Patent Grant
9448047
The present invention relates to the field of smoke grenades and more particularly to the field of selectable color smoke grenades.
The current method of signaling on the battlefield requires that U.S. Army M18 Colored Smoke Grenades be used in combat and rescue missions. The grenades are available in four colors (red, violet, green, and yellow) and each grenade produces a single colored smoke cloud and they are not reusable. As a result, a soldier must carry several grenades for each color. On today's modem battlefield even with the availability of GPS and digital communication devices, the need for smoke grenades still exists but a requirement to “lighten the load” for soldiers is also still a high priority.
An embodiment of the present invention provides increased versatility while reducing the weight-carrying burden for each soldier by allowing a soldier to carry one type of grenade to produce different color smokes. As a result, a soldier's total load is lightened by reducing the number of smoke grenades that must be carried. Color selection involves a simple twist of the upper portion of the grenade. The selectable color grenade is the same or nearly the same physical size as the current smoke grenades and still uses the M201 fuze or similar fuze to function the grenade.
In one embodiment, a smoke grenade comprises an upper chamber having a fuze opening; a dye chamber having at least a first compartment with an upper and a lower opening and a second compartment with an upper and a lower opening; a plug positioned between the upper chamber and the dye chamber, the plug having at least two plug holes spaced less than 180 degrees apart, wherein the plug and the dye chamber are rotatable relative to each other about a common axis; and a mixing chamber having a plurality of smoke exit openings, the mixing chamber positioned to receive smoke from the dye chamber.
In yet another embodiment, a smoke grenade comprises an upper chamber having a fuze opening; a first dye chamber having at least a first compartment with an upper and a lower opening and first bypass chamber with an upper and a lower opening; a plug positioned between the upper chamber and the first dye chamber, the plug having at least one off center plug hole; a second dye chamber having at least a second compartment with an upper and lower opening and second bypass chamber with an upper and lower opening, the second dye chamber being positioned to receive smoke from the first dye chamber, wherein the plug, the first and second dye chambers are rotatable relative to each other about a common axis; and a mixing chamber having a plurality of smoke exit openings, the mixing chamber positioned to receive smoke from the second dye chamber.
In still another embodiment, a smoke grenade comprises an upper chamber having a fuze opening; a first dye chamber having at least a first compartment with an upper and a lower opening and first bypass chamber with an upper and a lower opening; a plug positioned between the upper chamber and the first dye chamber, the plug having at least one off center plug hole; a second dye chamber having at least a second compartment with an upper and lower opening and second bypass chamber with an upper and lower opening, the second dye chamber being positioned to receive smoke from the first dye chamber; a third dye chamber having at least a third compartment with an upper and lower opening and third bypass chamber with an upper and lower opening, the third dye chamber being positioned to receive smoke from the second dye chamber, wherein the plug, the first, the second, and the third dye chambers are rotatable relative to each other about a common axis; and a mixing chamber having a plurality of smoke exit openings, the mixing chamber positioned to receive smoke from the third dye chamber.
The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating embodiments of the invention.
With reference to
The threaded portion of the upper chamber 1 accepts a similarly threaded male plug 3 which serves the function of containing the gas producing pellets as well as the top anchor point for the grenade assembly. The plug 3 contains a centrally located female threaded hole approximately 0.25″ in size. Additionally, it contains two through-holes 4 spaced about midway along a line drawn between the center point and the outer edge. The holes are spaced less than 180 degrees apart and preferably approximately 90 degrees apart.
The third component in the design is the dye chamber 5. The dye chamber 5 consists of a cylindrical shape which matches the upper chamber 1 outer diameter of approximately 2.5 inches. The top portion of the dye chamber cylinder 5 is open with one or more compartments 6 (two shown in
The final component is the dye mixing chamber 8 which is also cylindrical and the same outer diameter as the other components. It is open at the top with a female grove to mate with the component above it, the dye chamber 5. The mixing chamber 8 contains a hole of approximately 0.25″ in diameter located at the central point. Four additional holes 9 approximately 0.375″ in diameter are drilled though the outer edge of the mixing chamber 8 cylinder with each hole 90 degrees apart from its nearest neighbor.
A single threaded bolt 10 holds the entire assembly together by being inserted through the central holes from the mixing chamber 8 through the dye chamber 5 and threaded into the upper plate or plug 3. A small powerful Bellville or coil spring holds the components tightly together for water resistance and to allow the upper chamber 1 to be rotated into one of three positions. Alignment marks on the outer portion of the grenade body and detents located between the upper chamber 1 and the dye chamber 5, assist in the correct relationship between the upper and middle compartments to assure that the correct color can be easily chosen.
When the upper chamber 1 and dye compartments 6 are properly aligned by means of a visual and tactile signal as described above, the grenade will individually emit one of two primary colors of smoke dye or will emit both dye streams at the same time to form the third color.
The grenade can also have an alternate design in which the dye chambers are stacked above each other. In this design the grenade consists of, for example, six components which include a gas generation chamber as the uppermost chamber, a plate or plug, three individual stacked dye chambers, and a lower mixing chamber.
With reference to
This threaded portion of the upper chamber 20 accepts a similarly threaded male plug 24 which serves the function of containing the gas producing pellets or gas generating material 21 as well as the top anchor point for the grenade assembly. The plug 24 contains a centrally located female threaded hole approximately 0.25″ in size. Additionally, it contains a single through-hole 26 spaced about midway along a line drawn between the center point and the outer edge of plug 24. The thru-hole 26 is approximately 0.5″ in diameter.
The third component in the design is a first dye chamber 28. This chamber 28 consists of a cylindrical shape which matches the upper chamber 20 in outer diameter of approximately 2.5 inches. The top portion of the dye chamber 28 is open with a chamber 30 sufficiently large as to hold the required number of dye pellets or dye 31. The chamber 30 is kidney shaped and has a single hole 32 at the base which is approximately 0.5″ in diameter. The dye chamber 28 also includes a centrally located female threaded hole approximately 0.25 inch in size corresponding to the similar centrally located hole in plug 24. A through-hole 34 approximately 0.5″ in diameter is located separately to match alignment with the upper through-hole 26 of gas generation upper chamber 20 above it to allow the hot gases to bypass chamber 30 if required.
The additional fourth and fifth components, 36 and 38 respectively, are additional dye chambers identical in design to the initial dye chamber 28, but of course, these chambers 36 and 38 would house different dyes.
The final component in this embodiment is the dye mixing chamber 40, which is the same outer diameter as the other components. It is open at the top and includes a female threaded groove to mate with the component above it. This dye mixing chamber 40 contains a hole of approximately 0.25″ in diameter located at the central point. Four additional holes 42 approximately 0.375″ in diameter are drilled though the outer edge of the cylinder with each hole about 90 degrees apart from its nearest neighbor.
A single threaded bolt 44 holds the entire assembly together by being inserted from the mixing chamber 40 through the dye chambers 38, 36, and 32, and threaded into the upper chamber plate or plug 24 through the centrally located holes in each component. A small powerful Bellville or coil spring holds the components tightly together for water resistance and to allow the upper component to be rotated into one of three positions.
Alignment marks on the outer portion of the grenade body and detents located between the upper chamber 20 and the dye chambers, 28, 36 and 38 assist in the positioning to produce a correct relationship between the upper and middle compartments to assure that the correct color can be easily chosen.
When the gas generation upper chamber 20 and dye chambers 28, 36, and 38 are properly aligned by means of visual and tactile cues as described above, the grenade will individually emit one of three primary colors of smoke dye or will emit a combination of either pairs of dyes or all three dye streams at the same time to form one of seven colors.
If dye compartment A is chosen with compartments B and C in the bypass mode, a single color smoke cloud will be formed to match the dye in compartment A. This is true for dye compartments B and C as well. If a single dye compartment is placed into the bypass mode, the two other dye streams will blend together forming one of three additional colors determined by which two dye compartments were chosen. If all three dye compartments are active, then the color black will be emitted. If all three dye compartments are in the bypass mode, a white cloud will be emitted from the grenade.
The functioning of the SCSC Grenade is basically the same for both illustrated embodiments.
In the first illustrative embodiment, the grenade is initiated by an electrical or mechanical impulse such as that found on the M201 series of grenade fuzes. The fuze is activated by pulling the safety pin out of the fuze body while holding the fuze arming lever close to the grenade body. This is often performed by holding the grenade such that the arming lever is in the web of the hand while grasping the grenade body. Releasing the grenade body by throwing the grenade a short distance allows the arming lever to move in such a manner as to release a spring loaded firing pin. The firing pin impacts a percussion primer which in turn ignites a delay train resulting in a flame output. This flame output is sufficient to ignite a pyrotechnic starter composition which has been pressed onto the gas generating thermal composition pellets. The thermal pellets burns at a slow, controlled rate producing hot gases as a result of its combustion. The hot gases are channeled into the correct dye chamber or chambers which is determined by the operator. The operator aligns colored tactile markers on the side of the grenade body such that the exiting hot gases from the upper gas producing chamber are properly aligned with the lower dye chamber or chambers. For color number 1 the two exit ports from the upper chamber are aligned with dye compartment number 1. For color number 2, the two exit ports from the upper chamber are aligned with dye compartment number 2. For color number 3, the upper thermal chamber is rotated to align one exit port over each of the two lower dye chambers. The exiting vaporized dyes blend into a single color in the bottom mixing chamber before exiting the grenade.
In the second illustrative embodiment, the grenade is activated by the functioning of a fuze with a flame output. Fuzes from the military M201 series are sufficient to function the grenade. This fuze is currently used on M18 series colored smoke grenades. The flame from the fuze ignites a pyrotechnic starter composition which is pressed onto the main thermal generator block. The main pyrotechnic thermal block burns at a planned rate which produces hot gases as a result of its combustion. The hot gases are channeled into the correct series of lower dye chambers. Each chamber has two possible routes for the hot gases to follow. The dye chamber can be aligned to produce smoke by passing the hot gases through the dye pellets or channeled through a bypass hole. Obtaining the desired color from the 7 possible choices requires the operator to align the color raised buttons in the correct orientation. The chart of
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/030,323, filed Jul. 29, 2014
The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and/or licensed by or for the United States Government.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3465251 | Meek et al. | Sep 1969 | A |
| 20150285602 | Mancini | Oct 2015 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 92 13 375.4 | Feb 1993 | DE |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62030323 | Jul 2014 | US |
