Integrated Round With Combustible Cartridge

Abstract

An integrated round comprising a projectile threaded at one end thereof, an integral combustible carriage and means for threadably mounting the projectile onto the combustible cartridge after the cartridge has been loaded with primers and propellants.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of ammunition, and more particularly, to a round of ammunition including a combustible cartridge.

Combustible cartridges can be made that weigh less and occupy less volume than the conventional metal cartridge. Further, combustible cartridges obviate the problems of spent metal cartridges and the need for ejecting them and provide a reduction in the unit cost of ammunition and in logistic storage and supply costs, due to the reduction in weight and volume of ammunition incorporating them.

Because the physical properties of a combustible cartridge are different from the physical properties of a conventional metal cartridge, it is not generally possible to attach a warhead or projectile to the combustible cartridge in the same manner that such a warhead or projectile can be attached to the conventional metal cartridge. For example, the conventional metal cartridge has almost universally been made of brass and a projectile has been secured in the open end of the cartridge by radially crimping or indenting the cartridge at the open end so that it tightly encompassed the base of the projectile. This method of attachment cannot be used with most combustible cartridges, since the material from which such cartridges are made cannot readily be crimped.

Another method of attaching a warhead or projectile to a conventional metal cartridge is provided by inserting into the open end of a cartridge case a threaded bushing which is removably engaged by mating threads about the base of the projectile. Such a bushing is bonded to the interior surface of the case by any suitable means, such as solder. This method of attaching a projectile to a conventional cartridge case has also been found to be unsatisfactory for use with a combustible cartridge.

A method that is known in the ammunition art for assembling a projectile to a combustible cartridge requires the combustible cartridge to be made in two parts. That is, a threaded portion on the base of a projectile is inserted into one end of an open tube of the combustible material and is attached to that tube by a retaining nut that is threaded onto the threads of the projectile from the opposite end of the tube of combustible material. Then, the propellant and primers are loaded into the tube of combustible material and a U-shaped base of combustible material is adhered to that tube.

This method is undesirable because it requires two separate manufacturing machines to produce the two parts of the cartridge, it requires the warhead to be attached to the cartridge before the primers and propellant are loaded into the cartridge, a double thickness of the cartridge separated by a layer of glue is formed at the base of the cartridge and the seam formed at the base of the cartridge is very difficult to make liquid--or watertight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved integrated round that will be free from the aforementioned and other disadvantages of prior devices of this type.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an integrated round having an unitary combustible cartridge to which a warhead or projectile can be attached after the propellants and primers are loaded into that cartridge.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an integrated round which may be easily assembled, disassembled and reassembled with minimum danger to personnel and without damage to the ammunition.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an integrated round which is simple to manufacture, and can be rapidly assembled without the use of complicated tools or equipment.

In accordance with these and other objects, there is provided by the present invention an integrated round having an integral combustible cartridge and means for threadably mounting a projectile or warhead thereon after the propellants and primers are loaded into that cartridge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and many more attendant advantages will become obvious to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded side view, partially in cross-section, of the integrated round of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the unitary combustible cartridge of the round shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a top view of the threaded collar shown inserted into the unitary combustible cartridge of the round in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the figures thereof, there is shown in FIG. 1, an integrated round of ammunition 11. Although the round 11 is shown in an exploded view in FIG. 1, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates an integrated round, comprising a unitary combustible cartridge 14, a threaded collar 17, a coupling ring 21 and a projectile 25.

The unitary combustible cartridge 14 has an axial cavity 31 therein and an orifice 33 at one end thereof. The orifice 33 provides an opening into the cavity 31 of the unitary combustible cartridge. Preferably, the combustible cartridge 14 is of substantially uniform thickness and can be shaped to optimize combustion of the cartridge and to accommodate various sizes of propellant and primer charges. The combustible cartridge 14 can be a molded propellant comprising granules of propellant bonded in a molded mass by a low-nitrogen nitro-cellulose binder. However, the cartridge 14 can be made from any other suitable combustible material, if desired.

The integral collar 17 has a neck portion 35 and a shoulder portion 37. The shoulder portion 37 is inserted into the cavity 31 of the cartridge 14 through the orifice 33. Preferably, the neck 35 of the collar 17 is externally threaded and the shoulder portion 37 is complementary to and coextensive with the inner surface area of the cartridge 14 surrounding the orifice 33. The collar 17 does not need to be combustible and is preferably made of brass or steel.

Preferably, the orifice 33 of the cartridge 14 and the shoulder 37 of the collar 17 are substantially annular and the outer diameter of the shoulder 37 is greater than the diameter of the orifice 33. If the shoulder portion 37 of the collar 17 is made of a flexible material, the shoulder portion 37 can be inserted through the orifice 33 by merely flexing or bending the shoulder to a diameter that is less than the diameter of the orifice 33. If desired, a slit can be provided in the shoulder 37 to make it more flexible. However, when the shoulder 37 is made from an inflexible material, the orifice 33 and the collar 17 can be modified advantageously as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

That is, the configuration of the orifice 33 can be modified to provide an opening into the cavity 31 having a diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the shoulder 37 on the collar 17. Such an opening can be provided by the means of at least one or, preferably, two axial slots 41 opening into the orifice 33 in the wall of the cartridge 14 surrounding the orifice. Additionally, the outer diameter of the shoulder 37 can be reduced at some portion thereon by cutting off or truncating the shoulder 37 at one or, preferably, two locations or sides of the collar, as illustrated at 43 in FIG. 3. In some instances, only the notch 41 or the truncation 43 will be necessary to enable the collar 17 to be inserted through the orifice 33.

It will be obvious that when the orifice 33 and/or the collar 17 has been modified as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the collar 17 can be freely inserted into the cavity 31 through the orifice 33 when the collar 17 is placed on its side.

The coupling ring 21 has threads that are complementary to the threads on the neck 35 of the collar 17 and has an endwall that is complementary to the outer surface of the cartridge 14 that surrounds the orifice 33. Preferably, the coupling ring 21 is made from brass or steel and is coextensive with the outer surface of the cartridge 14 that surrounds the orifice 33.

The coupling ring 21 is threaded onto the neck 35 of the collar 17 after the shoulder 37 has been inserted into the cavity 31. When the coupling ring 21 has been fully threaded onto the neck 35, a tight compression fitting can be obtained between the endwall of the coupling ring 21, the inner and outer surfaces of the cartridge 14 surrounding the orifice 33 and the shoulder 37 of the collar 17. Preferably, a sealer can be applied to the complementary surfaces of the endwall on the coupling ring 21 and the outer surface of the cartridge 14 surrounding the orifice 33 to seal the seam between those surfaces. Although that sealer can be applied either before or after the surfaces are brought into contact, it is preferred to apply that sealer before the coupling ring 21 is threaded onto the collar 17.

Suitable primers and/or propellants can be loaded through the orifice 33 of the cartridge 14 after the coupling ring 21 has been attached to the cartridge. In some instances, after the primers and propellants have been loaded into the cartridge, it may be desirable to store the cartridge without attaching a projectile or warhead to it. Accordingly, if desired, the coupling ring 21 can have a cover or diaphragm 45, as shown in FIG. 1, attached or otherwise placed across its aperture to protect the contents of the cartridge 14 from its environment. Although the primers and propellants are depicted as loose granular materials within the cavity 31, as shown in FIG. 1, it is to be understood that the primers and propellants can be in any suitable form, such as in a sack or as molded solid charges.

The warhead or projectile 25 has threads at its base which are complementary to the threads of the coupling ring 21. Although the coupling ring 21 is shown in FIG. 1 as having one uniform internal thread through its entire thickness, if desired, the coupling ring 21 can have one set of threads complementary to the threads on the collar 17 and another set of threads complementary to the threads of the base of the projectile 25.

When the projectile 25 is threaded into the coupling ring 21, the integrated round of ammunition 11 is complete. However, the projectile 25 can be stored separately from the remainder of the round 11 and assembled at the time it is to be used. Further, once the projectile 25 has been attached to the combustible cartridge 14, it can be readily removed, if desired, for the purpose of inspecting the propellants and primers in the cartridge 14, and then readily reassembled.

Having now described the invention in specific detail and exemPlified the manner in which it may be carried into practice, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that innumerable variations, applications, modifications and extensions of the basic principles involved may be made without departing from its sphere or scope.

Claims

That which is claimed is:

1. An integrated round comprising in combination:

a unitary combustible cartridge of substantially uniform thickness having an axial cavity therein and an orifice at one end thereof,

propellants contained in said cavity within said cartridge,

a threaded collar having an integral neck and shoulder portion, which shoulder portion is inserted into said cavity through said orifice and is substantially complementary to the inner surface area of said cartridge surrounding said orifice,

a coupling ring having threads complementary to said threads on said collar and having an endwall that is substantially complementary to the outer surface area of said cartridge surrounding said orifice, which coupling ring is threaded onto said neck of said collar, and

a projectile having at one end thereof threads complementary to threads of said coupling ring, which projectile is threaded into said coupling ring.

2. The round as defined in claim 1, wherein said threads on said collar are external threads on the neck of said collar, said threads on said coupling ring are internal threads, and said threads on said projectile are external threads.

3. The round as defined in claim 1 and further comprising a sealant in contact with said endwall of said coupling ring and said outer surface area of said cartridge surrounding said orifice.

4. The round as defined in claim 1, and further comprising in the wall of said cartridge surrounding said orifice, an axial slot opening into said orifice.

5. The round as defined in claim 4, wherein said cartridge is cylindrical, said orifice is circular and the rim of said shoulder on said collar defines a circle truncated on two sides.

6. The round as defined in claim 1, and further comprising a diaphragm across the aperature of said coupling ring.

7. The round as defined in claim 1, wherein said shoulder on said collar is substantially coextensive with the inner surface of said cartridge surrounding said orifice and said endwall on said coupling ring is substantially coextensive with the outer surface of said cartridge surrounding said orifice.

8. The round as defined in claim 1 and further comprising primers contained in said cavity within said cartridge.

9. A method of forming an integrated round comprising:

providing a unitary combustible cartridge of substantially uniform thickness having an axial cavity therein and an orifice at one end thereof,

inserting a threaded collar having an integral neck and shoulder portion into said cavity through said orifice and causing said shoulder portion to remain in juxtaposition with the inner surface area of said cartridge surrounding said orifice and said neck of said collar to extend out of said cartridge through said orifice,

threading a coupling ring having threads complementary to said threads on said collar onto said collar until the endwall of said coupling ring is in juxtaposition with the outer surface area of said cartridge surrounding said orifice,

loading primers and propellants into said cavity of said cartridge, and

threading onto said coupling ring a projectile having at one end thereof threads complementary to threads on said coupling ring.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 and further comprising the step of applying a sealant material to the outer area of said cartridge surrounding said orifice.