U.S. patent number 3,658,008 [Application Number 05/029,572] was granted by the patent office on 1972-04-25 for integrated round with combustible cartridge.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Dow Corning Corporation. Invention is credited to Willard D. Larson.
United States Patent |
3,658,008 |
Larson |
April 25, 1972 |
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.
Inventors: |
Larson; Willard D. (Midland,
MI) |
Assignee: |
Dow Corning Corporation
(Midland, MI)
|
Family
ID: |
21849742 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/029,572 |
Filed: |
April 17, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
102/431 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42B
5/18 (20130101); F42B 5/073 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F42B
5/073 (20060101); F42B 5/00 (20060101); F42B
5/18 (20060101); F42b 005/18 (); F42b 009/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;102/38,40,43,43P,43F,56,52,53,92.4 ;86/1,20 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24,289 |
|
1894 |
|
GB |
|
1,527,326 |
|
1968 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Stahl; Robert F.
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.
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.
* * * * *