Method of making a primer insert for use in polymer ammunition

• US 10,352,664 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2018
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velocity Holdings LLC (Centerpoint Energy Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Velocity Holdings LLC (Centerpoint Energy Incorporated)
• Inventors: Burrow, Lonnie
• Primary Examiner(s): Bergin, James S
• Application Number:
  US15/911,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20180224253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 102469, 102470, 86 195, 86 198
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/108 Mixtures obtained by warm mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/10 Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/004 Filling molds with powder feeding material to presses in general B30B15/302
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/10 Sintering only
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/1021 Removal of binder or filler removal of binder from ceramics C04B35/638
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/1025 not by heating only
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/225 by injection molding
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/00 Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the special shape of the product
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/06 of threaded articles, e.g. nuts
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 9/04 starting from solid material, e.g. by crushing, grinding or milling C22C1/1084 takes precedence; crushing, grinding or milling, in general, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B02C
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/64 Burning or sintering processes C04B33/32 takes precedence ; powder metallurgy B22F
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/0458 Alloys based on titanium, zirconium or hafnium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 14/00 Alloys based on titanium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 33/0257 characterised by the range of the alloying elements
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 33/0285 with Cr, Co, or Ni having a minimum content higher than 5%
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/02 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/04 containing manganese
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/18 containing chromium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/42 with copper
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/44 with molybdenum or tungsten
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/48 : with niobium or tantalum
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/58 : with more than 1.5% by weight of manganese
• 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 33/02 : Filling cartridges, missiles, or fuzes; Inserting propellant or explosive charges F42B33/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/04 : Fitting or extracting primers in or from fuzes or charges F42B33/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/02 : Cartridges, i.e. cases with charge and missile
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/025 : characterised by the dimension of the case or the missile
• 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 19/0807 : characterised by the particular configuration of the transmission channels from the priming energy source to the charge to be ignited, e.g. multiple channels, nozzles, diaphragms or filters
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/0823 : Primers or igniters for the initiation or the propellant charge in a cartridged ammunition primers for caseless ammunition F42C19/085
• 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

One embodiment of the present invention provides a polymeric ammunition cartridge and methods of making and using the same. The cartridge includes a substantially cylindrical insert connected to a substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body. The substantially cylindrical insert includes a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a substantially cylindrical coupling element that extends from the bottom surface, a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface, a primer flash hole positioned in the primer recess to extend through the bottom surface, and a flange that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the top surface. The substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body includes a substantially cylindrical polymeric bullet-end and a substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end connected by a powder chamber, wherein the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end extends over the substantially cylindrical coupling element and covers a circumferential surface of the primer flash hole.

Claims

1. A method of making a metal primer insert for a polymeric ammunition cartridge comprising the steps of:

providing an insert blank for machining;

machining a top surface on the insert blank;

machining a flange that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the top surface;

machining an outer channel adjacent to the flange that extends circumferentially about the insert blank, wherein the outer channel is adapted to receive a polymer overmolding;

machining a substantially cylindrical coupling element that extends from the outer channel to a coupling tip, wherein the substantially cylindrical coupling element includes an inner coupling element surface that extends from the coupling tip to a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface is opposite the top surface, wherein the substantially cylindrical coupling element is adapted to receive the polymer overmolding;

machining a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface;

machining a primer flash aperture in the primer recess through the bottom surface; and

machining a groove in the primer recess around the primer flash aperture adapted to receive the polymer overmolding.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the primer flash aperture is larger than a flash hole in a metal ammunition cartridge of the same caliber.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the primer flash aperture is larger than a flash hole in a metal ammunition cartridge of the same caliber to allow polymer overmolding into the primer flash aperture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal primer insert is a 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, .223, 308, 338, 3030, 3006, and .50 caliber primer insert.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal primer insert is a 380 caliber, 38 caliber, 9 mm, 10 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 45 caliber and the like.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the insert blank is a metal, an alloy, or a ceramic alloy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the insert blank is stainless steel or brass.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the insert blank is a 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.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the insert blank is a Ti6Al4V.