U.S. patent application number 09/903519 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-06 for cartridge ammunition.
This patent application is currently assigned to Rheinmetall W & M GmbH, Heinrich-Ehrhardt-Strasse. Invention is credited to Thiesen, Stefan.
Application Number | 20010047736 09/903519 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7843265 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010047736 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thiesen, Stefan |
December 6, 2001 |
Cartridge ammunition
Abstract
A cartridge ammunition includes a cartridge case having a front
and a rear; a projectile inserted into the cartridge case at its
front and extending into the cartridge case; an igniter provided in
the rear of the cartridge case; and a propellant charge
accommodated in the cartridge case. The propellant charge is formed
of a compacted bulk propellant powder having a density of between
0.9 and 1.2 g/cm.sup.3.
Inventors: |
Thiesen, Stefan; (Willich,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VENABLE, BAETJER, HOWARD AND CIVILETTI, LLP
P.O. Box 34385
Washington
DC
20043-9998
US
|
Assignee: |
Rheinmetall W & M GmbH,
Heinrich-Ehrhardt-Strasse
Unterluss
DE
|
Family ID: |
7843265 |
Appl. No.: |
09/903519 |
Filed: |
July 13, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09903519 |
Jul 13, 2001 |
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09157951 |
Sep 22, 1998 |
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6279448 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
102/523 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42B 33/0257 20130101;
F42B 5/181 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
102/523 |
International
Class: |
F42B 014/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 23, 1997 |
DE |
197 41 841.4 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Cartridge ammunition comprising (a) a cartridge case having a
front and a rear; (b) a projectile inserted into said cartridge
case at said front thereof; said projectile extending into said
cartridge case; (c) an igniter provided in said cartridge case at
said rear thereof; and (d) a propellant charge accommodated in said
cartridge case; said propellant charge being formed of a compacted
bulk propellant powder having a density of between 0.9 and 1.2
g/cm.sup.3.
2. The cartridge ammunition as defined in claim 1, wherein said
propellant charge is a second propellant charge extending from the
front of said cartridge case rearwardly; further comprising a first
propellant charge extending from the rear of said cartridge case
forwardly; and further wherein said first propellant charge is
formed of stacked propellant powder.
3. The cartridge ammunition as defined in claim 2, wherein said
stacked propellant powder has a packing density of .gtoreq.1.2
g/cm.sup.3.
4. The cartridge ammunition as defined in claim 1, wherein said
propellant charge is a second propellant charge extending from the
front of said cartridge case rearwardly; further comprising a first
propellant charge extending from the rear of said cartridge case
forwardly; further wherein said first propellant charge is formed
of a compacted bulk propellant powder having a density of between
0.9 and 1.2 g/cm.sup.2.
5. The cartridge ammunition as defined in claim 1, wherein said
propellant charge is a second propellant charge extending from the
front of said cartridge case rearwardly; further comprising a first
propellant charge extending from the rear of said cartridge case
forwardly and a third propellant charge disposed in said cartridge
case between said first and second propellant charges.
6. The cartridge ammunition as defined in claim 5, wherein said
third propellant charge is formed of propellant powder rods.
7. The cartridge ammunition as defined in claim 5, wherein said
third propellant charge is formed at least in part of a compacted
bulk propellant powder having a density of between 0.9 and 1.2
g/cm.sup.3.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a division of application Ser. No.
09/157,951 filed Sep. 22, 1998.
[0002] This application claims the priority of German Application
No. 197 41 841.4 filed Sep. 23, 1997, which is incorporated herein
by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to cartridge ammunition.
[0004] German Offenlegungsschrift (application published without
examination) 41 39 269, to which corresponds U.S. Pat. No.
5,335,599, discloses a cartridge having a combustible cartridge
case which, for increasing performance, has three partial charges:
a high charge-density first partial charge which is a compressed
propellant powder and which is disposed between the rear of the
projectile and the cartridge base, a second partial charge which is
a bulk propellant powder and which is situated at that side of the
cartridge case which is oriented towards the projectile tip, and a
third partial charge situated between the first and second partial
charges. The third partial charge is a rod-shaped propellant which
may also contain bulk propellant powder shaken into the space
accommodating the rod propellant.
[0005] It is one of the disadvantages of the above-outlined known
cartridge that the second partial charge, because of its low charge
density, contributes only slightly--if at all--to the desired
performance increase of the cartridge. Further, the compression of
the first partial charge in the cartridge case leads to problems of
reproducibility which is particularly disadvantageous when firing
cartridges at low temperatures. Also, introducing the propellant
into the known cartridge is a relatively time-consuming
process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the invention to provide an improved
cartridge of the above-outlined type in which the second partial
charge too, significantly contributes to the performance increase
of the cartridge.
[0007] This object and others to become apparent as the
specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention,
according to which, briefly stated, the cartridge ammunition
includes a cartridge case having a front and a rear; a projectile
inserted into the cartridge case at its front and extending into
the cartridge case; an igniter provided in the rear of the
cartridge case; and a propellant charge accommodated in the
cartridge case. The propellant charge is formed of a compacted bulk
propellant powder having a density of between 0.9 and 1.2
g/cm.sup.3.
[0008] Essentially, the invention is based on the principle to use
a bulk propellant powder which is densely packed (compacted) by
means of a rotary vibrator. The rotary vibrator is arranged in such
a manner that its axis of rotation coincides with the longitudinal
axis of the cartridge case. As a result of such a positional
relationship, the vibrating process results in a parallelization of
the longitudinal axes of the individual propellant powder grains
with the longitudinal axis of the cartridge case, whereby a
relatively high charge-density (packing density) of the propellant
charge and thus a substantial performance increase of the cartridge
are achieved.
[0009] Tests have shown that the frequency with which the rotary
vibrator is oscillated is preferably between 0.2 and 10 Hz and the
amplitude of the pivotal motion is between 10 and 270.degree. in
order to achieve the predetermined compactness of the bulk powder
propellant charge in a relatively short time.
[0010] In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the
invention, a first partial charge is provided not by compression in
the cartridge case, but as a stacked charge having a compactness
which corresponds to that of a compressed partial charge. Since
stacked charges may be very accurately made, the cartridges
accordingly have a reproducible inner ballistic behavior even when
fired at low temperatures. Further, by using such charges as
separately deliverable components, an introduction of such charges
into the cartridge may be performed in a short period of time.
[0011] According to another advantageous embodiment of the
invention, the first partial charge too, is introduced into the
cartridge case as a bulk propellant powder compacted by the rotary
vibrator until the desired packing density is reached.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0012] FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a two-part cartridge
made according to the invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line II-II
of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a cartridge 1 having a frontal cartridge case
part 2 and a rearward cartridge case part 3, separated from one
another by a combustible disk 4 made, for example, of cardboard or
textile fabric.
[0015] The rearward cartridge case part 3 is formed of a
combustible component 5 secured to a metal case bottom 6, centrally
supporting a bottom igniter part 7 by a threaded connection. The
cartridge case part 3 accommodates a first partial charge 8 which
is a stacked charge having a packing density corresponding to the
compressed material(.gtoreq.1.2 g/cm.sup.3) used in comparable
cartridges (such as disclosed in the earlier-noted German
Offenlegungsschrift 41 38 269). The first partial charge 8 defines
an axial bore for receiving a metal ignition tube 9 which passes
through the first partial charge 8 and which is supported on the
bottom igniter part 7 to prevent it from lateral displacements.
[0016] The frontal cartridge case part 2 accommodates a
fin-stabilized, subcaliber kinetic energy projectile 12 having a
sabot 11 and extending to the bottom 10 of the frontal cartridge
case part 2. The latter is formed of a combustible component 13
which has a cylindrical portion 14 and a frontal circumferential
shoulder 15 whose forward end is inwardly crimped for providing an
engagement face for the sabot 11. The frontal cartridge case part 2
accommodates, in the space surrounded by the shoulder 15, a second
partial charge 16 which is a bulk propellant powder, compacted
according to the invention by means of a rotary vibrator (not
illustrated) to a packing density of between approximately 0.9 and
1.2 g/cm.sup.3.
[0017] In the frontal cartridge case part 2, between the second
partial charge 16 and the bottom plate 10, propellant rods are
provided which constitute a third partial charge 17. The rods are
packed closely to one another and extend over the length of the
cylindrical portion 14. For filling dead spaces between the rods or
between the rods on the one hand and the rearward part 18 of the
projectile 12 on the other hand, and thus for increasing the
packing density of the third partial charge, additionally bulk
propellant may be shaken into those locations. Further, between the
second and the third partial charges 16 and 17 a combustible
apertured disk 19 is provided.
[0018] In FIG. 2 the individual powder grains are designated at 20;
arrow 21 indicates the direction of the oscillating motion of the
cartridge during compacting of the propellant. Such an oscillating
motion is performed about the longitudinal axis 22 of the cartridge
with an amplitude of about approximately 150.degree. at a frequency
of preferably between 0.2 and 10 Hz.
[0019] In the description which follows a preferred embodiment of
the invention will be set forth.
[0020] The kinetic energy projectile 12 is inserted into the
frontal cartridge case part 2 to assume a position as shown in FIG.
1. At this stage, the frontal cartridge case part 2 has no
propellant charges nor are the bottom plates 4 and 19 present.
Also, the frontal cartridge case part 2 and the rearward cartridge
case part 3 are not yet joined to one another.
[0021] Thereafter, the assembly formed by the frontal cartridge
case part 2 and the kinetic energy projectile 12 is placed in a
non-illustrated rotary vibrator so that the kinetic energy
projectile 12 is pointing downward and the assembly axis 22
coincides with the rotary axis of the vibrator.
[0022] Then the rotary vibrator is set in motion such that the
assembly 2, 12 is oscillated with an amplitude of between 10 and
270.degree. and with a frequency of between 0.2 and 10 Hz.
Simultaneously, bulk propellant powder is poured into the frontal
cartridge part 2 from the top (that is, through the presently open
bottom of the cylindrical part 14), whereby the bulk powder will
build up in the space which is surrounded by the shoulder portion
15 and, by virtue of the forces imparted on the powder grains by
the oscillation, the longitudinal axes of the grains will be
aligned parallel to the assembly axis 22. Thus, the rotary vibrator
causes a compacting of the bulk powder in the forward portion of
the frontal cartridge case part 2, particularly in the space which
is surrounded by the shoulder 15. Vibrating the assembly 2, 12 and
pouring the bulk powder are discontinued when the predetermined
amount of bulk powder has been placed into the frontal cartridge
case portion 2 to thus constitute the second propellant charge
16.
[0023] As a next step, the perforated disk 19 is inserted in the
frontal cartridge case part 2 and then the powder rods forming the
third propellant charge 17 are positioned in the cylindrical
portion 14 of the frontal cartridge case part 2. To fill out dead
spaces, bulk powder may be shaken into the cylindrical part 14 to
fill the spaces between the rods and between the rods and the
cylindrical portion 14. It is also feasible to again oscillate the
assembly 2, 12 in the above-described manner for compacting the
bulk powder propellant occupying the cylindrical part 14.
[0024] Thereafter the combustible disk 4 is inserted to form the
bottom of the frontal cartridge case part 2.
[0025] As a last step, the rearward cartridge case part 3 is
secured to the frontal cartridge part 2, for example, by gluing.
The rearward cartridge case part 3 was previously filled with the
stacked charge forming the first partial charge 8.
[0026] According to an alternative, the pouring and vibrating step
continues until the bulk powder substantially entirely fills the
cylindrical portion 14 of the frontal cartridge case part 2 as
well. In such a case then the rod-shaped propellant powder and the
apertured disk 19 are omitted. Or, after the bulk powder has been
compacted in the space surrounded by the shoulder 15, the apertured
disk 19 is inserted and then the pouring and the vibrating step
continues to fill the cylindrical space 14 instead of providing the
powder rods.
[0027] As a further alternative which may be combined with either
method concerning the filling of the frontal cartridge case part 2,
instead of a stacked propellant charge, the first propellant charge
8 contained in the rearward cartridge case part 5 may also be a
bulk powder, compacted by a rotary vibrator as described in
connection with the frontal cartridge case part 2. Both
alternatives contribute to an economic manufacture of the cartridge
ammunition.
[0028] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to
the described example. Thus, the cartridge need not be a two-part
structure; the invention may find equally advantageous application
in one-part cartridges as well.
[0029] The packing densities of the partial charges should be
preferably between 0.9 and 1.2 g/cm.sup.3.
[0030] It will further be understood that the above description of
the present invention is susceptible to various modifications,
changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be
comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the
appended claims.
* * * * *