Hand grenade with an explosive train initiation indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10024641-B1
Application number	US-201715615010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 6, 2017
Priority date	Jun 10, 2016
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

The subject invention provides a grenade which comprises a means of indicating, to a user, that the grenade's striker assembly has been activated, and thus provides an indication that the grenade has been initiated. Specifically, the subject invention provides such indication of striker activation, and thus grenade initiation, which is evident to the user by touch and feel, without the need for purposeful inspection of the grenade by said user. More specifically, the subject invention modifies the grenade's striker assembly to create a means to obstruct the safety lever from returning to its original position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hand grenade comprising
a grenade body;
a fuze body fixed to a top of said grenade body;
a primer assembly fixed in said fuze body;
a safety lever having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein said safety lever is removably attached to said fuze body, and wherein said lower portion is in an initial safe first position which is substantially adjacent to the grenade body when the grenade is in an inactive state; and
a striker assembly comprised of a striker lever and a striker point, the striker point further comprising an anterior striker and a posterior protrusion and wherein said striker point is riveted to said striker lever, said striker assembly pivotably connected to said fuze body comprising an anterior side with the anterior striker and a posterior side with the posterior protrusion, wherein on activation of the striker assembly, the anterior striker contacts the primer assembly and the posterior protrusion extends beyond a top surface of the fuze body to contact the upper portion of the safety lever, thus preventing the upper portion of the safety lever from returning to a position flush with the fuze and thereby holding the lower portion of the safety lever in a second position.

2. The hand grenade according to claim 1 , wherein
said posterior protrusion is comprised of a retained rivet stem.

3. The hand grenade according to claim 1 wherein
the striker assembly is a single component.

4. The hand grenade according to claim 1
wherein when the safety lever is in the second position, the lower portion of the safety lever is at a distance substantially away from the grenade body.

5. The hand grenade according to claim 4
wherein said distance is a minimum of 0.5 inches.

6. The hand grenade according to claim 5 ,
wherein said grenade is a fragmenting grenade.

Assignees

• Us Army

Inventors

• Lauch Richard

Classifications

• F42C14/02

  for hand grenades · CPC title

• F42C15/00

  Arming-means in fuzes; Safety means for preventing premature detonation of fuzes or charges · CPC title

• F42C15/16 Primary

  wherein the firing pin is displaced out of the action line for safety (F42C15/40 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F42B27/00

  Hand grenades (F42B12/00 takes precedence; for practice or training F42B8/12) · CPC title