U.S. patent application number 12/903064 was filed with the patent office on 2012-04-12 for cartridge for light-weighted projectiles.
Invention is credited to Pedro de Oliveira Cronemberger.
Application Number | 20120085259 12/903064 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45924102 |
Filed Date | 2012-04-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120085259 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cronemberger; Pedro de
Oliveira |
April 12, 2012 |
CARTRIDGE FOR LIGHT-WEIGHTED PROJECTILES
Abstract
A cartridge that can fire a light-weighted projectile, producing
a pressure curve of the propellant gases similar to the pressure
curve generated by the shot of a heavy weighted lead-core
projectile. The cartridge propels the light-weighted projectile
together with a capsule, which contains an inert load of high
density metal powder. The capsule is divided in multiple parts,
which disassemble when it leaves the firearm muzzle, spreading the
metal powder in the air. The metal powder increases the mass which
is accelerated by the propellant gases, keeping the pressure curve
high enough to cycle a self-loading firearm mechanism. The metal
powder consists of very thin particles which spreads and
decelerates rapidly in the air, causing a controllable level of
danger to personnel.
Inventors: |
Cronemberger; Pedro de
Oliveira; (RIO DE JANEIRO, BR) |
Family ID: |
45924102 |
Appl. No.: |
12/903064 |
Filed: |
October 12, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
102/444 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A 1/06 20130101; F42B
8/10 20130101; F42B 14/064 20130101; F42B 8/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
102/444 |
International
Class: |
F42B 8/02 20060101
F42B008/02; F42B 12/40 20060101 F42B012/40 |
Claims
1. A cartridge capable of cycling a standard self-loading firearm's
mechanism, said cartridge comprising: a) a cartridge case with a
primer and a charge of propellant; b) a projectile, which has not
enough mass itself to raise the pressure of the propellant gases to
a level that the self-loading firearm cycles; c) a collapsing
capsule which is divided in two or more parts that are assembled
together with the projectile inside the cartridge case, is hermetic
when assembled, carries an inert load of metal powder inside, is
kept assembled during the internal ballistics and disassembles
immediately after it leaves the firearm muzzle, detaching from the
projectile; d) a load of metal powder which is packed inside the
collapsing capsule, has enough mass to raise the propellant gases
pressure to a level that the self-loading firearm cycles
appropriately and spreads in the air immediately after the
collapsing capsule disassembles.
2. A blank cartridge capable of cycling a standard self-loading
firearm's mechanism, said cartridge comprising: a) a cartridge case
with a primer and a charge of propellant; b) a collapsing capsule
which is divided in two or more parts that are assembled together
with the projectile inside the cartridge case, is hermetic when
assembled, carries an inert load of metal powder inside, is kept
assembled during the internal ballistics and disassembles
immediately after it leaves the firearm muzzle, detaching from the
projectile; c) a load of metal powder which is packed inside the
collapsing capsule, has enough mass to raise the propellant gases
pressure to a level that the self-loading firearm cycles
appropriately and spreads in the air immediately after the
collapsing capsule disassembles.
3. The cartridge of claim number 1, wherein said metal is
tungsten.
4. The cartridge of claim number 1, wherein said projectile is made
of wax or a composition of wax and ink and is placed in the base of
the collapsing capsule.
5. The cartridge of claim number 1, wherein said projectile is a
frangible capsule filled with paint.
6. The cartridge of claim number 1, wherein said projectile is a
solid body made of elastomer.
7. The cartridge of claim number 2, wherein said metal is tungsten.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to cartridges designed to
propel light-weighted projectiles. This kind of cartridge is widely
used for combat simulation and training When said light-weighted
projectile is a capsule filled with paint, the cartridge is named
marker. Marker cartridges can be used to simulate combat situations
with real firearms between infantry or police trainees.
[0002] The main problem related to such cartridges is the fact that
firearms are designed to operate with heavy lead-core projectiles.
When the standard projectile is replaced by a light-weighted one,
the internal ballistics is deeply affected and the pressure of the
propellant gases falls to very low levels. If the firearm is
self-loading, it means automatic or semi-automatic, the propellant
gases will not generate enough energy to cycle the firearm
mechanism when firing a light-weighted projectile.
[0003] To overcome this problem, the solutions given by the prior
art use two approaches: modifying the cartridge and modifying the
firearm.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,937 describes a reduced energy cartridge
which propels a sub-caliber projectile using a sabot that travels
only for a limited length inside the cartridge case. The special
geometry of the cartridge case restraints the movement of the
sabot. This invention requires the firearm to be modified, using a
barrel which is different from the firearm's original one.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,972 describes a cartridge with a case
which contains an internal chamber filled with compressed gas. The
cartridge has no propellant. The compressed gas supplies the energy
that propels the projectile and applies a force to the breech block
to initiate the reloading cycle.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 7,225,741 B2 describes a two-stage reusable
cartridge that uses propellant and a telescopic piston system to
initiate the reloading cycle of the firearm. The cartridge requires
a modified firearm to be fired appropriately.
[0007] The main advantage of the present invention in relation to
the prior art is the possibility of using the cartridge in a
non-modified standard firearm.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is a firearm cartridge which propels a
light-weighted projectile together with a collapsing capsule and an
inert load of high density metal powder.
[0009] When a self-loading firearm, it means, automatic or
semi-automatic firearm, is fired, part of the energy of the
propellant gases is used to accelerate the projectile and other
part is used to cycle the firearm mechanism. The cycle of the
mechanism has basically two steps: [0010] a) the fired cartridge
case is taken out of the chamber and ejected; [0011] b) a new
ammunition is loaded in the chamber.
[0012] The firearms are designed to cycle with the pressure of the
propellant gases created by a common cartridge. A common cartridge
uses a lead-core projectile. If the pressure of the shot is, for
any reason, smaller than the designed pressure, the cycle will not
happen and a new cartridge will not be loaded in the chamber. There
are two main factors that define the pressure curve of a shot:
[0013] a) the propellant charge (which includes the kind of
propellant and the amount of it); [0014] b) the projectile's
mass.
[0015] Both factors work together. Generally, it's not possible to
reach an appropriate pressure if one of these factors is not
correctly set up. It means that, if the projectile's mass is not
large enough, the firearm will not cycle; and doesn't matter the
amount of propellant which is being burnt.
[0016] Lead is one of the heaviest materials available. Its
relative density is 11.3 comparing with pure water. The engineering
plastics have relative densities around 1. Aluminum has relative
density of 2.7. A 9.times.19 mm Full Metal Jacket lead-core bullet,
weights approximately 8 g. The same projectile made of aluminum
would weight 1.9 g, and, if made of plastic, it would weight only
0.7 g. The 9.times.19 mm pistols and submachine guns are designed
to operate with projectiles that weights around 8 g. Projectiles
with less than 2 g wouldn't raise the propellant gases pressure to
the level which the firearm cycles, when fired by a standard
cartridge.
[0017] A marker projectile with plastic or aluminum structure
containing an ink payload is an example of a projectile which
hasn't enough mass to raise the pressure of the propellant gases to
cycle the firearm. This kind of projectile is used for training and
simulations. Other example of projectile which can't cycle the
firearm's mechanism, when fired by a standard cartridge, is a
less-lethal rubber bullet.
[0018] The present invention is intended to overcome the problem of
firing a light-weighted projectile with an automatic or
semi-automatic firearm. The cartridge fires a light-weighted
projectile together with an inert load of metal powder. The weight
of that load is approximately the same of a common lead-core
bullet.
[0019] The load of metal powder is packed together with the
projectile inside a collapsing capsule. The collapsing capsule has
the same external shape of an ordinary bullet. When the cartridge
is fired, the capsule, which contains the inert load of metal
powder, and the projectile are accelerated by the gases, creating a
pressure curve high enough to cycle the firearm.
[0020] When the capsule leaves the muzzle, it disassembles,
allowing the inert load of metal powder to spread in the air and
the projectile to fly to the target. The metal powder decelerates
rapidly and offers a tolerable level of danger to people. The
capsule parts are flat, light-weighted and are not lethal. In FIG.
2, it is shown the capsule disassembling right after it leaves the
firearm muzzle.
[0021] The present invention can also be used as a blank cartridge.
If the projectile is suppressed, the collapsing capsule and the
inert load of metal powder would work the same way and the firearm
would cycle when firing no projectile. This configuration is shown
in FIG. 6.
[0022] The objects of the present invention are: [0023] 1) a
cartridge that can fire a light-weighted projectile of any kind,
producing an internal ballistics similar to the one of a high mass
projectile. [0024] 2) a blank cartridge that fires no projectile,
producing an internal ballistics similar to the one of a high mass
projectile.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of the cartridge with a
generic tip-placed projectile;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the projectile traveling
inside the barrel;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the moment that the
projectile leaves the muzzle;
[0028] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cartridge with a generic
tip-placed projectile;
[0029] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the cartridge with a
generic base-placed projectile;
[0030] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the blank cartridge
without projectile;
[0031] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a marker projectile
filled with paint.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] A cartridge that propels a light-weighted projectile (1)
comprises a standard cartridge case (6), which contains a standard
primer (7) and a load of propellant (5); a collapsing capsule which
is divided in multiple parts (3); an inert load of metal powder
(2); and a projectile(1).
[0033] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the cartridge of this invention
comprises a collapsing capsule, which is divided in multiple parts
(3). These parts (3) are assembled together in the case (6),
hermetically, forming the collapsing capsule. The collapsing
capsule carries inside an inert load of metal powder (2). The
capsule parts (3) are radially restrained and kept assembled with
interference by the cartridge case (6) before it is fired. FIG. 4
shows the cartridge assembly in a perspective view. The embodiment
of FIG. 4 is the same of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In this embodiment, the
collapsing capsule consists of two petal shaped parts (3) and a
capsule base (4) which are kept together by an interference
assembly with the cartridge case (6).
[0034] As can be seen in FIG. 2, when the cartridge is fired, the
collapsing capsule is accelerated by the propellant gases (13),
leaving the cartridge case (6). At this moment, the internal walls
of the barrel (11) radially restrains the capsule parts (3),
keeping the capsule assembled and hermetically closed during the
internal ballistics phase of the shot. The collapsing capsule
travels inside the barrel (11) with interference, like a common
lead-core projectile.
[0035] As can be seen in FIG. 3, when the collapsing capsule leaves
the muzzle (12), it disassembles, because there's no more radial
restraints, allowing the inert load of metal powder (2) to spread
in the air and the projectile (1) to fly to the target.
[0036] The inert load of metal powder (2) consists of very thin
particles of a high density metal, like Tungsten. These particles
decelerates very rapidly in the air and offers a low level of
danger to personnel at a minimum distance of around 2 meters or
wearing protective masks and clothes at closer distances.
[0037] The projectile (1) can be designed to many purposes: marker,
less-lethal impact, armor piercing etc. The projectile design is
not the object of the present invention. It is illustrated in FIG.
7 a projectile (1) which can be used in a marker cartridge. It
consists in a capsule (8) filled with paint (9). The other
embodiments show a generic light-weighted projectile (1).
[0038] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the projectile (1) has an ogive
shaped profile. In the embodiment of FIG. 5 it is shown a
projectile (1) with a flat profile. In this embodiment, the
projectile (1) is placed in the reward of the collapsing capsule
and has a further function of obturating the propellant gases (13).
In this embodiment, the projectile (1) enters the barrel (11) with
interference.
[0039] The embodiment of FIG. 5 can be used as a marker cartridge,
when the projectile (1) is made of a mixture of wax and ink. In
this case, it's necessary to reinforce the base of the projectile
with a reinforcing disc (10), which can be made of hard plastic or
aluminum. The reinforcing disc (10) is fixed to the projectile (1)
and both fly together to the target.
[0040] The collapsing capsule can be divided in two or more parts
(3). In FIG. 1 it's show a collapsing capsule divide in two petal
shaped parts (3) and a capsule base (4). FIG. 5, shows a collapsing
capsule which is divided in only two petal shaped parts (3). The
collapsing capsule can be fully closed by it's own parts, as show
in FIG. 6, or it can be closed using the projectile (1). FIG. 1
shows the projectile (1) closing the forward portion of the
collapsing capsule, and FIG. 5 shows the projectile (1) closing its
reward portion.
[0041] Referring now to FIG. 6 of the drawings, the present
invention can also be used as a blank cartridge, when the
projectile (1) is suppressed. When the collapsing capsule is
hermetically closed by own its parts (3) and carries an inert load
of metal powder (2), the cartridge can cycle firearm mechanism
without a projectile. In this embodiment, the cartridges propels
only the capsule parts (3) and the inert load of metal powder (2).
These components decelerates rapidly in the air and have no
relevant effect on targets, thus this embodiment can be considered
a blank cartridge.
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