted at one end thereof to permit the hammer to strike the percussion cap which in turn ignites the fuse. After a delay of approximately five seconds, the time fuse has burned through to detonate the charge disposed within the body of the grenade.

The five second period during which time the grenade is usually in flight will normally expire at the time the grenade reaches the ground, so that it will explode before there is an opportunity to throw the grenade back. To have value as a realistic toy, it is desirable that the same simulates the action and operation of an actual grenade.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention to provide a toy grenade simulating both in appearance and operation a conventional grenade of the type in present use by the armed forces.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of toy grenade construction ha ing means for exploding a conventional toy paper cap either upon leaving the hand of thethrower, or upon contact with the ground after the same has been thrown.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a toy grenade of the class described which may be readily reloaded for use many times, thereby materially increasing its value as a toy.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of toy construction of the class, described in which the cost of fabrication may be of a reasonably low order, with consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

A fwture of the invention lies in the fact that many of the parts may be molded of soft unbreakable synthetic resinous material such as polyethylene, polystyrene and the like.

Another feature of the invention lies in the fact that all of the metallic parts may be formed as simple metallic stampings.

Still another feature of the invention lies in the provision of shock absorbing means incorporated in the construction of the device which prevents damage to the firing mechanism upon striking a hard surface.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear inthe disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

On the drawings, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical central, sectional view as seen from the plane 22 on Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the embodiment showing the safety pin removed.

Figure-4 is a fragmentary rear elevationalview as seen from the plane 4-4 on Figure 1'.

Figure 5 is a view in elevation showing one manner of arming the embodiment prior to the throwing thereof.

Figure 6 is a view in elevation showing an alternate method of firing the embodiment.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view with the handle element removed immediately before firing.

Figure 8 is a similar view after the completion of firing.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: a main body element 11, a cap firing element 12 a handle element 13 and a handle support element 14.

The main body element 11 is preferably molded from suitable synthetic resinous material so as to be relatively light in weight and resistant to breakage. Polyethylene has been found suitable for this purpose. The element 11 includes asimulated charge retaining member 16, a neck member 17, and a cap firing element mounting member 18. The above members are molded integrally, and the mounting member 18 includes an upper planar surface 19, as well as side

planar surfaces

20 and 21 which form a seat for the capfiring element 12.

The cap firing element 12 includes a mounting member 24 having a central, generally planar portion 25, a first pair of trunnions 26, a second pair of trunions 27, a first pair of gripping members 28, a second pair of gripping members 29 and a latch engaging lip 30. In installed condition, the central portion 25 is adapted to lie upon the upper planar surface 19, the gripping

members

28 and 29 being bent to engage small recesses 31 in the side

planar surfaces

20 and 21. A spreadable rivet 33 forms a'shaft between the first pair of trunnion members 26, while a similar spreadable rivet 34 forms a shaft for the second pair of trunnion members 27. Mounted upon the shaft 34 is a hammer member 35' which is normally urged in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 1 by the action of a spring 36, a first end 37 of which bears upon the central portion 25', and a second end 38 of which engages the hammer member. It 'will be observed that each of the trunnion members 27 is provided with an elongated cutout portion 39 which coperates with bent up points 40 to hold a conventional paper percussion cap: in position beneath the hammer member 35. The cap, indicated by reference character 41, is pierced by the points 40 so that slippage of the same during the throwing of the device does not occur.

The handle element, 13 is also preferably molded from suitable synthetic resinous material, polyethylene being particularly suitable. The overall configuration of the same resembles that of an actual grenade, and includes a reetilinearmember 49 as well as a curved member 50 upon which there, is disposed an integrally molded latch memher 51.

The rectilinear member 49 includes a free end 53 which in the. position shown. in Figure 1 of the drawing partially overliesthe handle support element 14 which is formed of metal to shield the same from direct impact. The second end 54 interconnects with the first end 56. of the curved member 50, the second end 57 of the. curved member 50 being positioned to lie. adjacent the lower end of the charge retaining member 16. A first boreSS-is disposed as best seen in Figure 2. onv the drawing, the same being engageable. with a removable safety pin 59, and a second bore 60 provides an axis for pivotal rotation with. respect tov the handle support element 14.

The. handle support element, 14 is preferably formed as a. metallic, stamping, and includes a first pair of trunnion members '62. disposed at a first end thereof and a second pair of trunnion members. 63, disposed at a second, end

thereof. The first pair of trunnion members 62. are. provided. with bores64 engageable on the. shaft 33, while the a a second members 63 are disposed at an angle to support the handle element 13 thereon. An expandable rivet 65 forms a shaft projecting through the bores 65' and the .bore 60. A second set of .bores 66 align with the bore 58 the cap upon striking the ground or other hard surface. 7

Referring to Figures 2' and 5, after withdrawing the pin 59, the handle element 13 may be pressed toward the charge retaining member 16. This causes the same to pivot about the shaft 65 whereby the end of the latch member 51 will clear the lip 30. If the device'is thrown in this condition, as soon as the same leaves the hand of the wearer, there will be no means for maintaining the handle support element 14 on top of the hammer member 35 so that it will fly out in a realistic manner as the hammer member rotates clockwise as seen in Figure 1 to detonate the cap 41. (See Figures 7 and 8.)

In the alternative, the device may be thrown after removing the pin without pressing the handle element 13, in which case, as seen in Figure 6 the impact of striking the ground or other hard surface will cause the latch member 51 to be'dislodged with the same result. I

To reload the device, it is necessary only to bend back the hammer member 35 to a point where the same may be secured by the handle support element, following which the pin 59 is reinserted. Another cap 41 maybe positioned upon the points 40 following which the device is again ready for use.

It may thus be seen that we have invented novel and highly useful improvements in toy grenade devices in which there has been provided a harmless realistic replica of an actual grenade as currently used by the. armed forces of this country. The device is reusable, and owing to the extensive use of synthetic resinous parts, the same is practically indestructible with continued hard usage. As many of the parts may be made by injection molding or by means of metallic stamping, the cost of fabrication may be of a very low order, and no skill or danger is involved in the reloading of the device which may be locked prior to the insertion of the paper cap.

We wish it to be understood that we do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

We claim: I

1. A cap firing mechanism for use with a toy grenade comprising: a generally planar member having first and second ends, a first pivotal mounting means disposed on said planar member substantially at said first end, a second pivotal mounting means disposed on said planar member between said first and second ends, said second pivotal mounting means including means for supporting a paper cap upon said planar member, a hammer member pivotally supported by said second pivotal mounting means, and resilient means for urging said hammer member in a direction toward said cap supporting means to detonate a cap supported thereby; means connected to said first pivotal mounting means for holding said hammer means against the action of said resilient means in a non-detonatlng position, said last mentioned means including a second generally planar member having first and second ends, said first end being connected to said first pivotal mounting means, said second end having latching means selectively engageable with said second end of said first planar member.

2. A cap firing mechanism for use with a toy grenade comprising: a generally planar member having first and second ends, a first pivotal mounting means disposed on said planar member substantially at said first end, a second pivotal mounting means disposed on said planar member between said first and second ends, said second pivotal mounting means including means for supporting a paper cap upon said planar member, a hammer member pivo-tally supported by. said' second pivotal mounting means, and resilient means for urging said hammer member in a direction toward said cap supporting means to detonate a cap supported thereby; means connected to said first pivotal mounting means for holding said hammer means against the action of said resilient means in a non-detonating position, and said last mentioned means including a second generally planar member having first and second ends, said first end being connected to said first pivotal mounting means, said second end having third pivotal mounting means thereon, and latching means mounted upon said third pivotal mounting means selectively engageable wtih said second end of said first planar member.

3. A cap firing mechanism for use with a toy grenade comprising: a generally planar member having first and second ends, a first pivotal mounting means disposed on said planar member substantially at said first end, a secondpivotal mounting means disposed on said planar member between said first and second ends, said second pivotal mounting means including means for supporting a paper cap upon said planar member, ahammer member pivotally supported by said second pivotal mounting means, and resilient means for urging said hammer member in a direction toward said cap supporting means to detonate a cap supported thereby; means connected to said first pivotal mounting means for holding said hamrner means against the. action of said resilient means in a non-detonating position, and said last mentioned means including a second generally planar member :having first and second ends, said first end being connected to said first pivotal mounting means, said second end having third pivotal mounting means thereon, and latching means mounted upon said third pivotal mounting means selectively engageable with said second end of said first planar member, said latching means including a handle element, a portion of which overlies said second planar member.

4. A cap firing mechanism for use with a toy grenade comprising: a generally planar member having first and second ends, a first pivotal mounting means disposed on said planar member substantially at said first end, a second pivotal mounting means disposed on said planar member between said first and second ends, said second pivotal mounting means including means for supporting a paper cap upon said planar member, a hammer member pivotally supported by said second pivotal. mounting means, and resilient means for urging said hammer memher in a direction tow-and said cap supporting means to detonate a cap supported thereby; means connected to said first pivotal mounting means for holding said hammer means against the action of said resilient means in a non-detonating position, said last mentioned means including a second generally planar member having first and second ends, said first end being connected to said first pivotal mounting means, said second end having third pivotal mounting means thereon, and latching means mounted upon said third pivotal mounting means selectively engageable with said second end of said firs-t planar member, said latching means including a handle element, a portion of which overlies said second planar member, said handle element being formed of flexible material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 387,574 Armstrong Aug. 7, 1888 1,017,683 Meis Feb. 20, 1912 1,367,391 Hofer Feb. 1, 1921 2,367,027 Jackman Jan. 9, 1945