U.S. patent application number 10/353597 was filed with the patent office on 2003-07-31 for barricade-penetrator.
Invention is credited to Anderegg, Peter, Rosenkranz, Felix, Spatz, Peter, Streun, Christoph.
Application Number | 20030140813 10/353597 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27613542 |
Filed Date | 2003-07-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030140813 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rosenkranz, Felix ; et
al. |
July 31, 2003 |
Barricade-penetrator
Abstract
A projectile with a penetrator, which on impact with an obstacle
(wall, door, glass pane etc.) pierces it, so that immediately
afterwards an active substance which is carried along by the
penetrator, is set free behind said obstacle. Such a projectile is
of particular use by special police, military or other operations
as a so called barricade-penetrator, in order to set out of action
persons to be overpowered in closed rooms. The release of the
active substance occurs without a pyrotechnic detonation; the
active substance is expelled exclusively through mechanical means,
and preferably by a piston action resulting when the projectile
contacts the obstacle.
Inventors: |
Rosenkranz, Felix; (Altdorf,
CH) ; Anderegg, Peter; (Belp, CH) ; Spatz,
Peter; (Thun, CH) ; Streun, Christoph;
(Wabern, CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Jay A. Bondell, Esq.
SCHWEITZER CORNMAN GROSS & BONDELL LLP
19th Floor
292 Madison Avenue
New York
NY
10017
US
|
Family ID: |
27613542 |
Appl. No.: |
10/353597 |
Filed: |
January 29, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60352896 |
Jan 29, 2002 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
102/473 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42B 5/02 20130101; F42B
12/08 20130101; F42B 12/06 20130101; F42B 12/50 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
102/473 |
International
Class: |
F42B 030/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A projectile with a penetrator centrally arranged in a
projectile body to pierce an obstacle on impact of the projectile
with the obstacle, characterized in that the penetrator includes an
active substance and a piston, said piston carrying the active
substance through a hole in the obstacle formed by said
penetrator.
2. The projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the
projectile body includes a projectile jacket having a hollow
cylinder in which the piston is located, the active substance being
stored between a coneshaped tip of the penetrator and the
piston.
3. The projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the
projectile body includes a projectile jacket having a hollow
cylinder, the penetrator includes a penetrator tip closing off a
forward open end of the hollow cylinder and a shaft within the
hollow cylinder carrying at a free end the piston in the form of a
disk axially movable along the cylinder, and that a hollow space
formed between the tip and the piston contains a reservoir for the
active substance.
4. The projectile according to claim 3, characterized in that the
hollow cylinder is formed in two parts.
5. The projectile according to claim 4, characterized in that the
hollow cylinder has a front part and a rear part, both parts being
connected to each other, the front part extending rearwardly to at
least the piston and overlapping the rear part on the inner side of
the rear part.
6. The projectile according to claim 2, characterized in that the
cylinder has a flange which extends peripherally at a front end of
the cylinder.
7. The projectile according to claim 3, 4 or 5 characterized in
that the tip is covered by a thin-walled cap which is positively
supported by the projectile jacket.
8. The projectile according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that
the active substance is contained in an easily destructible
wrapping.
9. The projectile according to claim 2 or 3, further including a
projectile base contains a bursting charge for the projectile.
10. The projectile according to claim 9, further includes that the
bursting charge comprises a percussion fuse, an ignition chain and
a propelling charge with gas outlets, wherein the gas outlets are
actively connected to a pressure chamber and let gas pressure
impinge against the projectile jacket.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention refers to a barricade-penetrating shell having
an active substance.
[0002] During interventions of special police or army forces etc.
non-lethal acting means are often used as barricade penetrators.
The special function of such means is to temporarily irritate
persons that have to be overpowered and to be put out of action and
so that they are not able to act in closed non-armored rooms such
that subsequently it is possible to advance without danger from
those persons. Such barricade penetrators have to penetrate
particularly through doors, walls and panes of glass of buildings
of civilian types of construction.
[0003] It is a purpose of the present invention to produce a
barricade penetrator which is simple to handle and can produce a
concerted effect when using chemically active ingredients and
similar substances.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In accordance with the foregoing a barricade-penetrating
projectile of the present invention includes a centrally-arrayed
penetrator connected to a piston which carries an active substance.
When the projectile contacts the obstacle to be penetrated, the
penetrator penetrates the obstacle, while a portion of the
projectile in which the active substance is stored is retarded. The
relative motion between the penetrator and retarded portion drives
the piston forward through the obstacle, carrying the active
substance and allowing the active substance to be disbursed within
the room or area behind the obstacle.
[0005] The use of the subject invention is very simple; it is
especially applicable for firing by small arms of a caliber less
than 60 mm which are common on the market.
[0006] While penetrating the obstacle by the penetrator, the active
substance is pressed under high pressure into the target area or
room, where it is released; it can deploy instantaneously its full
activity. The active substance is released in a mechanical way
only. A pyrotechnical explosion does not take place. Therefore the
extent of local destruction remains very low. By the free choice of
the active substance the projectile can be assigned in a simple way
either for lethal or for non lethal operations.
[0007] In a preferred embodiment the penetrator includes a tip that
is located at a forward end of a hollow cylinder in which the
active substance is stored. A penetrator shaft extends within the
cylinder and carries a disc to form a piston for the active
substance. The forward end of the hollow cylinder may be flanged at
its forward end to facilitate its retardation by contact with the
obstacle and develop piston action.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] A fuller understanding of the invention will be obtained
upon consideration of the following illustrative example,
considered in association with the annexed drawing which shows a
projectile according to the invention in a sectional view; the
launching direction being characterized by an arrow A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The projectile, which is designated 20, has a projectile
casing 10 with a projectile base 15 made of, e.g., aluminum,
carrying a bursting charge 11 of known construction and consisting
of a percussion fuse with an ignition chain and a propelling
charge. A rear part of a projectile jacket 9, which may be
constructed of a plastic material available on the market, is
inserted into the projectile casing 10. The base portion of the
jacket 9 is designated by 9' and includes pocket hole-shaped
recesses 12.
[0010] A cylindrical, hollow body 4 is inserted into the projectile
jacket 9. It is advantageously made of a light metal alloy, closed
at one end, and includes a front part 4a and a rear part 4b. Both
parts 4a, 4b of the cylinder 4 are exactly fitted together along a
joining seam 4c, whereby the inner surface of the front of part 4b
overlaps the outer surface of the rear of part 4a. The part 4a is
frontally provided with a flange 14, and is slightly narrowed in
the direction of the flange 14, while the part 4b is generally
cup-shaped.
[0011] A penetrator shaft 2 of an arrow shaped penetrator 1, made
for example of a highly alloyed steel or tungsten, projects within
the cylinder 4. The penetrator 1 has a cone shaped tip 3, the back
edge of which rests against the flange 14.
[0012] At the free (rear) end of the shaft 2 a piston disk 7,
advantageously made of an elastomer such as silicone rubber, is
fixed by means of a flat spring washer 7' to an stepped, lathed off
end of the shaft.
[0013] The piston 7 closes off a hollow space 17 from the forward
section of the hollow body 4 up to the tip 3 of the penetrator 1
wherein is deposited, in a foil-like wrapping 8', an active
substance 8, such as Capsaicin. Over the tip 3 a covering cap 16,
made of plastic material, is placed, which is connected to the
projectile jacket 9.
[0014] Active substances of different kind can be used. The type
and amount of the active substance 8 depend on the operational
objective and the needed concentration. For non-lethal operations
irritant substances in liquid or in powder form are advisable,
which make concerned persons temporarily unable to act.
[0015] It is preferred to use an active substance in liquid form,
because it yields a greater range in the target area than
substances in powder form, which may be filled in an easily
disruptible, pocket-like wrapping made of paper. The wrapping 8' is
destroyed immediately on impact of the projectile, so that the
active substance is under the pressure of the accelerated piston
7.
[0016] The manner of function of a projectile according to the
invention is as follows:
[0017] On impact of the projectile on the obstacle the cover cap 16
is destroyed. The penetrator 1 is separated from the projectile and
ejected towards the front, in order to penetrate into the obstacle.
The process of this separation is substantially triggered by the
following two mechanical operations:
[0018] Upon penetration of the projectile into the obstacle, a
force that is opposed to the direction of the launch acts on the
projectile. Thereby the moving components of the projectile are
slowed down according to their inertial comportment. By proper
choice of the different mass fractions for the penetrator 1 and the
flange 14 and the different inertial comportments connected
therewith, it is possible to accommodate the mode of separation
specifically to the objective of the application and to the
materials of the obstacle.
[0019] This mode of separation is additionally supported by the
shape of the components of the projectile. On one hand it relates
to the arrangement of the tip 3. On the other hand the flange 14 is
formed as support, the front surface of which renders a greater
contact and active surface respectively with respect to the
obstacle encountered and accordingly a high retardation of the
hollow cylinder 4. By this the penetration of the hollow cylinder
into the obstacle can be reduced or totally prevented.
[0020] The different manners and degrees of contact and penetration
of the penetrator 1 and the other part of the projectile lead to a
relative motion between the penetrator 1 and the remaining part of
the projectile, including the hollow cylinder. When the penetrator
penetrates through the obstacle a hole in the obstacle is created.
Usually only the penetrator 1 penetrates into the obstacle. The
remaining parts of the projectile crash or bounce off the
obstacle.
[0021] With the hollow cylinder retarded, the piston 7, which
continues to move in the travel direction of the projectile, forces
the active substance 8 through the hole which is formed in the
front part of the projectile by the separations of the top from the
hollow cylinder, with a high pressure. The hollow body 4 acts
together with the piston 7 like a highly accelerated hydraulic
pump. Thus, the active substance 8 reaches the target area or room
through the hole formed in the obstacle, where it is sprayed or
nebulized and immediately displays the desired activity. In the
room a defined cloud of the active substance is formed with a
controlled distribution of the same.
[0022] The other components of the projectile are known per se, as
is their activity:
[0023] The bursting charge 11 placed in the projectile base 15 is
ignited in the launching barrel by a percussion pin which is well
known, whereby, at the end of the ignition chain, the propelling
charge powder 11' ignites at a high burning speed to form a gas of
high pressure. The compressed gas formed in the bursting charge 11
partially opens bursting box 5, flows through borings 6 distributed
over the perimeter into a larger pressure chamber 13, and finally
impinges on the projectile base 9.sup.1 and pocket-hole like
recesses 12. In the rear part of the projectile jacket 9 a sealing
ring 18 (O-ring) is embedded, which tightens against the cartridge
case 10 and resists the gas. A disc in groove 19 divides the
pressure chamber in sub- rooms 13 and 13' to increase the initial
acceleration.
[0024] The projectile is expulsed out of the barrel or tube by the
gas pressure in a known manner and is accelerated up to flight
speed by the charge 11'.
[0025] In practical tests the described operating manner of a
projectile with a caliber (outside diameter) of 40 mm has been
proved operable for the following kinds of obstacles:
[0026] 2-layer laminated glass with 10 to 14 mm normal
thickness.
[0027] heavy room door with 39 mm thickness (so-called pressboard
tube doors); heavy room door with 51 mm thickness (pressboard
plate); entrance door with 49 mm thickness (house front door, ISO
HAT 60, of RIWAG Co. Switzerland)
[0028] In all cases a clean course of the described action and
relative movement between the projectile parts concerned relating
therefrom has been observed. The active substance has been pressed
as desired through the obstacle and can extend purposefully behind
the obstacle. Thereby irritant gas clouds of common irritants (CS,
CN, OC or PAVA) of about 1 meter diameter and a length of 2 to 3
meters have been defined and produced behind the obstacle.
[0029] In the figure one is further shown protection cap 15' at the
projectile base 15, serving for the transport of the ammunition
body, which is of course removed prior to the introduction of the
projectile into the barrel.
[0030] The subject of the invention can be realized in different
variations; all of them however have in common the penetrator, when
penetrating a barricade, which carries mechanically (hydraulically)
an active substance, directly or indirectly through the hole made
by the penetrator.
* * * * *