Explosive release fastener

Claim 1

A RELEASABLE FASTENER WHICH CAN BE INSTANTANEOUSLY SEVERED AT A PREDETERMINED LOCATION AND WHICCH IS IS CHARACTERIZED BY SUBSTANTIALLY SHARPNEL-FREE AND NONLEAKING OPERATION, COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED HOUSING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE WITH ASSOCIATED ELEMENTS, SAID ELONGATED HOUSING HAVING A CENTRAL LONGITUDINAL BORE CLOSED AT ONE END AND CONTAINING IN SEQUENCE FROM SAID END (B) A BASE CHARGE OF A HIGH VELOCITY DETONATING EXPLOSIVE, (C) A PRIMING CHARGE IN PROPOGATING RELATIONSHIP TO THE BASE CHARGE, (D) A RIGID COMPRESSION PLUNGER CONTIGUOUS TO THE PRIMING CHARGE, SAID PLUNGER BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN AND PERIPHERALLY ENGAGED BY THE BORE, (E) A PLUG OF A PRESSURE-EXTRUDABLE MATERIAL CONTIGUOUS TO SAID PLUNGER AND PERIPHERALLY ENGAGED BY THE BORE, (F) RIGID CLOSURE MEANS CONTIGUOUS TO SAID PLUG AND CLOSING SAID BORE, SAID CLOSURE MEANS, PLUG AND COMPRESSION PLUNGER EACH HAVING AN APERTURE THERETHROUGH WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY COAXIAL WITH THE BORE OF SAID HOUSING, AND A LENGTH OF LOW-ENERGY DETONATION-TRANSMITTING CORD EXTENDING THROUGH THE APERTURE IN THE CLOSURE MEANS AND PLUG AND TERMINATING IN PROPAGATING RELATIONSHIP TO THE PRIMING CHARGE, SAID CORD BEING PERIPHRALLY ENGAGED BY THE WALL OF SAID APERTURE IN THE CLOSURE MEANS AND COMPRISING A CONTINUOUS CORE OF EXPLOSIVE ENCASED IN A DUCTILE METAL SHEATH, SAID PLUG BEING IN TIGHT PERIPHERAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SHEATH.