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Pippin Patent
- Thread starter Gspragge
- Start date
In February 1916, Captain Newton, the inventor of the Pippin rifle grenade, arrived in the UK from France, bringing with him a large number of his rifle grenades for trial. It had already been used successfully and extensively in France, and it was now being considered by the Munitions Design Committee for mass production in British factories.
The Committee soon "recommended that efforts be made to improve the design of the cap so as to render this grenade safer for handling." - TW Weekly Design Report of 12 Feb.1916.
From this point on, the saga of the No.22 was one of delay and postponement, with changes of a heavier cap and addition of a safety pin, and then back to a lighter cap and removal of the pin. This protracted development meant it was approved for Service in October 1916, only to find that by December many of the filled bodies had deteriorated (owing to swelling of the cardboard detonator holder from damp during long storage) and therefore needed to be overhauled before fitting with the new caps.
While all this was happening, Mills clearly saw that the fundamental design of the body and top striker was sound and looked to incorporate safety features of his own design, to overcome the alternate problems of blinds and prematures that had been encountered in the trials of the Pippin. Hence the patent (UK patent No.109066, initial application date 25 July 1916). It would appear his work here was ultimately overtaken by the conversion of his classic No.5 Mills hand bomb to a rifle grenade by the expedients of a 6 inch rod and a solid base plug, while the Hales family were evolving into ever simpler and more reliable designs.
Mills produced some rifle grenade bodies for trial. They were certainly comparable to the Pippin, as the photo indicates (with thanks to Bonnex).
Tom.
The Committee soon "recommended that efforts be made to improve the design of the cap so as to render this grenade safer for handling." - TW Weekly Design Report of 12 Feb.1916.
From this point on, the saga of the No.22 was one of delay and postponement, with changes of a heavier cap and addition of a safety pin, and then back to a lighter cap and removal of the pin. This protracted development meant it was approved for Service in October 1916, only to find that by December many of the filled bodies had deteriorated (owing to swelling of the cardboard detonator holder from damp during long storage) and therefore needed to be overhauled before fitting with the new caps.
While all this was happening, Mills clearly saw that the fundamental design of the body and top striker was sound and looked to incorporate safety features of his own design, to overcome the alternate problems of blinds and prematures that had been encountered in the trials of the Pippin. Hence the patent (UK patent No.109066, initial application date 25 July 1916). It would appear his work here was ultimately overtaken by the conversion of his classic No.5 Mills hand bomb to a rifle grenade by the expedients of a 6 inch rod and a solid base plug, while the Hales family were evolving into ever simpler and more reliable designs.
Mills produced some rifle grenade bodies for trial. They were certainly comparable to the Pippin, as the photo indicates (with thanks to Bonnex).
Tom.
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