Dual safety fuze for grenade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9638503-B1
Application number	US-201414462702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2014
Priority date	Aug 19, 2014
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A hand grenade fuze includes a secondary safety feature in the form of a trigger pin inserted through the striker lever. One end of the trigger pin has an undercut portion. A slide bar is disposed in the fuze body and has a keyhole opening at one end for selectively engaging the undercut portion of the trigger pin. A trigger has one end connected to the slide bar and another end rotatably fixed to the fuze body. A spring biases the trigger away from the fuze body. When the trigger is depressed, the slide bar translates and releases the trigger pin, which releases the restraint on the striker lever.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A grenade fuze, comprising:
a fuze body;
a striker lever rotatably mounted to the fuze body;
a rotor assembly rotatably mounted to the fuze body;
a spring that torsionally biases the rotor assembly;
a pull ring having a pull pin that is inserted through the striker lever to restrain rotation of the striker lever and the rotor assembly;
a trigger pin having a longitudinal axis and inserted through the striker lever to restrain rotation of the striker lever, one end of the trigger pin including an undercut portion;
a slide bar disposed in the fuze body and having a keyhole opening at one end for selectively engaging the undercut portion of the trigger pin;
a trigger having one end connected to the slide bar and another end rotatably fixed to the fuze body; and
a second spring that biases the trigger away from the fuze body.

2. The fuze of claim 1 , wherein the keyhole opening includes a small opening and a large opening and further wherein engagement of the undercut portion of the trigger pin with the small opening restrains translation of the trigger pin with respect to the slide bar in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the trigger pin.

3. The fuze of claim 2 , wherein placement of the trigger pin in the large opening of the keyhole opening does not restrain translation of the trigger pin with respect to the slide bar in the direction along the longitudinal axis of the trigger pin.

4. The fuze of claim 1 , wherein, in an unactuated position of the trigger, the slide bar prevents translation of the trigger pin with respect to the slide bar in the direction along the longitudinal axis of the trigger pin.

5. The fuze of claim 4 , wherein, when the trigger is depressed, the slide bar does not prevent translation of the trigger pin with respect to the slide bar in the direction along the longitudinal axis of the trigger pin.

6. A method of activating a grenade fuze, comprising:
providing the grenade fuze of claim 1 ;
depressing the trigger; and
removing the pull pin from the striker lever.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein depressing the trigger includes translating the slide bar such that the undercut portion of the trigger pin is disengaged from a smaller opening of the keyhole opening.

8. A grenade fuze, comprising:
a fuze body;
a striker lever rotatably mounted to the fuze body;
a rotor assembly rotatably mounted to the fuze body;
a spring that torsionally biases the rotor assembly;
a translatable trigger pin having a longitudinal axis and inserted through the striker lever to restrain rotation of the striker lever, one end of the trigger pin including an undercut portion;
a translatable slide bar disposed in the fuze body and having a keyhole opening at one end for selectively engaging the undercut portion of the trigger pin, the keyhole opening including a small opening and a large opening;
a trigger having one end connected to the slide bar and another end rotatably fixed to the fuze body; and
a second spring that biases the trigger away from the fuze body;
wherein engagement of the undercut portion of the trigger pin with the small opening restrains translation of the trigger pin with respect to the slide bar in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the trigger pin and wherein placement of the trigger pin in the large opening of the keyhole opening does not restrain translation of the trigger pin with respect to the slide bar in the direction along the longitudinal axis of the trigger pin.

Assignees

• Andrews William J
• Campagnuolo Carl J
• Us Army

Inventors

• Andrews William J
• Campagnuolo Carl J

Classifications

• F42C15/005 Primary

  Combination-type safety mechanisms, i.e. two or more safeties are moved in a predetermined sequence to each other · CPC title

• F42C15/21

  using spring action (F42C15/32 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F42C14/02

  for hand grenades · CPC title