Three-piece primer insert having an internal diffuser for polymer ammunition

• US 10,041,777 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2018
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velocity Holdings LLC (Centerpoint Energy Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: True Velocity, Inc.
• Inventors: Burrow, Lonnie
• Primary Examiner(s): Morgan, Derrick R
• Application Number:
  US15/922,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20180224258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 145 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/30 of plastics , i.e. the cartridge-case tube is of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/307 formed by assembling several elements
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/313 all elements made of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/083 characterised by the shape and configuration of the base element embedded in the cartridge bottom, e.g. the housing for the squib or percussion cap

Abstract

The present invention provides a three piece primer insert for use in polymer ammunition comprising: an upper primer insert portion comprising an upper primer bottom surface, an upper primer aperture through the upper primer bottom surface, a groove positioned around the upper primer aperture, wherein the groove is adapted to receive a polymer overmolding and a substantially cylindrical coupling element extending away from the upper primer bottom surface; a middle primer insert portion comprising a middle aperture and positioned in contact with the upper primer bottom surface and adjacent to the groove, wherein the middle aperture is smaller than the upper primer aperture; and a lower primer insert portion in contact with the middle primer insert portion comprising a lower primer bottom surface in contact with the middle primer insert portion and opposite a lower primer top surface, a primer recess in the lower primer top surface that extends toward the lower primer bottom surface and adapted to fit a primer, a lower aperture through the lower primer bottom surface, wherein the lower aperture is smaller than the middle aperture.

Claims

1. A three piece primer insert for use in polymer ammunition comprising:

an upper primer insert portion comprising an upper primer bottom surface, an upper primer aperture through the upper primer bottom surface, and a substantially cylindrical coupling element extending away from an upper primer top surface;

a groove formed by the difference in diameter between the upper primer aperture and a middle primer aperture, wherein the groove is adapted to receive a polymer overmolding;

a middle primer insert portion comprising the middle aperture and an upper joint of the middle primer insert portion positioned in contact with the upper primer bottom surface and adjacent to the groove, wherein the middle aperture is smaller than the upper primer aperture; and

a lower primer insert portion in contact with the middle primer insert portion comprising a lower primer bottom surface in contact with a lower joint of the middle primer insert portion and opposite a lower primer top surface, a primer recess in the lower primer top surface that extends toward the lower primer bottom surface and adapted to fit a primer, a lower aperture through the lower primer bottom surface, wherein the lower aperture is smaller than the middle aperture.

2. The three piece primer insert of claim 1, wherein the upper primer insert portion, the middle primer insert portion, the lower primer insert portion or a combination thereof are formed independently by metal injection molding, polymer injection molding, stamping, milling, molding, machining, punching, fine blanking, smelting, or any other method that will form insert portions that may be joined together to form a primer insert.

3. The primer insert of claim 1, wherein the upper primer insert portion, the middle primer insert portion, the lower primer insert portion are riveted, locked, friction fitted, coined, snap fitted, chemical bonded, adhesive bonded, chemical welded, soldered, smelted, fused, melted, sintered, laser welded, ultrasonic welded, friction spot welded, or friction stir welded.

4. The three piece primer insert of claim 1, wherein the upper primer insert portion, the middle primer insert portion, the lower primer insert portion or a combination thereof independently comprises a polymer, a metal, an alloy, or a ceramic alloy.

5. The three piece primer insert of claim 4, wherein the upper primer insert portion, the middle primer insert portion, the lower primer insert portion or a combination thereof comprise the same material or different materials.

6. The three piece primer insert of claim 1, wherein the upper primer insert portion, the middle primer insert portion, the lower primer insert portion or a combination thereof comprise different polymers, different metals, different alloys, or different ceramic compositions.

7. The three piece primer insert of claim 1, wherein the upper primer insert portion comprises a polymer, a metal, an alloy, or a ceramic alloy.

8. The three piece primer insert of claim 1, wherein the middle primer insert portion comprises a polymer, a metal, an alloy, or a ceramic alloy.

9. The three piece primer insert of claim 1, wherein the lower primer insert portion comprises a polymer, a metal, an alloy, or a ceramic alloy.

10. The three piece primer insert of claim 1, wherein the upper primer insert portion, the middle primer insert portion, the lower primer insert portion or a combination thereof are independently comprise steel, nickel, chromium, copper, carbon, iron, stainless steel or brass.

11. The three piece primer insert of claim 1, wherein the upper primer insert portion, the middle primer insert portion, the lower primer insert portion or a combination thereof comprise 102, 174, 201, 202, 300, 302, 303, 304, 308, 309, 316, 316L, 316Ti, 321, 405, 408, 409, 410, 415, 416, 416R, 420, 430, 439, 440, 446 or 601-665 grade stainless steel or Ti6Al4V.

12. The three piece primer insert of claim 1, wherein the upper primer insert portion, the middle primer insert portion, the lower primer insert portion or a combination thereof are independently comprises:

(a) 2-16% Ni;

10-20% Cr;

0-5% Mo;

0-0.6% C;

0-6.0% Cu;

0-0.5% Nb+Ta;

0-4.0% Mn;

0-2.0% Si and the balance Fe;

(b) 2-6% Ni;

13.5-19.5% Cr;

0-0.10% C;

1-7.0% Cu;

0.05-0.65% Nb+Ta;

0-3.0% Mn;

0-3.0% Si and the balance Fe;

(c) 3-5% Ni;

15.5-17.5% Cr;

0-0.07% C;

3-5.0% Cu;

0.15-0.45% Nb+Ta;

0-1.0% Mn;

0-1.0% Si and the balance Fe;

(d) 10-14% Ni;

16-18% Cr;

2-3% Mo;

0-0.03% C;

0-2% Mn;

0-1% Si and the balance Fe;

(e) 12-14% Cr;

0.15-0.4% C;

0-1% Mn;

0-1% Si and the balance Fe;

(f) 16-18% Cr;

0-0.05% C;

0-1% Mn;

0-1% Si and the balance Fe;

(g) 3-12% aluminum, 2-8% vanadium, 0.1-0.75% iron, 0.1-0.5% oxygen, and the remainder titanium;

or

(h) 6% aluminum, about 4% vanadium, about 0.25% iron, about 0.2% oxygen, and the remainder titanium.

13. The three piece primer insert of claim 1, further comprising an extraction flange that extends circumferentially about the lower primer top surface.