Apparatus and method for identifying ammunition

• US 20050005806A1
• Filed: 07/09/2003
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ammunition Coding System, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ammunition Coding System, LLC
• Inventors: Ford, Russell H., Mace, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 7,143,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/430
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 35/00 Testing or checking of ammunition apparatus for measuring the energy of projectiles G01L5/14
• 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

Abstract

The present invention is directed to identifying ammunition. In one embodiment, an identifiable ammunition cartridge includes a bullet having a first identification surface, a casing having a second identification surface, and an identifying code positioned on at least one of the first and the second identification surfaces. In another embodiment, a method for identifying ammunition includes selecting a first code portion and a second code portion, and combining the first code portion with the second code portion to form an identifier that may be applied to the ammunition. In still another embodiment, a method for tracking ammunition having an identifier includes storing the identifier and a corresponding identity of a first custodian in a data storage system, transferring the ammunition to a second custodian, associating the ammunition identifier with an identity of the second custodian, and storing the identity corresponding to the second custodian in the data storage system.

Claims

1. An identifiable ammunition cartridge for a firearm, comprising:

a projectile having a first identification surface;

a casing that is coupled to the projectile that includes a second identification surface; and

an identifier positioned on at least one of the first and the second identification surfaces, the identifier further including a code comprised of a plurality of optically identifiable characters, the plurality of optically identifiable characters comprising a combination of alphanumeric characters, the code being identically and repetitively applied to the identification surfaces.

2. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the first identification surface further comprises a base portion of the projectile.

3. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second identification surface further comprises an external rim portion of the casing.

4. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second identification surface further comprises a web portion of the casing.

5. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the code further comprises a code prefix and a code body.

6. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 5, wherein the code prefix ranges from at least one character to three identical characters, and the code body includes at least four characters.

7. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the projectile comprises a mass of generally spherically-shaped pellets, further comprising a wad positioned within the casing having a third identification surface, wherein the identifier is positioned on the third identification surface.

43. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the code is selected from characters available on a standard keyboard.

44. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the code comprises at least four characters selected from a 256 character set.

45. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is formed in identifiable rows and are staggered so that the code does not form identifiable columns.

46. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the identifier occupies substantially all of the surface area of the identification surface that the identifier is applied to.

8. A method of identifying an ammunition article having at least one component, comprising:

selecting a first code portion;

selecting a second code portion;

combining the first code portion with the second code portion to form a code; and

forming an identifier on the at least one component of the ammunition article by repetitively applying the code to the at least one component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting a first code portion further comprises selecting at least one to three identical characters.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting a second code portion further comprises selecting at least four characters.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting a second code portion further comprises selecting a combination of alphanumeric characters.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting a second code portion further comprises selecting at least four characters from a group comprised of characters available on a standard keyboard.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting a second code portion further comprises selecting at least four characters from a 256 character set.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein combining the first code portion with the second code portion further comprises combining the first code portion and the second code portion to form an identifier that repeats a predetermined number of times.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein forming an identifier on the at least one component of the ammunition article by repetitively applying the code to the at least one component further comprises forming the identifier so that the first code portion and the second code portion are formed in identifiable rows and are staggered so that the first code portion and the second code portion do not form identifiable columns.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein forming an identifier on the at least one component of the ammunition article further comprises embossing the identifier on the at least one component of the ammunition article.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein forming an identifier on the at least one component of the ammunition article further comprises stamping the identifier on the at least one component of the ammunition article.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein forming an identifier on the at least one component of the ammunition article further comprises photo-engraving the identifier on the at least one component of the ammunition article.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein forming an identifier on the at least one component of the ammunition article further comprises forming the identifier on a base portion of a bullet.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein forming an identifier on the at least one component of the ammunition article further comprises forming the identifier on at least one of an external rim portion of a casing and a web portion of the casing.

21. A method for tracking ammunition having a pre-selected identifier, comprising:

storing the identifier and a corresponding identity of a first custodian of the ammunition in a data storage system;

transferring the ammunition to a second custodian;

associating the identifier with an identity corresponding to the second custodian; and

storing the identity corresponding to the second custodian in the data storage system.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein storing the identifier and a corresponding identity of a first custodian includes storing the identity of a manufacturer of the ammunition.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein associating the identifier with an identity corresponding to the second custodian further comprises:

establishing the identity of the second custodian by reviewing personal identification produced by the second custodian; and

recording the information produced by the second custodian in the data storage system.

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

packaging a plurality of the ammunition having the pre-selected identifier in a sealed container; and

positioning the identifier on an exterior portion of the sealed container.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein positioning the identifier on an exterior portion of the sealed container further includes encoding the identifier onto a machine readable label.

26. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

accessing the data storage system; and

determining the identity corresponding to the second custodian based upon the identifier on the ammunition.

27. An identifiable ammunition cartridge for a firearm, comprising:

a projectile;

a casing that is coupled to the projectile that includes a first identification surface, wherein the first identification surface comprises a web portion of the casing; and

an identifier positioned on the first identification surface, the identifier further including a code comprised of a plurality of optically identifiable characters, the code being identically and repetitively applied to the first identification surface.

28. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 27, wherein the projectile comprises a second identification surface and wherein the identifier is positioned on the second identification surface, the identifier further including a code comprised of a plurality of optically identifiable characters, the code being identically and repetitively applied to the second identification surface.

29. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 27, wherein the first identification surface further comprises an external rim portion of the casing.

30. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 27, wherein the code further comprises a code prefix and a code body.

31. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 30, wherein the code prefix ranges from at least one character to three identical characters, and the code body includes at least four characters.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the code is selected from characters available on a standard keyboard.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the code comprises at least four characters selected from a 256 character set.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the identifier is formed in identifiable rows and are staggered so that the code does not form identifiable columns.

35. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 27, wherein the projectile comprises a mass of generally spherically-shaped pellets, further comprising a wad positioned within the casing having another identification surface, wherein the identifier is positioned on the another identification surface.

36. An identifiable ammunition cartridge for a firearm, comprising:

a projectile comprising a mass of generally spherically-shaped pellets;

a casing that is coupled to the projectile;

a wad positioned within the casing; and

an identifier positioned on at least one of the projectile, casing, and wad, the identifier further including a code comprised of a plurality of optically identifiable characters, the code being identically and repetitively applied to the identification surfaces.

37. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 36, wherein the identifier is positioned on an external rim portion of the casing.

38. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 36, wherein the code further comprises a code prefix and a code body.

39. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 36, wherein the code prefix ranges from at least one character to three identical characters, and the code body includes at least four characters.

40. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 36, wherein the code is selected from characters available on a standard keyboard.

41. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 36, wherein the code comprises at least four characters selected from a 256 character set.

42. The identifiable ammunition cartridge according to claim 36, wherein the identifier is formed in identifiable rows and are staggered so that the code does not form identifiable columns.