U.S. patent application number 10/757427 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-27 for ammunition for pistols and carbines.
Invention is credited to Leitner-Wise, Paul.
Application Number | 20050016414 10/757427 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34078978 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050016414 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Leitner-Wise, Paul |
January 27, 2005 |
Ammunition for pistols and carbines
Abstract
The invention relates to improved ammunition for pistols and
carbines to provide a cartridge that may be used within the
restricted dimensions of these weapons while increasing the
effective range normally associated with such ammunition.
Additionally, the velocity increase creates sufficient projectile
cross-sectional energy to allow the perforation of certain body
armor types. The invention provides a cartridge which by means of
diameter reduction of the case in the area of the front and the
application of a sabot or bore carrier assembly allows a small
diameter projectile, typically 5.56 millimeters, to be fired from a
short compact ammunition that may be employed in a pistol size
weapon. A weapon chamber is dimensioned to accept the cartridge as
described at a tolerance between approximately 3 and 9 one
thousandths of an inch.
Inventors: |
Leitner-Wise, Paul;
(Alexandria, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
REED SMITH, LLP
East Tower - Suite 1100
1301 K Street, N.W.
Washington
DC
20005-3373
US
|
Family ID: |
34078978 |
Appl. No.: |
10/757427 |
Filed: |
January 15, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60440033 |
Jan 15, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
102/522 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42B 5/025 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
102/522 |
International
Class: |
F42B 014/06 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An ammunition cartridge comprising: a projectile having a
projectile base diameter; a sabot partially surrounding the
projectile; and a case partially containing the projectile and the
sabot, the case comprising a body section, a conical form, and a
neck; and having a maximum outer diameter; wherein the cartridge
has a maximum length of about 34 millimeters.
2. The ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the
case maximum outer diameter to the projectile base diameter is
approximately 1.89.
3. The ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the
case body outer diameter to the outer diameter of the neck is in
the range of from about 1.1 to about 1.4.
4. The ammunition cartridge of claim 3 wherein the ratio of the
outer body diameter to the outer neck diameter is about 1.27.
5. The ammunition cartridge of claim 1 wherein the case has a
maximum length of about 24 millimeters.
6. The ammunition cartridge of claim 1 wherein the case has a
maximum outer diameter of about 10.8 millimeters.
7. The ammunition cartridge of claim 1 wherein the conical form has
a slope angle .theta. measured from the longitudinal axis of the
case in the range of from about 28 to about 32 degrees that
transitions from a larger diameter of the body to a smaller
diameter of the neck.
8. The ammunition cartridge of claim 7, wherein .theta. is about 30
degrees.
9. The ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the neck has an
outer diameter of about 8.51 millimeters and an inner diameter of
about 7.82 millimeters.
10. The ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the projectile
base diameter is in the range of from about 5 to about 6
millimeters.
11. The ammunition cartridge of claim 10, wherein the projectile
base diameter is about 5.7 millimeters.
12. The ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the case is made
from a material selected from the group consisting of brass and
steel.
13. The ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the sabot is made
from a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic
and thermoset plastics.
14. A weapon dimensioned to accept and fire a cartridge having a
maximum length of about 34 millimeters and comprising a projectile
having a base diameter ranging from 5 to 6 millimeters, a sabot
partially surrounding the projectile, and a necked case comprising
a body section having a maximum outside body diameter and a neck
having an outside neck diameter and the case containing the
projectile and the sabot, wherein the ratio of the maximum outside
body diameter to the outside neck diameter is in the range from
about 1.1 to about 1.4, and wherein the weapon chamber is
dimensioned to a tolerance in the range of from about 3 one
thousandths of an inch to about 9 one thousandths of an inch.
15. The weapon of claim 14, wherein the weapon chamber is
dimensioned to a tolerance in the range of from about 3 one
thousandths of an inch to about 4 one thousandths of an inch.
16. The weapon of claim 13, wherein the weapon chamber is
dimensioned to a tolerance of about 4 one thousandth's of an
inch.
17. An handgun cartridge comprising a necked case containing a
projectile encased by a sabot, wherein the ratio of the maximum
outer diameter of the necked case to the base diameter of the
projectile is approximately 1.89.
18. The handgun cartridge of claim 17, wherein the cartridge has a
maximum length of about 34 millimeters.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to devices, systems, and
processes related to improved ammunition for pistols and carbines,
and more particularly that for small arms.
[0003] 2. Brief Description of the Related Art
[0004] Many ammunition types are known in the prior art, especially
those designed to fit larger weapons firing a projectile, such as
rifles. These larger weapons typically seek to increase the
velocity of the projectile by using a reduced case diameter at the
front of the case where the projectile is fitted. This technique
leads to a case that is usually described as "necked". For compact
cartridges in pistols, this technique has been employed and to some
degree achieves the required velocities with small projectiles,
where small projectiles typically have a diameter of between 5 and
6 millimeters. However, current designs of a necked pistol
cartridge which achieve the required velocities with small
projectiles typically have a short, large diameter case with a very
large change in diameter between the case and the neck. In such a
cartridge design, two inefficiencies occur that actually prevent
the cartridge from achieving the desired effect.
[0005] First, as the volume within the cartridge is limited by the
requirement for compact dimensions it is necessary to employ an
energetic propellant which by its nature will release combustion
products quickly. However the large ratio of cartridge diameter to
neck diameter will only allow combustion products to pass into the
barrel and hence propel the projectile at a certain rate, the
cartridge being effectively choked. For the small cartridge these
two constraints oppose one another and it becomes very difficult to
provide a propellant that will release energy sufficiently slowly
to not burst the weapon but still have enough energy within the
given volume to achieve the required velocity. This problem
generally becomes unsolvable with normally available propellants
for cartridges intended to operate in a variety of environmental
conditions, such as those typical for a military application. In
particular, many military weapons must be able to operate in
temperatures ranging from minus forty to one hundred twenty degrees
Fahrenheit, and currently known cartridge designs have generally
not achieved a sufficient release of energy within a small
cartridge volume in such a wide range of temperatures using
available propellants.
[0006] The second inefficiency resulting from having a necked
cartridge is again related to the large changes in diameter
required in the cartridge case. Such a cartridge, when fired, will
achieve a high internal pressure. This pressure acts against the
walls of the cartridge, but more importantly acts with equal and
opposite force on the cartridge base or "head" and the area of
transition to the cartridge neck. Because this transition area is
large the force generated is now typical of that generated within a
rifle cartridge and is generally much too great for the small
mechanisms associated with a pistol. Employing a stronger and
larger mechanism may solve this overloading. However, this negates
the benefits of a small compact firearm. Although improved
materials and tolerances may be used to withstand the higher
pressures, such measures typically result in uneconomical
manufacturing and provide a weapon that generally has a low
reliability.
[0007] It is also generally known to employ a carrier or sabot to
allow a smaller diameter projectile to be fired from a larger
diameter weapon barrel in order to increase velocity. This is seen
in prior art for a number of the large rifle cases and also for
very large vehicle type weapons as such a technique is extremely
efficient. However, using a carrier or a sabot within a smaller
weapon, such as a sidearm or pistol, where a conventional cartridge
case has essentially a uniform diameter, has not been successful.
Particularly, in sidearms, the ratio of sabot mass to projectile
mass is large and much of the propellant energy is wasted on moving
the sabot. Further, while such a design may increase the
projectile's velocity, it has previously not been found to suitably
accommodate small projectile diameters needed for armor
penetration. Additionally, simply decreasing the diameter of the
case to meet that of the projectile does not solve the problem
because the ammunition will not reach sufficient exit velocity to
penetrate armor. Moreover, using the uniform diameter case
resulting in either the larger projectile mass or the slower exit
velocities produces increased recoil in existing small firearms
during firing.
[0008] Although current ammunition cartridges for larger weapons,
such as rifles and machine guns, and for sidearms generally
function well, conventional ammunition for such devices did not
provide users of small arms with significantly increased projectile
velocity while decreasing recoil felt by the firer. Prior devices
also did not provide small arms ammunition firing a small diameter
projectile that penetrates armor. Prior devices and methods further
do not produce a compact ammunition with acceptable internal
pressures that can be used in a variety of operational conditions
and environments including large temperature fluctuations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The invention relates to improved ammunition for pistols and
carbines to provide a cartridge that may be used within the
restricted dimensions of these weapons while increasing the
effective range normally associated with such ammunition.
Additionally, the invention may provide an increase in projectile
velocity to impart sufficient projectile cross-sectional energy to
allow the perforation of certain body armor types. The invention
further provides a cartridge which, by means of diameter reduction
of the case in the area of the front, and the application of a
sabot or bore carrier assembly, allows a small diameter projectile,
typically 5.56 millimeters, to be fired from a short compact
ammunition that may be employed in a pistol size weapon. A weapon
chamber is dimensioned to accept the cartridge as described at a
tolerance that is preferably between approximately 3 and 9 one
thousandths of an inch.
[0010] Still other objects, features, and attendant advantages of
the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the
art from a reading of the following detailed description of
embodiments constructed in accordance therewith, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The invention of the present application will now be
described in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments of
the apparatus, given only by way of example, and with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevation partial cross-sectional
view of the complete ammunition assembly according to the present
invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevation cross-section of a
weapon chamber according to the present invention.
[0014] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate preferred weapon chamber
tolerances in accordance with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] Referring to the drawing figures, like reference numerals
designate identical or corresponding elements throughout the
several figures.
[0016] The present invention has been made in view of the above
circumstances and provides, among other things, small arms
ammunition of the short compact type used in pistols and carbines.
The ammunition is generally of such a form that the cartridge
overall length is not greater than about 34 millimeters. In various
applications, including law enforcement and military applications,
the velocity generated by the ammunition of the present invention
is significantly increased but with a decreased recoil felt by the
firer. The ammunition preferably fires a small diameter projectile
designed for penetration. The ammunition of the present invention
also produces a high projectile velocity with minimized recoil
within the confines of a compact ammunition without internal
pressures being significantly higher than those normally accepted
under a very wide range of operation conditions and environments,
and more particularly to a wide range of environmental
temperatures.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, a side elevation partial
cross-sectional view, taken at line A, of the ammunition cartridge
assembly according to the present invention is illustrated. A
cartridge 100 according to the invention has a case 1 with a
projectile 7 and a sabot 8 extending out of the case 1 at a front
end 14 of the cartridge 100. The case 1 is made of any suitable
material for use in ammunition, and more particularly, brass or
steel. The case 1 is comprised of three sections, namely, a body 4,
a conical form 5, and a neck 6, proceeding from a back end 12 to
the front end 14 of the cartridge 100, respectively. The case 1
contains within it a propellant 2 and a priming cap 3 mounted in
the back end 12 opposite the neck 6. The cartridge 100 is so
dimensioned in length to allow it to operate within a pistol or
compact weapon. The length of the case L3 is preferably less than
or equal to about 24 millimeters and the overall length of the
cartridge L4 is preferably less than or equal to about 34
millimeters. The body 4 has the largest outer diameter of the
cartridge 100. Preferably, the maximum outer diameter of the body 4
is about 10.8 millimeters. Length L1 of the body 4 is preferably in
the range of from approximately 16.8 to 18.2 millimeters. In a
preferred embodiment, L1 measures 18 millimeters. The thickness of
the casing wall preferably decreases throughout as the body 4 as
the distance from the back end 12 increases.
[0018] The cartridge case 1 is reduced in diameter via a conical
form 5. The conical form 5 preferably has an angle .theta. measured
from the longitudinal axis of the case body 4 in the range of from
28 to 32 degrees, and is more preferably about 30 degrees. The
conical form 5 transitions a decrease in the case diameter between
the body 4 and the neck 6. The neck 6 preferably has a length L2 of
about 4 millimeters. The neck 6 preferably has an outer diameter of
about 8.51 millimeters and an inner of about 7.82 millimeters. In a
preferred embodiment, the ratio of the outer body diameter to the
outer neck diameter is about 1.27, which is sufficiently small to
prevent a choking effect of the case. Although the preferred ratio
of outer body diameter to outer neck diameter is about 1.27, the
design may be employed with ratios ranging from about 1.1 to 1.4
without significant loss of performance.
[0019] The projectile 7 is held within the case 1 by a sabot 8.
Accordingly, the projectile diameter at its base is less than the
inner diameter of the cartridge neck 6. Preferably the base
diameter of the projectile is within the range of 5 to 6
millimeters, and preferably the projectile has a base diameter of
about 5.7 millimeters. Preferred projectiles 7 include a standard
M193 projectile, but slight changes in projectile dimensions, mass
and material may be applied. Typically, these slight variances
would be found amongst the standard M193 projectiles bought
off-the-shelf. The preferred ratio of body outer diameter to
projectile base diameter is approximately 1.89.
[0020] To hold the projectile 7 in the case 1, a sabot 8 is used
which covers the base of the projectile 9 and is designed to split
open at the muzzle of the weapon to release the projectile for free
flight. The outer diameter of the sabot 8 is optimally
approximately the same as the inner diameter of the neck 6.
Preferably, the sabot 8 has a maximum outer diameter of
approximately 7.82 millimeters, and an inner diameter sized to
accommodate the projectile dimensions. The sabot 8 may be formed of
any suitable material. Typically the sabot 8 is formed from a
thermoplastic material, such as polyamide. Thermoset-type plastics
are also suitable material for forming the sabot 8. A metallic base
is optionally applied to the back of the sabot 8 (not illustrated
in FIG. 1). The assembly of the projectile 9 and the sabot 8 is
held into the cartridge case by means of a crimp 10.
[0021] The ammunition according to the invention presents many
desirable features for a compact ammunition intended for use by
military and law enforcement. Projectile velocity is significantly
increased beyond that of existing ammunition for a sidearm type of
weapon, while the recoil is reduced, and at the same time the
internal pressures created by firing are acceptable for standard
weapon designs.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 2, a side elevation cross-section of a
weapon chamber according to the present invention is illustrated. A
weapon chamber 30 to fire the cartridge is illustrated which is so
dimensioned that it will operate effectively with the cartridge in
a pistol or compact carbine as previously described. The chamber 30
of the weapon is a generally cylindrically shaped hollow portion
inside the weapon. The bottom section 20 of the chamber fits around
the lower section 12 of the cartridge 100. The profile 22, 24 of
the weapon chamber 30 is dimensioned to accept the conical form 5
and the neck 6, respectively, of the cartridge 100. The chamber has
an upper diameter measured around profile section 24. It will be
appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that there is a
slight tolerance between the dimensions of the weapon chamber and
the ammunition cartridge 100, with the weapon chamber being only
slightly larger than the ammunition cartridge. The tolerance, T,
between the cartridge and the chamber can range between about 3 one
thousandths of an inch to about 9 one thousandths of an inch.
However, a tolerance of between 3 and 4 one thousandths of an inch
is preferred, with a tolerance of 4 one thousandths of an inch
being the optimal tolerance level between the cartridge 100 and the
chamber 30. Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, tolerances in the weapon
chamber are illustrated. Referring to FIG. 3A, where a weapon
chamber 30 is manufactured at, for example, a tolerance of 4 one
thousandths of an inch, there is preferably a uniform space of 2
one thousandths of an inch between the cartridge and the chamber
30. As such, the tolerance between the weapon chamber and the
cartridge is as illustrated in FIG. 3B. Particularly, a uniform
space of 1/2 T lies between the cartridge and the weapon chamber
30.
[0023] Referring again to FIG. 2, in front of the chamber 30, a
freebore 26 is provided which is preferably equivalent in length
and diameter to the sabot. Freebore 26 is generally cylindrical and
has a barrel lead 28 of 1.5 degrees formed therein adjacent to the
barrel 29. When the weapon is fired, the projectile 7 exits the
cartridge sitting in the chamber 30 and exits the weapon by passing
through the freebore 26, the barrel lead 28, and the barrel 29.
[0024] While the invention has been described in detail with
reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to
one skilled in the art that various changes can be made, and
equivalents employed, without departing from the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *