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Incendiary grenade patent

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(11) 3,731,632
United States Patent 19)
(45)
Stevens
54) INCENDIARY GRENADE
75 Inventor: John H. Stevens, San Diego, Calif.
73 Assignee: The United States of America as
represented by the Secretary of the
Navy, Washington, D.C.
22
21
Filed:
July 30, 1970
Appl. No.: 64,917
52) U.S. Ct.............. r 102.165, 102/90
51) int. Cl...............................................F.42b 27/04
58) Field of Search.............................. 102/6, 64-66,
102/90
May 8, 1973
2,445,311
2,501,766
7/1948 Cooke et al. ......................... 10216 X
3/1950 Fieser et al............................. 102,165
3,433,437
3/1969 Bates........................................ i02/6
Primary Examiner-Verlin R. Pendegrass
Attorney-R. S. Sciascia and Philip Schneider
(57)
ABSTRACT
An incendiary grenade having a canister provided with
scored sides, a burster-igniter assembly positioned at
the center of the canister and a gelled fuel substan
tially filling the canister. The burster-igniter assembly
comprises a fuse fitted into a burster well or cylinder
which is scored to provide a good ignition burst. The
grenade expels material which is hot enough to dry
and set fire to rain soaked thatched roofs, etc.
(56)
References Cited
UNITED STATES PATENTS
2,383,720
8/1945 Hamilton........................... ... 102/6
5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures
PATENTEDXY 8973
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3,731,632
2
A further object of the invention is the provision of a
device which is simple and easy to load and operate.
Still another object is to provide an incendiary device
which is reasonably safe and inexpensive.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become apparent from the following
detailed description of the invention when considered
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
1
INCEND ARY GRENADE
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufac
tured and used by or for the Government of the United
States of America for governmental purposes without
the payment of any royalities thereon or therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to incendiary devices
10
and more particularly to such devices that are capable
of disseminating an incendiary material into a predeter
mined area.
Weather conditions in SOUTHEAST ASIA have
established the requirement for an incendiary device
which will be effective against rain soaked thatched
and wooden structures, as well as an anti-personnel in
cendiary device for use in tunnels and bunkers. Prior
art devices have proven ineffective for these purposes.
Thermite grenades are the most common prior art
devices whose use has proven ineffective. The greatest
disadvantage with thermite grenades is the intense lo
calized heat produced. When the unit is thrown on a
structure, the heat is so localized that a hole is quickly
burned around the grenade and it falls through the
structure without setting fire to it.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The exact nature of this invention as well as other ob
15
jects and the advantages thereof will be readily ap
parent from consideration of the following specifica
tion relating to the annexed drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a partial cutaway of a preferred embodi
ment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a partial cutaway of components contained
within the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 1, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of
the present invention, shows a tin canister 11 having
scored sides as shown at 12. For the purposes of ex
planation, it will be assumed that the internal chamber
13 of the tin canister 11 has a volume of 10 ounces. It is
25
contemplated, that other sizes may be utilized depend
ing upon the requirements of the intended use.
Mounted atop the canister 11 and extending into the
internal chamber 13 is burster-ignitor assembly 15. The
A second disadvantage with thermite grenades, is
their weight. A soldier carrying a great deal of weight in
burster-ignitor assembly 15 is primarily composed of an
equipment and ammunition is quite adverse to carrying 30 ignitor fuse 16 and a burster well 17. Attached to and
the extra weight of a thermite grenade especially when cooperating with the burster-ignitor assembly 15 is a
safety ring 19 and a safety lever 20 whose operation is
they have proven so ineffective.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed at providing an effi
cient light weight incendiary grenade. The grenade
35
the ignitor fuse 16. The ignitor fuse 16 is of an existing
design, the specific details of which are not a part of the
consists of a tin canister whose sides are scored to en
sure a uniform burst. The canister is filled with a incen
diary material comprising a mixture of gelled and liquid
gasoline. A burster-ignitor assembly is inserted into the
40
canister to ignite and disseminate the incendiary
material. That portion of the burster-ignitor assembly
crossing helical pattern to provide a good ignition burst
present invention. Any suitable device may be sub
from the scope of the invention.
stituted for the ignitor fuse shown without departing
The lower portion of the burster well 17 is scored in a
non-crossing helical pattern, as indicated at reference
which extends into the canister is also scored in a non
as well as to cut down on shrapnel.
In use, the incendiary grenade disseminates the in
cendiary material over a four foot diameter area and
more specifically set forth below.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a cutaway of
the burster well 17. The upper portion of the burster
well 17 is adapted to accept an extending portion 22 of
numerial 18, in a manner similar to that of the tin
45
canister 11. This scoring acts to provide a good ignition
burst as well as to cut down on shrapnel.
A burster charge is contained within the internal
chamber 23 of burster well 17. The burster charge may
produces a fireball 8 to 10 feet in diameter. This spread
eliminates the intense localized heat shortcoming of the
be comprised of any suitable material. It has been
thermite grenade, and burns hot enough to dry and set 50 found, that a mixture of nine grains of Hercules Unique
smokeless powder (nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin
fire to rain soaked material. The fire ball produces a
fair amount of heat and uses sufficient oxygen to be mix) and ten grains of R-2 pellets (boron, potassium
used as an anti-personnel weapon. The loaded unit is nitrate) is very effective in this application. Within this
light weight, reliable, and reasonably safe to carry. It is 55 combination, the specified amounts are critical to the
simply constructed and is easy to load and operate by operation.
With the burster charge contained within the internal
anyone who is at all familiar with grenades. The unit
may be fired by existing grenade firing adapters. chamber 23 of burster well 17, the ignitor fuse 16 is
Further, the cost of the incendiary grenade is well fitted to the burster well 17 to make up the burster igni
below that of the existing thermite grenade.
60 tor assembly 15. The canister is then filled with the in
cendiary material. Typical of such materials would be
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
approximately 8 ounces of gelled gasoline with an addi
An object of the present invention is the provision of tional 2 ounces of liquid gasoline. The canister is then
an efficient incendiary device which is capable of ex
pelling an incendiary material into a predetermined
aca.
Another object is to provide an efficient incendiary
device which is light in weight.
65
fitted with the burster ignitor assembly 15 which acts to
ignite and disseminate the incendiary material.
Provision is made on the burster ignitor assembly 15
for maintaining a water proof seal against moisture. An
example of such a seal would be the use of a gasket of
3
3,731,632
4.
1. An incendiary device comprising:
rubber or other resilient material in the recess shown at
24.
a canister;
When the incendiary grenade is to be used, the
operator holds the grenade firmly in his hand with the
safety lever 20 under his fingers. He then pulls the
safety ring 19 and throws the grenade at his target. The
action of the ignitor fuse 16 on the burster charge
within the internal chamber 23 causes the scored sides
18 of the burster well 17 to rupture. This, both ignites
the incendiary material within the internal chamber 13
of the canister 11, and causes the scored sides 12 of the
O
ing of the sidewalls is substantially of a helical configu
canister 11 to rupture thus expelling the ignited incen
diary material. The incendiary material is disseminated
over approximately a four foot diameter and produces
a fire ball 8 to 1 C feet in diameter.
Obviously many modifications and variations of the
present invention are possible in the light of the above
teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within
the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be
practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
an incendiary material within said canister;
means extending into said canister for igniting said
incendiary material wherein the igniting means
comprises a burster well having scored sidewalls
wherein the scoring of the sidewalls does not cross
but entirely encircles the sidewalls at least once,
thereby ensuring a good ignition burst and to
reduce shrapnel.
2. The incendiary device of claim 1 wherein the scor
ration.
3. The incendiary device of claim 2 wherein the
15
canister has scored sidewalls.
4. The incendiary device of claim 3 wherein the scor
ing on the canister does not cross.
5. The incendiary device of claim 4 wherein the scor
ing on the canister is substantially of a helical configu
20
What is claimed is:
25
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40
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50
60
ration.
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