CARTRIDGE FOR LIGHT-WEIGHTED PROJECTILES
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.
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.
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.
To overcome this problem, the solutions given by the prior art use two approaches: modifying the cartridge and modifying the firearm.
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.
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.
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.
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 INVENTIONThe 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.
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:
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- a) the fired cartridge case is taken out of the chamber and ejected;
- b) a new ammunition is loaded in the chamber.
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:
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- a) the propellant charge (which includes the kind of propellant and the amount of it);
- b) the projectile's mass.
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.
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 9×19 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 9×19 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
The objects of the present invention are:
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- 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.
- 2) a blank cartridge that fires no projectile, producing an internal ballistics similar to the one of a high mass projectile.
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).
As can be seen in
As can be seen in
As can be seen in
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.
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
In the embodiment of
The embodiment of
The collapsing capsule can be divided in two or more parts (3). In
Referring now to
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.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 12, 2010
Publication Date: Apr 12, 2012
Inventor: Pedro de Oliveira Cronemberger (RIO DE JANEIRO)
Application Number: 12/903,064
International Classification: F42B 8/02 (20060101); F42B 12/40 (20060101);