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An apparatus for generating an impact against a target object comprises a driver reciprocally disposed in a housing. The driver includes a hollow tube having a closed end and a nozzle seating the other end. A piston is slidably positioned in the tube. Propellant is disposed between the piston and th

An apparatus for generating an impact against a target object comprises a driver reciprocally disposed in a housing. The driver includes a hollow tube having a closed end and a nozzle seating the other end. A piston is slidably positioned in the tube. Propellant is disposed between the piston and the closed end of the tube and fluid is disposed between the nozzle and the piston. A rupture disc is provided for sealing the nozzle which is adapted to rupture when the pressure in the tube exceeds a predetermined pressure. A striker is also mounted in the housing so that in a retracted position of the striker a head portion is proximate the driver and a portion of a shaft extends outwardly from the housing. The striker member is movable between the retracted position and an extended position. The propellant is ignited so that combustion gases build pressure in the tube between the piston and the closed end of the tube causing the pressure in the tube to exceed the predetermined pressure for rupturing the disc. This causes the piston to move toward the nozzle and fluid to be expelled through the nozzle for moving the driver against the head portion of the striker. The driver transfers energy to the striker for moving the striker to the extended position at high velocity for driving the end of the striker with great force against the target object. Recoil action is cushioned by the fluid exiting the nozzle.

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1. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus including a housing defining an interior chamber with a front portion and a rear portion, the firing system comprising:a striker assembly having a first end and a second end and movably disposed within the front portion of the housing, the strike

1. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus including a housing defining an interior chamber with a front portion and a rear portion, the firing system comprising:a striker assembly having a first end and a second end and movably disposed within the front portion of the housing, the striker assembly comprising, a striker head disposed at the first end of the striker assembly, the striker head having inner and outer portions which are moveable relative to one another and the inner portion of the striker head having an opening, a spring interposed between the inner and outer portions of the striker head for biasing apart the portions of the striker head to a spaced position, and a striker shaft mounted to the outer portion of the striker head and extending outwardly of the front portion of the housing and terminating in the second end of the striker assembly; a driver assembly having a first end and a second end and containing a propellant charge, the driver assembly disposed within the rear portion of the housing so that the first end of the driver assembly is adjacent the inner portion of the striker head; means responsive to an electrical charge for igniting the propellant, the propellant igniting means disposed on the first end of the driver assembly; an electrical power supply associated with the housing; and a firing circuit comprising, electrical contacts connected to the power supply and adapted to be positioned in the housing adjacent the inner portion of the striker head, positive and negative electrically conductive rings disposed around the inner portion of the striker head and operatively connected to the electrical contacts in the housing, an electrically conductive contact member including a positive contact and a negative contact, the contact member disposed within the striker head for movement with the outer portion of the striker head and relative to the inner portion of the striker head from a first position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are spaced and at least one of the positive contact or negative contact is within the opening in the inner portion of the striker head and a second position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are closer together and the one of the positive contact or negative contact extends from the inner portion of the striker head toward the rear portion of the housing, and means for electrically connecting the positive and negative conductive rings with the positive and negative contacts, respectively, on the contact member, wherein when a target object is forcibly engaged with the striker shaft tip so as to move the striker shaft inwardly of the housing, the outer portion of the striker head is moved toward the rear portion of the housing relative to the inner portion of the striker head to the second position so that the one of the positive contact or negative contact of the contact member extends from the inner portion of the striker head to engage the propellant igniting means for completing an electrical firing circuit to enable firing of the device by electrical power supplied through the firing circuit to the propellant igniting means, and wherein a spring is disposed around the striker shaft and is adapted to be positioned between the front portion of the housing and the outer portion of the striker head for biasing the striker head towards the rear portion of the housing, the sizes of the spring disposed around the striker shaft and the spring that is interposed between the inner and outer portions of the striker head being such that the spring that is interposed between the inner and outer portions of the striker head can bias the inner and outer portions of the striker head to the spaced first position. 2. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus including a housing defining an interior chamber with a front portion and a rear portion, the firing system comprising:a striker assembly having a first end and a second end and movably disposed within the front portion of the housing, the striker assembly comprising, a striker head disposed at the first end of the striker assembly, the striker head having inner and outer portions which are moveable relative to one another and the inner portion of the striker head having an opening, and a striker shaft mounted to the outer portion of the striker head and extending outwardly of the front portion of the housing and terminating in the second end of the striker assembly; a driver assembly having a first end and a second end and containing a propellant charge, the driver assembly disposed within the rear portion of the housing so that the first end of the driver assembly is adjacent the inner portion of the striker head; means responsive to an electrical charge for igniting the propellant, the propellant igniting means disposed on the first end of the driver assembly; an electrical power supply associated with the housing; and a firing circuit comprising, electrical contacts connected to the power supply and adapted to be positioned in the housing adjacent the inner portion of the striker head, positive and negative electrically conductive rings disposed around the inner portion of the striker head and operatively connected to the electrical contacts in the housing, an electrically conductive contact member including a positive contact and a negative contact, the contact member disposed within the striker head for movement with the outer portion of the striker head and relative to the inner portion of the striker head from a first position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are spaced and at least one of the positive contact or negative contact is within the opening in the inner portion of the striker head and a second position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are closer together and the one of the positive contact or negative contact extends from the inner portion of the striker head toward the rear portion of the housing, and means for electrically connecting the positive and negative conductive rings with the positive and negative contacts, respectively, on the contact member, wherein when a target object is forcibly engaged with the striker shaft tip so as to move the striker shaft inwardly of the housing, the outer portion of the striker head is moved toward the rear portion of the housing relative to the inner portion of the striker head to the second position so that the one of the positive contact or negative contact of the contact member extends from the inner portion of the striker head to engage the propellant igniting means for completing an electrical firing circuit to enable firing of the device by electrical power supplied through the firing circuit to the propellant igniting means, and wherein the one of the positive or negative contacts that is within the opening in the inner portion of the striker head in the first position comprises an electrically conductive housing operatively connected to the outer portion of the striker head for movement with the outer portion of the striker head. 3. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the electrically conductive housing has an axial bore for receiving a contact element and further comprises a spring disposed within the axial bore for biasing the contact element outwardly of the electrically conductive housing and towards the driver assembly.4. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus including a housing defining an interior chamber with a front portion and a rear portion, the firing system comprising:a striker assembly having a first end and a second end and movably disposed within the front portion of the housing, the striker assembly comprising, a striker head disposed at the first end of the striker assembly, the striker head having inner and outer portions which are moveable relative to one another and the inner portion of the striker head having an opening, and a striker shaft mounted to the outer portion of the striker head and extending outwardly of the front portion of the housing and terminating in the second end of the striker assembly; a driver assembly having a first end and a second end and containing a propellant charge, the driver assembly disposed within the rear portion of the housing so that the first end of the driver assembly is adjacent the inner portion of the striker head; means responsive to an electrical charge for igniting the propellant, the propellant igniting means disposed on the first end of the driver assembly; an electrical power supply associated with the housing; and a firing circuit comprising, electrical contacts connected to the power supply and adapted to be positioned in the housing adjacent the inner portion of the striker head, positive and negative electrically conductive rings disposed around the inner portion of the striker head and operatively connected to the electrical contacts in the housing, an electrically conductive contact member including a positive contact and a negative contact, the contact member disposed within the striker head for movement with the outer portion of the striker head and relative to the inner portion of the striker head from a first position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are spaced and at least one of the positive contact or negative contact is within the opening in the inner portion of the striker head and a second position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are closer together and the one of the positive contact or negative contact extends from the inner portion of the striker head toward the rear portion of the housing, and means for electrically connecting the positive and negative conductive rings with the positive and negative contacts, respectively, on the contact member, wherein when a target object is forcibly engaged with the striker shaft tip so as to move the striker shaft inwardly of the housing, the outer portion of the striker head is moved toward the rear portion of the housing relative to the inner portion of the striker head to the second position so that the one of the positive contact or negative contact of the contact member extends from the inner portion of the striker head to engage the propellant igniting means for completing an electrical firing circuit to enable firing of the device by electrical power supplied through the firing circuit to the propellant igniting means and wherein one of the positive or negative contacts is disposed in the inner portion of the striker head so that at least a portion of the contact engages the driver assembly in the first position. 5. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 4, further comprising means for biasing the contact engaging the driver assembly towards the driver assembly.6. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus including a housing defining an interior chamber with a front portion and a rear portion, the firing system comprising:a striker assembly having a first end and a second end and movably disposed within the front portion of the housing, the striker assembly comprising, a striker head disposed at the first end of the striker assembly, the striker head having inner and outer portions which are moveable relative to one another and the inner portion of the striker head having an opening, and a striker shaft mounted to the outer portion of the striker head and extending outwardly of the front portion of the housing and terminating in the second end of the striker assembly; a driver assembly having a first end and a second end and containing a propellant charge, the driver assembly disposed within the rear portion of the housing so that the first end of the driver assembly is adjacent the inner portion of the striker head; means responsive to an electrical charge for igniting the propellant, the propellant igniting means disposed on the first end of the driver assembly; an electrical power supply associated with the housing; and a firing circuit comprising, electrical contacts connected to the power supply and adapted to be positioned in the housing adjacent the inner portion of the striker head, positive and negative electrically conductive rings disposed around the inner portion of the striker head and operatively connected to the electrical contacts in the housing, an electrically conductive contact member including a positive contact and a negative contact, the contact member disposed within the striker head for movement with the outer portion of the striker head and relative to the inner portion of the striker head from a first position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are spaced and at least one of the positive contact or negative contact is within the opening in the inner portion of the striker head and a second position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are closer together and the one of the positive contact or negative contact extends from the inner portion of the striker head toward the rear portion of the housing, and means for electrically connecting the positive and negative conductive rings with the positive and negative contacts, respectively, on the contact member, wherein when a target object is forcibly engaged with the striker shaft tip so as to move the striker shaft inwardly of the housing, the outer portion of the striker head is moved toward the rear portion of the housing relative to the inner portion of the striker head to the second position so that the one of the positive contact or negative contact of the contact member extends from the inner portion of the striker head to engage the propellant igniting means for completing an electrical firing circuit to enable firing of the device by electrical power supplied through the firing circuit to the propellant igniting means, and wherein the inner portion of the striker head has two axially-spaced transverse passages extending radially outwardly from the opening in the inner portion of the striker head to the periphery of the inner portion of the striker head, and wherein the means for electrically connecting the positive and negative conductive rings with the positive and negative contacts comprise spring-biased contact pin assemblies disposed in the transverse passages. 7. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus including a housing defining an interior chamber with a front portion and a rear portion, the firing system comprising:a striker assembly having a first end and a second end and movably disposed within the front portion of the housing, the striker assembly comprising, a striker head disposed at the first end of the striker assembly, the striker head having inner and outer portions which are moveable relative to one another and the inner portion of the striker head having an opening, and a striker shaft mounted to the outer portion of the striker head and extending outwardly of the front portion of the housing and terminating in the second end of the striker assembly; a driver assembly having a first end and a second end and containing a propellant charge, the driver assembly disposed within the rear portion of the housing so that the first end of the driver assembly is adjacent the inner portion of the striker head; means responsive to an electrical charge for igniting the propellant, the propellant igniting means disposed on the first end of the driver assembly; an electrical power supply associated with the housing; and a firing circuit comprising, electrical contacts connected to the power supply and adapted to be positioned in the housing adjacent the inner portion of the striker head, positive and negative electrically conductive rings disposed around the inner portion of the striker head and operatively connected to the electrical contacts in the housing, an electrically conductive contact member including a positive contact and a negative contact, the contact member disposed within the striker head for movement with the outer portion of the striker head and relative to the inner portion of the striker head from a first position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are spaced and at least one of the positive contact or negative contact is within the opening in the inner portion of the striker head and a second position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are closer together and the one of the positive contact or negative contact extends from the inner portion of the striker head toward the rear portion of the housing, and means for electrically connecting the positive and negative conductive rings with the positive and negative contacts, respectively, on the contact member, wherein when a target object is forcibly engaged with the striker shaft tip so as to move the striker shaft inwardly of the housing, the outer portion of the striker head is moved toward the rear portion of the housing relative to the inner portion of the striker head to the second position so that the one of the positive contact or negative contact of the contact member extends from the inner portion of the striker head to engage the propellant igniting means for completing an electrical firing circuit to enable firing of the device by electrical power supplied through the firing circuit to the propellant igniting means, and wherein the propellant igniting means comprises a primer, the ignition of the primer initiating burning of the propellant. 8. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the first end of the driver assembly has an axial passageway opening into the driver assembly containing the propellant charge and the primer is disposed in the axial passageway.9. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the portion of the driver assembly defining the axial passageway is composed of an electrically conductive material and is in electrical communication with the primer.10. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the one of the positive or negative contacts that is within the opening in the inner portion of the striker head in the first position comprises an electrically conductive housing operatively connected to the outer portion of the striker head for movement with the outer portion of the striker head.11. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive housing has an axial bore for receiving a contact element and further comprises a spring disposed within the axial bore for biasing the contact element outwardly of the electrically conductive housing and towards the driver assembly.12. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein one of the positive or negative contacts is disposed in the inner portion of the striker head so that at least a portion of the contact engages the driver assembly in the first position.13. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 12, further comprising means for biasing the contact engaging the driver assembly towards the driver assembly.14. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the inner portion of the striker head has two axially-spaced transverse passages extending radially outwardly from the opening in the inner portion of the striker head to the periphery of the inner portion of the striker head, and wherein the means for electrically connecting the positive and negative conductive rings with the positive and negative contacts comprise spring-biased contact pin assemblies disposed in the transverse passages.15. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus including a housing defining an interior chamber with a front portion and a rear portion, the firing system comprising:a striker assembly having a first end and a second end and movably disposed within the front portion of the housing, the striker assembly comprising, a striker head disposed at the first end of the striker assembly, the striker head having inner and outer portions which are moveable relative to one another and the inner portion of the striker head having an opening, and a striker shaft mounted to the outer portion of the striker head and extending outwardly of the front portion of the housing and terminating in the second end of the striker assembly; a driver assembly having a first end and a second end and containing a propellant charge, the driver assembly disposed within the rear portion of the housing so that the first end of the driver assembly is adjacent the inner portion of the striker head; means responsive to an electrical charge for igniting the propellant, the propellant igniting means disposed on the first end of the driver assembly; an electrical power supply associated with the housing; and a firing circuit comprising, electrical contacts connected to the power supply and adapted to be positioned in the housing adjacent the inner portion of the striker head, positive and negative electrically conductive rings disposed around the inner portion of the striker head and operatively connected to the electrical contacts in the housing, an electrically conductive contact member including a positive contact and a negative contact, the contact member disposed within the striker head for movement with the outer portion of the striker head and relative to the inner portion of the striker head from a first position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are spaced and at least one of the positive contact or negative contact is within the opening in the inner portion of the striker head and a second position where the inner and outer portions of the striker head are closer together and the one of the positive contact or negative contact extends from the inner portion of the striker head toward the rear portion of the housing, and means for electrically connecting the positive and negative conductive rings with the positive and negative contacts, respectively, on the contact member, wherein when a target object is forcibly engaged with the striker shaft tip so as to move the striker shaft inwardly of the housing, the outer portion of the striker head is moved toward the rear portion of the housing relative to the inner portion of the striker head to the second position so that the one of the positive contact or negative contact of the contact member extends from the inner portion of the striker head to engage the propellant igniting means for completing an electrical firing circuit to enable firing of the device by electrical power supplied through the firing circuit to the propellant igniting means, and wherein the driver assembly comprises: a hollow tube member having a first closed end and a second open end, the tube member adapted to be disposed in the housing so that the first closed end of the tube member is proximate the inner portion of the striker head, the tube member movable relative to the housing from a first firing position to a second driven position; a nozzle member sealably mounted in the second end of the tube and having a plurality of openings; a piston disposed in the tube for movement relative to the tube; a fluid disposed in the tube between the nozzle member and the piston; and means for sealing the openings in the nozzle member, wherein the nozzle opening sealing means is adapted to rupture when the pressure in the tube exceeds a predetermined pressure, wherein, upon ignition of the propellant, combustion gases build pressure in the tube member between the piston and the closed end of the tube member causing the pressure in the tube member to exceed the predetermined pressure for rupturing the nozzle sealing means causing the piston to move toward the nozzle member and fluid to be expelled through the nozzle member for moving the drive member to the driven position whereby recoil action is cushioned by the fluid exiting the tube member through the nozzle openings as the piston moves toward the nozzle. 16. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the piston divides the interior chamber defined by the hollow tube member and nozzle into a first variable volume chamber between the piston and first closed end of the tube and a second variable volume chamber between the piston and nozzle member and wherein the ratio of the volume of propellant to the initial volume of the first variable volume chamber is chosen so that the burning propellant generates a pressure in the first variable volume chamber which after an initial post-ignition increase is relatively constant over time.17. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the ratio of the volume of propellant to the initial volume of the first variable volume chamber is about 0.075.18. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the piston is cup-shaped with the open face of the cup-shaped piston facing in the direction of the closed end of the tube.19. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the open face of the piston has a central recess for receiving the propellant charge and further comprising means for retaining the propellant in the piston recess.20. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the fluid is liquid CO2.21. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein CO2 occupies at least about 50% of the volume of the second variable volume chamber.22. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein CO2 occupies up to about 95% of the volume of the second variable volume chamber.23. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein CO2 occupies from about 50% to about 95% of the volume of the second variable volume chamber.24. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein CO2 occupies about 75% of the volume of the second variable volume chamber.25. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the first closed end of the tube has a passage therethrough, and the propellant ignition means comprises a primer disposed in the passage wherein the apparatus is fired by igniting the primer which initiates burning of the propellant.26. A firing system for an impact generating apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the nozzle member opening sealing means comprises burst discs.