Abstract: A venturi section or cone for a lightweight firearm such as a recoilles gun which is subjected to high transient pressures and temperatures on firing is formed from a resin impregnated multi-filament fiber material. The material in the form of an elongated tow is wound on a mandrel, cured, and then removed from the mandrel for subsequent operations such as machining or assembly. During manufacture, a hot gas erosion preventing layer is first formed on the mandrel and a plurality of layers of two are helically wound thereon at a helix angle selected to provide adequate axial and hoop strengths for resisting axial thrust and hoop loads produced on firing. Lightweight recoilless guns using such venturi cones are lighter and cheaper to fabricate than conventional guns and will fire more rounds before excessive erosion causes them to be unusable.

Abstract: A sub-munition warhead contains several flechettes arranged in a circumferential pattern. A canister with a length less than that of the flechettes surrounds the rear ends of the flechettes. A frangible fairing extends from the canister to a small diameter nose cone. An indexer adjacent the nose cone and a sabot for each flechette retain the flechettes in position on a piston joining the canister and the nose cone. The warhead is normally launched with a rocket motor. It is spun so that on burnout, the warhead is travelling at high speed and spinning. On burnout, a fuze is ignited and the piston is propelled down the canister. This drives the flechettes forwardly, rupturing the fairing and allowing the flechettes to separate for independent flight to a target.

Abstract: A barrel section for a lightweight firearm such as a recoilless gun which is subjected to extremely high transient internal pressures and temperatures on firing is formed from an epoxy-resin impregnated carbon fibre material. The material, in the form of an elongated tow is wound on a mandrel, cured and then removed from the mandrel for subsequent operations such as machining and assembly. During manufacture, a gas-erosion preventing layer is formed on the mandrel and a plurality of layers of tow are helically-wound thereon at a helix angle .theta.=tan.sup.-1 (.sigma..sub.axial /.sigma..sub.hoop) where .sigma..sub.axial and .sigma..sub.hoop are the axial and hoop stresses produced in the barrel section by axial and hoop loads respectively. Lightweight recoilless guns using barrels in accordance with the invention are lighter and less costly to fabricate than conventional guns and are capable of firing upwards of 30 rounds before excessive erosion causes the firearm to be unusable.

Abstract: Pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions having an improved set of physical properties especially at elevated temperatures yet having low melt viscosity and thus capable of being applied by means of a wipe-off coater comprise certain block copolymers, resins compatible with a rubbery phase of said copolymers, extender oil and resins compatible with the plastic blocks having softening points higher than those of the plastic polymer blocks of the copolymer.