Description
This grenade body is long and cylindrical with hemispherical ends. The handle is solid and has a transverse hole drilled through one end. The body is filled with 41 phosphorus impregnated rubber pellets in carbon disulphide. These pellets are scattered by means of a small central bursting charge. It is possible that the grenade is sometimes filled with a phosphorus smoke filling. The handle protrudes from one end of the body, the fuze from the other.
The fuze consists of a brass inertia pellet with a steel firing pin separated from the primer by a creep spring. The inertia weight is held into the fuze by a light brass cap which is crimped into a cannelure in the fuze body so as to prevent the firing pin from reaching the primer. The firing pin is threaded into the inertia weight, and, before arming, it is not screwed in far enough and its point does not protrude below the base of the inertia weight. Therefore, before using the grenade it is necessary to screw the firing pin into the inertia weight so that it will protrude. In addition, a double brass safety pin fits through holes in the brass cap and fuze body into holes in the inertia weight thus preventing the firing pin from reaching the percussion cap.
The delay pellet screws into the base of the fuze and contains a small quantity of granular black powder in the top and a highly pressed pellet of black powder in the lower section. A hole drilled in the side of the fuze contains a fusible plug which melts when the black powder burns, allowing the escape of the gases formed on combustion of the delay train. The escape of these gases will enable the thrower to know if the delay pellet has ignited.
Functioning
The firing pin must first be threaded down into the inertia weight. The safety pin is then withdrawn. Just before throwing, it is necessary to strike the inertia weight on a hard object, driving the striker down into the primer and igniting the delay. The detonation of the burster tube will scatter the incendiary pellets which will ignite spontaneously.
Hazardous Components
Filler - Phosphorus, 41 rubber pellets, and carbon disulphide
Physical Data
Diameter - 2.1 in (53 mm)
Length - 13.2 in (335 mm)
Length, handle - 5.3 in (135 mm)
See Also
Nothing else to see.
Source(s)
OP 1667, Japanese Explosive Ordnance, Volume 1 (1946)
