(Fig. 1)

The igniter which is used in the H.E. egg-shaped hand grenade and with booby trap de-vices has been described in Pamphlet No. 5 in connection with the grenade. The follow-ing is a more detailed description based upon later information.

The tubular aluminium body contains, near its upper end an inverted copper cup with a central hole through which the pull-wire passes. The cup contains a pressing of friction composition around the hole and is covered by a copper cap which has three equidistant flash holes. Above the cap a steel fluted washer is secured in the top of the body by stabbing. The pull-wire is looped at the outer end for the attachment of the cord and washer. The inner end of the wire is coiled below the cup, the first coil being larger than the mouth of the cup. The wire is of soft iron and is coated with zinc.

The delay tube is of steel and screws into the base end of the body. The interior is screw-threaded and is divided into two compartments by a screwed perforated lead plug. The lower portion is screwthreaded externally for the assembly of a detonator of the screw-on type. The normal type of detonator is pushed on over this thread. The tube contains two compositions. The lower composition, which is pressed on both sides of the lead plug, consists of gunpowder. The upper composition, which is topped with a thin layer of gun-powder, consists of nitrocellulose powder stabilized with diphenylamine and is yellow-green in colour. Both compositions are hard pressed into the tube.

The moulded bakelite cover is screwed to the base end of the body for packing and transport.

Fig. 1

German Friction Igniter for Egg Grenade