Patents Examined by Harold J. Tudor
  • Patent number: 6640719
    Abstract: A fuze explosive train device for detonating a munition that uses a stab firing pin within a pressure cartridge, with the stab firing pin located between a gas generator and a stab detonator. The firing pin is capable of transferring an energy from the gas generator into the stab detonator in a manner that initiates the stab detonator to a high order explosive reaction. A method of initiating a stab detonator using a stab firing pin also is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Gary A. Pacella, Barry D. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 6629485
    Abstract: The method of making a non-lead hollow point bullet has the steps of a) compressing an unsintered powdered metal composite core into a jacket, b) punching a hollow cavity tip portion into the core, c) seating an insert, the insert having a hollow point tip and a tail protrusion, on top of the core such that the tail protrusion couples with the hollow cavity tip portion, and d) swaging the open tip of the jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Norman L. Vaughn, Richard A. Lowden
  • Patent number: 6626113
    Abstract: A long-range training cartridge meets current US Army requirements. The long-range cartridge design enables its sub-projectile to be range limited to less than 8000 meters when fired at a 10-degree gun elevation. The long-range training projectile includes a three-piece aluminum or steel sabot with a similar exterior profile to the kinetic energy tactical sabot. The sabot encapsulates a light-weight sub-projectile comprised of a steel rod and an aluminum fin or cone. Since the sub-projectile is encapsulated in the sabot, it will not be subjected to differential pressures associated with interior ballistic gun gasses. As a result the sub-projectile will therefore have less bending and better flight characteristics. The sub-projectile meets the guidelines for target accuracy and precision at ranges beyond 3000 meters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Stewart Gilman, Leon R. Manole, Francis Renner, Anthony P. Farina
  • Patent number: 6626115
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas generator comprising at least two combustion chambers filled with propellant charges and delimited by combustion chamber walls. The combustion chamber walls have outflow openings which in a non-activated state are closed by at least one applied membrane having an edge. One of an additional fastening device and a protective device is provided at least sections of the edge of the membrane. The device prevents a coming-off of the membrane from the combustion chamber wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Harald Lutz, Oskar Sponfeldner, Georg Schönhuber
  • Patent number: 6626114
    Abstract: A projectile for weapon ammunition including multiple cores encased in a jacket including a disc disposed between the leading end of the jacket and the cores and, with a contiguous one of the cores, defining an ogive on, and effectively closing the leading end of the jacket against the escape of powder particles from the jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Doris Nebel Beal Intervivos Patent Trust
    Inventor: Harold F. Beal
  • Patent number: 6622632
    Abstract: The present invention controls the polar ejection angle of fragments in a fragmenting warhead. The warhead's detonators are initiated non-simultaneously to produce corresponding detonation waves in the warhead's explosive material. The detonation waves interact to control the polar ejection angle of fragments formed when the warhead's casing ruptures. Specified times of detonation for each of the detonators can be selected/adjusted after the warhead is deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Timothy L. Spivak
  • Patent number: 6619176
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention involve a thinned-skirt shaped-charge liner, a shaped-charge explosive incorporating the liner, and methods for making the liner. The focus of the most preferred embodiment of the present invention is the machining of the skirt portion of the liner to thin that portion to a thickness within about 25% of the thickness of the material around the center of the apex of the liner. The goal is to reduce debris and carrot size without sacrificing performance. In an alternative embodiment of the liner, at least some of the skirt portion of the liner is machined to a rough machine finish, but the mass of the material removed in the machining is insignificant to negligible. The liner of the present invention may be incorporated into a shaped-charge which includes a housing, a shaped-explosive, and the liner, preferably having an opening at the center of the apex of the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven L. Renfro, Don R. Pitts
  • Patent number: 6619210
    Abstract: A warhead casing defines a geometry that is a portion of a ring having an outer radial wall and an inner radial wall spaced radially apart from one another. The outer radial wall and inner radial wall are joined radially by side walls, while the casing is enclosed at either axial end thereof by end walls. An explosive material fills the casing. At least one initiator is positioned in the explosive material along a radial plane that bisects the portion of the ring. Detonation of the explosive material causes the inner radial wall to form an EFP while the outer radial wall fragments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Timothy L. Spivak, Maurice E. Grudza, William J. Clark
  • Patent number: 6615738
    Abstract: A fragmentation explosive munition element comprising a casing capable of generating fragments, having an axis of revolution, an explosive charge surrounded by the casing having the same axis of revolution and comprising a hole in the form of a cylindrical canal, the generatrices of which are parallel to the axis of revolution of the charge, a single peripheral and punctual means of initiating the charge. A design of this type makes it possible, for a given explosive charge, to obtain a markedly higher fragment velocity that is obtained with known designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: SNPE
    Inventor: Serge Lecume
  • Patent number: 6606952
    Abstract: A shotgun adapter is provided for firing a shotgun cartridge having a shotgun bore which is larger than the cartridge. The adapter is a generally hollow tubular member having a cylindrical tapered outer wall and an inner wall concentric with the outer wall, with the inner wall being uniquely tapered to specified degrees depending on the shell gauge to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Little Skeeters, LLC
    Inventors: Leonard J. Vallender, Joseph Scancarello
  • Patent number: 6601517
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a warhead for penetrating hardened or buried targets. In general, the invention comprises a warhead for penetrating hardened or buried targets comprising a warhead that employs a super-cavitating nose along with a cellular structural design that uses a reinforced central post as the main load-bearing component and subdivides the explosive cavity into shorter sections. Also, initiation means for initiating the explosives are present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Raafat H. Guirguis
  • Patent number: 6598535
    Abstract: The Collapsible Support Frame for Kinetic Energy Penetrator supports a long-rod kinetic energy penetrator inside a kinetic energy missile air frame in handling and flight environments but, upon impact of the missile on the selected high-obliquity target, gives way. This greatly reduces the lateral loading inflicted on the penetrator by the interaction of the missile body and the target and consequently maximizes the effectiveness of the penetrator against the target. The Collapsible Support Frame comprises concentric outer and inner rings that are mounted inside the missile and designed to hold and support the penetrator. When the missile strikes the target and the extremely high impact shock loading conditions of the penetrator process occurs, the outer ring captures a high impact shock loading pulse and transmits it to the inner ring, whereupon the inner ring fails in its supportive function, thus freeing the penetrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Darin L. Kielsmeier, Gregory L. Johnson, Robert N. Evans, John R. Esslinger, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6598536
    Abstract: A sabot projectile (10), comprising a sabot (12) and a shattering penetrator (14) arranged in the sabot (12). The shattering penetrator (14) has a penetrator casing (20), which can be broken into at least two casing portions (22*, 24*) upon impact of the shattering penetrator (14), to which end a predetermined casing breaking area (23*) is respectively arranged between two adjoining casing portions (22*, 24*). A central conduit (30) is arranged in the penetrator casing (20), in which a penetrator core (26) is received, whose core tip element (26.4) projects out of the penetrator casing (20) and constitutes a penetrator tip. The plastic material forming the penetrator core (26) is introduced into the conduit in a flowable state. The penetrator casing (20) is secured against break-up into the casing portions (22*, 24*) by the penetrator core (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Oerlikon Contraves Pyrotec AG
    Inventor: Jakob Burri
  • Patent number: 6595138
    Abstract: A short-action firearm cartridge has unique pressure, length and diametric relationships. The overall length of the cartridge case has a ratio to a diameter thereof, at a predetermined location on a wide portion of the case, of no more than about 4.2. Such diameter is at least about 0.53 inch, and the length of the wide portion of the case has a ratio to such diameter of no more than about 3.33.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Inventor: John R. Jamison
  • Patent number: 6595139
    Abstract: The invention relates to an irritating body consisting of several compartments (6) which are substantially parallel to the central axis of the container (4) and which receive effect charges (8). All the compartments (6) are closed on the upper part of the container (4) and lead to a common chamber (18) which is open at the bottom on the opposite lower side of the container. The chamber has several side openings (22) arranged in the direction of the periphery. This construction reduces the danger of the user being wounded due to inappropriate use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Nico-Pyrotechnik Hanns-Juergen Diederichs GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Detlef Haeselich
  • Patent number: 6591731
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for drilling and penetrating hard materials utilizes a high velocity gun system that fires multiple shots of a projectile and an energetic slurry at the surface of the material to be penetrated. The penetrating device includes one or more firing barrels that are loaded with a propellant, a projectile and an energetic (explosive) slurry, and are controlled to fire in a preselected firing sequence. The projectile enters the material to be penetrated generating a hole into which the energetic slurry is also fired. The energetic slurry detonates upon contact with the material causing an explosion that further fractures the material and which blows the material out of the hole. The process is repeated until a desired penetration depth is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Apti, Inc.
    Inventor: Yeshayahu S. Goldstein
  • Patent number: 6591730
    Abstract: Method of manufacture of a multi-component projectile 14 for gun ammunition 16 including the steps of providing a uniformly spherical ball 18 of a ductile metal, either solid metal or a self-supporting pressed compact of metal powder particles, inserting the metal ball into the open end 10 of a cup-shaped jacket 54 which houses at least one core 30, the ball being disposed between that end of the core adjacent the open end of the jacket and the open end of the jacket. Axially directed pressure against the ball deforms the ball into a generally flat disc 36. Simultaneously, the core 30 may be seated within the closed end 26 of the jacket. Thereafter, the jacket/core/disc combination is die-formed to define an ogive 42 at the open end of the jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Doris Nebel Beal Intervivos Patent Trust
    Inventor: Harold F. Beal
  • Patent number: 6581503
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a soft point bullet and the bullet resulting there from. The method comprises forming a bullet core of a first material plated with a second material; providing a cavity in one end of the plated core of preferably polygonal shape and positioning a shaped blank of plating material into the cavity; and forming the core into the final bullet size and shape by extruding the core into the cavity to form the bullet nose and encapsulate the shaped blank within the bullet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventor: Brett Mathew Olin
  • Patent number: H2078
    Abstract: A sealant in its liquid phase is placed between attachment portions of paint coated metallic parts for subsequent in-place solidification into a gasket for both sealing and permanent bonding purposes. The attachment portions are then interconnected by screws extending through the gasket to increase its bonding strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: John P. Wehrle, Albert G. Holder
  • Patent number: RE38261
    Abstract: A training projectile that utilizes flutes or flats to augment roll damping characteristics and thereby cause the projectile to crossover into a gyroscopically unstable trajectory pattern at a predetermined time. Prior to the crossover, the training projectile maintains a gyroscopically stable trajectory, which enables extrapolation to ascertain the trajectory of a non-training projectile that does not have an augmented roll damping section. The unstable trajectory pattern substantially reduces the distance the training projectile can traverse, thereby reducing the amount of area required for a training range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: General Dynamic Ordnance and Tactical System, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles O. White