1,448,436 Mar. 13, 1923. R. D, DAY RIFLE’ AND HAND GRENADE Wis 18 a7, 1919 22 Pied oot. a 23 Inventor Med ay0 6 25 30 35 50 Patented Mar. 13, 1923, UNITED STATES 1,448,436 PATENT OFFICE. ‘ROBERT D. DAY, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY. RIFLE AND HAND GRENADE, Application Aled October 27, 1619, Serial No, 399,824, 4 (SILED UNDER THE AOT OF MAROH 3, 1895, 22 STAT. 1, 625.) To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Ronewr D. Day, ser- geant in the Vaited States Army, a citizen of the United States, stationed at Washing- ton, D. C., have invented an Improvement in Rifle and Hand Grenades, of which the following is a specification. ‘The invention described herein may be used by the Government, or any of its officers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, or by any other person in the Tnited States, withont payment of any roy- alty. thervon. Chis invention relates to improvements in the construction of riffe grenades and has in yiew the construetion of a rifle grenade which may also be used as a hand grenade. ‘The use of x single deviee of this character as a hand or rifle grenade, simplifies to a gteat extent, the work of supplying troops ‘with warfare material of this type. Another object of my invention is to pro- vide 2 device of this character which shall be of simple and inexpensive construction. Tn the specification reference is made to the accompanying drawing whieh illustrates tho proferred embodiment of my invention, ‘The figure of the drawing represents a ver- tieal section of my device. ‘The hollow body 1 is of the type ordina- rily used for hand grenades, being grooved horizontally and vertically so as fo provide for fragmentation The body 1, is preferably of exst or male Ieable iron anil is cone shaped and near its base is formed with serewthreads 2 on whieh is threaded an altachment 3. ‘The attachment. 8 is hored to such diameter as to have a snug sliding fit with the outside circumference of the barrel 4 of the ordinary service rifle or fire arm to which it is to be applied. The lower end of the attachment 3 is eotinterbored to a larger diameter and jg slotted at 5, s0 as to havea sliding fit with tho front sight 6 of the rifle. Tt will be noted that the attachment 3 is not locked to the barrel 4 but has a smug sliding ft there- Wen th a he en the grenade is in position on # rifle, as shown in the dravgng, = chamber 7 is Yormed which is enclosed by the muzzle end of the gun, attachment 3 and the base 8 of the hody 1. ‘The top 9 of the grenade is slightly depressed below the top of up- wrardly extending ciredlar wall 11. ‘Th base 8 is bored to form a hole of the same diam- ter as the bore of the fire arm and is in alignment. therewith. ‘The top 9 is bored with a hole of Tike diameter and in align- ment with the bore, and these holes are con- neeted by a tube 10'which forms an enclosed passage through which the bullet from the fire-arm may pass. The tube 10 is preferably solid and integral with the base § and top 9 and then is bored to the desired diameter. Extending above the top 9 is the cireular wall 11 which is connected by a transverse wall 12, A fuse container 13 passes through a tapped hole in the top 9 and is secured thereto by means of screw-threads 14. Be- tween the head 15 of the fuse holder and the top 9 of the grenade, is located a striker 16 which is in the form of a thin metallic washer that is secured in place by screwing: the fuse container 18 into the top 9 until the head 15 holds the striker in position. The striker 16 has a slanting portion that pro- 5eets over the bore of the tube 10 at an angle of about 45°. ‘The slanting portion termi- nates in a bent portion which extends in hor- zontal direction so ag to be in_ alignment rh the perenssion primer 17. ‘The primer 17 communicates its ignition to the fuse 18 which transmits the ignition to the detonator 19 which in turn detonates the explosive charge 20 contained in the hollow body 1. Tn the transverse member 12 and project jing member 11 are bored holes of different diameters which are in axial alignment with tho striker 16. A plunger comprising » rod 21 and enlarged head 22 is mounted for sliding moverient in the two holes just de- scribed. Eneircling the rod 21 is & coiled spring 28 which is compressed between the yhead 99 and side wall 11. The head is held in normally retracted ot safe position, by means of a cotter pin 24 so that when the device is used asa hand grenade it is first necessary to withdraw the pin 24 and then immediately throw the grenade in the diree- tion desired. ‘The slotted portion 8 may be extended to a considerable extent beyond the sight 6 so as to provide for the expansion of the gases in the chamber 7. This slotted portion also provides a small orifice for oo 0 300 10510 6 20 35 the eseape of the gases whereby the noise of the explosion is reduced, The operation of the dé grenade is as follows:— ‘The attachment 3 is placed on the barrel 4 of the rifle with the Tront sight 6 in the slot 5, “The gun is then directed in the rection of the taxget and the rifle is Hired, ‘The bullet pussing from the muzzle end of the gun will enter the tube 10 and the gases formed from the powder charge of the tridge, will accusnulate in the chamber 7. The bullet in passing through the ibe 16 swill act as an obtarator and enable the gases enclosed in the chamber 7 to act by their impact. and, pressure on the base 8'of the grenade which is thus projected in the direc tion in which the zun was directed. ‘The bullet in leaving the tube 10 will im. pinge against the slanting side of the striker Toland force dhe striker in contact with the primer 17 which will ignite the. fuse. ‘The Fuse will continue to burn during the flight of the grenade and will ignite the detonator after the expiration of a time determined by the length and composition of the fuse ‘The detonator will shen transmit the detona- tion to the main charge. Tn the wse of this device as a rifle grenade and after firing the muzzle end of the rifle is not encumbered by auxiliary parts, as in present. types of rifle wrenades, but on the other hand the rifle barrel is clear so that in case of necessity the bayonet may be applied without delay. . When used as.a hand grenade, the pin 24 is withdrawn and the grenade is there- after immediately thrown, The spring 2 fice as a rifle 1,448,486 then forces the head 22 against the striker 16 which impacts with primer 17 and ig- nites the fuse. ‘The time elapsing between the pulling out of the pin 24, and the detona- tion will depend upon the length and type of fuse 18 but is usually a matter of a short interval. By practice, the pin 24 can be withdrawn by one hand while the other arm is going through the motion preliminary to throwing the grenade. ‘This device provides a grenade of simple construction whereby an ellective weapon > is obtained which may be used either as a hand grenade or rifle grenade without any preparatory change of structure. This greaily simplifies the problem of supplying: troops in the field with devices. of this char- acter and also reduces the amount of worl: in connection with the property accountability and storage of such warfare material. Having described my invention, what 7 claim as new and desire to secure by Let- ters Patent, is— 1. A device adapted to be fitted to the ent of a barrel of a fire-atm, or thrown by hand, including a plunger, and a striker adapted to be actuated by the bullet of the firearm or by said plunger, 2A grenade adapted to be fitted to the end of the burrel of a fire nym or thrown by hand, embodying. a hollow body for the re- ception of an explosive, a tube extending through said body in axial alinement with the bore of the fire arm, a plunger and a striker adapted to be actuated by the bul- let of the fire arm or by said phinger ROBERT D. DAY, an 0