Signaling Device Having Manual Firing Means

Abstract

A pyrotechnic signal having a housing containing a quantity of pyrotechnic aterial and a primer for igniting said pyrotechnic material, a manually actuated striker assembly slidably attached to said housing having a firing pin on the inner end thereof and a protective cap threadedly attached to said housing and having a safety clip attached thereto and engaging said striker assembly for preventing accidental ignition of said primer.

Description

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pyrotechnic device and more particularly to an improved device for igniting a pyrotechnic device, such as a hand-held flare.

Various types of hand-held pyrotechnic devices are used by the military departments primarily for signaling purposes. In one type of Navy flare, which is sometimes referred to as a Railroad Warning flare, ignition is made by a friction igniter. One end of the flare is closed by a cover which has an exterior coating of the same abrasive material found on the side of a safety-match box. Beneath the cover is a small cotton wad that protects the friction igniter which is impregnated in a cloth substance covering the pyrotechnic composition. This friction igniter is the same material as is used in the head of a safety match. The signal is ignited by scraping the inverted cover across the friction igniter.

In another type of friction ignition device, a pull wire is provided to ignite a primer. A sharp, quick pull on a ring moves a friction wire through igniter material and causes ignition thereof, and this igniter material, in turn, ignites either a smoke mixture, for day use, or a pyrotechnic candle, for night use.

While the above-described hand-held ignition devices are still being used by the military departments, reliability is not as good as desired and also ignition of these devices normally require the use of both hands. Accordingly, in the event a person might be in the water and holding onto a raft, or in the event a person might be injured, ignition devices which require the use of both hands are undesirable.

A third, and more sophisticated triggering device, utilizes a spring actuated striker assembly. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,167,050, which issued Jan. 26, 1965, to Glenn C. Johnson. In this patented device, a striker assembly is maintained in a cocked position by a cover that is slidably attached to the container. The cover can be removed by pushing sideways, and as the cover becomes disengaged, the striker assembly is actuated to ignite a primer which, in turn, ignites the signal producing composition. This device is constructed so that it can be operated by using only one hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a container having a smoke-producing composition in one end and a flare composition in the other end. A circular-shaped screw cap is threadedly attached to the flare end, and a hexagon-shaped screw cap is threadedly attached to the smoke end. These different shaped screw caps readily identify each end so that the desired end can be ignited in the dark. A plunger is slidably attached to each end, and each inner end of these plungers are provided with a firing pin which is engageable with a primer. Each plunger is locked to the container by a thin, frangible disc of plastic material. Movement of each plunger is prevented by a safety clip which is connected to one of the end caps. Upon removal of one end cap and its accompanying safety clip, the plunger can be struck a sharp blow, which causes the firing pin to strike the primer which, in turn, ignites the pyrotechnic composition. The frangible disc prevents the immediate ejection of the plunger until sufficient heat and pressure are available to melt and/or break the frangible disc. This built-in delay, which can be controlled by the choice of material and thickness of the disc, provides time for the operator to orient the pyrotechnic device so he will not be burned and, additionally, optimum burning of the pyrotechnic composition can be accomplished by having sufficient pressure and temperature within the container.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved firing device for a handheld pyrotechnic signal.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an end view showing one shape of container cap;

FIG. 2 is an end view showing another shape of container cap; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a pyrotechnic device for providing both smoke and light. The smoke producing section has an outer housing 11, and the light producing section has an outer housing 12, with the two containers being connected together by a coupling 13. A smoke mixture 14 is provided in container 15 and a flare composition 16 is provided in container 17. By way of example, smoke mixture 14 and flare composition 16 might be formulated as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,167,050, which issued Jan. 26, 1965, to G. C. Johnson.

A primer holder 18 is provided in housing 11 and, likewise, a primer holder 19 is provided in housing 12. Holders 18 and 19 each hold a primer 21. Each holder is provided with a plurality of holes 22 which serve as orifices when the pyrotechnic material in containers 15 and 17 is burned. Housings 11 and 12 are provided with closed ends 23 and 24, respectively, and each closed end is provided with a central aperture in which striker assemblies 25 and 26 are positioned. Striker assemblies 25 and 26 are similar in design, with the only difference being in size due to the orifice in closed end 24 being larger than the orifice in closed end 23, as a different size orifice is usually needed for smoke than for flare. As the two striker assemblies 25 and 26 are similar, only assembly 25 will be described.

Striker assembly 25 is comprised of a blowout plug 27 having an enlarged head 28 on the outer end and a firing pin 29 on the inner end. A sealing ring 31 is positioned around the periphery of plug 27 to provide a gastight seal. A frangible disc 32, which might be made of a plastic material, is attached to the inner end of plug 27 to provide a delay period after the pyrotechnic material is ignited. A protective cap 33, having a hexagon design, is threadedly attached to housing 11 to protect blowout plug 27. A safety clip 34, which might be U-shaped, is provided between head 28 and end 23 to prevent inner movement of striker assembly 25 in the event that the unit is dropped or subjected to a severe shock. A connecting lead 35 has one end attached to safety clip 34 and the other end to protective cap 33. The shape of protective cap 36 which is threadedly attached to the flare end is cylindrical in shape and has a plurality of flutes 37 to facilitate turning of cap 36. The different shapes of the protective caps permits ready identification of the smoke and flare units in the dark.

OPERATION

Assuming it is desired to ignite the smoke mixture 14 in container 15, cap 33 is first unscrewed from housing 11 and safety clip 34 is removed. A sharp blow on enlarged head 28 of blowout plug 27, as by striking with the palm of the hand, forces plug 27 inwardly and firing pin 29 detonates primer 21. Primer 21, in turn, ignites smoke mixture 14 which, upon combustion, generates heat and pressure to drive blowout plug 27 outwardly, but removable is prevented by frangible disc 32. The heat and pressure within housing 11 continues to build up, however, until they are sufficient to melt and rupture disc 32, and plug 27 is then ejected. The orifice in which plug 27 was blocking is now free and serves as the orifice for smoke which is generated by the burning of smoke composition 14. The amount of delay between the time that firing pin 29 detonates primer 21 and the time that plug 27 is ejected can be varied by the choice of material for disc 32 and the thickness thereof.

Claims

I claim:

1. A signaling device comprising:

an enclosed housing having an orifice in at least one end;

at least one container within said housing, said container having an opened end and containing pyrotechnic composition;

at least one primer positioned near the opened end of said container;

a blowout plug slidably mounted in each side orifice, said blowout plug having one portion extending inwardly into said housing and having another portion extending outwardly beyond said housing;

a firing pin attached to said portion of said blowout plug extending inwardly into said housing and adaptable for engaging said at least one primer;

a frangible disc attached to said end portion of said blowout plug extending inwardly into said housing for delaying ejection of said blowout plug upon ignition of said pyrotechnic composition;

a removable safety clip engaging each said blowout plug for preventing inward movement of said blowout plug; and

at least one protective cap attached to said housing for enclosing the outer end of said blowout plug.

2. A signaling device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said safety clip is connected to said protective cap.

3. A signaling device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pyrotechnic composition is a smoke composition.

4. A signaling device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pyrotechnic composition is a flare composition.

5. A signaling device as set forth in claim 1 having one container of smoke composition and one container of flare composition.