Abstract: A bullet comprised of a jacket of malleable metal having a closed nose portion and a rear end portion defined by a cylindrical wall, the closed nose portion having wall-weakening areas encapsulating a forward core made of a deformable material which promptly deforms, collapses axially, and expands radially to a substantial extent along with the weakened wall areas, when the bullet strikes a target. The wall weakened areas of the nose portion are ruptured by the core material to produce a collapsing and readily expanding action. These weakened wall areas are in the form of longitudinally extending, deep, internal or external, circumferentially spaced grooves with underlying web areas which are ruptured by the core material, to produce the collapsing and expanding action.

Abstract: Soft lead pellets with hard polymeric tips for use in air guns and the like are disclosed. The lead pellets have forward pointed tip portions made from a hard polymeric material. Tip portions are employed in three different configurations including a hollow and solid heads. The hard tip in each of the pellets enables the pellet when fired from an air gun to pierce the fur and skin of small game animals, for example, before the lead portions of the head and skirt portions begin to deform, imparting shock to the surrounding soft tissue, and shattering bone. The disclosed pellets provide both accuracy due to the ballistic tip, and power from the weight of the soft lead.

Abstract: The invention aims at improving the quality of ammunition having a shell whose wall consists of a combustible or consumable wound body with at least one double layer of crossed threads. The wound body (1) forms a single piece. The winding density of the wound body (1) varies along the length of the wound body (1) so that distribution of the threads (3) optimally matches the charge of the shell (12).

Abstract: A firearm cartridge has a case configured with a straight-walled portion and a radial shoulder for housing a propellant. The case further includes a neck for retaining a bullet. The straight-walled portion defines a base cavity having an interior base diameter. The interior base diameter is approximately twice or more the neck diameter. The diameter ratios of the base and neck optimize combustion efficiency to reduce heat and acceleration losses. The radial shoulder focuses a shockwave below a bullet base to reduce heat loss to the bullet and support bullet retention in the neck for a longer period of time. A thermally insulating coating is utilized to reduce heat loss to the case or chamber and accelerate ignition of the propellant.

Abstract: A cartridge assembly 10 includes a shell 12 containing a propellant charge 19. At a rear, open end, the shell 12 holds a force amplifying initiating device 20, in turn holding a rim fire primer 22 in operative association with the propellant 19. A firing pin body 40 is movably held within the device 40 to expose a rear of the body 40 to a shock wave to initiate the device 20. A fore end of the body 40 includes a taper formation 48 having a rounded fore point 50 aligned with an inactive surface of the primer 22 centrally within a firing rim. Inadvertent (mechanical) actuation of the firing pin 40 will fall to cause sufficient and sufficiently fast impingement on the primer to initiate the primer. Only a shock wave can cause initiation. The primer 22 is held in a collar 34 allowing it to flare open upon initiation and holding it within the shell 12 after initiation.

Abstract: A segmented, kinetic energy projectile is formed by stacking several liners in a single warhead, for effectively producing a longer penetrator capable of greatly enhancing penetration. Each individual liner forms a separate penetrator, so that the liners are successively fired and allow for a greater overall target penetration. In one embodiment, the flight path of at least one liner is diverted from the flight paths of the other liners, so that the liners could attack several adjacent targets or provide multiple penetrations. The EFP assembly has the additional capability of utilizing a single warhead that incorporates multiple hits mechanisms. The EFP assembly includes multiple liners that are separated by multiple separators. The separators are non-symmetrically disposed relative to each other, in order to divert the liners toward multiple targets. The liners are diverted from a reference trajectory because the separators impart different angles to the liners.

Abstract: A method an apparatus for inducing spin, or rotation, in a dispersed payload of a non-spin guided projectile is taught. Rifling is applied to a cylindrical surface of a projectile casing. The rifling engages a member on a payload, which may be a bulkhead, as the payload is expelled from the projectile casing. The rotation imparted to the payload causes the dispersed projectile, grenades in the preferred embodiment, to form a spiral pattern that provides a more uniform coverage of the target area as compared to the prior art.

Abstract: A spring disc includes a contiguous outer ring including a first plurality of holes and having a contiguous, upwardly curved portion having an outer edge. A middle ring encompasses a second plurality of holes, and a contiguous inner ring, is encompassed by the outer ring and the middle ring. The inner ring surrounds a central aperture sized to accommodate installation onto a cartridge case member, where the outer ring, inner ring and middle ring operate together so as to support the cartridge case by evenly distributing stresses when installed on a cartridge case. A taper angel &thgr; is built into a bottom with a value of about 1° as measured from the bottom extending radially from the center of the inner ring to the outer edge with reference to a plane parallel to an imaginary plane overlaid on the contiguous outer edge.

Abstract: A projectile in the form of a sabot shotgun slug assembly includes a cylindrical slug, a cylindrical sabot positioned about the slug and a pressure wad co-acting with the slug and the sabot. The cylindrical slug defines a central bore extending partially therethrough. The slug is preferably made of a deformable metal. The sabot defines a plurality of longitudinally extending internal grooves. The pressure wad has two ends, with a gas seal located at a first end and a post located at a second end. The pressure wad further includes shock-absorbing members formed between the gas seal and the post. The post is positioned within the central bore defined by the slug.

Abstract: The slapper type initiator comprises essentially: a connector unit (2) having two connection pins (3, 4), a first dielectric foil (5) with two drilled holes (6, 7), with a fuse (8) formed on the rear face of this first dielectric foil, a second dielectric foil (9) on the front face of which there are formed two metal pads (10, 11) facing said holes, a perforated plate (12) and a body (13) containing a pyrotechnic charge 14. The assembly is hermetically sealed. The first foil introduces a galvanic discontinuity that ensures a well-defined firing voltage, with a value high enough to prevent induced parasitic currents.

Abstract: A flameless tracer and marker for small munitions and canon caliber projectiles incudes non-toxic, environmentally friendly chemiluminescent materials which are maintained in separate compartments is described. The munitions when fired glow intensely for several minutes and mark a target area upon impact.

Abstract: A modular boosted penetrator (BPEN) is disclosed that includes a penetrating warhead in tandem with a booster motor. The modular BPEN can also include suitable guidance and control systems. The configuration of the modular BPEN is such that it can function as either a direct strike weapon, or as a launchable submunition, without substantial modification.

Abstract: A tube launched projectile having a shaft member at the aft section is slidably mounted on a boom extending aft from the body of the projectile. The boom has a cavity in its aft end which receives some combustion gas from the projectile propellant burn and retains this gas at elevated pressure until the projectile exits the tube. Upon reaching atmospheric pressure, the stored cavity gas expands and drives the slidable shaft aft, elongating the projectile to its flight configuration.

Abstract: A portable explosives disrupter for de-arming improvised explosive devices includes a barrel for housing a projectile, a mechanism for firing the projectile from the barrel, a breech which may be adapted to house a variety of firing mechanisms, a semi-rigid, flexible support system for orienting the device in relation to a target and minimizing the effects of recoil on the accuracy of the device, and a means for accurately aiming the explosives disrupter at a target. Three different firing mechanisms are provided, the first employing a firing pin and shock tubing, the second employing a metal sphere and shock tubing, and the third employing a firing piston and a source of compressed air.

Abstract: An electric primer for the discharge of ammunition suitable for use with small arms.

Abstract: An explosive detonator capable of initiating fuze explosive trains remotely by radiant energy from a flash of light impinging upon the surface of explosive.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for firing a projectile in which one part of the projectile rotates and the other part of the projectile does not rotate where is it used for delivering a line. The projectile firing apparatus includes a projectile having a part that rotates and a part that does not rotate, and further a barrel with a bore having spiraled grooves and at least two channels for the nonrotating part of the projectile to travel through when the projectile is fired. A line dragging system is mounted on the front of the barrel and engages to the nonrotating part of the projectile. The line dragging system is made of a wire frame including a cylindrical portion, engaging members, frame sides, and engaging locks. Upon firing the projectile, the rotating part moves through the bore of the barrel while the nonrotating part moves through the channels of the barrel.

Abstract: A cruise missile, such as the Tomahawk cruise missile, is adapted to deploy decoys in an area as the missile progresses along its preprogrammed course. Each decoy is shaped to be compatible with and ejected from the Tomahawk and has a preprogrammed control unit operating a transmitter connected to an extendible antenna. False beacon signals and/or false message signals are transmitted from each of the decoys to deceive and confuse defensive forces, such as enemy searchers looking for a downed airman.

Abstract: An assembly and process designed to neutralize a landmine having a case loaded with an explosive charge set to detonate upon actuation. The assembly includes a housing provided with a chamber loaded with a solid propellant. One of the ends of the housing is exposed to permit the loaded propellant to communicate the chamber with the outside atmosphere. The propellant is remotely ignitable via a remotely operable igniter. The first end of said housing is constructed and arranged and the solid propellant is present in an amount and composition suitable for generating, upon ignition of the solid propellant, a plume sufficient in burn time and temperature both to penetrate through the case of the landmine positioned in spaced relation to the first end and to initiate controlled burning of the explosive charge of the landmine so that detonation of the explosive charge is either avoided or reduced due to pre-detonation partial consumption of the explosive charge by burning.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving wind turbine performance by alleviating loads and controlling the rotor. The invention employs the use of a passively adaptive blade that senses the wind velocity or rotational speed, and accordingly modifies its aerodynamic configuration. The invention exploits the load mitigation prospects of a blade that twists toward feather as it bends. The invention includes passively adaptive wind turbine rotors or blades with currently preferred power control features. The apparatus is a composite fiber horizontal axis wind-turbine blade, in which a substantial majority of fibers in the blade skin are inclined at angles of between 15 and 30 degrees to the axis of the blade, to produces passive adaptive aeroelastic tailoring (bend-twist coupling) to alleviate loading without unduly jeopardizing performance.