Composite Patents (Class 102/517)
  • Patent number: 5639985
    Abstract: To mitigate groove drag in a kinetic energy projectile, an intumescent maial is inserted in the grooves wherein the material will expand to fill the grooves once the sabot has been discarded. The groove material inhibits aerodynamic recirculation that can occur in the grooves, fills the groove and keeps out freestream gasses. The expanding groove material occupies the space previously filled by the sabot tooth. The groove-filling material expands quickly, because the flight of the projectile is typically on the order of one to two seconds. The groove filling material may also be an elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: James M. Garner, Harris L. Edge
  • Patent number: 5622335
    Abstract: A tail piece for a projectile includes at least three fins connected to either the projectile itself or a bracket connected to the projectile. Each fin is linked to the projectile/bracket by at least one fastening foot that cooperates with at least one recess of the projectile/bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Giat Industries
    Inventors: Christian Trouillot, Yves Millet, Fran.cedilla.ois Beauvais
  • Patent number: 5569874
    Abstract: A bullet is formed of a plurality of elongate malleable elements, such as copper wires, disposed in an entwined composite mass. Elongate elements extend in a helical pattern from the tail end toward the nose end of the mass and are compacted into a bullet-shaped configuration. The tail end of the elements may be encircled by a jacket which retains the elements against separation, while the nose end portions of the elements are capable of separation upon striking an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Inventor: Eric A. Nelson
  • Patent number: 5561263
    Abstract: A device for capturing humans or animals, comprises a pair of projectiles each having a forward head and a rear shank. Each shank is semi-cylindrical and offset to one side of its associated head, such that when the projectiles are placed together with their shanks contiguous to each other, the two shanks together form a cylindrical body and the two heads together form a flattened body disposed in a plane perpendicular to a mating plane of the two shanks. A flexible tether interconnects the two projectiles, whereby when the two shanks are disposed contiguous to each other and inserted in the bore of the barrel of a firearm, and the firearm is fired, the two shanks will impart thrust to their respective projectiles along lines of force disposed to one side of a center of gravity of each projectile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Inventor: Frederic Baillod
  • Patent number: 5535678
    Abstract: A firearm bullet, at least a major portion of which is formed of a one-piece element having a continuous all-metal structure primarily made up of bismuth or a bismuth alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignees: Robert E. Petersen, Ken Elliot, Thomas Siatos
    Inventor: John E. Brown
  • Patent number: 5528990
    Abstract: A full metal jacket hollow point bullet is disclosed which has a portion of the jacket extending within the hollow open front end of the bullet. The portion of the jacket in the hollow front end has a plurality of radial slits and reinforced pointed prongs therebetween. A rearwardly extending completely empty blind bore extends from the tips of the prongs axially rearwardly into the bullet core. The base of each of the prongs is reinforced at the mouth of the front end by a fillet on each side between the ogive portion of the jacket and the base of the prong in the hollow front end. These prongs project generally radially outward upon upset of the bullet in soft tissue after passing through barrier materials such as clothing and deer hide.The jacket has a coating of copper oxide on its inner and outer surfaces which bonds the soft lead core to the jacket and minimizes lead wash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventors: Alan J. Corzine, Jack D. Dippold, David K. Schluckebier
  • Patent number: 5528989
    Abstract: A highly separable bullet which disintegrates in a controlled fashion is provided, which highly separable bullet comprises a bullet core and a jacket, and which highly separable bullet is fabricated by method comprising a three step low-impact swaging process. A highly separable bullet is provided which easily, consistently, and predictably separates, fragments and disintegrates in a controlled fashion after entering soft tissue, water or ballistic geletin as such. The first step bullet core swaging process is a low-impact swaging process comprising placing a preselected number of a plurality of malleable strands of metal in a bullet core swaging die and swaging the plurality of malleable strands of the bullet core into a cylindrical core having a unique, uniform interlocking pattern between the plurality of malleable strands of metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Inventor: Torrey L. Briese
  • Patent number: 5526752
    Abstract: A projectile which includes multiple warheads separated one from another within a casing, each warhead having its own independent detonator. The warheads are arranged in spaced relationship along the longitudinal axis of the casing, and the detonators are linked with a fuzing mechanism located at the forward region of the casing. Upon reaching the target, the rearmost warhead in the projectile is detonated and the remaining warheads are then detonated sequentially forwardly, ad seriatim, by the fuzing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn E. Dahl, Stephen G. Wurst
  • Patent number: 5527376
    Abstract: Shot pellet or small arms projectile comprises 40-60% by weight of tungsten and 60-40% by weight of iron formed by sintering tungsten containing powders having median particle sizes below 6 microns to form a material consisting primary of an intermetallic compound of tungsten and iron or of a metal matrix of iron surrounding tungsten containing particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Teledyne Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Darryl D. Amick, John C. Haygarth, Lloyd Fenwick, Larry K. Seal
  • Patent number: 5515785
    Abstract: As an abstract of the disclosure, the invention is directed to a miniature rojectile having a forwardly contained charge which is laterally injected into a target upon impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1965
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Charles Zglenicki
  • Patent number: 5511483
    Abstract: An identifiable projectile is provided whereby an identification element is secured completely within the lead body of a projectile and remains engaged during ejection, flight, and impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Bennie Griffin, Jr.
    Inventor: Bennie Griffin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5505137
    Abstract: A practice projectile includes a body formed from assembling a number of sectors. The sectors are made of plastic and designed to be received in a receptacle of a base. The body is held together during handling by a holder. The holder is designed to release the sectors once they exit the barrel of a weapon when the projectile is fired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Manurhin Defense
    Inventors: Jean-Marie Godefroy, Philippe Maillard
  • Patent number: 5501155
    Abstract: A fin stabilized kinetic energy tank training device comprising a project having a nose and having nose and end sections, and constructed of a low density material such as aluminum, and having a hollowed-out section to further reduce weight thereof, so as to minimizing penetration of an armor system on impact thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Michael S. L. Hollis, Fred J. Brandon, Edward W. Kennedy, Edward M. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5485789
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an identifiable bullet and method for identifying such bullets. The bullet comprises a bullet jacket, a lead core and an identification tag in the lead core. In one embodiment, the identification tag is an identification section including a core and an outer protective coating. The core and outer coating are heat-resistant and flexible to prevent damage when the bullet is discharged from a firearm. The identification segment is, in one embodiment, mounted within a chamber formed at the rear end of a main projectile portion, after which a plug or end cap is positioned to hold the identification section in place and protect the identification section from damage. The chamber may comprise one or more annular grooves in which the identification section and/or the end cap extends and engages to securely hold the respective components in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Inventor: William E. Collier
  • Patent number: 5479861
    Abstract: A projectile having a cylindrical slug with a forward end portion and a rear end portion having substantially the same outer diameter. A sabot surrounds the slug and is nonrotatably connected to the slug so that the rotary motion which is imparted to the sabot by contact between the external surface of the sabot and rifling in a gun barrel is transferred directly to the slug by the nonrotatable connection between the sabot and the slug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Inventor: Anthony E. Kinchin
  • Patent number: 5476045
    Abstract: A statically stable limited range projectile utilizes a fin assembly combd with a cylindrical body and low drag ogival front end to ballistically match the limited predetermined range flight characteristics of a standard round.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Sung K. Chung, Roy W. Kline
  • Patent number: 5473989
    Abstract: An improved small caliber armor piercing projectile (10) having a fin stabilized sub-caliber high density rod penetrator (11) and an adequately large tracer cavity (23). The tracer cavity does not degrade the armor penetrating capability of the projectile. The rod penetrator core is supported structurally during gun launch by a minimum weight segmented sabot (13) which engages the barrel rifling, followed by a solid plastic obturator (15) which provides an uninterrupted gas seal and holds the segmented sabot components together around the rod penetrator prior to launch. The solid obturator is made from a low ductility homogenous plastic or plastic reinforced composite and is blown apart upon muzzle exit by entrapped propellant gas pressure retained in an internal aft cavity (19). The plastic obturator are located behind the structural sabot so that the propellant gas pressure will maintain the obturator under hydrostatic compression while in the barrel to ensure projectile in-bore stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Inventor: Steven M. Buc
  • Patent number: 5454325
    Abstract: A small arm ammunition bullet has a metal jacket with a first core portion of thermoplastic material filling a closed end of the interior of the jacket and a second core portion projecting through an opposite, open end of the jacket. The second core portion is formed of a plurality of individual metal fragments compacted into an at least substantially solid mass. The bullet is made by swaging lead shot and the thermoplastic material into the jacket and combines good expansion on impact with a soft target with the ability to penetrate a hard target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Beeline Custom Bullets Limited
    Inventor: Russell P. LeBlanc
  • Patent number: 5448951
    Abstract: A target shooting capsule comprising a non-toxic, bio-degradable, injection molded shell of various shapes and forms having a dry wall thickness of from about 0.001 inches to about 0.1 inches, having a diameter from about 0.125 inches to about 1 inch, and containing a brightly colored water washable, non-toxic liquid dye fill material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Inventor: Christy L. Olson
  • Patent number: 5445079
    Abstract: An armor-piercing fragmentation ammunition projectile includes a body made of a dense material, a head also made of a dense material, and an arrangement for fragmenting the body on impact. It is characterized in that the arrangement includes a blind hole delimited by the body and occupied by a mass of compression material subjecting the body to a fragmentation pre-stress. Application to sub-caliber projectiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Giat Industries
    Inventor: Roland Boual
  • Patent number: 5440994
    Abstract: The invention relates to armor penetrating bullets suitable for use with a wide range of weaponry from automatic shoulder arms to hand guns. The invention provides a bullet which comprises a cartridge containing a propellant charge, a casing attached to the cartridge, and a plurality of individual flechettes contained in the casing. The bullet provides high penetration through stiff materials such as body armor made of interwoven fibers but the individual flechettes are most easily stopped in softer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Privada Corporation
    Inventor: William Alexander
  • Patent number: 5440995
    Abstract: An improved tungsten penetrator employing tungsten whiskers of various crystalline orientations--specifically the [100] orientation. The penetrator has enhanced penetration ability and strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Albert P. Levitt
  • Patent number: 5404815
    Abstract: An improved process for fabricating an improved bullet is provided, with the bullet having a jacket characterized by enhanced structural integrity. As a result of the swaging process utilized to form the bullet jacket, the jacket has less likelihood of incurring internal stress during the manufacturing process than can be associated with conventionally fabricated bullet jackets. The uniformity of the base portion of the improved bullet is increased, thereby enhancing the accuracy and effectiveness of the improved bullet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Swift Bullet Company
    Inventor: Lee A. Reed
  • Patent number: 5400716
    Abstract: A deformable hunting projectile has a one-piece body in the form of a turned red brass part with a tapering head part and a cylindrical guide part; a charge (7) of fine zinc or similar expansion agent is arranged in the head part and a charge of hard lead is arranged in the guide part. The charges are separated by a partition (13) formed in one piece from the body of the projectile, which is concave at the front and convex at the rear and therefore elastically deformable transversally. This, together with the deformability of the charges, permits good radial adaptation of the projectile to the barrel of a gun. The manufacture of the body of the projectile on a computer-controlled lathe ensures extremely precise concentricity of the charges with the outer surface. For use in propellant charge cartridges of various strengths, the projectiles can be manufactured with varying wall thicknesses of the head part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Inventor: Karl K. Mayer
  • Patent number: 5399187
    Abstract: A composite lead-free bullet is disclosed comprising a heavy constituents selected from the group of tungsten, tungsten carbide, carballoy, and ferro-tungsten and a second binder constituent consisting of either a metal alloy or a plastic blend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Mravic, Deepak Mahulikar, Gerald N. Violette, Eugene Shapiro, Henry J. Halverson
  • Patent number: 5388524
    Abstract: A practice projectile free of any explosive or bursting charge, adapted for shooting from aircraft against ground targets or for other kinds of practice shooting and comprising a hollow shell, a projectile base and a nose portion which engages the shell along a circumferential partition therebetween, wherein the base is a separate part relatively to the shell, whereby a circumferential partition between the base and the shell is formed. The base is fastened to or made integral with a rod or a tube which extends centrally and axially through the shell and is fastened to or made integrally with the nose portion, whereby the rod or tube keeps the projectile together as a unit, and the rod or tube, or a fastening member thereof situated on the nose portion, has a weakened portion which axially is situated approximately at the level of the partition between the shell and the nose portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Inventors: Kare R. Strandli, Inge M. Angard
  • Patent number: 5385101
    Abstract: A controlled expanding small caliber bullet is disclosed which comprises a partition-type bullet, a rear cavity filled with a dense core and a high strength insert between the core and the body in the forward portion of the rear cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventors: Alan J. Corzine, Gerald E. Eberhart
  • Patent number: 5353712
    Abstract: A target shooting capsule comprising a non-toxic, bio-degradable, injection molded shell of various shapes and forms having a dry wall thickness of from about 0.001 inches to about 0.1 inches, having a diameter from about 0.125 inches to about 1 inch, and containing a brightly colored water washable, non-toxic liquid dye fill material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Inventor: Christy L. Olson
  • Patent number: 5333552
    Abstract: A controlled expanding small caliber bullet is disclosed which comprises a partition-type bullet with an empty hollow point, a rear cavity filled with a dense core and a high strength insert between the core and the body in the forward portion of the rear cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventors: Alan J. Corzine, Gerald E. Eberhart
  • Patent number: 5328130
    Abstract: A cylindrical device connected to the nose of a projectile for imparting n to the projectile fired from a non-rifled bore of a cannon. The device has at least two coaxial, adjacent, and integrally connected cylindrical segments of different diameter. The segment having the larger diameter is positioned most rearwardly of the projectile, relative to the nose of the projectile, and the periphery of this segment has circumferentially spaced angled slots for catching air moving past the projectile to spin the projectile. The segment with the smaller diameter attaches the cylindrical device to the aft end of the nose of the projectile and directs the flow of air to and through the angled slots of the segment having the larger diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Stewart Gilman, Anthony Farina
  • Patent number: 5325787
    Abstract: An armor-piercing fragmentation ammunition projectile includes a body made of a dense material, a head also made of a dense material, and an arrangement for fragmenting the body on impact. It is characterized in that the arrangement includes a blind hole delimited by the body and occupied by a mass of compression material subjecting the body to a fragmentation pre-stress. Application to sub-caliber projectiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Giat Industries
    Inventor: Roland Boual
  • Patent number: 5297492
    Abstract: An improved small caliber armor piercing projectile (10) having a fin stabilized sub-caliber high density rod penetrator (11) and an adequately large tracer cavity (23). The tracer cavity does not degrade the armor penetrating capability of the projectile. The rod penetrator core is supported structurally during gun launch by a minimum weight segmented sabot (13) which engages the barrel rifling, followed by a segmented plastic obturator (15), followed by a solid plastic obturator ring (17) which provides an uninterrupted gas seal and which holds all segmented components together around the rod penetrator prior to launch. The solid obturator ring is blown apart upon muzzle exit by entrapped propellant gas pressure retained in an internal aft cavity (19). All plastic obturator components are located behind the structural sabot so that the propellant gas pressure will maintain the segmented obturator under hydrostatic compression while in the barrel to ensure projectile inbore stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Inventor: Steven M. Buc
  • Patent number: 5293822
    Abstract: This invention, a projectile, when used in standard issue handguns, rifles and shotguns was designed to address the problem of over penetration and possible ricochet when used in law enforcement work. The projectile comprises a hollow tubular body having releasable end seals and containing lead shot.The problem, is that many projectiles, even those designed to loose their energy in human/animal tissue like living organisms, may also penetrate inanimate like substances, causing unnecessary damage to property, and even worse injury or death to innocent bystanders. This projectile is designed to significantly lessen that possibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Inventor: David S. Peddie
  • Patent number: 5275109
    Abstract: A kinetic energy long rod penetrator is formed from a high density metal ing axially aligned elongated cavities uniformly spaced and extending longitudinally through the penetrator. These cavities allow for a long rod penetrator which is longer than previous long rod penetrators of comparable mass and material as well as a penetrator that is resistant to breakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Puckett
  • Patent number: 5273711
    Abstract: A high strength and ductile depleted uranium alloy including two or three alloying elements, two of which are molybdenum and titanium, in which the total weight percent of all of the alloying elements makes up no more than 2% of the alloy weight, in which there is from 0.75 to 1.50 weight % molybdenum, and 0.30 to 0.70 weight % titanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: Nuclear Metals, Inc.
    Inventors: William T. Nachtrab, Nancy F. Levoy
  • Patent number: 5261941
    Abstract: Alloys of tungsten and uranium and a method for making the alloys. The amount of tungsten present in the alloys is from about 55 vol % to about 85 vol %. A porous preform is made by sintering consolidated tungsten powder. The preform is impregnated with molten uranium such that (1) uranium fills the pores of the preform to form uranium in a tungsten matrix or (2) uranium dissolves portions of the preform to form a continuous uranium phase containing tungsten particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Haskell Sheinberg
  • Patent number: 5237904
    Abstract: A non-transitioning armature/projectile for launching from a single or multi-turn rail gun including: a nose; a tail; and a current carrying section between the nose and the tail including current channeling means for reducing the current concentration in the tail end of the armature/projectile and distributing the current toward the nose for generally balancing the electrically induced driving force with the inertial force and substantially reducing internal stress in the section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Inventor: Doris Kuhlmann-Wilsdorf
  • Patent number: 5225628
    Abstract: A high impact low penetration round includes a transparent casing and a plurality of deformable pellets fired from the casing as projectiles. The pellets are formed of a lead wax material that flattens and deforms upon contact with a solid object. Contact with a solid object discharges all of the kinetic energy associated with firing the pellet and transfers this energy to the object so that the pellet will not ricochet or penetrate the object. The pellets are shaped to tumble in the air to enhance energy loss and to aid in the detachment and distribution of the pellets. The rounds can be used as shotgun ammunition at close range to provide an effective anti personnel round with a lethality that diminishes rapidly after an effective range of about thirty-five yards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Inventor: Michael L. Heiny
  • Patent number: 5223667
    Abstract: A flechette is disclosed comprising a rod-shaped steel body having a blunt generally conical penetrating point, a separate resinous plastic fin component securely mounted on the rear end portion of the body, and a generally conical gradually tapering resinous plastic nose piece securely mounted on the penetrating point for reducing air drag when the flechette is fired at high velocity. Interlocking annular flanges are formed on the penetrating point and the nose piece for securing the nose piece to the body. The fin component has an axial sleeve received around a rear pin portion of the body and securely retained thereon by annular flange and groove members on the sleeve and the rear pin portion. A modified flechette is disclosed having a separate, hardened steel penetrator component securely mounted on a reduced front pin member on the body by a press fit between the front pin member and a rearwardly opening bore in the penetrator component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: BEI Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard V. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5221809
    Abstract: The invention relates to a non-lethal projectile of small mass for military or police use adapted to be fired from a standard launcher which projectile either increases in size during flight or at impact to spread the force over a large area to provide a knock-down-effect without body penetration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Inventor: Jaime H. Cuadros
  • Patent number: 5198616
    Abstract: The projectile, adapted to be fired from an automatic cannon, comprises a frangible porous brittle generally cylindrical casing made of a molded sintered powder material preferably consisting predominantly of 60 to 100% type 316 stainless steel powder mixed with pure iron powder ranging from 40% by weight to zero. The powder material initially includes graphite powder ranging from about 0.2% to 2% by weight. The powder material is compressed into a casing mold to a molded density ranging from about 0.21 to about 0.24, perferably 0.23 of a pound per cubic inch. The molded powder is sintered in an inert atmosphere at a temperature ranging from about 1500 to about 1700, preferably 1600.degree. F. for a time sufficient to unite the molded powder into a brittle porous frangible casing. During sintering, the graphite powder vaporizes and escapes whereby porosity and frangibility are imparted to the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: BEI Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard V. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5189252
    Abstract: Environmentally improved alternatives to lead shot are provided that overcoat a lead coat with a chemically inert polymer bonded thereto by heating lead shot coated with the polymer above the melting point of the lead shot, or by substituting for lead a combination of dense metal and light metal, and either a core/coating bimetallic sphere relationship or a matrix of light metal provided with powder of a heavy metal embedded therein. The composite shot exhibits a density similar to that of lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Safety Shot Limited Partnership
    Inventors: John Huffman, John Shannon
  • Patent number: 5187325
    Abstract: There is described a cylindrical bullet or projectile having imbedded coaxially in lead or like bullet metal, a internal expansion control insert of copper or like bullet-jacketing metal. The insert has a cylindrical outer surface having a common cylindrical interface with the outer portion of the bullet. The inner surface of the insert has a star-shaped configuration constituted by lead-filled, axially-disposed, V-shaped channels the apices of which are adjacent the outer surface of the insert and the sides of which flare out symmetrically about radii to an intercept with the hollow core of the bullet which extends from a position at or near the base of the bullet as a cylindrical surface to a position at or near the nose of the bullet whereupon it extends on an inverted, frusto-conical surface to the nose-end of the bullet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Inventor: Geary L. Garvison
  • Patent number: 5183963
    Abstract: A two part projectile having a nose piece or slug (1) and a tail piece or jacket (6). The slug (1) is lead alloy and includes a cylindrical shank (3) at its trailing end. The jacket (6) has a cylindrical bore which fits over, and is permanently attached to, the shank (3). The jacket (6) is of plastics material which insulates the lead slug (1) from the heat of the burning propellent and slides easily along the bore of the gun without leaving deposits. The jacket (6) remains fixed to the slug (1) during the entire flight of the projectile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Inventors: Stephen C. Beaufils, Alfonso Latella
  • Patent number: 5164538
    Abstract: Aerodynamical air foil surface and subsurface expressions and/or impressions of varied geometrics, angles of attack, heights and depths, comprising part of a projectile surface itself to create McClain effect molecular friction/pressure/temperature reaction flight control surfaces which automatically achieve in all fluids and velocities of flight self-stabilizing spin and rotation, increased height of trajectory with corresponding enhancement of range and distance, kinetic energies, inducing smooth laminar boundary layer flows, substantially decreasing drag effects, synergistically combined to constitute a major technological improvement in performance of all projectiles. Projectile having plurality rotatable sections with aerodynamic air foil surfaces provides self-stabilized spin projectile with sections rotating in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Twenty-First Century Research Institute
    Inventor: McClain III, Harry T.
  • Patent number: 5162607
    Abstract: A reinforced sub-caliber kinetic energy penetrator comprises an elongated solid cylindrical hard metal body having a plurality of circumferential channels in said surface of said body. A plurality of circumferential reinforcing bands are swaged into the channels in the body to mechanically interlock the bands and said body together. The reinforcing bands stiffen the penetrator during impact with a target at oblique angles and enhance the target penetration and after armor effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventor: Edwin G. Steiner
  • Patent number: 5158509
    Abstract: An improved fin stabilized projectile including multiple stabilizer fins upon a stabilizer unit situated at the aft end of the projectile is provided, the improvement wherein the stabilizer fins are joined into the stabillizer unit by an injection molded engineering grade polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Larry R. Ebaugh, Collin P. Sadler, Gary D. Carter
  • Patent number: 5151558
    Abstract: An article of ammunition including a projectile-forming insert, wherein a supporting member which is constituted from a foam material is interposed between the insert and a structural component. The foam material possesses, at least in the region bordering against the insert, a density of at most 200 kg/m.sup.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: Diehl GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Karl Rudolf, Gunter Lehrieder
  • Patent number: 5149913
    Abstract: The expanding bullet assembly incorporates a bullet head which incorporates an axial borehole extending from the rear of the bullet head towards the tip but not reaching the tip. The bullet head can incorporate longitudinal serrations or grooves and/or circumferential grooves which aid in separation upon impact. The borehole receives a shaft made of brass, copper or other metal harder than the leaden bullet. The shaft (or pin) extends from the back of the bullet and is connected to an inertial fragmenter, which is separated somewhat from the bullet head. The fragmenter can have tapered or sloped sides adjacent the back of the bullet for wedging into and forcing apart the fragments of the bullet. The bullet head can be round, pointed or hollow pointed. The shaft end near the bullet tip can alternatively be an integral expanded shaft tip having the shape of a sphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Inventor: Steven Y. Arakaki
  • Patent number: H1235
    Abstract: Improved armor-piercing projectile of either caliber or saboted, subcaliber esign for effectively penetrating and destroying a fast moving, armored target. The improved projectile is generally comprised of a dome-shaped nose, a fragmentable hollow body of thimble-like configuration, and an integrated base-plug and fuse device. The hollow body is advantageously made up of a heavy metal, preferably either a tungsten alloy or depleted uranium, having a predetermined density of at least eleven grams per cubic centimeter (11.0 gm/cc). The interior of the hollow body is filled with a suitable high energy explosive material. The improved projectile, by reason of its hollow body, not only exhibits an improved ballistic coefficient as compared to previous projectile designs, but also maintains a substantially more uniform velocity throughout its effective range so as to strike a target in shorter time and with greater momentum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Michael C. Canaday