Cartridge casing

• US 10,209,042 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Inventors: Baxter, James Edward, Stubbs, Joshua Matthew, Rowe, Nathan William
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdosh, Samir
• Application Number:
  US15/516,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20170307343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 102464
• CPC Class Codes: B21K 21/04 Shaping thin-walled hollow articles, e.g. cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/00 Manufacture of ammunition; Dismantling of ammunition; Apparatus therefor F42B5/188 takes precedence; manufacturing processes for hollow charges F42B1/036; manufacture of blasting cartridge initiators F42B3/195
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/001 Devices or processes for assembling ammunition, cartridges or cartridge elements from parts
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/285 formed by assembling several elements
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/29 wound from sheets or strips
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/307 formed by assembling several elements

Abstract

A cartridge casing comprises a casing tube having a first end and a head cap. The first end of the casing tube abuts and is joined with the head cap such that an orifice in the first end of the casing tube is aligned with a passage in the head cap to define a flash passage. The head cap and casing tube are held together by a deformable member.

Claims

1. A cartridge casing comprising:

a casing tube including a metal or a metal alloy, the casing tube having a turn at a first end to provide a corner edge with an arcuate cross-section, wherein walls of the casing tube turn at the corner edge to define the first end of the casing tube; and

a head cap provided with an integral shoulder edge;

wherein the first end of the casing tube abuts and is joined with the head cap such that the corner edge of the casing tube sits within the shoulder edge of the head cap;

wherein an orifice in the first end of the casing tube is aligned with a passage in the head cap to define a flash passage; and

wherein the head cap and casing tube are held together by a deformable member which provides a mechanical joint between the head cap and casing tube.

2. The cartridge casing of claim 1 wherein the deformable member is provided with at least one deformable region which is deformable between:

a first shape in which the deformable member may extend between the casing tube and head cap during assembly; and

a second shape which fixes the casing tube and head cap together.

3. The cartridge casing of claim 1 wherein the deformable member is integrally formed with the head cap.

4. The cartridge casing of claim 1 wherein the deformable member extends through the passage in the head cap and through the first end orifice to thereby define the flash passage.

5. The cartridge casing of claim 1 wherein a seal material is provided between first end of the casing tube and head cap.

6. The cartridge casing of claim 1 wherein the first end of the casing tube comprises a ring shaped corrugation which encircles the orifice.

7. The cartridge casing of claim 1 wherein:

the first end of the casing tube has a flat base and comprises a ring shaped corrugation which encircles the orifice; and

the corrugation extends from the base in a direction away from the head cap to define an annular gap between the casing tube base and head cap.

8. The cartridge casing of claim 1 wherein the cartridge casing is configured for use in a rifled barrel of a gun or firearm.

9. The cartridge casing of claim 1 wherein the walls of the casing tube define a chamber configured to contain a pressure of up to 500 MPa.

10. A cartridge comprising a projectile mounted to the cartridge casing of claim 1.

19. The cartridge casing of claim 1, wherein the shoulder edge of the head cap surrounds the corner edge of the casing tube when the first end of the casing tube is seated on the head cap.

20. The cartridge casing of claim 1 wherein the casing tube consists only of the metal, the metal alloy, or both the metal and the metal alloy.

21. The cartridge casing of claim 1 wherein each of the casing tube, the head cap, and the deformable member consist only of the metal, the metal alloy, or both the metal and the metal alloy.

11. A method of manufacturing a cartridge casing, the method comprising:

forming a casing tube including a metal or a metal alloy by a first process, the casing tube having a turn at a first end to provide a corner edge with an arcuate cross-section, wherein walls of the casing tube turn at the corner edge to define the first end of the casing tube;

forming a head cap by a second process, the head cap provided with an integral shoulder edge; and

joining the casing tube and head cap by third process, such that the first end of the casing tube abuts and is joined with the head cap such that the corner edge of the casing tube sits within the shoulder edge of the head cap, wherein an orifice in the first end of the casing tube is aligned with a passage in the head cap to define a flash passage, and wherein the head cap and casing tube are held together by a deformable member which provides a mechanical joint between the head cap and casing tube.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first process comprises:

providing a sheet of material; and

deforming the sheet of material into a substantially cylindrical tube such that the cylindrical tube is closed at the first end and open at a second end opposite to the first end; and

providing an orifice in the first end.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the third process comprises:

providing a deformable region on the head cap configured to pass through the orifice in the first end of the casing tube; and

deforming the deformable region to fix the casing tube and head cap together.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the third process comprises:

providing a deformable member which extends through the orifice in the first end of the casing tube and the head cap passage;

deforming the deformable member to fix the casing tube and head cap together.

15. A cartridge casing comprising:

a casing tube including a metal or a metal alloy, the casing tube having a turn at a first end to provide a corner edge with an arcuate cross-section, the casing tube comprising a single wall, wherein the single wall of the casing tube turns at the corner edge to define the first end of the casing tube; and

a head cap provided with an integral shoulder edge, wherein the first end of the casing tube abuts and is joined with the head cap such that the corner edge of the casing tube sits within the shoulder edge of the head cap, and such that an orifice in the first end of the casing tube is aligned with a passage in the head cap to define a flash passage; and

wherein the head cap and casing tube are held together by a deformable member; and

wherein the deformable member extends through the passage in the head cap and through the first end orifice to thereby define the flash passage, which provides a mechanical joint between the head cap and casing tube.

16. The cartridge casing of claim 15 wherein:

the first end of the casing tube has a flat base and comprises a ring shaped corrugation which encircles the orifice; and

the corrugation extends from the base in a direction away from the head cap to define an annular gap between the casing tube base and head cap.

17. The cartridge casing of claim 15 wherein the cartridge casing is configured for use in a rifled barrel of a gun or firearm.

18. A cartridge comprising a projectile mounted to the cartridge casing of claim 15.