Auto-segmenting spherical projectile

• US 10,323,918 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2015
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polywad, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Polywad, Inc.
• Inventors: Menefee, III, James Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morgan, Derrick R
• Application Number:
  US15/329,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20170211918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,424 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/48 Range-reducing, destabilising or braking arrangements, e.g. impact-braking arrangements; Fall-retarding means, e.g. balloons, rockets for braking or fall-retardingF42B10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/34 expanding before or on impact, i.e. of dumdum or mushroom type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/367 Projectiles fragmenting upon impact without the use of explosives, the fragments creating a wounding or lethal effect practice or training projectiles disintegrating upon impact F42B8/14; projectiles of high-explosive type with fragmentation-hull construction F42B12/22
• 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 7/046 Pellets or shot therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 7/10 Ball or slug shotgun cartridges

Abstract

Described are spherical projectiles such as used in birdshot, buckshot, or single ball spherical projectiles, including slugs, muzzle loading projectiles, or any close-to-bore diameter projectile, that is auto-segmenting or self-segmenting upon impact with a target. The projectile or shot disclosed herein retains its shape and structure during flight until impact with soft tissue, whereupon its individual sections separate or segment in a controllable manner, each portion of the projectile imparting or depositing a high amount energy to the tissue and target. The auto-segmenting spherical projectiles can be frangible or non-frangible. This disclosure also provides cartridges such as shotshells that are loaded with the projectiles described herein.

Claims

1. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile, the projectile comprising:

a) two solid hemispherical segments, each comprising a solid circular face oriented toward the center of the spherical projectile, a circular edge, and an uninterrupted hemispherical surface; and

b) a connecting element having a thickness solidly attached between the centers of each solid circular face, wherein the two hemispherical segments and the connecting element are monolithic, wherein the thickness of the connecting element is less than the diameter of each solid circular face; and

wherein the solid circular faces are spaced apart by the connecting element.

2. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the connecting element is less than the distance from the circular edge of each hemispherical segment to the connecting element.

3. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the connecting element is greater than or equal to the distance from the circular edge of each hemispherical segment to the connecting element.

4. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the composition of the connecting element is the same as the composition of the hemispherical segments.

5. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the composition of the connecting element is the different from the composition of the hemispherical segments.

6. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the spherical projectile comprises birdshot, buckshot, or spherical slugs.

7. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the spherical projectile comprises a frangible material.

8. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the spherical projectile comprises a non-frangible material.

9. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the spherical projectile comprises lead, steel, bismuth, tungsten, tin, iron, copper, zinc, aluminum, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, cobalt, manganese, antimony, alloys thereof, or composites thereof.

10. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the spherical projectile is lead-free.

11. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the circular edge of each hemispherical segment is chamfered.

12. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the projectile is prepared by a compacted powder process.

13. A cartridge comprising at least one auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1.

14. An auto-segmenting spherical projectile according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element is column-shaped.