Rocket-propelled grenade
A rocket-propelled grenade includes a payload section, a selectable fuzing section joined to the payload section, and a propulsion section joined to the selectable fuzing section. A rocket-propelled grenade includes a propulsion section and a payload section operably associated with the propulsion section. The payload section includes a shell, one or more penetrators disposed in the shell, and a charge for compromising the shell to deploy the one or more penetrators when the charge is initiated.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/256,258; filed 29 Oct. 2009; and entitled “Grenade,” which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
BACKGROUND1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to rocket-propelled grenades.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern urban warfare presents warfighters with many different combat scenarios. For example, it is generally desirable and often more effective to use non-lethal means to control opposing combatants. One technique that is not available to current-day warfighters is to temporarily visually impair opposing combatants or other unruly persons. Attempts have been made to utilize “star shells,” which fire a phosphorus-based flare into the air; however, such shells fail to provide light that is of sufficient intensity to be effective.
In military or police crowd control situations, and particularly in riot or violent confrontations involving large numbers of people, it is often desirable but impractical to identify all participants. Members of such mobs will disperse unless physically restrained and current technology provides no way to easily identify a person at a later time that was involved in the confrontation or riot.
In yet another example, it is often necessary or at least desirable for warfighters to open a breach in a building wall so that the building can be secured. It is often very desirable to open a series of breaches in adjacent building walls so that the warfighters can move from one building to the next, thus avoiding streets and other open areas where they would likely be exposed to lethal weapons fire from adversaries. Conventionally, warfighters use standard-issue explosives, such as C-4 plastic explosives and the like, or anti-tank rockets, such as AT-4 anti-tank rockets and the like, to create the needed breaches. Explosives, however, require special handling, detonators, and techniques for use. Failure to use such explosives properly can result in accidents that are lethal to nearby warfighters. While anti-tank rockets can be effective, such rockets are expensive due to their particular characteristics. Some such rockets can cost many thousands of dollars each and are, therefore, not cost effective for breaching walls.
There are many tools available to the warfighter for dealing with enemy combatants, participants in riots, and the like, as well as for breaching building walls, well known in the art, however, considerable shortcomings remain.
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the invention itself, as well as, a preferred mode of use, and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTIllustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present exemplary embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
It should be noted that the present invention contemplates many various payloads of payload section 103. In the embodiment illustrated in
Still referring to
Furthermore, as shown in
Returning again to
Alternatively, the present invention contemplates an embodiment wherein slow-burn igniter 1005 is replaced by a mechanical booster igniter. For example,
The present invention provide significant advantages including, but not limited to, (1) providing a grenade capable of temporarily visually impairing opposing combatants or other unruly persons; (2) providing a grenade capable of marking persons involved in riot or violent confrontations; and (3) providing a grenade capable of breaching a wall, such as a wall of a building.
The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below. It is apparent that an invention with significant advantages has been described and illustrated. Although the present invention is shown in a limited number of forms, it is not limited to just these forms, but is amenable to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.
Claims
1. A rocket-propelled grenade, comprising:
- a propulsion section comprising a booster propellant housing defining a nozzle and a groove;
- a payload section operably associated with the propulsion section and joined to the booster propellant housing, the payload section comprising: a shell; one or more penetrators disposed in the shell; and a charge for compromising the shell to deploy the one or more penetrators when the charge is initiated;
- a plurality of fins operably associated with the booster propellant housing;
- a plurality of biasing elements, corresponding to the plurality of fins, operably associated with the plurality of fins for biasing the plurality of fins to an unfolded configuration; and
- a spring ring disposed in the groove, such that the spring ring changes shape when the plurality of fins is deployed to lock the plurality of fins in a deployed configuration.
2. The rocket-propelled grenade of claim 1, wherein the propulsion section comprises:
- a casing joined to the booster propellant housing;
- a firing charge disposed at an aft end of the casing;
- a booster propellant disposed in the booster propellant housing; and
- a slow-burn igniter disposed in the nozzle of the booster propellant housing.
3. The rocket-propelled grenade of claim 2, wherein the nozzle is configured to impart a roll or spin to the rocket-propelled grenade when in flight.
4. The rocket-propelled grenade of claim 1, wherein the propulsion section comprises:
- a casing joined to the booster propellant housing;
- a firing charge disposed at an aft end of the casing;
- a booster propellant disposed in the booster propellant housing; and
- a mechanical booster igniter operably associated with the booster propellant.
5. The rocket-propelled grenade of claim 4, further comprising;
- a plurality of fins, wherein the mechanical booster igniter comprises: an arming pin; a first spring-loaded locking pin engageable with the arming pin; a spring-loaded striker operably associated with the arming pin; a second spring-loaded locking pin operably associated with the spring-loaded striker and a fin of the plurality of fins; and a primer operably associated with the spring-loaded striker.
6. The rocket-propelled grenade of claim 2, wherein the casing defines one or more ports between the firing charge and the slow-burn igniter.
7. The rocket-propelled grenade of claim 6, wherein the slow-burn igniter is configured to ignite the booster propellant.
8. The rocket-propelled grenade of claim 7, wherein the booster propellant housing defines a passageway therein that is configured to propagate heat generated from the ignited booster propellant to activate the payload section.
9. The rocket-propelled grenade of claim 6, wherein the firing charge is configured to produce rapidly expanding gases to thereby cause the casing to separate from the booster propellant housing and initiate the slow-burn igniter.
10. A rocket-propelled grenade, comprising:
- a propulsion section, comprising: a booster propellant housing; a casing joined to the booster propellant housing; a firing charge disposed at an aft end of the casing; a booster propellant disposed in the booster propellant housing; and a mechanical booster igniter operably associated with the booster propellant;
- a payload section operably associated with the propulsion section and joined to the booster propellant housing, the payload section comprising: a shell; one or more penetrators disposed in the shell; and a charge for compromising the shell to deploy the one or more penetrators when the charge is initiated;
- a plurality of fins, wherein the mechanical booster igniter comprises: an arming pin; a first spring-loaded locking pin engageable with the arming pin; a spring-loaded striker operably associated with the arming pin; a second spring-loaded locking pin operably associated with the spring-loaded striker and a fin of the plurality of fins; and
- a primer operably associated with the spring-loaded striker.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Oct 28, 2010
Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Grand Prairie, TX)
Inventors: Toby D. Thomas (Southlake, TX), Richard L. Green (Fort Worth, TX), Jonathan H. Record (Grand Prairie, TX), Robbie S. Strauch (Fort Worth, TX), David L. Hunn (Kennedale, TX)
Primary Examiner: Benjamin P Lee
Application Number: 12/914,803
International Classification: F42B 12/56 (20060101); F42B 15/10 (20060101); F42B 12/46 (20060101); F42C 14/00 (20060101); F42B 12/02 (20060101); F42B 10/02 (20060101); F42B 10/30 (20060101);