United States Patent [191

[11]

Chavee

1451 Feb. 27, 1973

[54]

DEVICE FORSHOOTINGA

3,512,480

5/1970

Barr ..................................... ..102/64

PROJECTILE

3,186,119
3,439,615

6/1965
4/1969

Marasetal ........ ..
.,...42/1F
Fonnan et al .............. ..42/1 F

3,491,693

1/1970

Streckfuss m1. ................ ..l02/65.2

[75]

3,717,946

Inventor: Rene M-J-Chav99,Genk,Belgwm

[73] Assigneezi Fabrique Nationale DArmes de

Guerre, Societe Anonyme, Herstal

lez-Liege, Belgium

[22]

Filed:

[21]

Appl. 196.: 78,516

Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt

Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan
Attorney-Richards & Geier

Oct. 6, 1970v

1
[57] '

'

ABSTRACT

A device for shooting a projectile with ball cartridges

_

[30]

by means of a gun or the like, comprising, on one

, Forelg" Apphcatlo" Pnomy Data

hand, ,an' adapter tube containing, at close vicinity to

.
Belglum """""""""""" "740'483

Oct' 20 969

one of its ends, a damping cylinder made of a relative

ly resilient material and, on the other hand, a support

[52] US. Cl. .................................. ..42/1 F, 102/652v

ing tube contained in the projectile and opening onto

the rear face thereof the bottom of Said supporting

[51]

Int. Cl ......................... ..F41c 27/06,F42b 11/42

t b

[ 8]

_
h
AZ/1F. 102/652 64
F'eld 0 seam """"""" "

u e carrymg a pr1mer, _ e a ap er u e emg

adapted, on one hand, to be mserted into sa1d support

[56]

_
References C'ted
UNITED STATES PATENTS

1,900,790

3/1933

th

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures

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ing tube and, on the other hand, to be slid about the

barrel of the arm used for shooting. Also a projectile
particularly conditioned to operate with said device.

Brandt .................................. ..42/1 1=

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PATENTEUFEBZYIW

3.717. 946

171w

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INVENTOR.
BY

R. M.J.'Chavee.

Much $3M

3,717,946
1

FIG. Sis a view according to arrow F, of FIG. 4.

DEVICE FOR SHOOTING A PROJECTILE

Thus, the device according to the invention allows to

This invention relates to a device for shooting a pro

jectile, more particularly with ball-cartridge, by means

' shoot a projectile, namely a tear grenade l, by means of

a gun 2.

of a hand arm such as a gun or the like.

The shooting device proper comprises an adapter

tube 3, preferably of a ?exible material (cardboard,

It has already been suggested to shoot projectiles,

e.g., tear grenades, by means of ri?es or carbines. The

plastic material...) containing, at close vicinity of one

of its ends, a damping cylinder 4 of a resilient material.
The projectile 1 comprises a casing 5 of a synthetic
material containing an annular gas generating charge 6
as well as a central charge 7 for ?ring the charge 6. The

devices suggested therefor are generally using blank

cartridges or special cartridges. Thus, they have a dis
advantage in that the user must be in possession of both

a ri?e and special cartridges. It has also been suggested

to shoot projectiles, e.g., offensive grenades, by means
provided with a ball trap restraining the ball and

opened face of the casing is obturated by'a lid 8 main

tained in obturating position by folding up the cor
responding edge of easing 5 about an annular collar 9

thereby preventing the projectile from being damaged.

of said lid.

of a war ri?e and normal ball/cartridges. In such

devices, the rear portion of the projectile is generally

shoot projectiles such as tear grenades, smoke grenades

The latter is provided with a central opening through

which is forced a supporting tube 10, the edge of said

and the like by means of a gun or a pistol. This is for in

opening engaging resiliently a peripheral groove 11

It was found that it would be very advantageous to

stance the case for the police forces normally equipped

provided on tube 10.

with guns and who must sometimes intervene very 20 The bottom 12, of tube 10 comprises a recess 13
rapidly before the matters get worse. It has also been
housing a primer 14, said recess being extended by an

found that the presence of policemen equipped with ri

axial channel 15 opening inside the said casing opposite

?es in a location where the perturbation is beginning or

latent, could have a psychological effect detrimental to

to the ?ring charge 7.

The inner diameter of tube 3 is equal or slightly

the appeasement.
Thus, if it is very advantageous to shoot projectiles

25

greater than the outer diameter of barrel 16 of arm 2,

whereas the outer diameter thereof is substantially

by means of a gun, it is however very difficult to practi

equal to the inner diameter of tube 10.

cally realize the arrangement owing to the very nature

of the arm used for shooting, the dif?culties being not
so pronounced when shooting by means of ri?es. These

The wall of tube 3 is provided with a slit 17 extending

from its free edge on a generatrix of the said wall, the

difficulties are still increased when it is desired to shoot

by means of a normal ball-cartridge.
Among the above difficulties, the relative fragility of

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width of the said slit being- substantially equal to the

thickness of the foresight 18 provided at the end of bar
rel 16.
In another embodiment according to FIG. 3, an addi

the projectiles such as tear grenades and the like, the

tional propelling charge 19 is provided in tube 3, said

reduced kick vforce and the small weight required when 35 charge being maintained between a damping disc 20

shooting with a gun, the projection of the shooter

against the projections at the start of the projectile and

the like must be mentioned.

The object of the invention is to solve very readily
and efficiently said difficulties. > For this purpose, there is suggested a device of the

considered type comprising, on one hand, an adapter

tube containing, at close vicinity of one of its ends, a

and a cup 21 with an axial passage 22 centrally carrying

a primer 23, said elements being maintained between
the folded edges 24 of tube 3, on one hand, and the
damping cylinder 4 forming a plug, on the other hand.
In another embodiment (not shown), the second
primer 23 is merely omitted. The cup 21 may then
either be provided or be replaced by a disc.
The above described device operates as follows: If

damping cylinder of a relatively resilient material and, 45 not already made, tube 3 is inserted into the supporting
on the other hand, a supporting tube contained in the
tube 10 making part of projectile I. The projecting por
projectile and opening onto the rear face thereof, the
bottom of said tube carrying a primer, the said adapter

tube being intended to be inserted through one of its

ends into the supporting tube and being slid through its
other end about the barrel of the arm used for shooting.

Practically, said supporting tube will be preferably an

integral part of the projectile.

The characteristics and the advantages of this inven

tion will be more apparent by the following description

of an embodiment thereof given only by way of illustra
tion, reference being made to the enclosed drawings in
which:
FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a gun ready to shoot a

tion of tube 3 is then slid about barrel 16, the foresight

l8 engaging slit 17. The arm is then held in hand as
usual and a normal ball cartridge is shot. The said ball

penetrates into tube 3, passes through cylinder 4 while

transmitting the major part of its kinetic energy to the

projectile which is thereby shot and strikes the primer

14 either by direct impact thereon or by the pressure
exerted by the cylinder 4 when the ball is secured in
said cylinder. The latter ?res charge 7 which in turn
?res charge 6.
In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, it is of
course the primer 23 which will be struck by the ball,

projectile, namely a tear grenade, according to the in 60 thereby ?ring charge 19 the combustion of which will
impart an additional thrust to the projectile while ?ring

vention;

shooting device according to the invention shown on

FIG. 1, as well as the projectile;

primer 14 by the distorsion of the disc 20 providing for

the percussion.
The damping cylinder 4 operates very outstandingly.

the shooting device proper;

axially perforating said cylinder without substantially

.- FIG. 2 is an axial section on an enlarged scale of the

- FIG. 3 is an axial section of another embodiment of 65 Numerous practical tests have shown that the ball was

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the damping cylinder

after shooting and

affecting the material thereof. During the advance of

the ball through the cylinder, the material closes up be

3,717,946
3

hind the ball, thereby forming an obturator while

be possible to provide integrally the supporting tube

and the adapter tube. lf the shooting of grenades has
been principally emphasized in the foregoing, it is un

preventing any rearward projection of debris likely to

injurethe shooter. This feature is particularly impor
tant when using simple lead balls since the droplets of
molten lead, projected when the ball is crushed against

derstood that the principles of the invention may be

bottom 12 or cap 21, could otherwise injure the

ropes, lighting fuses and the like.

What we claim is:

also applied for shooting other objects such as mooring

shooter.
In addition, the resilient nature of the cylinder 4
prevents any damage to the shooting device and the

projectile when shooting.

l. A device for shooting a projectile with a ball car

tridge by means of a weapon having a barrel, said
10

device comprising an adapter tube, a damping cylinder

This surprising action of damping cylinder 4 is illus

frictionally fitted in said adapter tube close to one of its

trated on FIGS. 4 and 5 which show such a cylinder

ends, said damping cylinder consisting of a cylindrical

recovered after a trial shooting. Said cylinder main

tained still ?rmly the ball 25 the head 26 of which was

bar of a resilient material, a supporting tube located in

said projectile and opening onto the rear face thereof,
and a primer carried by the bottom of said supporting

completely crushed after the impact against the bottom

tube, said adapter tube being adapted to be inserted

12 of tube 10. The rear face of cylinder 4 through

into said supporting tube and also to be slid about said

barrel.
2. A device in accordance with claim 1, comprising
Preferably, the damping cylinder will be made of
hard rubber (Shore A70 to 75), whereas casing 5 is ad 20 an inner collar upon the end of the adapter tube in
tended for insertion into said supporting tube, said
vantageously made of high density polyethylene.
device further comprising a cup, a propelling charge
The tube 3 being not subjected to any particular

which the ball 25 had penetrated, presented centrally a

hole 27 similar to a pin hole.

and a damping disc disposed successively between said

stress, may be made of any suitable material, preferably
damping cylinder and said collar.
of an inexpensive plastic material.
The total weight of the grenade will be ad 25 3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said
damping cylinder and said damping disc consist of hard
vantageously about 150 g. It is apparent that various
natural rubber.
modi?cations may be brought to the above described
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at
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device within the scope of the invention. Thus, it would
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