Method of charging a container with an energetic material

• US 20070184219A1
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard Johnson
• Original Assignee: Richard Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,565,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/34.100
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/0207 Processes for loading or filling propulsive or explosive charges in containers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of charging at least one container, such as a tube, with an energetic material. The method comprises the step of reducing a pressure of a fluid in an interior portion of the or each container. The method also comprises the step of positioning the energetic material at a position that is exterior to the or each container and at which a pressure is higher than in the interior portion of the or each container in a manner such that a suction results which sucks the energetic material into the interior portion of the or each container and thereby charges the or each container with the energetic material.

Claims

1. A method of charging at least one container with an energetic material, the method comprising:

reducing a pressure of a fluid in an interior portion of the or each container,

positioning the energetic material at a position that is exterior to the or each container and at which a pressure is higher than in the interior portion of the or each container in a manner such that a suction results which sucks the energetic material into the interior portion of the or each container and thereby charges the or each container with the energetic material.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of reducing the pressure in an interior portion of the or each container comprises reducing the pressure in the entire interior of the or each container.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 3 wherein the fluid is air.

4. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each container is filled with the energetic material.

5. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the step of reducing the pressure in the interior portion of the or each container comprises evacuating the interior portion of the or each container.

6. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein charging of the or each container is supported by gravity.

7. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein charging of the or each container is supported by vibrating the or each container.

8. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each container is a tube.

9. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the step of reducing the pressure in the interior portion of the or each container comprises removing at least a portion of the fluid from an interior portion of a receptacle in which the or each container is positioned.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein more than ten tubes are positioned in the receptacle.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein more than one hundred tubes are positioned in the receptacle.

12. The method as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11 comprising the step of opening the receptacle after it has been evacuated so as to allow the energetic material to be sucked into the interior portion of the or each container positioned in the receptacle.

13. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising the step of guiding the energetic material into an opening of the or each container using a guiding portion positioned adjacent the opening of the or each container.

14. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the energetic material is a powder.

15. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the energetic material is provided in form of granules.

16. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the energetic material is an emulsion.

17. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the energetic material is a water gel.

18. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the step of positioning the energetic material is followed by increasing a pressure in a volume in which the energetic material is positioned.

19. A method of fabricating at least one container charged with an energetic material, the method comprising charging the or each container using the method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

20. A container charged with an energetic material being fabricated the method as claimed in claim 19.

21. An apparatus for charging at least one container with an energetic material, the apparatus comprising:

a receptacle having at least one opening and being arranged to receive the or each container,

a closure for closing the or each opening of the receptacle, and

a vacuum pump for evacuating an interior portion of the receptacle,

wherein the apparatus is arranged so that, the receptacle is opened after the receptacle has been evacuated, a resultant suction charges the or each container with the energetic material.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the receptacle is arranged so that a plurality of tubes can be positioned in the interior of the receptacle.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 or 22 arranged so that gravity facilitates charging of the containers.

24. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23 comprising a guiding portion having at least one aperture arranged for positioning adjacent a respective opening of the or each container so that the energetic material is guided into the or each opening when the or each container is charged with the energetic material.

25. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 24 comprising a vibrating portion which is arranged to vibrate the or each container in the receptacle and thereby facilitates dense packaging of the energetic material in the or each container.

26. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 25 wherein the receptacle is pivotably connected to a loading container which is arranged for loading the energetic material.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein receptacle is moveable between a horizontal position and a vertical position.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27 wherein the loading container has a bottom portion which comprises an opening and a closure for the opening and the apparatus is arranged so that, when the receptacle is moved from the horizontal position to the vertical position, the bottom portion of the loading container moves over an upper portion of the receptacle.

29. A method of charging at least one container with an energetic material, the method comprising:

providing a supply of a flowable energetic material subjected to a first pressure,

reducing a pressure of a fluid in an interior of the or each container below the first pressure thereby creating a pressure differential between the supply and the interior,

opening a fluid communication path between the supply and the interior of the or ach container

whereby the energetic material flows from the supply to the or each container by virtue of the pressure differential.