Patent · US Expired

Aerial distress flare

US5025729A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
5References
21Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 21, 1990
Grant dateJun 25, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 21, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF42B12/46
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An emergency signalling device comprising an elongate shell to be fired into the air. The shell encloses a combustible propellant charge, combustible material for generating a visible smoke trail, combustible material for generating a visible spark trail, at least one explosive charge for generating an audible report, a multiplicity of radar chaff particles, and an explosive ejection charge for distributing the radar chaff particles from the shell once the shell has been propelled beyond a predetermined altitude. An ignitor wire is provided which is in contact with the propellant charge. The shell is enclosed in a barrel for storage and launching. The barrel has an external thumbstop to prevent recoil from pushing the barrel back through the hand of the operator. There is a bulkhead at the closed lower end of the barrel, on which are mounted electrical contacts connected to the ends of the ignitor wire. A cap is threadably engaged with the lower end of the barrel, and has a battery therein which has contacts on the inner surface of the cap. The end cap is manually tightened against the lower end of the barrel to bring the contacts into abutment with one another, igniting the propel…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.