[PAGE 1]
MEMORANDUM

12 February 1971

FROM:

SUBJECT: Comments on U.S. Patent 3,523,538 by Kunio Shimizu

The device as detailed in Figure 2 on sheet 1 of the patent appears to be a working system, capable of delivering a non lethal (to normal healthy subjects) shock to the victim. However, there are practical considerations which could seriously degrade the device's effectiveness.

It is questionable exactly how far the projectile would travel since any kinetic energy imparted the projectile would be partly expended unwinding the wire from the device against the friction of air and the take up motor. The wire would have to be extremely light and flexible, yet strong. This might result in excessive electrical resistance, however. Additional energy from the projectile would be required to overcome the restraining spring tension holding the needle protector in the safe position and to compress the clothing of the victim.

Adequate tenacity of the projectile for proper needle insertion does not appear to be insured by the "spearhead-shaped projections" on the projectile's ogive. The spears might penetrate and slightly compress the clothing but will not insure that the needles would stay implanted in the victim.

To circumvent the possibility that the victim is wearing an overcoat, suit coat, shirt and undershirt, the needles would need to be extended about 2 cm in the protracted position, These long needles, when used on a victim in light attire, would be sufficient to provide lethal penetration or put an eye out.

The possibility oi serious infection from contaminated needles, skin or clothing cannot be overlooked. Sterilizing the needles or coating them with an antiseptic gel or paste would not preclude the possibility of infection.

1

[PAGE 2]
The bore of the pistol (Figure 1) appears to be about l-1.5 cm in diameter. Scaling the bore diameter to the diameter of the projectile would indicate that the spacing of the needles could be no more than 0.8-1.3 cm. The paralyzing effects on the victim would not extend beyond 1 cm radius from the axis of the needles. Therefore, the effective area of paralysis would resemble an elliptic paraboloid with the approximate dimensions of depth 3 cm, major axis 2.3 cm and minor axis 1 cm.

The "false epilepsy" referred to in the patent, probably is the result of Mr. Shimizu's limited research and confusion on the subject of electroshock therapy. Needless to say electrodes must be correctly positioned on the head before convulsions can be produced. His device cannot do this.

-The basic resemblance of the device to a conventional pistol might cause an armed, nervous assailant into a defensive position, possibly injuring the person with the shocker gun.

Conclusions:

The device invented by Mr. Shimizu will not supply incapacitating energy to disarm or disable a man.

Disadvantages of the device are:

1. Possibility of blinding, bodily harming or killing the victim.

2. Limited range due to friction, air drag and energy required to arm projectile..

3. Incomplete incapacitation of victim due to low volume of tissue subject to paralysis.

4. Basic resemblance to a conventional pistol.

[PAGE 3]
[72] Inventor Kunio Shimizu 33– 2, 1-chone, Asugaya, Minami, Suginamiku, Tokyo, Japan
[21]Appl. No. 599,446
[22] Filed Dec.6, 1966
[4s] Patented Aug. 11, 1970
[32] Priority Dec. 6, 1965; Feb. 10, 1966; M1ar. 5, 1966
[33] Japan
[31] 40/74,635; 41/7,409; 41/13,713

[54] ARRESTDEVICE 9 Clasims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. CL.... 128/404,

124/15,43/6 {51] Int. Cl... ...A61m 21/00,

no10 1/UU, AO1m S//UU [50] Field of Scarch.... 42/1,84; 102/46, 92.1,92.4;124/15; 128/303.13, 303.18, 404,417; 273/106.5(D); 231/2E;43/6; 124/3, 15

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8,843 3/1852 Sounenburg etal. 43/6
2561,122 7/1951 Juergens.. 231/2(E)

2,805,067 9/1957 Ryun 4J/6X
2,966,621 12/1960 Voll.... 231/2(E1X
113,766 4/1871 Haviland et al.. 124/15
2,033,397 3/1936 Richman ..... 128/303.18X
2,516,882 3 .763.93935 8/1950 9/1956 Kalom... Whaley et al. 128/303.18X 12/3031X
Friedman
476,508 12/1952 Italy 231/2(E)
407,648 3/1934 Great Britain.......... 43/6

Primary Examiner- Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Exaininer- Channing L. Pace Attorney- EliotS. Gerber

ABSTRACT: A device for subduing a criminal includes a projectile having two needle electrodes which have different potentials and are adapted to pierce the skin, means for propelling the projectile at the criminal, and a supply of electric current connected to the electrodes. The current is of sufficient intensity so that when the projectile strikes the criminal and the electrodes pierce his skin, a false state of epilepsy is induced, thusrendering the criminal helpless.

United States Patent

[113,523,538

[PAGE 4]
FIG. 4

Sheet/of 2

Patented Aug. 11, 1970

3,523,538

[PAGE 5]
Sheet2of 2

FIG. 5

FIG. 6

Patented Aug. 11, 1970

3,523,538

BY Eleit S Herbu ATTORNEY.

INVENTOR KUNIO SHIMIZU

[PAGE 6]
The present invention relates lo weapons and more pirticufarly ta a device with which the police may subdue a criminal.

t the preent time the methods of placing a violent ctiminal or an insane person under arrest may lead to his own injuty, ar the injury of the police or of innocent persons. If the police ee their guns, the criminal may be killed ur innocent. bystanders shut. If the police attempt to use their clubs, they may be injured by the criminal when they approach him. The uie of lear gus is limited to confined places and may only , cause the criminal to atlack the police.

Similatly, those who wish to protect themselves or their homes may hesitzte to shoot a gun at a criminal because of far ihat they may kill him. For example, the home owner who bears a burglar now can only attempt to shoot him, if he has a gun, or atempt to strike him, if he can approach the burglar,

lt is the objective of the present invention to provide a device for subduing criminals without killing or permaneatly irjuring them.

à a'a further objective of the present iavention that the criminal may be reedered helpless without the unsafe accessit of approaçhing the ctiminal in order to strike him.

'la aècordance with the present invention, a bullet-like prokectile is fired from an ait gun. The projectile has two protrudier tleetrede zeedles which pierce the skin and ake contact wih the subcutaneous lat layer of the skin. The dlectrodes are onetcted, for example, through a wire carried atong with the erojeetile, to an ahernatinz source of curtent The current is wicient to stua the criminal to a temporary sate of faise erüepsy, which reeders him helpless The shock is cat sufieatto killor permanently injure the criminal

Qae cmbodiment of the iavention utilizes a weted materiat eext to the eeedie clectrodes. The eeedles and skin area are eeted et a speciat chemtical solution so that less eectrical cuztent is needed to praduce the desired effect. The projectile ea cary a tattery and, with the use of such chemical solutoet,may be used without wires.

ka another embodiment, the seedles may be séectively potudadle troa a band-carried device.

Qther ebjectives and features of the present inventior will e apparent from the detziled description whicà follaws of an eabodiment, talea in conjunctioa with the accompanying dawing. ln the dravings similar parts are reprsented by the eme sonesponding reference oumerals.

la te drawings

AGS   illustate a first enbodimeat annondingt tie presentinvextion

HG l is a cress-sectioned genenal side view af a speial

EC. 2 is a drcuir diagram of the dectric shosk outent generatiogdvice forthegunof FIG.:

ScS  ant  ara crossseianal side viewsofa bulerpra jectiie shown with the tips of electricshock. ceedics. nor graactadand projected respectively:

EiCS.  and á zre cross-sectioned side views of a buller ehic, is & second embodiment of the present invention and crresgondsto FiGS. 3 and 4 respectively.

Thedesrical resistanceoftheskin oftheluman body varies witbils.dry onwet stattand thesizeof theconartsurface Pouever the rangeof the resistance inside thetody is said t baoul0to S0ohms, Thestrenathrofthedearcl sheck ia raased to the strength of the dlectic current passing rough the humen body so that, everilthe volageis high ant tecirreakis weak there will be no danger Forexample, im tacasscfaralternating current of the commercial freguency (pbout 10 valts ar 60 cydes), aconsiderable pain will be felt rth atout t mA of curent, ar unbearabie puin will be felt. -withabour: 10 mA, Lhe muscle will shriak so much as nut ta. move with 20 mA, and a danger afelectrie shock death wil be cused with 50 mA. Such electric shocks have been already utilized for a special therapy (so-called electric shock therapy) in the treatment of psychosis. The present invention wilizes the, electriz shock effect and flows an eleciric shock cuffent through the human body, A pairof needles are pushel into the lower pant,of the subculncous fat layer.(instead of the skin surface) in order to cause a temporary false epilepsy. The fahe epilepsy is eflective in rendering the ctiminal helpless and yet is safe, as it uses a relatively small electrie shock currect.

In the first embodiment shown in FICS. 1 to 4, a piston 3 is loaded (compressed) by a strong spring 4. Piston 3 is fitted in a cylindrical air chamber 2, which is fxed to a stock 1. When the barrel S is rotated (through a hinge 6) with respact to the stock 1, the spring 4 is compressed by a lever 7, Lever 7 is fitted to both the stock I and barrel 5. The piston 3 is seleetively teleased by a trigger 8. After the barrel S is charged with a buliet 21 and the barrel is returned to its original position and the trigger is pulled, the disengaged piston 3 quickly advances. The, piston gives a strong pressure to tite air in the air chamber 2 and shoots the buller 21. This type of structure is known as a spring-type air gun.

In this embodiment of FIC. 1, the gripping part 9 (handle) of the gun is charged with dry cells 10. A switch 11A is operatively connected with the trigger S. An elecaric shock current geetrating device 12 flows the low voltage surrent of the dry cells t0 as an electric shock current of a desired strength against the resistince of the human body as the load,

An electric circuit díagram of an example of such electric shock curreat generator 12 is shown in FIG. 2. In FIG.2, a circuit breaker (vibrator) 13 and a primary coil 15 wuund on a core 14 of a transformer are connected in ceries. A condenscr 16, tsed far are suppression, is connected in parallel with the contact point of the circuit breaker, An clectric shock current efa desired value may be obtained from the secondary coil 17, -by teutual induction, when a low voltage curent flows from the cells 10 to the primary coil 15 and is interrupted by the breaker £3. This electric current will pass to a lead Tire 20. Wire 20 is wound and fixed at one end on a reel 19. The ree 19 is rotatably firted to the stock I through contacts 18.

The lead wire 20 is electrically connected ar the other en'd with ciectric shock needles 23. Needles 23, in a pair, are sectred to at outside case 22 of the bullet projectile 11. A protective cylinder 24 is provided with small holes 26 in which the electric shock needles 23 are to be firted. Cylinder z# is tted in said outside case 22 and loaded by spring 27. Whent a push rod 25 in the rear part of the prorective cylinder, projecting out of the outside case 2Z. is pushed against the fuce of the spring 27, a projection 29 fītted to the protective ylinderZt eagages with a recess 30 in the outside case, due t a spring S. The tip parts of the eiectric shock needles Mideinthe protective cylinder.

• DhebulletIt wil be projected in this state outofthe air gun and will fly while playing the lead wire 20 out of ti.e rzel 19. When the bullet 21 hits a cri.ir.al, the protective cylinder 24 will te disenppged and will rctreat due to the force of the spring7.Tha electric shock needles 23 will be exposed (as in Ec\_4), and will be pushed into the body of the criminal. At this mroment, at dlectric current from the generating device IZwill ffowinto the body of the criminal through the lead wire Z0 ant the: eiectric shock needles 23. The criminal will fall iato threstate ofatemporary false epilepsy and will be able to be cnsily arrested

Freftrabiy, many spearhead-shaped projections 3I are formect arr the autersurface of the bullet head. These projections 3t are ofa soft clastic material sa that the bullet may easily stick.ta the clothing and not fall dowπ. Preferaby in orderto recover the lead wire 20 and the bullet into the reel 19, zswiichr 11b is set Aπ electric motor M, contained in the stock t, rotates the recl 19 and winds up the lead wire, As no eplosive is used and there is no strong explosive sound, innacentbystanders are aot frightened.

The second embodiment is shown iπ FICS, 5 and' 6. As is evident Srom the drawinas, it is the same as in the first embodiment in some respeçts. Many spearhead-shaped projections 31, of a soft elastic matetial, are formed closcly together on the, outer surface of a bullet head 4l at the tip of a bullet cyliader 40. ln this embodimeat, the clectric souree cells and

1

:

3,523,538

s

10

15

20

25

30

35

4

65

π

75

2

[PAGE 7]
3,523,538

3

the electric shock current generating device are contained in a container 50. The contuiner 50 is inserted into the bullet cyßinder 40 and then a cover 42 is applied.

Each of the eleetric shock needles 23, in a pair, is fitted in the bullet head 40 so as to be resilienuly pressed on the flangeshaped base part 44 by a spring 45. When the bullet head 41 of the projsstile hits a criminal, the container \$0 in the bullet cjhnder 40 still advances, due to its inertia, against the force of the spring 43. The output termsinals 51 which are at different polarities will collide with the base parts 44 of the elecric shock needles and cause the eiectric shock needles 23 to projeet out of the small holes 26 made in the bullet head 41 against the forces of the springs 45. The tips of the electric shock needles 23 will be pushed inta the body of the criminai znd, at the moment, the criminal will fall into a state of a tem--porary falre epilepsy due to the electric shock effect

Further, in this erabodiment, each clectric shozk needle 23 issurrounded by a cotton or sponge body 46 impregsated with a chamicai solution. The surface of the electric shock needle 23 is always wet with a solution. When electric shock needles 3 are pushed into the human body, the chemical wili also enter the muscle. Preferably, this chemical makes the electric eerrent easy to flow in the human bedy. A small electric shock current may have the same effect as a large electric shock curreat and will itself paralyze the mesele. A preferred example of th= chemicai solution is an aqueous solution of strychnice alt. This salt is of fine white crystals and hus the property of -being slightly dissolved in water. It has been conventionally ased as a medicine.

A projection 53, resiliently pressed by a spring 52, is provided on the peripheral wall ofthe container S0. Projsction S3 engages in a recess 43 on the inside wall of the bullet cylinder 40 wban the electric shock needies 23 have besn projected to theit maxizuma, and keep the needies pushed out

Further, the spearhead-shaped projections 31 will stick to the clothing so thar the bullet may cot fall down. After the criminal has been arested, ths buliet is taken off and it is trongly struck on the bottom part of the bullet cylinder with the bullet hend directed upward. The projection 53 wll become disengaged and the contaizer 50 and the electric shock needles  will retun to their original positions

Only preferable embodiments according to the present in. vention have been shown above. However, even if any alternation or modification is made within the seope of the appended claims, it will not deviate from the subject matter of the present invenlion.

I claim:

1. In a device for subduing a criminal insluding a projeetor and a projectile, the improvement in the projectile comprising a body, two needle electrodes adapted to pierce the skin, said needle electrodes being normally concealed within said body. means for concealing said two needle electrodes inside of the front face of said body before the projectile hits the criminal and for projecting the said two needle electrodes outside of the front face of said body due to inertia only when the projeetile hits the criminal, and passages through which said two acedle electrodes are concealed and projected, and a supply of electric current of sufficient intensity to induce false epilepsy. said supply being connected to said needle electrodes.

2.À device for subduing a crimínal including a projectile haviag two needle electrodes adapted to pierce the skin, means to propel the projectile and a supply of electric current of sufficient intensity to induce false epilepsy, said supply being a batery in the propelling means and being connected to the needle electrodes by wires.

3. A device for subduing a criminzl as in, Claim 1 wherein the projectile has gripping mears on its front face for sticking to clothing.

4. A device for subduing a criminal as in Claim 3 wherein the said gripping means are soft plastic hooks.

5. A device for subduing a criminal as in Claim I wherein said electrie curtent supply is a battery within said projectile.

6. A devize for subduing a criminal as ia Claim 1 whercin said clectric supply is a battery in the propelling means and is connected to the needles by wires.

7. A device for subduing a criminal as in Claim I anrd also includiag a wet chemical solution on said néedles.

8. A device for subduing a criminal as in Claim 7, wherein said solution is a solution of strychnine sat.

9. A device as in Claim 1 and also including means to adjust the extent of projection of the said needles.

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40