Patent ID: 8002026

Claim:
A time delay apparatus, comprising: an input assembly including an element configured to be displaced to enable a connection to a power source; and an electronic time delay circuit operably coupled to the input assembly and comprising: an electronic time delay device configured to provide a selectable, fixed time delay responsive to the connection to the power source and initiate a fire command upon completion of the selectable, fixed time delay, the electronic time delay device comprising: a crystal oscillator with a frequency of 1 kHz or more; a first counter device operably coupled to the crystal oscillator; and a second counter device operably coupled to an output of the first counter device in a multiplier configuration; wherein the first counter device and the second counter device can be programmed to provide the selectable, fixed time delay in a range of about eight minutes to multiple hours in increments of a clock cycle of the crystal oscillator; a voltage firing circuit configured to increase a voltage provided by the power source to a trigger voltage; and a trigger comprising a gas discharge tube configured to isolate the voltage firing circuit from an initiator until the trigger voltage is reached and convey the trigger voltage to the initiator when the voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold firing voltage.