US683616A - Electrical automatic safety hand contact firing-key. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 683,6!6. Patented Oct. I, 1961.

' T. .1. MORIABTY.

ELECTBlCAL AUTOMATIC SAFETY HAND CONTACT FIRING KEY.

(Application filed J an. 17,' 1901.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES V PATENT OrFIcE.

THOMAS JOSEPH MORIARTY, OF NElVPORT, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN T. REAGAN, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRICAL AUTOMATIC SAFETY HAND CONTACT FIRING-KEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,616, dated October 1, 1901.

Application filed January 17, 1901. Serial No. 43,602. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS JOSEPH Monr- AR'lY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newport, in the county of Newport and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Automatic Safety Hand Contact Firing-Keys,

of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled to in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention-relates to automatic safety firing devices or keys for use in connection with guns and in blasting in mines and wherever such devices are required; and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which is simple in construction and operation, which is particularly designed for preventing the premature discharge of a gun or a premature explosion wherever an electrical hand firing-key is used, and which cannot be accidentally operated so as to make contact or complete a circuit inadvertently or before the proper time.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by the same reference characters in 0 each of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a side view of myi ing device, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section thereof.

In the practice of my invention I provide a 5 device of the class specified which is cylindrical in cross-section and comprising two separate similar parts 5, which are fiat on their adjacent sides and preferably semicircular on their opposite sides and which are preferably smaller at one end than at the other and connected by a metal band 6.

The separate parts 5 of the firing device are provided at the ends opposite the band 6 with a metal cap 7,and the caps 7 are similar in formto a cross-section of the pieces 5, and one of the said caps is provided in itsinner face with a segmental notch or recess 8, which registers with a corresponding groove or slot 9 in said part 5, and the other cap is provided with a tubular casing 10 at the inner face, in

mproved firwhich is mounted a spring-operated plug 11, having apin 12,which passes inwardly through said tubular casing and is provided at its inner end with a head 13, andmounted on the pin 12 is a spring 14, which operates to force the plug 11 outwardly, as shown in the drawings. At the inner end of the tubular casing 10 each of the parts 5 of the device is provided with a segmental countersunk casing 15, and when the plug 11 is in its outermost position the head 13 of the pin 12 fits between these casings, each of which is provided with a segmental inwardly-directed flange 16, between which the head 13 of the pin 12 fits when the said plug is in its outermost position, and the head of said pin operates in this position of the parts tohold the ends of the parts 5 of the device opposite the band 6 separated, as shown in the drawings.

Each of the parts 5 is provided in its inner 7o face with acontact-piece 17, which is screwed thereinto, and into which is screwed from the outside a screw 19, and wires or conductors 20 are passed into the ends of the parts 5 through the band 6 and into the contact devices 17, where they are held by the screws 19, and in practice the wires or conductors 20 are connected with the firing mechanism of the gun, mine, or other blast in the usual manner, and whenever it is desired to dis- 8o charge the gun or explode the blast the firing key or device is held in the hand and the plug 11 is forced inwardly, and the separate ends of the parts 5 are pressed together, so that the contact devices 17 will be connected, and the circuit through the wires or conductors 20 will be established in the usual manner, and the gun will be discharged or the blast fired, as will be readily understood.

The separate parts 5 of the device are held 0 in the band 6 by friction or in any desired manner, and said parts may be made of any desired insulating material.

This device is simple in construction and operation and also comparatively inexpen- 5 sive, and by means thereof any accidental contact cannot be made to discharge prematurely a gun or blast,

My invention is not limited to the exact construction herein shown and described, and

I reserve the right to make all such alterations therein as fairly come within the scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A firing device or key, consisting of two parts 5 connected at one end, and separated at the other by a spring-operated plug which operates normally to hold said ends apart, said ends of the parts in which the plug is located being adapted to be forced together when the plug is forced inwardly, the parts of the device being also provided with contact devices secured in their inner faces, and conductors which pass inwardly through the connected ends of the separate parts and are connected with the said contact devices, substantially as shown and described.

2. A firing device or key, comprising two separate, similar parts connected at one end,

the inner faces of said parts being'flat, and the outer surfaces convex, the ends of said parts opposite the connected ends being held apart by a spring-operated plug which is adapted to be forced inwardly, said ends being adapted to be pressed together when said plug is forced inwardly, the said parts being also provided in their inner faces, with contact devices, and wires passing into said parts through the connected ends thereof, said Wires being connected with said contact devices, substantially as shown and described.

3. A firing device or key consisting of two parts connected at one end, and normally separated at the other end, contact devices connected with said parts and provided with circuit wires, said separated ends being adapted to be pressed together, and a springoperated device for holding said ends in a separated position, said device being adapted to be manipulated so as to allow the separated ends of the separate parts to be pressed together, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of January, 1901.

THOMAS JOSEPH MORIARTY.

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