Patents by Inventor Thomas Heitmann

Thomas Heitmann 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).

  • Publication number: 20020108525
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a cartridge case having a cartridge base; a projectile having a rearward portion received by the cartridge case; a propellant primer disposed in the cartridge case and extending along the longitudinal cartridge axis; an electrically programmable projectile fuze disposed in the projectile; an electrode disposed at the cartridge base; a plug mounted on the propellant primer at a frontal end thereof; a first contact carried by the plug; a first conductor extending in the propellant primer and connecting the first contact with the electrode; a socket, formed on the rearward portion of the projectile, receives and surrounds the plug; a second contact carried by the socket and being in electric contact with the first contact; and a second conductor extending in the projectile and connecting the second contact with the projectile fuze.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Heitmann, Michael Vagedes, Michael Imdahl
  • Patent number: 6408764
    Abstract: A case base (1; 1′) for large-caliber ammunition, in which the case jacket (2) comprises a combustible material, with the case base (1; 1′) comprising a metallic base plate (3) and a support ring (4; 4′) that projects axially beyond the surface of the base plate (3) at its edge, and an elastomer or thermoplastic obturation ring (5; 5′) that is disposed on the projectile side of the support ring (4; 4′). In order for the obturation ring (5; 5′) to be secured simply to the support ring (4; 4′) and removed again after the ammunition has been fired, the support ring (4; 4′) has, on its inner surface (6) facing the obturation ring (5; 5′), a groove-shaped undercut (7), into which the end (8) of the obturation ring (5; 5′) that faces the support ring (4; 4′) extends with a form-fit and/or positive lockup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Rheinmetall W & M GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Heitmann, Torsten Niemeyer
  • Patent number: 6314886
    Abstract: A projectile to be fired from a weapon barrel includes a projectile body and a plurality of stabilizing wings circumferentially distributed about a rearward portion of the projectile body. A pin pivotally attaches each stabilizing wing to the projectile body for pivotal motion about a pivot axis to assume a folded state and an outwardly pivoted, deployed state. In the folded state of the stabilizing wings the center of gravity of the respective stabilizing wings is at a greater radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the projectile body than the pivot axis. A gliding body is releasably mounted on each stabilizing wing. Each gliding body has a wing-shaped extension for contacting an inner surface of the barrel in the folded state of the stabilizing wings as the projectile travels in the barrel upon firing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Rheinmetall W & M GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Kuhnle, Thomas Heitmann, Torsten Niemeyer, Norbert Arendt
  • Publication number: 20010015397
    Abstract: A missile includes a missile body and a guide assembly mounted on the missile body. The guide assembly has a plurality of pivots and a plurality of vanes mounted on respective pivots for a swinging motion between a folded position of rest and a deployed flight position. The vanes are arranged for free pivotal motion during flight in response to forces acting thereon to determine the flight position. Abutments limit the flight position of the vanes to a maximum angle between the length dimension of the vanes and the longitudinal axis of the missile body. The maximum angle is greater than 90°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2000
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventors: Torsten Niemeyer, Manfred Dieter Schwies, Uwe Naderhoff, Thomas Heitmann, Michael Imdahl, Rudolf Rombach
  • Publication number: 20010004868
    Abstract: A method of providing a high-explosive projectile with desired areas of fragmentation includes the following steps: securing a steel plate component in a circumferentially extending recess in the outer surface of a projectile body; directing an energy beam to outer surface portions of the steel plate component; heating, by the energy beam, narrow zones to a temperature above the melting temperature of the steel plate component to a predetermined depth thereof; and cooling the heated zones for effecting structural metallurgical changes in the steel plate component for obtaining the desired areas of fragmentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Inventors: Helmut Burckhardt, Walter Simon, Thomas Heitmann
  • Patent number: 5625163
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a case defining an inner space and having a case bottom; a propellant powder accommodated in the inner space; a propellant igniter centrally arranged on the case bottom and having a closure remote from the case bottom; a projectile held by the case and having a rear portion extending into the inner space; a tracer assembly held in the rear portion and being spaced from the closure; and an arrangement for preventing the propellant igniter from pressing propellant powder into the tracer assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: Rheinmetall Industrie GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Thiesen, Thomas Heitmann, Holger Brase, Reiner Bukowski, Ulrich Schulte
  • Patent number: 5481981
    Abstract: A sabot for a subcaliber projectile, preferably an arrow projectile, having an essentially cylindrical guide gage (8) of a lightweight material and a tail-side drive element (14) detachably connected thereto for tail-side support of the projectile body (1). The guide cage (8) has a radially inwardly-extending support wall (12) for supporting a projectile body (1) disposed therein in its forward to central region, and the drive element is a propelling disk (14) that is received by a circumferential or annular groove (13) in the tail region of the guide cage (8), which is segmented in the axial direction of the projectile body (1). As a result, a further reduction in weight can be accomplished with simpler fragmenting of the sabot that practically does not impair the projectile at all.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Achim Sippel, Thomas Heitmann, Willhelm Becker, Klaus Unterstein, Jurgen Leeker, Walter Simon
  • Patent number: 5377954
    Abstract: Disclosed is a disc valve with a laminated seal ring secured to the housing which forms a leakproof seal with a seating surface on the valve disc. The seal ring is made of two or more metal laminates, the outer peripheral edges of which are cold welded together, by WIG welding or laser welding, for example, to prevent any leakage of fluid pass the opposing, abutting surfaces of the laminations. A bolt-tightened pressure ring presses the laminated seal ring in an axial direction against an axially oriented support face of the housing. An axially open groove in support face is covered by the proximate seal ring lamination and is filled with a graphite gasket to prevent leakage behind the seal ring. Alternatively, the laminated seal ring can be mounted on the disc and the cooperating valve seat is formed on the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Adams GmbH & Co. Armaturen KG
    Inventors: Siegbert Adams, Thomas Heitmann
  • Patent number: 5333551
    Abstract: A drive member for the projectile head of a large caliber, multi-purpose cartridge or a multi-purpose training cartridge, wherein a threaded connection is provided for the form-locking connection between the drive member and the projectile head. In order to give such multi-purpose cartridges or corresponding multi-purpose training cartridges a modular configuration, with their assembly taking place only at their location of use, the drive member is provided with radial bores that start at its outer edge or periphery at its end facing the projectile head. Before joining the projectile head and the drive member, a holding and clamping device is then introduced into these bores so as to securely hold the drive member when the respective projectile head is screwed to the drive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Heitmann, Jurgen Bocker, Ulf Hahn
  • Patent number: 5295428
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of disassembling large-caliber combat cartridges, particularly armor-piercing cartridges, including a combustible casing jacket that conically widens in the direction of the projectile, a casing bottom and a casing cover to which is fastened a sub-caliber projectile equipped with a propelling sabot.To be able, on the one hand, to reduce expenditures for the disassembly of such combat cartridges and, on the other hand, to reuse a major portion of the original combat cartridges for the production of corresponding training cartridges, it is proposed to separate the casing jacket as well as the casing cover starting at their outer circumference, in regions having approximately the same, predetermined diameter D1. This diameter D1 here corresponds to the maximum diameter of the component of the new cartridge to be produced later from the disassembled components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Heitmann, Klaus Unterstein, Walter Simon, Dieter Jungbluth