US-12624934-B2 - Hand-throwable effect-producing body with a manually graspable housing body and method for operating a hand-throwable effect-producing body

US12624934B2US 12624934 B2US12624934 B2US 12624934B2US-12624934-B2

Abstract

A hand-throwable effect-producing body with a manually graspable housing body, a manually operable triggering device having a spring-loaded impact body, an ignition device initiatable by the triggering device and comprises an ignition charge, a delay device is initiatable by the ignition device and comprises a delay charge and a delay line, and a main charge configured to be initiated directly or indirectly by the delay charge. The impact body is configured to be manually moved along the longitudinal axis thereof counter to a spring force into a preloaded position and to be releasably arrested there and to be released by manually operating a triggering element of the triggering device, such that it can shoot out of its preloaded position along the longitudinal axis against an axial stop and thereby initiate the ignition charge.

Inventors

Helge Graf
Rene Huber

Assignees

RHEINMETALL WAFFE MUNITION ARGES GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20250104
Priority Date: 20220704

Claims (20)

1 . A hand-throwable effect-producing body comprising: a manually graspable housing body; a manually operable triggering device with a spring-loaded impact body; an ignition device that is initiatable by the triggering device, the ignition device comprises an ignition charge; a delay device that is initiatable by the ignition device, the delay device comprises a delay charge and a delay line; and a main charge that is initiatable directly or indirectly by the delay charge, wherein the impact body comprises the ignition device together with the ignition charge and the delay device together with the delay charge and the delay line, wherein the impact body is manually movable along a longitudinal axis thereof counter to a spring force into a preloaded position and is releasably arrestable there and is releasable by manually operating a triggering element of the triggering device such that the impact body is adapted to shoot out of the preloaded position along the longitudinal axis against an axial stop and thereby initiate the ignition charge, wherein the triggering device comprises a manually grippable tensioning element via which the impact body is movable into the preloaded position, and wherein the manually grippable tensioning element is arranged so as to be pivotable about the longitudinal axis with respect to the housing body and also with respect to the impact body.
2 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 1 , wherein the impact body is sleeve-shaped at least in portions and forms a receiving space for the ignition device and the delay device.
3 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 1 , wherein the impact body is guided within a helical spring along the longitudinal axis such that the impact body is adapted to move longitudinally, and wherein the helical spring is directly or indirectly axially supported at one end with respect to the longitudinal axis against the housing body or is received and supported in a guide housing body insertable into the housing body.
4 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 3 , wherein the helical spring is connected at the other end to the impact body or is supported against the impact body in a direction of the longitudinal axis or is supported against a radial projection of the impact body.
5 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 1 , wherein the manually grippable tensioning element is drivingly connected to the impact body in the direction of the longitudinal axis.
6 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 1 , wherein the manually grippable tensioning element is movable back and forth between a securing position and a tensioning position, and wherein the impact body is held at a distance from the axial stop in the direction of the longitudinal axis when the manually grippable tensioning element is in the securing position, and wherein the impact body is movable back and forth in the direction of the longitudinal axis when the manually grippable tensioning element is in the tensioning position.
7 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 1 , wherein the impact body together with a helical spring is accommodated longitudinally displaceably in a guide housing body, the quide housing body being insertable into the housing body.
8 . A method for operating a hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 1 , the method comprising: providing the manually operable triggering device with the impact body, which is spring-loaded along the longitudinal axis, the ignition device that is initiatable by the triggering device and comprises the ignition charge, the delay device, which is initiatable by the ignition device and comprises the delay charge and the delay line, and the main charge that is initiatable directly or indirectly by the delay charge; moving or pivoting a tensioning element, that is drivingly coupled to the impact body, from a securing position, in which the impact body is releasably held counter to the spring force, into a tensioning position; moving, when the tensioning element is in the tensioning position, the tensioning element together with the impact body along the longitudinal axis of the impact body counter to the spring force into the preloaded position; releasably arresting the impact body in the preloaded position; and releasing the arrest of the impact body by manually operating the triggering element of the triggering device, such that the impact body shoots out of the preloaded position along the longitudinal axis against the axial stop and thereby initiates the ignition charge, wherein the triggering device comprises the manually grippable tensioning element via which the impact body is movable into the preloaded position, and wherein the manually grippable tensioning element is arranged so as to be pivotable about the longitudinal axis with respect to the housing body and also with respect to the impact body.
9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein, in order to releasably arrest the impact body in the preloaded position, a spring-loaded locking member is automatically moved into a position that locks the impact body along the longitudinal axis when the impact body is tensioned.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the spring-loaded locking member protrudes from the housing body in the position that locks the impact body and is pressed back into the housing body as a triggering element in order to release the impact body.
11 . A hand-throwable effect-producing body comprising: a manually graspable housing body: a manually operable triggering device with a spring-loaded impact body; an ignition device that is initiatable by the triggering device, the ignition device comprises an ignition charge; a delay device that is initiatable by the ignition device, the delay device comprises a delay charge and a delay line; and a main charge that is initiatable directly or indirectly by the delay charge, wherein the impact body comprises the ignition device together with the ignition charge and the delay device together with the delay charge and the delay line, wherein the impact body is manually movable along a longitudinal axis thereof counter to a spring force into a preloaded position and is releasably arrestable there and is releasable by manually operating a triggering element of the triggering device such that the impact body is adapted to shoot out of the preloaded position along the longitudinal axis against an axial stop and thereby initiate the ignition charge, wherein the impact body is releasably lockable in the preloaded position by a spring-loaded locking member interlockingly engaging behind the impact body in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and wherein the spring-loaded locking member is movable linearly back and forth transversely to the longitudinal axis.
12 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 11 , wherein the spring-loaded locking member has a through-opening extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis, through which the impact body is movable when the spring-loaded locking member is in a position in which the through-opening of the spring-loaded locking member is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the impact body.
13 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 11 , wherein the spring-loaded locking member is shaped as a piston, rod or shaft portion and is accommodated in the housing body so as to be movable transversely to the longitudinal axis.
14 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 12 , wherein the spring-loaded locking member has a constriction around an outer circumference that forms an insertion bevel for the impact body in the direction of the through-opening.
15 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 11 , wherein the triggering element of the triggering device also forms the spring-loaded locking member.
16 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 11 , wherein the spring-loaded locking member projects outward beyond the housing body with a free end when the spring-loaded locking member is in a position in which the spring-loaded locking member locks the impact body in the preloaded position.
17 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 11 , wherein the spring-loaded locking member is spring-loaded by a spring that extends transversely to the longitudinal axis.
18 . A hand-throwable effect-producing body comprising: a manually graspable housing body; a manually operable triggering device with a spring-loaded impact body; an ignition device that is initiatable by the triggering device, the ignition device comprises an ignition charge; a delay device that is initiatable by the ignition device, the delay device comprises a delay charge and a delay line; and a main charge that is initiatable directly or indirectly by the delay charge, wherein the impact body comprises the ignition device together with the ignition charge and the delay device together with the delay charge and the delay line, wherein the impact body is manually movable along a longitudinal axis thereof counter to a spring force into a preloaded position and is releasably arrestable there and is releasable by manually operating a triggering element of the triggering device such that the impact body is adapted to shoot out of the preloaded position along the longitudinal axis against an axial stop and thereby initiate the ignition charge, and wherein the housing body is substantially cuboid and flat and comprises a first direction and a second direction and a third direction which are orthogonal to one another and extend along or in parallel with corresponding edges of the housing body, the first direction running along the longitudinal axis of the impact body, and the dimension of the housing body being larger in the first direction than in the second and third directions, and wherein the housing body delimits a first and a second receiving space, both of which extend in the first direction and are arranged next to one another in the second direction, and wherein the triggering device with the ignition device and the delay device are accommodated in the first receiving space, and wherein the main charge is accommodated in the second receiving space.
19 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 18 , wherein the first and the second receiving space are separated from one another by a wall extending in the first direction, and wherein the wall is thin or has openings so that the overignition is transferable from the delay charge to the main charge through the wall.
20 . The hand-throwable effect-producing body according to claim 18 , wherein a manually grippable tensioning element projects outward in the second direction beyond the housing body when in a securing position.

Description

This nonprovisional application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2023/068251 filed on Jul. 3, 2023, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2022 116 662.7, which was filed in Germany on Jul. 4, 2022, and which are both herein incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hand-throwable effect-producing body with a manually graspable housing body, a manually operable triggering device with a spring-loaded impact body, with an ignition device which is initiatable by the triggering device and comprises an ignition charge, with a delay device, which is initiatable by the ignition device and comprises a delay charge and a delay line, and with a main charge which is initiatable directly or indirectly by the delay charge. Description of the Background Art The invention therefore relates to an effect-producing body which is manually triggered or initiated and then manually thrown away by the user. In particular, it can be a hand grenade or a decoy. Accordingly, the main charge includes an explosive charge or another pyrotechnic main charge. It should be mentioned that the term “initiate” is chosen and used throughout the present application to refer to any type of ignition or detonation or the triggering of a combustion or actioning of a pyrotechnic charge or explosive charge of whatever type. Effect-producing bodies of the type mentioned above usually have so-called rocker arm triggering devices, which have thus far become established for cylindrical designs. These systems usually include a safety pin with a ring that can be grasped and pulled by the user's finger, a safety clip and a preloaded striker spring, with the safety clip holding the striker spring in its preloaded state when in a position secured by the safety pin. When the safety pin is pulled out, the safety clip can swing away under the action of the preloaded striker spring, and the striker spring can then initiate the ignition device or its ignition charge as an impact body or by means of an impact body. The delay device connected thereto, with its delay charge, gives the user sufficient time to throw the grenade. US 2012/0288830 A1 discloses an effect-producing body which, however, does not comprise a pyrotechnic delay charge but has a mechanically implemented delay device by means of which a pivoting movement of a rocker arm is delayed. In a previously known non-lethal hand grenade of the type ABC-M25A2, a firing pin comprising an ignition charge is under permanent spring force even before the intended use and is secured by a safety pin with a pull ring. U.S. Pat. No. 1,897,992 describes a rod-like effect-producing body for the emission of irritant gases, in which a manually tensionable and triggerable striking mechanism for igniting the emitted gas is provided in a handle portion. Preloaded striker springs are generally installed in other triggering devices known thus far, which is naturally complex and potentially also risky. Furthermore, once the safety pin has been pulled out, it is no longer possible to secure the triggering device again. Grasping and pulling out the safety pin does not usually allow one-handed operation either. Furthermore, the triggering device represents an additional component to the ignition device and delay device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS It is therefore an object of the present invention is to provide a more compact design. In further developments of the invention, more of the disadvantages described above are also to be avoided. In a hand-throwable effect-producing grenade according to an example of the invention, the object is achieved in that the spring-loaded impact body can comprise the ignition device together with the ignition charge and the delay device together with the delay charge and together with the delay line, and that the impact body is manually movable along the longitudinal axis thereof counter to a spring force into a loaded position and is releasably arrestable there and can be released by manually operating a triggering element of the triggering device such that it can shoot out of its preloaded position along the longitudinal axis against an axial stop and thereby set off the ignition charge. According to an example of the invention, it is therefore proposed to refrain from the use mentioned at the outset of a safety pin having a ring and safety clip as well as a preloaded striker spring and instead to design the triggering device in such a way that the impact body can only be manually moved into a preloaded position and releasably arrested therein when this is necessary. No separate impact body is provided either, but the impact body simultaneously also accommodates and includes the ignition device and the delay device. Unlike in the prior art, a separate impact body is thus not accelerated against a ignition device, usually in the form of a so-called primer, but the ignition device and