Patent Application
20150122932
The present invention relates to a barbed tape and apparatus for deploying a barbed tape.
There are many situations in which there is a need to deny and/or secure access to a region of a building, an aircraft, a train, a town, a field, etc. This may be, for example, to temporarily secure a ‘cleared’ area in a combat zone, or to control the movements of individuals or crowds, for example during a riot. It may also be desirable to suppress and curtail fleeing combatants in a non-lethal manner. To this end, it is known to use barbed wire in order to form a perimeter fence around an area or to form a barrier at a point of entry to a building, etc.
However, conventional barbed wire is slow and difficult to deploy and can be logistically difficult to carry by dismounted troops or other users. Furthermore, it can be too aggressive for a given situation and can cause significant injury. This may be highly undesirable, for example, when the barbed wire may be encountered by a civilian population.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a barbed tape and apparatus for deploying the same which substantially overcomes or mitigates at least some of the above-mentioned problems.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a micro barbed tape.
The term ‘micro barbed tape’ is used herein to refer to barbs which are smaller, and therefore less injurious, that current barbed wires or tapes.
In particular, a micro barbed tape according to the invention may be produced from a stock tape of around 5-20 mm in width. Further, micro barbed tape according to the invention is preferably relatively thin, for example between 100-1000 microns, and more preferably 100-600 microns. The length of each barb is preferably between 2 mm to 30 mm
In one embodiment, the tape is formed from a planar strip of thin flexible material and comprising a plurality of barbs disposed therealong, said barbs being sufficiently resilient so as to impede, by entanglement with or otherwise, the passage of an object therepast.
Thus, the invention provides a low-risk and novel approach to the concept of barbed wire, which in this invention is scaled and packaged to form a non-lethal counter personnel capability for entry point control.
Related ideas are set out in our co-pending applications, which bear reference numbers P7878, P7879 and P7880. These applications are incorporated herein by reference to the fullest extent allowable.
Barbed tape according to the first aspect of the invention may be designed to be non-lethal and inflict only light injuries but presents an entanglement feature that inhibits free passage of a person through a doorway or along a passage.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for deploying a barbed tape comprising;
Thus, the barbed tape is easy to deploy without the need for it to be handled directly by a person deploying the tape.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for deploying a barbed tape comprising;
Thus, the barbed tape is easy to deploy without the need for it to be handled directly by a person deploying the tape. Preferably the reel of barbed tape is barbed tape according to the first aspect of the invention. Accordingly, the reel is lightweight and compact, making the container easy to stow and carry.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for dispensing barbed tape, which may be barbed tape according to the first aspect of the invention; the apparatus comprising;
Advantageously, the apparatus according to the fourth aspect for dispensing the barbed tape according to the first aspect can be lightweight, compact and readily transportable. Because the tape may be relatively thin and flexible, the power required to feed and punch the tape is relatively low. Accordingly, there is preferably provided a handheld device comprising the tape dispensing apparatus of the fourth aspect; the device further comprising control means and trigger means wherein the control means is operable to control the tape dispensing apparatus to dispense barbed tape in response to a user activating the trigger means.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention an apparatus for deploying barbed tape comprising;
Thus, the fifth aspect of the present invention advantageously provides a barbed tape ‘grenade’.
Preferred and/or optional features of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention are recited in the claims appended hereto.
Embodiments of the invention may be employed to provide micro barbed tape across points of access to snag the clothing of anyone (or the coats of animals) passing it. Deployment methods (which could be used with other tape, including un-barbed tape or traditional barbed tape) are also described.
Containers for the barbed tapes described herein are preferably arranged to safely contain the tape until the point of deployment. The container(s) shall preferably be easily transported and can be safely carried by tactical dismounted troops (pocket sized up to back pack size), disposable and readily deployable.
Apparatus described herein is preferably as light and as small as practical and the container profiled such that it can be easily carried by a combat soldier without affecting the soldier's mobility.
Apparatus described herein is preferably arranged such that it does not adversely react too, or interact with, the kit currently being carried or used by a soldier.
Apparatus described herein is preferably designed and manufactured from materials to have a long shelf life and not require servicing. Preferably, production systems should be sealed to prevent ingress of moisture or dirt.
In some embodiments, the apparatus shall preferably not contain any ordnance, pyrotechnics, chemical propellants or batteries. However, in other embodiments, powered deployment may be desirable.
In apparatus which include automatic or powered deployment, the system will preferably have safety features such that no un-commanded deployment of the barbed tape occurs.
Preferably, in keeping with standard military protocols the user must undertake two different actions before the system activates, e.g. remove cap, pull cord; remove pin, lift trigger etc. In some examples, there is preferably a short delay from triggering the device to it opening, this would allow the user to throw the device such that it deploys at a short remote distance from him or her.
It may be desirable for apparatus to be quiet or near silent in operation.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;
Referring to
The strip of barbed tape 1 is formed with a continuous central portion 2, which has first and second parallel edges 3, 4. A plurality of barbs 5 are disposed at regularly spaced locations along each of the first and second edges 3, 4. Each of the barbs 5 is formed as a ‘double barb’ having a T-shape and comprising a connecting portion 6 which projects laterally from the respective edge 3, 4 of the central portion 2 of the strip. A pair of arms 7, 8 are disposed at the distal end of the connecting portion 6, furthest from the central portion 2 of the strip. The arms 7, 8 extend in respective opposite directions from the distal end of the connecting portion 6 parallel to the lengthwise direction of the adjacent central portion 2 of the strip. The arms 7, 8 terminate with a respective pair of spikes 9, 10. Each of the spikes 9, 10 is substantially triangular in shape having a pointed tip which is defined by an acute angle between the two major sides thereof. The connecting portion 6 of each barb 5 acts to space the pairs of spikes 9, 10 from the central portion 2 of the strip. Furthermore, each spike 9, 10 is shaped such that it tapers away from the central portion 2 of the strip.
Exemplary dimensions of the above-described features of the barbed tape 1 are shown in millimetres in
The use of a relatively thin material is advantageous as it means that the resulting barbed tape 1 is lightweight and can be easily stowed. Furthermore, the flexibility of the barbed tape 1 ensures that it can deform around an object which it comes into contact with so as to ensnare the object. The barbed tape 1 is also conveniently designed (such as shown in
Trials conducted by the Applicant have found that barbed tape 1 according to the presently described embodiment, which has a thickness of, say 250 or 500 microns, has a tensile strength and profile which means that it cannot readily be pulled apart by hand. The distribution of the barbs 5 along each edge 3, 4 of the barbed tape 1 is such that they are closer together than the span of a typical human hand. Accordingly, a person cannot hold onto the tape at any point in an attempt to tear it apart without being impinged on at least one set of spikes 9, 10.
The ‘double barbed’ design of the presently described embodiment, while not essential, advantageously ensures that that clothing, etc. caught thereon is thoroughly ensnared. The location and spacing of the barbs 5 is set so as to take advantage of the reaction of a body to being impinged by a spike 9, 10 (either directly or through clothing), which is to withdraw from the point of pain. The rapid withdraw reaction has the effect of impaling the offending part of the body onto the adjacent spike. Thus, the “pull away” response from the first contact with the barbed tape 1 is likely to cause greater contact with an adjacent spike 9, 10. The only way to stop this sequence is to halt all violent action and remain still. Once stopped one can then slowly withdraw each spike 9, 10, and it is this action that creates the hindrance to free movement.
As mentioned above, the barbed tape 1 may conveniently be formed by being punched out of a strip of material, such as stainless steel. The Applicant has discovered that an advantageous consequence of the punching process is that the tips of the spikes 9, 10 are sharpened as the material bends, whereas the rest of the barb 5, i.e. the arms 7, 8 and connecting portion 6 has a substantially square cut profile and is not therefore sharp. This is useful because it means that, whilst the barbs 5 remain effective at, for example, snagging clothing, they do not have sharpened, bladed edges (as is the case with conventional ‘razor wire’) and so the chance of causing severe injury to a person encountering the barbed tape 1 is reduced. Furthermore, with a barbed tape 1 of the above described configuration it is possible to adjust the severity of the effect provided by the tape (in accordance with the intended use) by selecting the appropriate geometry and scale of the barbs 5 when the tape is formed. For example, the more acute the angle at the tip of each spike 9, 10, the greater the ability of the spike to penetrate the clothing of a person coming into contact with the tape.
The barbs 5 of a plurality of strips of the above-described barbed tape 1 may ‘tessellate’ to save on material. The profile of the barbed tape 1 has been designed for mass production such that, while it is possible to punch out a single strip, it is also possible to punch out numerous strips side by side on a single pass through a punch machine. This is achieved by setting the gap between opposed spikes 9, 10 of adjacent barbs 5 on each edge 3, 4 of a strip to be as long or longer than the length of the barb assembly 5 itself (measured between the tips of each spike 9, 10 of the barb assembly 5). This allows the barb 5 of one strip of tape to be punched into the space between barbs 5 on an adjacent strip of tape thus saving material and speeding production with minimal waste product.
When the barbed tape 1 is made of natural stainless steel it has a high reflection index. Accordingly, the barbed tape 1 may be treated such that it exhibits a lower reflectivity, making it harder to see. For example, the barbed tape may be painted matte black. Moreover, the barbed tape 1 may optionally contain markers which can readily be picked up by friendly forces. For example, the barbed tape 1 may be treated with infra-red (IR) and/or ultra violet (UV) reactive paints which are visible to troops using night vision goggles or special eyewear or using dedicated (IR/UV) illumination torches. In one example, the tape may incorporate Black Heat (Oxidizing) IR elements into the tape pack that activate on tape deployment to provide a ‘warm’ tape that can be easily distinguished using specialised cameras. The tape may also be brightly coloured so as to provide a clear visual deterrent.
Referring to
In one embodiment of the present invention, a pocket sized container is made in two or more parts, at least one of which is to be secured to door hard points/surrounds by spikes, hooks, adhesive pads etc. Other parts of the container may be attached to the other side of a door, or may be allowed to fall to the floor, or the like. In such an embodiment, shown in
Referring also to
Such a container could also include guard tapes and/or self-guarding tape designs, which are discussed in greater detail below. Of course, the coil of tape 50 need not be circular: it could be square, ovoid or any other shape.
A single strand of barbed tape across a doorway could serve as a trip wire (which may delay an intruder due to entanglement). Multiple strands (such as are shown in
The above-described deployment systems could be used in conjunction with a non-barbed net to form a temporary door block.
An alternative tape design is shown in
In this embodiment, the arrangement is such that the sprocket holes 410 do not lie in line with the base of a barb assembly to avoid producing a weakness in the tape 401.
In the embodiment shown in
As shown in particular in
Further, the arrangement is such that that, when the barbs 405 are arranged to lie along the edge of an adjacent layer, the sprocket holes 410 are exposed on both layers.
The sprocket holes 410 can thus also serve to ensure that that the lay between the two tapes is maintained. This can be used to form a coil of the tape 401, for example wound about a spiked central drum or capstan, in which the spikes securing the first few layers of tape 401 in both orientations through the sprocket holes 410 to allow easy coiling without slipping.
As will be immediately appreciated by the skilled person, as layers are built up, the sprocket holes 410 will become misaligned. However, if the material is thin (e.g. 250 microns), as described above, the effect of such misalignment is not great, and the holes 410 will still overlaps for at least the initial few coils, which is enough to allow the rest of the tape 401 to be loaded on to a reel without slipping. The length of the sprocket holes 410 could be increased if it was desired to directly secure more layers of tape 401. Indeed the sprocket holes 410 could be useful in other tape designs, including those shown in
Of course, this tape 401 could also be made without the sprocket holes 410, and would still have the advantages associated with alternating layers described above. In such examples, it may be desirable to secure the tape 401 to a drum or the like with adhesive, or other fixings, to prevent slipping.
A further alternative tape design is shown in
In this embodiment, the substantially parallel side edges 503, 504 of a central portion 502 follow an undulating path, the central portion 502 being of substantially constant width (i.e. with the tape 501 laid flat, the undulations are in the plane of the tape 501). Moreover, the barbs 505 are arranged in the ‘dips’, i.e. along portions of the side edges 503, 504 which lie close to a central axis 512 of the tape 501, rather than those portions which lie further away from the central axis 512. The undulations are such the maximum distance from the longitudinal central axis 512 to the outer edge of the barbs 505 is approximately the same as the maximum distance of a side edge 503, 504, i.e. the barbs 505 are arranged in the ‘troughs’ of the waves of the undulating profile, and are substantially contained between the ‘crests’ of the waves.
Expressed another way, a length of the tape 505 would be fully enclosed by a rectangle, where a side portion 503, 504 extends approximately to the edge of the rectangle at the same point along its length as a barb 505 extends approximately to the opposite edge of the rectangle. This means that, by aligning layers of the tape 180° ‘out of phase’ (i.e. aligning a peak of one undulation with a barb arranged in the trough of another undulation), the tape 501 can itself again provide a barrier between barbs on alternate layers. The arrangement is such that that barbs on one layer do not overlie barbs on adjacent layers, and thus layers built up using offset undulations will not entangle prior to deployment. This is shown in
As with the tape described in relation to
Of course, this tape 501 could also be made without the sprocket holes 510, and would still have the advantages associated with alternating layers described above (although the alignment may be harder to maintain).
Further, the undulations may vary in shape from those shown and may be more angular, or smoother than those illustrated while still achieving the same effect.
A “tape measure dispenser” type embodiment of the present invention will now be described.
Referring to
The attachment part 608 may be provided with an adhesive pad 609 having a removable release tab 610 so as to enable the attachment part 608 to be affixed to a surface such as a doorway surround. Furthermore, the attachment part 608 may be releasably mounted on the casing (for example, by a low-tack adhesive layer provided on the surface of the casing 600 adjacent to the opening 605 to which the attachment part 608 adheres, and/or other selectively releasable attachments) such that, in a stowed state, the attachment part 608 is coupled to the casing 600 in order to prevent the barbed tape 602 from being deployed.
In order to deploy the barbed tape 602, the attachment part 608 is decoupled from the casing 600 and the release tab 610 is removed so as to expose the adhesive pad 609. The attachment part 608 is then fixed to a desired surface by means of the adhesive pad 609 and a user then moves the casing 600 away from the attachment part 608 causing the reel 603 to unwind and the barbed tape to be deployed. In the case that a user wishes to deploy the tape vertically, such that it is suspended from the top of a doorway, they may simply drop the casing 600 once the attachment part 608 has been secured to the doorway and the reel 602 will unwind under the force of gravity as the casing 600 falls to the ground.
In one embodiment, the reel of barbed tape 602 may be mounted on a spool 612 within the casing, the spool 612 being rotatably mounted within the casing 600, on an axle or otherwise, so as to facilitate the deployment of the barbed tape from the casing 600. The body of the casing 600 could itself be provided with attachment means for attaching the casing 600 to, for example, the other side of a door way. A guard, for example a paper or plastic guard strip, may be wound into the reel to separate layers of tape and prevent their mutual entanglement. Alternatively, a double ribbon of ‘self-guarding’ tape, such as shown in
A further embodiment which functions in a similar manner to the device shown in
A further embodiment of a barbed tape dispensing apparatus 700 is shown in
In use, the stapler 704 is held against a substrate (which may, in practical examples, be a door frame or the like) and the handle 708 is activated. This propels the staple into the substrate, trapping the tape 701 in the process. Inside the cassette housing 702, a spool 709 is mounted such that it can turn about a mounting axle 710. In this example, there is an interference fit between the spool 709 and the mounting axle 710 such that it turns only when a reasonable amount of pressure is applied to the tape 701, to prevent accidental deployment of any tape 701. However, in other examples this need not be the case, or else there may be an additional or alternative means of preventing accidently deployment, such as a locking device which is activated by a user when deployment is required.
In this example, the spool 709 bears a number of protrusions 712 (and therefore acts as a sprocket), which engage the first few coils of tape 701 through sprocket holes formed therein. However, this need not be the case in all embodiments.
Drawing the apparatus 700 away from the substrate discharges a length of tape 701 from the front of the apparatus 700. At any suitable point the operative can retrigger another staple to secure the tape 701 in place. In this example, as the tape comes to an end it is without barbs, which allows the user to see that the tape 701 is due to run out, allowing the user to staple the tail of the tape 701 before it expires completely. Therefore, the tape 701 is drawn away from the first member, provided by the spool 709, once a portion thereof is stapled. The staple therefore acts as a second member of a deployment device, or else as a first attachment means which is adapted to secure the end of a reel to a surface.
In this embodiment, the cassette housing 702 may be replaced, such that a user can load the cassette housing 702 onto the stapler 704 and deploy the first section of tape 701 from the cassette housing 702. Further, in this example, this leading section is without barbs and can be handled.
Further, in this embodiment, the cassette holds a ‘double ribbon’ of material, one of which is barbed, and the other of which is a barrier layer, made in this example of paper. However, in other embodiments, alternative designs could be used, for example, those illustrated in
Alternatives and enhancements will occur to the skilled person. For example, alternative embodiments of the apparatus 700 may incorporate a tape cropper/cutter facility to allow the user to determine the length of tape 701 being used. In use of such an apparatus, a user may dispense tape 701 and fix this to a substrate until the desired length of tape 701 has been dispensed. The staple gun could be replaced with similar known apparatus, such as a nail gun or the like.
An alternative cassette housing 802 is shown in
Of course, any of the cassette housings 600, 702, 802 described in relation to
In addition, more than one coil of tape could be included in a cassette housing/reel container, and in such examples, each coil/reel may have a separate or shared associated attachment means. One or more parts of a cassette housing/reel container may act as a weight to assist in deploying the tape. A cassette housing/reel container, or elements thereof, may be incorporated into other structures or fittings, which could be arranged in a possible deployment location for a long period of time, perhaps permanently. Although various means of releasing the tape have been disclosed herein, in other examples, deployment could be provided by a hinged lid or cover, which may be manually or automatically opened.
As mentioned previously, conventional barbed wire has been used to control the movement of animals and humans for over a hundred years. However, to date the barbed wire has always been fabricated elsewhere and transported as a spiky load prior to deployment. This means that coils of barbed wire are preformed in stock lengths and rapid deployment (often during high stress situations) is difficult.
In view of the above, a further embodiment of the present invention comprises a “barbed tape gun” for dispensing barbed tape, which may be micro barbed tape of the kind described above with reference to
The barbed tape gun may comprise a hard enclosed backpack to be worn by a user on a person's back like a rucksack for storing a supply of tape to be dispensed or a larger vehicle mounted unit. As described in more detail later, the tape may be stock tape, i.e. raw, unpunched tape, pre-profiled tape (i.e. formed with barbs) or frangible tape.
The gun may comprise a body having a handle projecting therefrom to be grasped by a user with a trigger disposed adjacent to the handle for activating the gun and causing barbed tape to be dispensed.
In one example, tape from the backpack is fed to the gun and dispensed therefrom when the trigger is actuated via, e.g. a flexible umbilical attaches the backpack to the “Barrier gun” lance.
The gun may be provided with a power source, which may conveniently be housed in the backpack, such as a battery pack, and drive means, such as an electric motor, which is operable to drive a tape dispensing arrangement housed in the body of the gun. Alternatively, the barbed tape gun may be mains powered, or even hand powered. In the case that the gun is powered by hand, the handle and trigger may be formed such that pressure exerted by a user's hand, e.g. a squeezing action, causes relative movement between the handle and trigger which is transmitted to the tape dispensing arrangement so as to dispense the barbed tape. In a further example, it may be possible to attach an end of the tape to a fixed object or structure, and the act of pulling away from that point draws tape into though the mechanism.
In one example, the tape dispensing mechanism comprises one or more pair(s) of counter rotating rollers or drums between which the tape to be dispensed is fed. Such rollers or drums may comprise cutting drums, twisting means and/or may be arranged to draw the tape therebetween, driving it through the mechanism. Alternatively or additionally, as explained in more detail below, a punch and anvil arrangement may be provided. In further examples, also described below, the tape is pre profiled so need not be punched to form barbs.
The gun will typically be provided with control circuitry for controlling operation of the tape dispensing mechanism in response to a user pulling the trigger. The gun may have a safety cut off to prevent accidental operation and, in use, the gun will discharge tape at a speed relative to the pulled position of the trigger. Whenever the trigger is released the tape will be cropped off and discharged from the gun. Display means may be provided to show the available tape remaining in the container and/or the state of the battery pack and/or power system.
Downstream from the rollers 208, 210, there is disposed a tape cutting mechanism 214 and tape twisting means 215. The tape cutting mechanism 214 comprises an anvil block 216, a blade 217, a cutter drive motor 218, a gear box 219, a cam 220 and a slide anvil 221. The anvil block 216 and the blade 217 are disposed on opposite sides of the tape feed path. The cutter drive motor 218 drives rotation of the cam 220 via the gearbox 219. In turn, the cam 220 causes reciprocating movement of the slide anvil 221 forcing the blade 217 against the anvil block 216 to cut the tape.
Operation of the tape dispensing mechanism will now be described in more detail, in an embodiment arranged to produce a tape as shown in
In one variation of the above-described embodiment, the supply of tape which is fed to the gun may be pre-profiled with the barbs, i.e. as shown in
The guard tape may be in the form of a U-shaped channel in which the barbed tape rests. Alternatively, the guard tape may comprise a planar backing tape with an adhesive coated on one surface thereof, such that the barbed tape is adhered to the surface of the guard tape prior to being dispensed. In this case, the tape dispensing mechanism may comprise means for separating the adhesive guard tape from the barbed tape at a location upstream of the drive rollers, such that the guard tape is stripped away from the barbed tape prior to the barbed tape being dispensed. However, such adhesive is not essential and the guard tape could be loosely wound into the coil of barbed tape.
When the tape is pre-profiled with the barbs, the gun does not need to incorporate the separate punch 205 and anvil 206, which reduces cost and simplifies construction of the gun. The gun may still include the tape twisting means 215, as the pre-profiled barbed tape stored in the container preferably has a flat planar cross-section to make it easier to wind/unwind.
In a further variation of the above-described embodiment, the reel of tape may comprise a frangible tape formed with interior barbs and smooth outer edges. For example, the frangible tape is similar to the pre-profiled tape described above, except that the residue of the profiling/punching process is not removed prior to the tape being stored in the container for use with the gun. Rather, the outline of the barbed tape profile is stamped/punched in a plain tape with smooth outer edges, which is then wound into a reel for storage in the backpack container. This is advantageous because the barbs 5 are not exposed, so there is no need for a guard tape (or else the use of double ribbon of ‘self-guarding’ tape) to prevent entanglement of the barbed tape on the reel. Furthermore, the punch 205 and anvil 206 may be omitted from the gun. Instead, the gun is provided with means for stripping away the residue/swarf from the outer edges of the tape so as to reveal the barbed profile prior to the tape being dispensed from the gun. To this end, the gun may include means for flexing the tape so that the residual portions become separated from the barbed tape. This may be creating one or more meanders in the tape feed path between the tape drive rollers 202 and the cutting mechanism 214, for example, by offsetting one or more of the intermediate sets of rollers 204, 208, 210 so that the tape is made to flex/bend as it travels through the gun. Alternatively, or in addition, the tape feed path may include a resilient member in the tape feed path which forms a lip around which the tape is fed, such that the residual outer portions of the frangible tape are caused to break away as they traverse the lip.
In an alternative embodiment, one length of un-barbed tape may be dispensed as two lengths of barbed tape by providing a frangible portion in the centre thereof. The tape would therefore be broken in two to reveal a barbed side (the external edge remaining barb-free).
The bobbins of ribbon strip which are currently available provide over 250 m of banding within a relatively small volume, and can easily be carried, for example in a rucksack. This would make carriage and transport easy. This means that a single person can carry and deploy a significant amount of barbed barrier tape yet be agile enough to react to crowd conditions. Having the capability to immediately deploy a barbed barrier also allows the security forces to block off roads, passageways and street thus allowing them to route or guide crowds or combatants. Thus, with the barbed tape gun described above, it is possible in situations such as crowd and riot control to lay down a fence of barrier wire where and when required.
It may also be desirable to fill an area with a ‘bush’ of barbed tape. These could be used to temporarily inhabit access to or through a doorway or the like. The bush of tape may, in one embodiment, when deployed, form a bush approximately a metre high, and one to two metres in diameter. The tape may form into a plurality of tangled pyramidal type structures in its unfolded state that is difficult to walk through without it becoming entangled about the person. When wanting to cover larger areas, such as a wide corridor or doorway then more than one such bushes may be deployed, as required. Such embodiments may be deployed from a tube, a hand thrown ‘grenade’ or other type of launcher. In some examples, such launchers may be arranged such that the operative opens the container and throws it into the e.g. doorway where it self deploys. Other examples may be jack-in-the-box′ style launchers, for example with pop-tops or ring pulls, which contain a mechanical or chemical propellant and are simply aimed towards the desired location before being released. Such launchers could be used in conjunction with a non-barbed net to form a temporary door block.
Referring to
As shown in
As shown in
A pair of parallel flanges 114 are provided on the upper surface of the top end cap 101, the flanges 114 being disposed on opposite side of the second portion 112b of the release lever 112 and oriented parallel thereto. The fulcrum 113 is formed by a spindle which passes through respective holes formed in each of the flanges 114 and the second portion 112b of the release lever 112. In the un-deployed state, the lever 112 is held in place and prevented from tilting about the fulcrum 113 by a ring pull and locking pin 115, which passes through both the flanges 114 and the second portion 112b of the release lever 112 at a position spaced from the fulcrum.
The end of the second portion of the release lever 112 is provided with a U-shaped recess 117. In the un-deployed state, the arms of the U-shaped recess 117 supports a head portion 122 disposed at the upper end 120 of a restraining rod 118.
As shown in
When the grenade 100 is in the un-deployed state, a plurality of coils of barbed tape 130 are wound around the first and second tube members 125, 126 in a stacked arrangement, as shown in
Release of the restraining rod 116 allows the end caps 101, 102 to expand apart under the influence of the internal spring as it expands. Once the end caps 101, 102 have moved such that the annular wall 104 of each has move past the respective tabs 128 at the ends of each petal 106, there is no more constraint on the petals 106 and they fall away releasing the contents of the grenade in a 360 degree arc, as the coils of barbed tape unwind themselves. The construction can be such that the tapes (and its supporting frame where provided, see below) are not deployed instantly and there is delay while the end caps travel which allows the operator to distance him or herself from the device.
While a single grenade 100 may secure a doorway, larger areas can be secured by the use of multiple units.
As described previously, the barbed tape 1 is made from a relatively thin, flexible material and, as such, will not generally be self supporting. Accordingly, the barbed tape grenade 100 may incorporate an expanding skeleton structure in order to support the barbed tape so as to form a ‘bush’ of barbed tape when the grenade 100 is deployed. There are a number of possible solutions including, but not exclusively, having a frame like the rods of a folding umbrella, providing the wire with a super expanding ball (e.g. as available as toys), scissor and Easy tong-type fold away concertina frame (Easy tongs are a series of crossed links that expand as they open out allowing extended lift of light items, often used by elderly persons to pick things up from the floor). In some embodiments, these may be made of light weight T or U channel shaped material which guards the barbed tape in its stowed position.
A further option for the supporting structure is a tri-way folding spring that opens out in three directions to give a triangular base. By providing two such springs, one at either end of a length of barbed tape and displaced relative to each other by an angle of 60 degrees, a spiral of barbed tape will be formed when the grenade is deployed and the springs expand, twisting the length of barbed tape between them.
It is expected that, while combatants will not be completely stopped by this ‘bramble bush’, it will inhibit and delay their escape long enough for them detected and subsequently confined by other methods.
The deployed tape could be arranged to alert people to its presence, for example including an audible alarm, or a more covert device such as a micro radio transmitter, which could server to alert friendly forces by causing a tone to appear in their tactical headsets if they get close to the deployed tape.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1208078.4 | May 2012 | GB | national |
| 1304636.2 | Mar 2013 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB2013/000205 | 5/8/2013 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61654172 | Jun 2012 | US |
