U.S. patent number 3,894,492 [Application Number 05/378,453] was granted by the patent office on 1975-07-15 for deterrent ammunition.
This patent grant is currently assigned to AAI Corporation. Invention is credited to Irwin R. Barr, Paul L. Brown, Robert W. Schneppe, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,894,492 |
Barr , et al. |
July 15, 1975 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Deterrent ammunition
Abstract
Deterrent ammunition, including a projectile of soft elastic
rupturable material, such as natural or synthetic rubber or
plastic, having a charge of flowable material, such as finely
divided particulate or powder, carried in a cross-sectionally
polygonal cavity having relatively thin longitudinal rupture wall
zones along the corners of the cavity and thicker longitudinal
strengthening zones bounding the cavity straight wall surface
sections, with a generally ogive-forming nose section having an
easily flexible annular wall connecting with a thicker and more
rigid piston-forming nose end of lesser lateral crosssection than
the interior cavity cross-section at the rear end of the flexible
annular wall for ease of rearward piston movement of the
pistonforming nose end on target impact. The projectile is carried
in a cartridge by a bore-riding segmented sabot of low density, low
mass material and is ejected from the cartridge by ignition of
propellant in the cartridge, which effects gas pressure on an
obturating pusher disc engaging with the rear of the segmented
sabot.
Inventors: |
Barr; Irwin R. (Lutherville,
MD), Brown; Paul L. (Baltimore, MD), Schneppe, Jr.;
Robert W. (Upperco, MD) |
Assignee: |
AAI Corporation (Cockeysville,
MD)
|
Family
ID: |
23493195 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/378,453 |
Filed: |
July 12, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
102/520; 102/519;
102/513 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42B
12/50 (20130101); F42B 14/064 (20130101); F42B
12/56 (20130101); F42B 14/02 (20130101); F42B
14/068 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F42B
14/02 (20060101); F42B 14/06 (20060101); F42B
14/00 (20060101); F42B 12/50 (20060101); F42B
12/56 (20060101); F42B 12/02 (20060101); F42b
031/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;102/92.7,41,92.6,92,93 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Borchelt; Benjamin A.
Assistant Examiner: Jordan; C. T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pippin, Jr.; Reginald F.
Claims
We claim:
1. Deterrent ammunition, comprising,
a projectile formed by a rupturable first housing section with a
cross-sectionally polygonal cavity formed therein and having an
annular bounding wall with longitudinally extending polygon corners
which are substantially weaker than interconnecting structurally
reinforcing side wall sections between said corners,
a nose section closing said cavity at its forward end,
said first housing section being formed of relatively soft elastic,
rupturable material,
and a discardable low mass projectile-rotating sabot engageable in
substantially complementary fashion about the annular exterior
surface of said first housing and along said forward annular wall
surface bounding said polygonal cavity.
2. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 1,
and a flowable dispersable material charge in said cavity for
dispersal upon impact of said projectile with a target.
3. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 1,
said soft elastic rupturable material being rubber.
4. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 3,
said soft elastic rubber material being silicone rubber.
5. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 3,
said cavity being square in cross section.
6. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 1,
said cavity being square in cross section.
7. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 6,
said nose section having a generally ogive shape and including a
relatively thick piston nose section and a relatively flexible
annular wall section rearward of said piston nose section and
forming a flexible connection between said piston nose section and
said square polygonal cavity annular bounding wall.
8. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 7,
said cavity having a rear bounding wall zone including a relatively
thick base wall having a reduced diameter exterior annular surface
connecting along a connecting shoulder with a forward annular wall
section of relatively larger diameter and forming a portion of said
annular bounding wall for said cavity,
said shoulder line bounding and adjoining the intersection zone
between said weaker longitudinally extending polygon corners and
the inner rear wall surface of said cavity as formed by said
relatively thick base wall.
9. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 8,
said intersection zone or each of said polygon corners with said
rear wall surface of said cavity being formed by a chamfer
longitudinally coextensive with said connecting shoulder.
10. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 9,
said nose section being a separate element from said housing
section and being secured thereto at the forward end of said
housing section.
11. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 10,
said nose section having a cavity formed therein and connecting
with said polygonal cavity section to form a composite single
cavity containing a flowable dispersable material charge.
12. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 11,
said flowable dispersable material charge comprising finely divided
particulate material.
13. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 11, further
comprising
said sabot having a rear base end with a forward facing undulating
surface engageable in rotation-imparting engagement with the soft
elastic rear surface of said housing section during forward
launching of said projectile by application of forwardly directed
force thereon through said sabot.
14. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 13,
said sabot being formed of a plurality of segments.
15. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 13,
said forwardly facing undulating surface of said sabot being
radially ribbed.
16. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 15, further
comprising
an obturator pusher disc unit rearward of said sabot and engageable
with the rear surface of said sabot,
said obturator pusher disc unit having an annular obturating lip
extending rearwardly thereof.
17. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 16, further
comprising
a cartridge case having a charge of propellant and a primer
therein,
said sabot, projectile and obturator pusher unit being secured in
said case for propulsion therefrom upon firing of said primer and
propellant.
18. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 17,
said sabot having a rifling band formed thereon,
said case being secured to said sabot adjacent and rearward of said
rifling band.
19. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 1,
said nose section having a generally ogive shape and including a
relatively thick piston nose section and a relatively flexible
annular wall section rearward of said piston nose section and
forming a flexible connection between said piston nose section and
said polygonal cavity annular bounding wall.
20. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 19,
said cavity having a rear bounding wall zone including a relatively
thick base wall having a reduced diameter exterior annular surface
connecting along a connecting shoulder with a forward annular wall
section of relatively larger diameter and forming a portion of said
annular bounding wall for said cavity.
said shoulder line bounding and adjoining the intersection zone
between said weaker longitudinally extending cavity corners and the
inner rear wall surface of said cavity as formed by said relatively
thick base wall.
21. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 20,
said intersection zone of each of said cavity corners with said
rear wall surface of said cavity being formed by a chamfer
longitudinally coextensive with said connecting shoulder.
22. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 1,
said cavity having a rear bounding wall zone including a relatively
thick base wall having a reduced diameter exterior annular surface
connecting along a connecting shoulder with a forward annular wall
section of relatively larger diameter and forming a portion of said
annular bounding wall for said cavity,
said shoulder line bounding and adjoining the intersection zone
between said weaker longitudinally extending cavity corners and the
inner wall surface of said cavity as formed by said relatively
thick base wall,
said sabot extending about said reduced diameter annular exterior
surface.
23. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 22,
said intersection zone of each of said polygon corners with said
rear wall surface of said cavity being formed by a chamfer
longitudinally coextensive with said connecting shoulder.
24. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 1,
said nose section being a separate element from said first housing
section and being secured thereto at the forward end of said first
housing section.
25. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 1,
said nose section having a cavity formed therein and connecting
with said first housing section polygonal cavity to form a
composite single cavity containing a flowable dispersable material
charge.
26. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 2,
said flowable dispersable material charge comprising finely divided
particulate material.
27. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 2,
said sabot being formed of a plurality of segments.
28. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 27,
said sabot having a rear base end with a forward facing undulating
surface engageable in rotation-imparting engagement with the soft
elastic rear surface of said housing section during forward
launching of said projectile by application of forwardly directed
force thereon through said sabot.
29. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 2,
an obturator pusher disc unit rearward of said sabot and engageable
with the rear surface of said sabot,
said obturator pusher disc unit having an annular obturator lip
extending rearwardly thereof.
30. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 29,
a cartridge case having a charge of propellant and primer
therein,
said sabot, projectile and obturator pusher unit being secured in
said case for propulsion therefrom upon firing of said primer and
propellant.
31. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 30,
said sabot having a rifling band formed thereon,
said case being secured to said sabot adjacent and rearward of said
rifling band.
32. Deterent ammunition, comprising,
a projectile formed by a rupturable housing with a cavity formed
therein and having an annular bounding wall with annularly spaced
plural longitudinally extending thinner weakened longitudinal wall
zones which are substantially weaker than interconnecting
relatively thicker structurally reinforcing side wall sections
between said thinner weakened zones,
and a nose section closing said cavity at its forward end,
said housing being formed of relatively soft elastic, rupturable
material,
a discardable low mass sabot engageable in substantially
complementary fashion about the annular exterior surface of said
housing and along said forward annular wall surface bounding said
cavity.
33. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 32,
said soft elastic rupturable material being rubber.
34. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 33,
said soft elastic rupturable material being silicone rubber.
35. Deterrent ammuntion according to claim 32,
said cavity being square in cross section.
36. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 32,
said nose section having a generally ogive shape and including a
relatively thick piston nose section and a relatively flexible
annular wall section rearward of said piston nose section and
forming a flexible connection between said piston nose section and
said housing cavity annular bounding wall.
37. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 36,
said cavity having a rear bounding wall zone including a relatively
thick base wall having a reduced diameter exterior annular surface
connecting along a connecting shoulder with a forward annular wall
section of relatively larger diameter and forming a portion of said
annular bounding wall for said cavity,
said shoulder line bounding and adjoining the intersection zone
between said weaker longitudinally extending thinner zones and the
inner rear wall surface of said cavity as formed by said relatively
thick base wall.
38. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 37,
said intersection zone of each of said thiner zones with said rear
wall surface of said cavity being formed by a chamfer
longitudinally coextensive with said connecting shoulder.
39. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 32,
said sabot having a rear base end with a forward facing undulating
surface engageable in rotation-imparting engagement with the soft
elastic rear surface of said housing section during forward
launching of said projectile by application of forwardly directed
force thereon through said sabot.
40. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 39,
said forwardly facing undulating surface of said sabot being
radially ribbed.
41. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 40,
said sabot being formed of a plurality of segments.
42. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 41,
said sabot having a rifling band formed thereon.
43. Deterrent ammunition according to claim 39,
said sabot being formed of a plurality of segments.
44. Deterrent ammuntion according to claim 32,
said cavity having a rear bounding wall zone including a relatively
thick base wall having a reduced diameter exterior annular surface
connecting along a connecting shoulder with a forward annular wall
section of relatively larger diameter and forming a portion of said
annular bounding wall for said cavity,
said shoulder line bounding and adjoining the intersection zone
between said weaker longitudinally extending thinner zones and the
inner rear wall surface of said cavity as formed by said relatively
thick base wall,
said discardable low mass sabot engageable in substantially
complementary fashion about said reduced diameter annular exterior
surface and along said forward annular wall surface bounding said
cavity.
Description
This invention relates to deterrent ammunition, and more
particularly to personnel deterrent ammunition which is rupturable
on impact, and which may be launched for impact rupture against a
target and delivery of a flowable material on impact rupture,
including launching directly against rioting personnel to provide
an impact shock or sting to the target personnel and to deliver a
desired flowable material in the vicinity of the target personnel
with substantially reduced hazard as compared to conventional
ammunition.
Various materials and arrangements have been employed in an effort
to control rioting or other disorderly personnel, while minimizing
ultimate damage to the personnel being controlled. Fire hoses have
been used for this purpose, but have been generally abandoned or
found to be generally unsatisfactory, due to the very substantial
injury potential, as well as the unfavorable image cast on
firefighting units by their association with this tactical weapon.
Water cannons have also been tried, and while the water cannon has
advantages over the fire hose approach, it nevertheless has very
substantial injury-producing potential. Technically, the fire hose
and the water cannon systems utilize a similar principle of
projecting a variable intensity water jet stream to unbalance
and/or disarm an individual. Water cannons and fire hose also are
large, heavy, cumbersome and normally require several persons for
operation.
Also, various mechanisms have been employed, including launchable
grenades and shells, for delivery of a desired charge of control
agent to a target area. However, these prior mechanisms have
various disadvantages, and the launched grenades or shells have
conventionally been quite lethally hazardous to target personnel in
the event of impact with such personnel.
It is an object and feature of the present invention to provide an
improved personnel control deterrent ammunition arrangement which
provides relatively low lethality hazard to the target personnel,
while enabling a substantial degree of deterrent control of such
personnel by impacting a rupturable flowable-charge filled
projectile of special design on impact contact with the target
personnel or other target in the vicinity of target personnel.
It is a further object and feature of the invention to provide an
improved low-hazard riot control ammunition which enables the
delivery of a marking or other desired liquid to the vicinity of a
rioting person or persons, and which will rupture on impact with
good dispersion characteristics.
Still further objects, features and advantages will become apparent
to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following
description of a preferred embodiment, constructed in accordance
with the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view, in partial longitudinal section, of a
cartridge according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view, with one part in partial section for
clarity, of a projectile, sabot and pushed according to the
invention and as shown in the cartridge of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the base housing portion of the
projectile, taken along lines 3--3 pusher FIG. 2.
Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawing, a cartridge
11 is provided, having projectile 51 carried in a conventional case
21 by a segmented sabot 31, 31, 31 with an obturator pusher disc 41
engaging the rear face of sabot 31, 31, 31.
Case 21 may be, and is in the preferred embodiment, of conventional
construction, and includes a charge of propellant 26 enclosed in a
chamber formed by a frangible cup 25, percussion primer 29, and
screw-in primer retainer 27, the cup 25 being formed as of
0.005-inch mild steel, and in turn mounted within a chamber formed
by a nodule protrusion 23 in the interior of case 21. The nodule
protrusion 23 has multiple side ports 23a formed therein, which
connect with the remaining relatively large volume interior of the
case, so as to form a high-low type pressure arrangement for
adequate ignition and burning of the propellant 26, as well as
providing protection for the obturating pusher during the initial
high pressure, high temperature burning of the propellant 26 on
firing of the cartridge to launch the projectile 51. As will be
apparent, frangible cup 25 is ruptured at ports 23a upon firing and
sufficient pressure buildup within the cup 25 through burning of
the propellant 26, and the propellant gases then pass through ports
23a and into the enlarged case interior chamber, resulting in
reduction of gas pressure and temperature to a desired level for
propelling the obturating pusher disc 41, sabot 31, and projectile
51 from a suitable weapon barrel, not shown.
Obturating pusher disc 41 preferably has radial or other
reinforcing ribs 41r or other suitable reinforcing construction to
enable such to provide a desired structural rigidity with low mass
and light weight. An annular rearwardly extending obturating lip is
formed about the periphery of the obturating pusher disc 41 and
frictinally engages the interior side wall surface of the case 21,
both intially as an aid in holding its prefired position and upon
firing of the cartridge, and upon ejection of the disc 41 into the
weapon barrel the obturating pusher lip of the pusher aids in
providing a desired seal with the barrel during forward propelling
motion of the disc 41, sabot 31, and projectile 51 along the barrel
bore, whether rifled or unrifled, although a rifled barrel bore is
preferred for firing so as to provide a desired spin stabilization
of the projectile 51 during flight.
Obturating pusher disc 41 and segmented sabot 31, 31, 31 are formed
of low density material, preferably low-density thermoplastic resin
such as low-density polyethylene, to minimize secondary projectile
dangers from the parts 41, 31, 31, 31 after ejection from the
weapon barrel and separation thereof from the projectile by wind
drag thereon.
Sabot 31, 31, 31 is illustrated as formed by three individual
segments, and such is preferable for the particular square-cavity
construction of projectile 51 as is later described, as the sabot
segments may thus readily encompass all four longitudinal weak
rupture zones formed by the square cavity corners, although it will
be apparent that other sabot constructions may also be suitably
employed to provide the desired lateral and rearward rigidifying
stabilization of the projectile during firing and travel of the
projectile along the weapon barrel.
The sabot 31, 31, 31 and its frictionally retained projectile 51,
are suitably secured in the cartridges as by radially crimping the
forward end of the case against the annular surface 31b of the
sabot segments 31, 31, 31, as indicated at 21A. The sabot segments
31 are provided with a rifling band 31a which is immediately
forward of crimped case end 21A, and which rides in the grooves
between rifling bands and is scored and rotated by the rifling
during travel along a rifled barrel bore to effect rotation of the
frictionally engaged projectile 51.
The sabot segments 31 have formed sections 31c which terminate
adjacent the forward end of the projectile 51, and it will thus be
appreciated that the rear and lateral walls of the soft elastic
projectile with its rupturable weakened zones are effectively
cradled and supported by the sabot 31, 31, 31 during the
application of firing forces on the projectile and the resulting
inertial setback and lateral expansion forces encountered in
effecting forward movement of the projectile 51.
As an aid to ensuring spin-up of the projectile 51 with the
rotating sabot 31, 31, 31 during travel along a rifled launching
barrel, the sabot segments 31 have radial rigs 31r which engage
with the elastic rear wall 55c of projectile 51 and which under the
influence of firing forces and firing set-back forces, effects a
depression type gripping action of the rear face of projectile
51.
The projectile 51 is preferably formed of two sections, including a
base housing 55 and a generally ogive shaped nose section 53, both
of which are molded or otherwise suitably formed of relatively soft
(e.g. approximately 30-50 durometer) elastic material such as
natural or synthetic rubber. A suitable synthetic rubber compound
has been found to be RTV silicone rubber molding compound. The two
sections 55, 53 may be suitably secured together, as by an
adhesive, along the contiguous intersection zone of forward end
face 55fu of base housing 55 with the annular rear face of nose
section 53. A suitable adhesive for the embodiment employing RTV
silicone rubber sections 55, 53 has been found to be a silicone
rubber adhesive, such as that marketed by Dow Corning under the
designation RTV-732.
Projectile base housing 55 has a forwardly longitudinally extending
cavity which connects with a rearwardly extending cavity formed in
nose section 53, to form a combined cavity 57, in which a charge of
flowable material, such as finely divided particulate or powder,
e.g. tear gas powder, or liquid, P is disposed for dispersal on
impact of the projectile 51 with a target.
The portion of cavity 57 formed in base housing 55 has a polygonal
cross-section, providing peripherally alternatively longitudinally
thin weak zones and longitudinally thicker columnar and radial
reinforcing zones. A square cavity is preferred, although other
cavity cross-sections may be employed.
The longitudinally extending corners 55a of the square portion of
cavity 57 form longitudinal weak zones which are relatively easily
ruptured on target impact of the projectile, and enable lateral
dispersal of the flowable material P in the vicinity of the
projectile impact with a target or target zone. The intermediate
thicker wall sections bounding the interconnecting flat side wall
surfaces 55f of the square base housing cavity add desired radial
and columnar strength to the projectile between the weak corner
rupture zones, and aid in insuring multiple rupture along a
plurality of the corner rupture zones 55a upon impact, and thereby
effecting a desired multi-direction lateral dispersal of the
flowable material P.
The thick rear wall section 55c of base housing 55 connects with
the cavity-forming side wall section through a step-up annular
shoulder which is closely adjacent to the rear wall 55r of base
housing cavity 57, and chamfers 55b are provided at the rear ends
of corners 55a to provide a desired thin-wall thickness at these
corner intersections 55b, as shown in FIG. 3.
The ogive nose section 53 has a piston-forming thick nose end wall
53b which is preferably flat on its forward end as well as on the
opposite facing interior wall 53ba, and which thick nose end wall
is integrally connected with an outwardly tapered or flared
relatively easily flexible ogive-continuing wall section 53a which
is preferably of substantially constant annular thickness, and as
previously noted, is adhesively or otherwise suitably secured to
the forward face 55fw of base housing 55. Sabot 31 extends past and
provides lateral support prior to and during firing, at this
adhesive connection zone, as will be seen in FIG. 1.
On impact of the nose 53b of the projectile with a target or other
object, the flexible wall 53a is flexed inwardly by the target
resistive driving impact force on piston-forming thick nose 53b and
the inertial forces of the projectile, which tends to result in the
piston-forming nose being effectively driven rearwardly into the
cavity 57, and the base housing cavity side walls 55a, 55f are
pressurized and rupture along one or more of corners 55a, the
flowable material P being thereby expelled through the lateral
rupture openings by this impact compressive force on the
piston-forming thick nose section 53, as well as by any residual
rotational motion of the projectile after impact. In addition, the
projectile may also rupture along the annular junction wall zone
55fw after substantial nose deformation upon impact, further aiding
in dispersal of the charge of material P. Of course, it will also
be apparent that upon impact there is also a buckling and bulging
of the thicker colunmar sections between the corners 55a, exerting
additional rupture forces on the weaker thin corner zones 55a, to
thereby aid in rupture of a plurality, and preferably most or all,
of these weak corner rupture zones, and dispersal of material P
therethrough.
While the invention has been described with respect to a single
preferred illustrative embodiment, it will be apparent that various
modifications and improvments may be made without departing from
the scope and spirit of the invention. For instance, while delivery
and dispersal of a charge of flowable material P is preferred and
most advantageous, the projectile may also be used without a charge
of material in the rupturable cavity 57, in which event the
personnel impact deterrent utility of the soft rupturable
projectile is employed, with the advantages flowing from the
collapsible nose and the rupturable lateral weakened zones of the
base housing being utilized for desired shock absorption so as to
minimize personnel permanent damage or lethality on impact.
Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited by the illustrative
embodiment, but only by the scope of the appended Claims.
* * * * *