초록 ▼

The present invention is an improved grenade which launches a plurality of pellet projectiles. The grenade includes a housing containing at least one spiral launch tube, said launch tube having a breech end and a muzzle end. A plurality of projectiles are loaded in the launch tube between the breech

The present invention is an improved grenade which launches a plurality of pellet projectiles. The grenade includes a housing containing at least one spiral launch tube, said launch tube having a breech end and a muzzle end. A plurality of projectiles are loaded in the launch tube between the breech and muzzle ends. The grenade includes a gas reservoir for storing a compressed gas coupled to the breech end of the launch tube. A valve is interposed between the reservoir and the breech end of the launch tube for controlling the flow of compressed gas from the reservoir to the breech end of the launch tube. The valve is moveable between a closed state and an open state wherein said compressed gas enters the breech end of the launch tube to propel the projectiles from the muzzle end, the valve being biased towards its open state. The grenade also includes a trigger mechanism coupled to the valve, the trigger mechanism operating between a locked state wherein the trigger mechanism holds the valve in its closed state and an unlocked state wherein the valve is free to move into its open state.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A grenade comprising: at least one spiral launch tube having a breech end and a muzzle end; a plurality of projectiles loaded in said launch tube between the breech and muzzle ends, and a pressure supply coupled to the breech end of the launch tube for propelling the projecti

What is claimed is: 1. A grenade comprising: at least one spiral launch tube having a breech end and a muzzle end; a plurality of projectiles loaded in said launch tube between the breech and muzzle ends, and a pressure supply coupled to the breech end of the launch tube for propelling the projectiles from the muzzle end of the launch tube wherein the pressure supply comprises a gas reservoir for storing compressed gas, and further comprising a valve interposed between the reservoir and the breech end of the launch tube for controlling the flow of compressed gas from the reservoir to the breech end of the launch tube, the valve moveable between a closed state and an open state wherein said compressed gas enters the breech end of the launch tube to propel the projectiles from the muzzle end, and further comprising a trigger mechanism coupled to the valve, the trigger mechanism operating between a locked state wherein the trigger mechanism keeps the valve in its closed state and an unlocked state wherein the valve is free to move into its open state, and further comprising a delay mechanism coupled to the valve for delaying the movement of the valve into its open state. 2. The grenade of claim 1 wherein the delay mechanism comprises a fluid reservoir for holding a quantity of fluid, the fluid reservoir having a discharge opening for discharging fluid from the fluid reservoir, a piston being retained in the fluid reservoir, the piston being coupled to the valve such that the valve and piston move together, the valve being biased towards its open state, the piston being oriented in the fluid reservoir such that as the valve moves into its open state the valve urges the piston to force the fluid out of the fluid reservoir and out the discharge opening, the discharge opening being dimensioned to delay the movement of the piston by restricting the discharge of fluid through the discharge opening. 3. The grenade of claim 2 wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a pin removably mounted to the housing, the pin being coupled to the piston to prevent the piston from moving when the pin is mounted to the housing. 4. The grenade of claim 2 wherein the fluid reservoir has a second discharge opening and wherein a shaft is mounted to the piston, the shaft having a distal end dimensioned and configured to slide snugly within the second discharge opening as the piston moves, the distal end of the shaft being dimensioned and configured such that the distal end of the shaft permits the fluid to quickly discharge through the second discharge opening immediately before the valve is in its open state. 5. The grenade of claim 4 wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a pin removably mounted to the housing, the pin being coupled to the shaft to prevent the piston from moving when the pin is mounted to the housing. 6. The grenade of claim 1 wherein the grenade comprises two spiral launch tubes, each of the launch tubes having a breech end and a muzzle end and a plurality of projectiles between the muzzle and breech ends, the breech ends of the launch tubes being coupled to the gas reservoir, the grenades having opposite sides and the muzzle ends of the launch tubes positioned on opposite sides of the grenade. 7. The grenade of claim 6 wherein a first ramp is formed on the housing adjacent the muzzle end of one of the launch tubes, and wherein a second ramp is formed on the housing adjacent the muzzle end of the other launch tube, the first and second ramps being dimensioned and configured to deflect the projectiles. 8. The grenade of claim 7 wherein the first ramp is configured to deflect the projectiles in a first direction and the second ramp is configured to deflect the projectiles in a second direction, the second direction being different than the first direction. 9. A grenade comprising: a housing; at least one launch tube contained in the housing, said launch tube having a breech end and a muzzle end; a plurality of projectiles loaded in said launch tube between the breech and muzzle ends; a gas reservoir for storing a compressed gas coupled to the breech end of the launch tube; a valve interposed between the reservoir and the breech end of the launch tube for controlling the flow of compressed gas from the reservoir to the breech end of the launch tube, the valve moveable between a closed state and an open state wherein said compressed gas enters the breech end of the launch tube to propel the projectiles from the muzzle end, the valve being biased towards its open state; a trigger mechanism coupled to the valve, the trigger mechanism operating between a locked state wherein the trigger mechanism holds the valve in its closed state and an unlocked state wherein the valve is free to move into its open state; a delay mechanism coupled to the valve for slowing the movement of the valve into its open state, the delay mechanism comprising a fluid reservoir for holding a quantity of fluid, the fluid reservoir having a discharge opening for discharging fluid from the fluid reservoir, the valve being coupled to a piston such that the valve and piston move together, the piston being positioned in the fluid reservoir to force the fluid out of the fluid reservoir as the valve moves into its open position, the discharge opening being dimensioned to delay the movement of the piston by restricting the discharge of fluid through the discharge opening. 10. The grenade of claim 9 wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a pin removably mounted to the housing, the pin being coupled to the piston to prevent the piston from moving when the pin is mounted to the housing. 11. The grenade of claim 9 wherein the fluid reservoir has a second discharge opening and wherein a shaft is mounted to the piston, the shaft having a distal end dimensioned and configured to slide snugly within the second discharge opening as the piston moves, the distal end of the shaft being dimensioned and configured such that the distal end of the shaft permits the fluid to quickly discharge through the second discharge opening immediately before the valve is in its open state. 12. The grenade of claim 11 wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a pin removably mounted to the housing such that the pin prevents the piston from moving when the pin remains mounted to the housing. 13. The grenade of claim 9 wherein the gas reservoir and the fluid reservoir are continuous with one another and are separated by the piston, the piston being physically coupled to the valve such that the pressurized gas in the gas reservoir acts against the piston to bias the valve towards its open position. 14. The grenade of claim 13 wherein the valve comprises a collar interposed between the breech end of the launch tube and the gas reservoir and a seal member, the collar being dimensioned and configured to carry pressurized gas from the gas reservoir to the breech end of the launch tube when the collar is unobstructed, the seal member being movable between a first position wherein the seal member seals off the collar and a second position wherein the seal member does not obstruct the collar, the seal member being mounted to the piston by a connecting member. 15. The grenade of claim 14 wherein the collar comprises a tubular passage and the seal is dimensioned and configured to slide within the collar, the collar being further dimensioned such that the seal member is out of the collar when the piston has moved the seal member into its second position. 16. The grenade of claim 9 wherein the launch tube is spiraled. 17. The grenade of claim 9 wherein the grenade comprises two spiraled launch tubes, each launch tube having a breech and muzzle end, the breech ends of both launch tubes being coupled to the valve. 18. The grenade of claim 17 wherein the spiraled launch tubes are arranged in a double helical arrangement. 19. A grenade comprising: a housing; a plurality of launch tubes contained in the housing, said launch tubes each having a breech end and a muzzle end; a plurality of projectiles loaded in each of the launch tubes between the breech and muzzle ends; a gas reservoir for storing a compressed gas coupled to the breech ends of each launch tube; a valve interposed between the reservoir and the breech end of the launch tubes for controlling the flow of compressed gas from the reservoir to the breech end of the launch tubes, the valve moveable between a closed state and an open state wherein said compressed gas enters the breech end of the launch tubes to propel the projectiles from the muzzle end of the launch tubes, the valve being biased towards its open state; a trigger mechanism coupled to the valve, the trigger mechanism operating between a locked state wherein the trigger mechanism holds the valve in its closed state and an unlocked state wherein the valve is free to move into its open state; a delay mechanism coupled to the valve for slowing the movement of the valve into its open state, the delay mechanism comprising a fluid reservoir for holding a quantity of fluid, the fluid reservoir having a discharge opening for discharging fluid from the fluid reservoir, the valve being coupled to a piston such that the valve and piston move together, the piston being positioned in the fluid reservoir to force the fluid out of the fluid reservoir as the valve moves into its open position, the discharge opening being dimensioned to delay the movement of the piston by restricting the discharge of fluid through the discharge opening; a plurality of ramp portions formed on the housing immediately adjacent the muzzle ends, the ramp portions dimensioned and configured to deflect the projectiles as they are launched out of the muzzle ends.