DETONATION SAFETY MECHANISM

A safety device for use in the detonation of explosives, mines etc. Explosives are commonly detonated by a two stage operation, an explosive pellet is moved from a safe to an active position and then a hammer or electrical charge is fired to detonate the pellet. Failure of the second stage operation leaves the explosive in an unsafe condition, since the hammer or charge might fall as the fault is being investigated. The invention provides movement of the pellet (2) from one safe position (A) to another (C) continuously and through an active position (B). If the hammer (3) fails to fall as the pellet passes through the active position the device will assume a safe condition.