With Igniting Means Patents (Class 102/499)
  • Patent number: 5723811
    Abstract: A warhead includes an explosive charge placed in a confinement casing and bounded towards a front portion by a liner, the entire warhead having an axis of symmetry of revolution. A detector is provided in front of the charge and processing and command circuits are provided in a rear portion of the charge. A multiple-point detonator is communicated with an axial space providing a detector-circuit link without harming the efficiency of the charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: TDA Armements SAS
    Inventors: Thierry Bouet, Jean-Pierre Guillon
  • Patent number: 5705766
    Abstract: A fuse (12) detonates a spin-stabilized projectile (10) after the fuse (12) experiences a preset number of turns. The preset number is communicated (64) to the fuse (12) prior to launch. A semiconductor piezoelectric strain gauge (26) senses stress and provides a signal which is responsive to centrifugal forces experienced by the sensor (26) as a result of projectile spin. A microcontroller (30) repetitively digitizes and translates the sensor signal to determine turn numbers, which the microcontroller (30) integrates to determine the total number of turns experienced by the fuse (12) since launch. When the accumulated turn number reaches (94) the preset number, the fuse (12) detonates the projectile (10). However, an arming duration (76) must have expired before the projectile (10) can detonate, and the projectile (10) can detonate at any time following the expiration of the arming duration when an impact is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Pasqual Farace, John Floyd Kaslow, Monty Wooson Bai
  • Patent number: 5691502
    Abstract: A plurality of objects is deployed in generally radial directions at low velocities in order to achieve a predetermined pattern of the deployed objects. The device has a metal inner wall member (20, 120) having a plurality of annular cylindrical segments of differing outside diameters, an explosive body (22, 122) of low velocity explosive, and a plurality of arrays (40, 140) positioned coaxially with and exteriorly of the explosive body (22, 122) and spaced along the length of the explosive body (22, 122). Each array (40, 140) comprises a plurality of objects (28). The explosive body (22, 122) can be in the form of a plurality of annular sections which provide the objects (28) in each array with an amount of energy different from that provided to each of the objects in the adjacent array. An annular flange (32) can separate the forward end of the explosive body (22, 122) from a booster ring (66), or the booster ring (166) can be positioned within a central cavity of the inner wall member (120).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Vought Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Gerald Graves Craddock, Elmer C. Cruise
  • Patent number: 5652408
    Abstract: An explosive projectile has a splinter-generating body inside which is placed an explosive and/or incendiary load ignited by a primer. The projectile also contains an intermediate charge placed between the primer and the explosive load. The charge is composed of a mixture of an explosive and a first pyrotechnic composition including at least one oxidizing agent and at least one reducing agent. The explosive projectile may be utilized as a medium caliber projectile ignited upon impact by a pyrotechnic fuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: Manurhin Defense
    Inventor: Jacques Nicolas
  • Patent number: 5594197
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a secondary projectile for a tandem warhead including a forwardly located active charge, a rearwardly located active charge and a fuze which is arranged therebetween, and whose triggering direction is oriented towards the forwardly located active charge, whereby the transmission of the ignition or triggering is implemented forwardly through the intermediary of a booster charge and towards the rear through the use of a cross-triggering device. The booster charge which is triggered by the fuze consists of an explosive material and lies directly against the forwardly located active charge, and wherein the booster charge at the other side thereof is separated by thin cross-ignitable wall segments of a housing of the cross-triggering device from at least two tongue-shaped explosive material poles of the rearwardly located active charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Diehl GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Klaus Lindstadt, Manfred Klare
  • Patent number: 5565648
    Abstract: A fragmentation casing for a secondary projectile of a tandem warhead which includes a forwardly located active charge, a rearwardly located active charge and a fuze arranged between the charges. The secondary projectile possesses on both sides thereof a generally ovoid, thick-walled and uniformly thick nose cone with a heavy wall thickness and with an inwardly located separate fragment charge; a one-sided overhung fastening of a fuze through a collar extending between two housing parts of the secondary projectile, whereby the fuze is almost completely and; in essence, also around the periphery thereof, embedded in the explosive of the rearwardly located active charge, and with a gapless arrangement of the interconnected active charges, the casing, the prefinished fragments and the nose cones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Diehl GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Klaus Lindstadt, Manfred Klare
  • Patent number: 5415105
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tandem warhead with a preliminary charge (1) and a main charge (2) respectively each with an associated fuse (3, 4).So that on ignition two fuses (3, 4) which are completely identical can be used, piezoelectrical percussion fuses (3, 4) are used which can be triggered by shockwaves. To establish the delay period of the fuses (3, 4) the housing construction, the arrangement of the fuses (3, 4) and the material composition of the housing (5) are to be selected in such a way that the propagation time of the shockwave imparts the required delay period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Dynamit Nobel Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Alfred Voss, Wolfgang Poetes
  • Patent number: 5341745
    Abstract: Grenade comprising an incendiary element (3) which is situated in a retainer (1) projecting into a bore (5) in a charge (10) in the grenade shell. The incendiary element (3) has been pressed into the retainer (1) and is situated behind a transfer or booster charge (4). The retainer (1) may be mainly circular- cylindrical, in order to permit that both the incendiary element (3) and the transfer or booster charge (4) can be pressed over the entire cross section of the retainer (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Inventors: Kare R. Strandli, Colin Foreman
  • Patent number: 5239929
    Abstract: A device and method are provided for sealing off an explosive charge compartment in a shell of the type in which the shell includes a shell case at its forward region and an element which is inserted into said shell case to cover an explosive charge and is provided with an outer annular abutment surface abutting against the inner contour of the shell case. The device includes a strand of sealant compound which is applied at least along an edge of the upper end portion of the element covering the explosive charge and a radially expendable ring which is forced by radial flaring against the sealant compound to straddle at least a joint between the edge of the upper end portion of the covering element and the inner contour of the shell case to accurately follow inner contours of the element and the shell case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Bofors AB
    Inventors: Stig Nilsson, Jan Fixell, Klas Larsson
  • Patent number: 5233929
    Abstract: An explosive device has a main charge explosive, and a booster explosive ring with main charge explosive filling the space in the center of the booster ring. When the booster explosive is set off, explosive shock waves converge on the space in the center of the ring, thus initiating the main charge explosive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Patrick F. Spahn
  • Patent number: 5221810
    Abstract: In an explosive device having a main charge explosive, a booster explosive mbedded in the main charge explosive, and a detonator, a can or plate is embedded in the main charge explosive and provides a high impedance surface which is shaped and oriented so that shock waves from the booster explosion will strike the high impedance surface at normal incidence and be reflected back toward the booster explosion. This increases the pressure in the main charge explosive material between the booster explosive and the can or plate, thus increasing the effectiveness of the booster explosive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Patrick F. Spahn
  • Patent number: 5196646
    Abstract: A dual purpose fuze for a projectile which can activate a quantity of material selected from a group including high explosive, low explosive, propellant and pyrotechnic compounds. The fuze includes a charge holder having a socket therein facing the quantity of material to be activated. A fuze charge located in the socket has a depression in it so formed as to cause the fuze charge to explode in a jet directed outwardly from the socket of sufficiently high energy to activate a high explosive in a high explosive projectile, the fuze charge being sufficiently small to prevent rupture of containment for a propellant in a cargo projectile. The fuze further includes mechanisms for arming and detonating the fuze charge as well as for activating detonation. A safety mechanism is provided to prevent premature detonation of the fuze charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventor: Paul N. Worsey
  • Patent number: 5121691
    Abstract: The invention relates to a projectile comprising a shell body containing an explosive charge and a ballistic nose cone in which a trigger system is disposed. The ballistic nose cone is organized as two distinct parts which are connected together in axial alignment, comprising a bottom portion that is essentially rigid and a top portion that is essentially deformable on impact on a target. Each of the portions is charged with a compressed incendiary composition, and together they form a closed functional cavity whose shape is maintained on firing and during the trajectory of the projectile. The bottom portion also receives a layer of mechanically strong pyrophoric material, said material being set off by the charge in the ballistic nose cone which is itself set off on impact by the sudden increase in the pressure of the air contained in the closed functional cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Manurhin Defense
    Inventor: Jacques Nicolas
  • Patent number: 5009167
    Abstract: A high-explosive projectile including a projectile body having a forward region and a tail region which transitions to a base, with an explosive charge disposed within the body and detonated by a suitable fuse, and a driving band disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the projectile body in the tail region, wherein the wall thickness of the tail region of the projectile body is substantially the same as the wall thickness of the forward region of the projectile body; the tail region of the projectile body has a cylindrical shape up to its transition to the base and forms a circumferential edge at the transition; and the rearward, gas pressure receiving side of the driving band is disposed adjacent the circumferential edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Achim Sippel, Heinz-Josef Kruse, Wilfried Becker
  • Patent number: 5000095
    Abstract: A projectile with an ejecting charge for the expulsion of a payload. The ejecting charge effectively develops a pressure which is of sufficient duration and adequately high for effectuating the expulsion of the payload; however, wherein the casing thereof will not burst into the kind of fragments which conceivably can damage the payload. A receiving member for the ejecting charge is mounted within the projectile, which receiving member withstands the development of the pressure encountered during the combusting of the ejecting charge; wherein that the receiving member possesses a multiplicity of apertures through which there discharges the propellent gas which is developed during the combustion of the ejecting charge, and wherein the ejecting charge is inserted into a thin-walled cup contained in the receiving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Diehl GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Gerald Rieger, Helmut Hammer, Erich Bock
  • Patent number: 4945834
    Abstract: An explosive projectile comprises a casing, having a neck shaped portion adjacent to the opening, a female screw thread being formed in the internal wall of the neck shaped portion, and a region of increased average internal diameter in its inner wall beyond the screw thread, a charge of high explosive material partially filling the space inside the casing, and a case located between the charge and the neck shaped portion the case defining a detonation device cavity, the case being made of a malleable material and being swaged into the neck shaped portion and into part of the region of the internal wall of the casing which has an increased average internal diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Assignee: Royal Ordnance plc
    Inventor: Frederick M. Young
  • Patent number: 4942820
    Abstract: A fragmentation device includes a core of munitions in the form of a sphere. The sphere of munitions is surrounded by a spherical outer shell of a rubberized material. Further provide is a fuze at the surface of the internal rubberized material which is an electrical communication with a detonator which is embedded within the spherical core of munitions. The rubberized spherical shell is provided with spherically symmetrical fractures which radiate out from the core to insure a symmetrical dispersion of the force associated with the detonated munitions core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Inventor: Stephen D. Sawruk
  • Patent number: 4920886
    Abstract: Anit-vehicle grenade of the type comprising a head (1) extended by a tubular tail (8), an axial bore (6) going through the head and running into the bore (7) of the tubular tail (9), characterized in that, between the safety device (3), respectively the detonator 4 placed assymmetrically with respect to the axis A--A of the grenade, on the one hand, and the hollow charge (2) of the grenade, on the other hand, means of transmission of the shock wave caused by the detonator (4) are mounted allowing to obtain a firing that is symmetrical about the axis of said hollow charge (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: Fabrique Nationale Herstal Societe Anonyme, en abrege "FN"
    Inventor: A. Gabriels
  • Patent number: 4913057
    Abstract: In an armor piercing explosive shell of the kind which comprises a hollow charge and an impact contact member placed in the nose cone of the shell to provide electrical contact for initiation of the hollow charge upon impact of the shell against the target, the nose cone of the shell is provided with a reinforced tip for mechanical penetration of the active armor and the impact contact member does not extend all the way to the tip but positioned behind an inner shoulder made in the wall of the nose cone to improve the penetrative performance of the shell against targets protected by active armor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Bofors
    Inventors: Hans-Erik Kropp, Hans Gustafsson, Kenneth Andersson
  • Patent number: 4890556
    Abstract: An ammunition housing or casing including a cover portion for the closing off of an explosives chamber, and which includes a booster charge and a mechanical safe-and-arm device. The cover portion is constituted of a cover plate and a bracket unit which is integrally formed thereon, on which bracket unit there is provided a clamping device opposite the cover plate, wherein the closure plate is provided with a cutout or breakthrough which is overlapped by the bracket unit, which forms a receiving space for the booster charge, and wherein the mechanical safe-and-arm device is installed beneath the bracket unit, and the safe-and-arm device is pressed against the cover plate by the clamping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Diehl GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Roland Ottmann, Wolfgang von Entress-Fursteneck
  • Patent number: 4876964
    Abstract: A projectile and method of making it having a forward end portion which comprises a hollow, metallic nose portion (1) containing a charge (3) adapted to detonate by impact against a target without the use of a fuse. In order to achieve safeguard against initiation when the impact velocity is low the cavity in the nose portion, in a distance from the forwardmost part thereof, is covered by a liner (4) of a softer material than the metal of the nose portion. The liner may be of plastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Raufoss A/S
    Inventors: Kare R. Strandli, Svein T. Halvorsen
  • Patent number: 4831936
    Abstract: An armor piercing explosive shell comprises a hollow charge and an impact contact member placed in the nose cone of the shell and arranged to provide electrical contact for initiation of the hollow charge upon impact of the shell against the target. To improve the penetrative performance of the shell against targets protected by active armor the nose cone of the shell is provided with a reinforced tip for mechanical penetration of the active armor and the impact contact member does not extend all the way to the tip of the shell so that upon impact of the shell against the active armor contact is obtained only after the reinforced tip has penetrated the active armor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Bofors
    Inventors: Leif Brattstrom, Hans Gustafsson, Tommy Strom, Bertil Arvidsson, Sture Cergeus
  • Patent number: 4760792
    Abstract: An acceleration resistant pyrotechnic delay unit delays the ignition of a warhead subjected to high acceleration on launch and high deceleration on impact. The delay unit includes a delay cup housing a pyrotechnic train. The delay cup has a primer cavity a delay cavity and a detonator cavity. A frusto-conical passage extends between the primer cavity and the delay cavity, with the small diameter end opening into the delay cavity. Primer, delay and detonator components of the pyrotechnic train fill the respective cavities in the delay cup. The various components of the train are well supported on all surfaces to prevent fracture due to high acceleration and deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1988
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence
    Inventors: Ghislain M. Dumas, Roger Lavertu, Jean-Francois Drolet
  • Patent number: 4760795
    Abstract: An explosive projectile comprises a projectile casing, a high explosive charge filling a portion of the space inside the casing, an impervious case defining a detonation device cavity adjacent to a surface of the explosive charge, and located adjacent to the said surface of the explosive charge between the inside wall of the projectile casing and the impervious case, a pre-formed solid elastic sealant ring such that the seal effected by the sealant ring between the projectile casing and the impervious case is tightened if the pressure on the sealant ring from the material of the explosive charge increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1988
    Assignee: Royal Ordnance plc
    Inventor: Frederick M. Young
  • Patent number: 4759292
    Abstract: A spin stabilized payload projectile 10, in order to separate a projectile base connected with projectile body 11 and to eject a payload 13, is provided with an ejection charge 15 in its nose region, with such ejection charge being activated with a certain delay by a nose fuze 14. To prevent damage to the nose fuze 14 by the gas pressure generated by ejection charge 15, a pressure reducing element 20 is disposed between nose fuze 14 and the ejection charge. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, this pressure reducing element 20 is composed of a cone or a cone frustum whose base face faces nose fuze 14 and whose tip faces ejection charge 15. The tip of pressure reducing element 20 is provided with an opening 20a through which a firing jet travels from nose fuze 14 to ejection charge 15 for the purpose of activating charge 15. After activation of ejection charge 15, pressure reducing element 20 is deformed into a substantially gas tight disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1988
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Meffert, Karl-Heinz Silligmann
  • Patent number: 4757765
    Abstract: A rotational projectile having a hollow, metallic nose portion (1) containing a charge adapted to detonate by impact against a target without the use of a fuse, whereby the nose portion, rearwardly of either a detonatable charge (2) or a component of such a charge, contains a second component (3) situated in an axially through-going and forwardly diverging channel (5) in a non-metallic insert (4) in the nose portion (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1988
    Inventor: Kare R. Strandli
  • Patent number: 4694751
    Abstract: An explosive system for use in projectiles such as guided missiles and rocket projectiles, includes an explosive charge and an ignition booster for igniting the explosive charge. A detonator is provided for igniting the booster. An ignition transfer device is disposed between the detonator and the booster for being ignited by the detonator and igniting the booster. A portion of the ignition transfer device is embedded axially within an end face of the booster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1987
    Assignee: Gebruder Junghans GmbH
    Inventor: Horst Moosmann
  • Patent number: 4662281
    Abstract: A fragment layer for a warhead including a plurality of axially adjacent, annular rings of preformed fragments, an annular retaining layer covering the outside surface of the rings, an annular explosive layer disposed between the annular rings and the warhead, and a detonator for detonating the annular explosive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1987
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Earl E. Wilhelm, Clayton J. Julien
  • Patent number: 4459915
    Abstract: A solid fuel rocket in which the rocket casing acts as a warhead. Solid propellant rocket motors require relatively heavy cases to contain the 1000-2000 psi combustion pressure needed for efficient performance. This casing can be used as a fragmentation warhead by forming longitudinal grooves in the elongated rocket casing, causing the casing to fracture along the grooves and allowing the pressure within the casing to disperse the fragments. The resulting strip-like fragments are particularly useful against "soft" equipment targets, such as anti-vehicle and anti-radar applications. Several different methods for rupturing the case along spaced, parallel longitudinal lines are disclosed. This system eliminates the need for a separate warhead including case and explosive at the cost of a slight increase in propellant case thickness and weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Assignee: General Dynamics Corporation/Convair Div.
    Inventor: Robert A. Lynch
  • Patent number: 4389940
    Abstract: An antipersonnel mine is shown, a plurality of such mines being adapted to be loaded into a round of ammunition for dispersal and subsequent detonation at random instants. The timing for detonation of each mine is determined by the discharge of a capacitor, starting when dispersal occurs. The condition of the explosive lead of each mine before loading is indicated by a position indicator in the safing and arming mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Gray C. Trembly, Ernest Goldberg, Edward B. Dragun
  • Patent number: 4348958
    Abstract: An explosive projectile comprising a body having a flight end and defining an internal chamber having a main high explosive charge therein. The body has at least one passage therein which communicates with the internal chamber and intersects the exterior surface of the flight end. a detonation initiator material is disposed within the passageway and enables safe handling and high velocity projection of the projectile without ignition but is capable of detonation to effect detonation of the main explosive charge upon predetermined high velocity impact of the flight end with a target surface. A thin cover is preferably provided over the exposed end of the initiator passage. The detonator initiator material typically reaches high order detonation within a distance of one to one and one-half diameters from the impact end. The impact velocity on a metal target must, typically, be 0.5 kilometers per second or greater to effect detonation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1982
    Assignee: Systems, Science and Software
    Inventor: Edward A. Day
  • Patent number: 4284007
    Abstract: Projectile with at least one expellable subprojectile. The projectile is provided with a nose element, which is arranged, in a predetermined position in the trajectory of the projectile, to be discarded, thereby causing a decelerating force on the projectile. The fore subprojectile is provided with a deceleration-sensing device, which is capable of initiating the expelling of the subprojectile as a consequence of sensing said deceleration force. The subprojectiles in behind are arranged to be expelled either as a consequence of sensing deceleration forces occurring on expelling of the subprojectile immediately in front of it, or alternatively to be expelled in a conventional way with a delay relative to one another achieved through pyrotechnic delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1981
    Assignee: Forenade Fabriksverken
    Inventors: Claes G. Arnell, Erik G. Olsson
  • Patent number: 4282814
    Abstract: A detonation initiator for use in explosive warheads to cause dual-end ination of the explosive within the warhead. An initiation transfer tube positioned interiorly and centrally within the warhead explosive contains a primary ignitor attached to a plurality of explosive trains leading to secondary ignitors. Booster plates positioned at either end of the explosive charge and adjacent the secondary ignitors detonate the explosive at either end causing the detonating front to travel toward the center of the explosive causing a great force to extend radially outward centrally from either end of the explosive. An initiation transfer tube positioned concentric with the explosive provides for an explosive output initiating from a single point at the center of the warhead to its ends without destroying or damaging the warhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1974
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1981
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Fredric L. Menz, Gordon A. Greene