Tear gas grenade

Claim 1

A gas grenade comprising a canister, gas emission holes in said canister adjacent opposite ends thereof, a tubular charge in said canister comprising a mixture of vaporizable chemical agent and a combustible material, said charge having radially spaced inner and outer combustion surfaces and end combustion surfaces, a rib on the inner wall of said canister, said rib spacing said outer combustion surface away from a wall of said canister to enhance combustion thereof and to provide a free space for passage of evolved gas, a crack in said charge tube extending radially from said inner combustion surface to said outer combustion surface and providing exposed radially extending surface area for combustion, said charge being oriented in said canister so that said crack is diametrically opposite said rib, means supporting and spacing said charge from opposite ends of said canister, an inner charge igniter tube extending through said tubular charge in close contact with said inner combustion surface, an outer charge igniter tube disposed about the outer periphery of said charge in close contact with said outer combustion surface, an igniter washer on each end surface of said tubular charge contacting said inner and outer igniter tubes, and fuze means in said canister adjacent said inner charge igniter tube for igniting said inner tube, ignition of said inner tube resulting in ignition of said igniter washers and outer igniter tube, whereby combustion of said igniter tubes and washers effects evolution of gas from said inner and outer and end combustion surfaces.