US3372641A - Pressure retention chamber for smoke marker grenade - Google Patents

Pressure retention chamber for smoke marker grenade Download PDF

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Publication number
US3372641A
US3372641A US588676A US58867666A US3372641A US 3372641 A US3372641 A US 3372641A US 588676 A US588676 A US 588676A US 58867666 A US58867666 A US 58867666A US 3372641 A US3372641 A US 3372641A
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grenade
smoke
pressure
canister
retention chamber
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US588676A
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Foster John Edward
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United States Department of the Army
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Army Usa
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
    • F42B12/00—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material
    • F42B12/02—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect
    • F42B12/36—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
    • F42B12/46—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information for dispensing gases, vapours, powders or chemically-reactive substances
    • F42B12/50—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information for dispensing gases, vapours, powders or chemically-reactive substances by dispersion
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
    • F42B27/00—Hand grenades

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an impact resistant smoke marker grenade and more particularly to a pressure-retention chamber to be added to existing smoke hand grenades to enable them to be dropped from low flying aircraft.
  • smoke hand grenades currently used consist of a conventional sheet metal canister containing a smoke mix, a first fire material and a fuze assembly.
  • the fuze assembly is activated by removal of a safety pin which releases a retention handle which, when the grenade is thrown, is ejected and a firing pin, which is spring-loaded, ignites the highly flammable first fire material. This, in turn, ignites the smoke mix,
  • Vent holes in the top of the canister permit escape of combustion gases to maintain necessary pressure within the canister.
  • the aforesaid grenade has a disadvantage in that when dropped from a height of approximately one hundred feet or more onto a solid surface, such as concrete, etc., the burning smoke mix has a tendency to be dislodged from the remainder of the material upon impact with the surface. This results in detonation of the smoke mix which causes blow-out of the top of the canister and loss of pressure necessary to continue normal burning of the smoke mix.
  • This disadvantage is eliminated by the present invention by provision of a pressure retention chamber to be added to the existing smoke hand grenade.
  • This chamber sustains sufiicient pressure within the canister to prevent detonation, and/or extinction of, the burning smoke mix when the grenade is subjected to severe physical shock and gives it capability of being launched from low fiying aircraft.
  • a primary object of this invention to provide a means for the prevention of the detonation of, and/or extinction of, the smoke mix in a smoke hand grenade when the grenade is subjected to a severe physical shock.
  • Another object is to provide a cup shaped, vented, pressure retention chamber to the top of a conventional smoke hand grenade to sustain normal burning of a smoke mix therein.
  • a further object is to convert a conventional hand smoke grenade for use in dropping from low flying aircraft at a very small increase in cost.
  • FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section of a conventional smoke hand grenade.
  • FIGURE 2 is a similar view on a larger scale, but illustrating the pressure retention chamber as applied thereon.
  • FIGURE 1 (labeled prior art”) a conventional type smoke marker hand grenade.
  • This grenade consists of a canister 1 containing a smoke mix 7, a cover 8, for closing canister 1, a series of vent holes 5 in cover 8, a first fire material 6 carried by cover 8, a supporting member fixed on cover 8 and a fuze assembly 3 detachably secured to supporting member 9 by threads 10, there being also shown the usual retention handle 2 and a safety pin 4 therefor.
  • the grenade shown in FIGURE 1 is activated in the classic manner of hand grenades and is as follows: safety pin 4 is pulled out to release retention handle 2 which is then ejected by a spring (not shown). This releases a spring-loaded firing pin (not shown) in the fuze assembly 3 to ignite the first fire material 6 which, in turn, ignites smoke mix 7. Combustion gas pressure is relieved through holes 5.
  • FIGURE 2 The pressure retention chamber of the invention is illustrated in FIGURE 2 and the original parts of the grenade are indicated by the same reference characters as in FIGURE 1.
  • the pressure retention chamber is indicated by 11 and is substantially cup shaped as shown. It may be attached to canister 1 by crimping its edge over the cover 8 as at 12, or by any other means desired.
  • Chamber 11 is provided with a central opening 13 and vent holes 14.
  • An internally threaded tubular spacer 15, having a fiash passage 16 is provided with a reduced end portion 17 which is externally threaded as at 18. This spacer 15 is threadably mounted in the internally threaded supporting member 9 as shown.
  • Fuze assembly 3 is threaded into the internally threaded spacer 15 as illustrated in FIGURE 2.
  • Cover 8 now becomes the inner cover since cup shaped retainer 11 is the outer cover.
  • FIGURE 2 The operation of the grenade in FIGURE 2 is exactly the same as the one in FIGURE 1 and has been described before. However, when the detonation of smoke mix 7 which occurs when it is loosened by the impact of the grenade with a surface, it ruptures the inner cover 8 and a single chamber is formed by the canister 1 at one end and the pressure retention chamber 11 at the other,
  • the increased volume encompassed by the pressure retention chamber 11 is sufiicient to reduce the pressure caused by the post-impact detonation to a point below that at which it would become ruptured.
  • the increased volume is small enough to retain sufiicient pressure to enable continued burning of smoke mix 7, with venting of the smoke through vent holes 14 in pressure chamber 11.
  • the last named holes are similar in size and number to the vent holes 5 of the conventional grenade, shown in FIG- URE 1.
  • sufiicient internal pressure for normal operation after the effects of the post impact detonation have subsided is maintained within the canister 1.
  • a smoke marker grenade including a canister containing a smoke mix, a'first fire material supported in said canister above said smoke mix a vented inner cover closing said canister, a supporting member carried by said inner cover and a fuze assembly detachably secured to said supporting member; pressure retention means fixed to the top of said canister and comprising a cup shaped outer cover fixed to the top of said canister, there being a central opening for receiving said fuze assembly therein and a series of vent holes surrounding said central opening, and a spacing member fixed at one of its ends to said fuze assembly and at its other end to said supporting member for spacing said fuze assembly relative to said first fire material and whereby an annular chamber is formed over said inner cover, said chamber, upon rupture of said inner cover to form a single area with said canister to increase combustion volume therewith and reduce combustion pressure sufficiently to enable normal burning of said smoke mix.
  • said spacing member comprises an elongated tubular body having an internally threaded bore for threadably receiving said fuze assembly therein, an axially aligned flash passage and a reduced externally threaded portion for threadable engagement in said supporting member.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Tents Or Canopies (AREA)

Description

March 12, 1968 J, FOSTER 3,372,641
PRESSURE RETENTION CHAMBER FOR SMOKE MARKER GRENADE Filed 0st. 19, 1966 Priorart INVENTOR, John E Fosfer ATTORNEYS,
United States Patent 3,372,641 Patented Mar. 12, 1968 fiice 3,372,641 PRESSURE RETENTION CHAMBER FOR SMOKE MARKER GRENADE John Edward Foster, Timonium, Md., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Oct. 19, 1956, Ser. No. 588,676 3 Claims. (Cl. 102-65) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pressure retention chamber fixed to the top of a smoke marker grenade which provides a larger volume with the canister of the grenade when the cover is ruptured due to impact and thereby reduces the pressure, yet retaining sufficient pressure to enable normal burning of the smoke mix in the canister.
This invention relates to an impact resistant smoke marker grenade and more particularly to a pressure-retention chamber to be added to existing smoke hand grenades to enable them to be dropped from low flying aircraft.
Generally, smoke hand grenades currently used consist of a conventional sheet metal canister containing a smoke mix, a first fire material and a fuze assembly.
The fuze assembly is activated by removal of a safety pin which releases a retention handle which, when the grenade is thrown, is ejected and a firing pin, which is spring-loaded, ignites the highly flammable first fire material. This, in turn, ignites the smoke mix,
Vent holes in the top of the canister permit escape of combustion gases to maintain necessary pressure within the canister.
The aforesaid grenade has a disadvantage in that when dropped from a height of approximately one hundred feet or more onto a solid surface, such as concrete, etc., the burning smoke mix has a tendency to be dislodged from the remainder of the material upon impact with the surface. This results in detonation of the smoke mix which causes blow-out of the top of the canister and loss of pressure necessary to continue normal burning of the smoke mix.
This disadvantage is eliminated by the present invention by provision of a pressure retention chamber to be added to the existing smoke hand grenade. This chamber sustains sufiicient pressure within the canister to prevent detonation, and/or extinction of, the burning smoke mix when the grenade is subjected to severe physical shock and gives it capability of being launched from low fiying aircraft.
It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a means for the prevention of the detonation of, and/or extinction of, the smoke mix in a smoke hand grenade when the grenade is subjected to a severe physical shock.
Another object is to provide a cup shaped, vented, pressure retention chamber to the top of a conventional smoke hand grenade to sustain normal burning of a smoke mix therein.
A further object is to convert a conventional hand smoke grenade for use in dropping from low flying aircraft at a very small increase in cost.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawing, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section of a conventional smoke hand grenade; and,
FIGURE 2 is a similar view on a larger scale, but illustrating the pressure retention chamber as applied thereon.
Referring in detail to the drawing, there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 (labeled prior art") a conventional type smoke marker hand grenade. This grenade consists of a canister 1 containing a smoke mix 7, a cover 8, for closing canister 1, a series of vent holes 5 in cover 8, a first fire material 6 carried by cover 8, a supporting member fixed on cover 8 and a fuze assembly 3 detachably secured to supporting member 9 by threads 10, there being also shown the usual retention handle 2 and a safety pin 4 therefor.
The grenade shown in FIGURE 1 is activated in the classic manner of hand grenades and is as follows: safety pin 4 is pulled out to release retention handle 2 which is then ejected by a spring (not shown). This releases a spring-loaded firing pin (not shown) in the fuze assembly 3 to ignite the first fire material 6 which, in turn, ignites smoke mix 7. Combustion gas pressure is relieved through holes 5.
The pressure retention chamber of the invention is illustrated in FIGURE 2 and the original parts of the grenade are indicated by the same reference characters as in FIGURE 1.
The pressure retention chamber is indicated by 11 and is substantially cup shaped as shown. It may be attached to canister 1 by crimping its edge over the cover 8 as at 12, or by any other means desired.
Chamber 11 is provided with a central opening 13 and vent holes 14.
An internally threaded tubular spacer 15, having a fiash passage 16 is provided with a reduced end portion 17 which is externally threaded as at 18. This spacer 15 is threadably mounted in the internally threaded supporting member 9 as shown.
Fuze assembly 3 is threaded into the internally threaded spacer 15 as illustrated in FIGURE 2.
Cover 8 now becomes the inner cover since cup shaped retainer 11 is the outer cover.
The operation of the grenade in FIGURE 2 is exactly the same as the one in FIGURE 1 and has been described before. However, when the detonation of smoke mix 7 which occurs when it is loosened by the impact of the grenade with a surface, it ruptures the inner cover 8 and a single chamber is formed by the canister 1 at one end and the pressure retention chamber 11 at the other,
The increased volume encompassed by the pressure retention chamber 11 is sufiicient to reduce the pressure caused by the post-impact detonation to a point below that at which it would become ruptured. The increased volume is small enough to retain sufiicient pressure to enable continued burning of smoke mix 7, with venting of the smoke through vent holes 14 in pressure chamber 11. The last named holes are similar in size and number to the vent holes 5 of the conventional grenade, shown in FIG- URE 1.
Thus, sufiicient internal pressure for normal operation after the effects of the post impact detonation have subsided is maintained within the canister 1.
Subsequent burning and smoke emission takes place in the normal fashion, with smoke passing through vent holes 14.
It is possible with the improved grenade of this invention to provide a continuous smoke screen by launching sufiicient quantities of grenades from low flying aircraft, not heretofore feasible.
While only a preferred form of the invention is shown and described, other forms of the invention are contemplated and numerous changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the in vention as set forth in the appended claims.
What is claimed is:
1. In combination with a smoke marker grenade including a canister containing a smoke mix, a'first fire material supported in said canister above said smoke mix a vented inner cover closing said canister, a supporting member carried by said inner cover and a fuze assembly detachably secured to said supporting member; pressure retention means fixed to the top of said canister and comprising a cup shaped outer cover fixed to the top of said canister, there being a central opening for receiving said fuze assembly therein and a series of vent holes surrounding said central opening, and a spacing member fixed at one of its ends to said fuze assembly and at its other end to said supporting member for spacing said fuze assembly relative to said first fire material and whereby an annular chamber is formed over said inner cover, said chamber, upon rupture of said inner cover to form a single area with said canister to increase combustion volume therewith and reduce combustion pressure sufficiently to enable normal burning of said smoke mix.
2. A device as set forth in claim wherein said spacing member comprises an elongated tubular body having an internally threaded bore for threadably receiving said fuze assembly therein, an axially aligned flash passage and a reduced externally threaded portion for threadable engagement in said supporting member.
3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outer cover is similarly vented as said inner cover.
References Cited SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner.
W. KUJAWA, Assistant Examiner.
US588676A 1966-10-19 1966-10-19 Pressure retention chamber for smoke marker grenade Expired - Lifetime US3372641A (en)

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Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3460507A (en) * 1967-07-21 1969-08-12 Us Navy Piston expelled chemiluminescent water signal dispenser
US3482517A (en) * 1968-12-18 1969-12-09 Us Army Grenade flotation attachment
US4436034A (en) 1981-05-05 1984-03-13 A/S Raufoss Ammunisjonsfabrikker Smoke grenade with successive slow and fast burning charges
US4444111A (en) * 1978-09-30 1984-04-24 Nico-Pyrotechnik Hanns-Juergen Diederichs Kg Crowd control projectile and method of ejecting same
US5074218A (en) * 1989-08-18 1991-12-24 Joseph Castro Grenade with dual fuses for simulating small arms fire
US6128847A (en) * 1998-09-15 2000-10-10 Langner; F. Richard Weapon discharge safety mechanism

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2042461A (en) * 1934-11-15 1936-06-02 Harry C Gibson Fuse for candles and the like
US2094561A (en) * 1934-09-19 1937-09-28 Fed Lab Inc Hand grenade
US2328916A (en) * 1942-10-31 1943-09-07 Comte Victor K Le Floating signal
US2340329A (en) * 1940-08-06 1944-02-01 John M King Smoke torch
US2396064A (en) * 1943-12-10 1946-03-05 Joseph W Van Karner Ignition or firing mechanism
US2959127A (en) * 1956-02-16 1960-11-08 Fed Lab Inc Gas grenade
US3081702A (en) * 1960-02-26 1963-03-19 Rinker Fa R Fire arms

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2094561A (en) * 1934-09-19 1937-09-28 Fed Lab Inc Hand grenade
US2042461A (en) * 1934-11-15 1936-06-02 Harry C Gibson Fuse for candles and the like
US2340329A (en) * 1940-08-06 1944-02-01 John M King Smoke torch
US2328916A (en) * 1942-10-31 1943-09-07 Comte Victor K Le Floating signal
US2396064A (en) * 1943-12-10 1946-03-05 Joseph W Van Karner Ignition or firing mechanism
US2959127A (en) * 1956-02-16 1960-11-08 Fed Lab Inc Gas grenade
US3081702A (en) * 1960-02-26 1963-03-19 Rinker Fa R Fire arms

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3460507A (en) * 1967-07-21 1969-08-12 Us Navy Piston expelled chemiluminescent water signal dispenser
US3482517A (en) * 1968-12-18 1969-12-09 Us Army Grenade flotation attachment
US4444111A (en) * 1978-09-30 1984-04-24 Nico-Pyrotechnik Hanns-Juergen Diederichs Kg Crowd control projectile and method of ejecting same
US4436034A (en) 1981-05-05 1984-03-13 A/S Raufoss Ammunisjonsfabrikker Smoke grenade with successive slow and fast burning charges
US5074218A (en) * 1989-08-18 1991-12-24 Joseph Castro Grenade with dual fuses for simulating small arms fire
US6128847A (en) * 1998-09-15 2000-10-10 Langner; F. Richard Weapon discharge safety mechanism

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