Patents by Inventor Hans W. Luther

Hans W. Luther has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4928598
    Abstract: A propelling charge case for a munition, which charge case has a body made of nonwoven nitrocellulose-based fibers and formed to have an axial cross section with at least one curved portion, and a reinforcement member of metal or plastic assembled with the body at the curved portion and configured to not interfere with residue-free combustion of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Sabranski, Hans W. Luther, Horst Sabinski, Jurgen Winkelmann
  • Patent number: 4920889
    Abstract: A fin stabilized, subcaliber propelling cage sabot projectile including a projectile body having a high length to diameter ratio, i.e., an arrow projectile, and a discardable propelling cage sabot composed of a plurality of segments which coaxially surround a portion of the length of the projectile body and define an annular air pockect in the front surface of the sabot.To improve the process of releasing the propelling cage sabot segments from the projectile body once the projectile has left the gun barrel, a desired break location is provided in the propelling cage segments behind the frontal air pocket. This desired break location leads to separation of the outer front portion of the propelling cage sabot segments from the remainder of the sabot segments and thus, in the final effect, to an increase in hit accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventor: Hans W. Luther
  • Patent number: 4920888
    Abstract: A penetrator shell has at least a front and a rear high-density core element each having a front face and a rear and lying in a stack extending along an axis with the front face of the rear element engaging the rear face of the front element. The rear face of the front element and front face of the rear element are substantially complementary, part-spherical, and centered on the axis. Thus, the front element can rock or pivot on the rear element while remaining in contact with the front face thereof. A high-density main penetrator body is engaged against and extends axially rearward away from the rear face of the rear element. A casing sleeve is engaged snugly around the core elements and has a front end generally at the front element and a rear end secured to the main penetrator body. An aerodynamic tip is secured to and extends axially forward from the front end of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignees: Rheinmetall GmbH, Etat Francais
    Inventors: Hans W. Luther, Juergen Winkelmann, Jean-Claude Sauvestre, Patrick Montier
  • Patent number: 4850279
    Abstract: A subcaliber projectile has a small-diameter projectile body extending along and centered on an axis, having a radially outwardly directed outer surface, and adapted to move in a predetermined axial back-to-front direction, and a sabot formed of a plurality of similar segments annularly surrounding at least a portion of the body, the segments forming an inner surface generally on the outer surface of the body and having an extreme front end and an extreme rear end. This projectile is formed on one of these surfaces at the extreme rear end of the sabot with a radially projecting ridge of generally semicircular shape having a center of curvature. The other of the surfaces is formed at the extreme rear end of each segment of the sabot with a radially open recess complementary to and receiving the ridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignee: Firma Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhart Fuchs, Hans W. Luther, Peter Wallow, Juergen Boecker, Walter Simon, Rudolf Romer, Klaus Gersbach, Bernahrd Bisping, Karl W. Bethmann
  • Patent number: 4779536
    Abstract: To increase the penetration effectiveness, a tip area of the sub-caliber projectile body of a kinetic energy projectile, which immediately follows the possible tip has a greater diameter D over its length L than the diameter d in the following areas of the projectile body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Hans W. Luther, Winfried Rossman, Ulf Hahn, Udo Sabranski
  • Patent number: 4770102
    Abstract: There is disclosed a kinetic energy type projectile having an armor piercing head which is intended to penetrate multi-shell targets, and even sharply angled targets. The piercing head is provided with favorably discriminated shearing regions which are axially spaced apart by distances corresponding to the thicknesses of the shells which are to be pierced by the piercing head. The shearing regions are provided by external or internal localized transverse weakenings e.g. grooves, or heat treatments by electronic bombardment, applied to the external surface of the piercing head and/or in a central bore in the piercing head. Additionally, the localized weakenings may be provided by bound collars on the piercing head.The shearing regions are progressively stronger in a direction from the front of the piercing head so that they will shear consecutively as the head pierces successive shells of a multi-shell target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignees: Rheinmetal GmbH, Etat Francais
    Inventors: Bernhard Bisping, Hans W. Luther, Udo Sabranski, Peter Wallow, Yves Millet, Jean Sauvestre
  • Patent number: 4724770
    Abstract: A subcaliber projectile has a small-diameter projectile body extending along and centered on an axis, having a radially outwardly directed outer surface, and adapted to move in a predetermined axial back-to-front direction, and a sabot formed of a plurality of similar segments annularly surrounding at least a portion of the body, the segments forming an inner surface generally on the outer surface of the body and having an extreme front end and an extreme rear end. This projectile is formed on one of these surfaces at the extreme rear end of the sabot with a radially projecting ridge of generally semicircular shape having a center of curvature. The other of the surfaces is formed at the extreme rear end of each segment of the sabot with a radially open recess complementary to and receiving the ridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1988
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhart Fuchs, Hans W. Luther, Peter Wallow, Jurgen Boecker, Walter Simon, Rudolf Romer, Klaus Gersbach, Bernhard Bisping, Karl W. Bethmann
  • Patent number: 4697525
    Abstract: An improved subcaliber fin-stabilized penetrator projectile of an equal diameter along its whole cylindrical length which is made of a high density, ductile, heavy metal. The herein described penetrator has a steel ballistic hood coaxially mounted on the front end thereof and a plurality of frontal cores mounted one behind the other in an axial direction behind said ballistic hood, and a main penetrator core arranged behind the frontal cores. Detachably connected to said ballistic hood and extending from said hood to the frontal region of the main penetrator core is a cylindrical casing of heavy metal having a smooth external surface and an outer diameter which is equal to the outer diameter of the main penetrator core. The plurality of frontal cores are partially mounted in said cylindrical casing, and partially in said ballistic hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1987
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Jurgen Bocker, Hans W. Luther, Peter Wallow, Horst Fritsch
  • Patent number: 4635556
    Abstract: A penetrator shell has similar front, intermediate, and rear core elements each having an at least partially forwardly convex front face and an at least partially complementarily rearwardly concave rear face and lying in a stack extending along an axis with the front faces of the intermediate and rear elements engaging in the rear faces of the respective front and intermediate elements. A high-density main penetrator body engages against and extends axially rearward away from the rear face of the rear body. A high-density casing sleeve engaged snugly around the core elements has a front end generally at the front element and a rear end secured to the main penetrator body. An aerodynamic tip is secured to and extends axially forward from the front end of the sleeve. This tip bears axially rearward on the front core element and presses same and the other elements axially rearward against one another and the main penetrator body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1987
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Boecker, Hans W. Luther, Peter Wallow, Horst Fritsch
  • Patent number: 4487131
    Abstract: Cartridge ammunition is provided comprising a subcaliber shall, a sabot attached to the shell, and a propellant case including a cartridge cover connected with a catch to the sabot. The cartridge cover is bulge-like bent and comprises spring parts protruding toward the axis and is formed conjugated to the positive adapted surfaces of the sabot concentrically surrounding the shell. Preferably slots are disposed at the spring parts protruding toward the axis of the bulge-like bent cartridge cover and the slots are preferably distributed uniformly over the circumference of the center end of the cartridge cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventor: Hans W. Luther
  • Patent number: 4202270
    Abstract: A method and means for obturating a stub case on the barrel wall of a firearm is disclosed having an annular bead located near the top of the stub case wall dimensioned so as to provide an annular gap between the bead and the barrel wall thereby throttling the streams of gas flowing back after detonation. The gas is thus permitted to expand and is deflected in a Y-shaped packing ring so that the radial pressure of the gas against the oblique arm of the packing ring provides a satisfactory obturating action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1980
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Hans W. Luther, Hartmut Marwitz