PROJECTILE

• US 20110023743A1
• Filed: 05/21/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Inventors: HEITMANN, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,413,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/476
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/16 in combination with an additional projectile or charge, acting successively on the target see also F42B12/625
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/22 with fragmentation-hull construction

Abstract

The invention relates to a projectile (1) having a projectile casing (3) in which an explosive charge (8), surrounded by a fragmentation casing, (9) is disposed, wherein the fragmentation casing (9) is fixed to the projectile casing (3), and the projectile (1) comprises a first ignition unit (11) adjacent to the explosive charge (8) disposed to the rear for igniting the explosive charge (8). The projectile (1) may be selectively used as a fragmentation projectile or as a projectile whose effect is due to pressure waves resulting from explosion of the explosive charge (8) due to an ejection charge (15), and the explosive charge (8) is axially displaceable relative to the fragmentation casing (9), which allows the explosive charge (8) to slide out of the projectile casing (3) at least far enough so that the explosive charge cannot act on the fragmentation casing (9) to fragment it.

Claims

1. A projectile comprising:

(a) a projectile casing in which an explosive charge is arranged, wherein the explosive charge is surrounded by a fragmentation casing;

(b) a first ignition device disposed adjacent to the explosive charge and at a rear of the projectile, wherein the first ignition device is operably connected to ignite the explosive charge, wherein

the explosive charge is supported in the projectile casing so that the explosive charge is displaceable in an axial direction towards the rear of the projectile; and

(c) an ejection charge is situated in the projectile casing, wherein the ejection charge is configured and arranged in the projectile casing so that after ignition of the ejection charge, propellant gases developing due to ignition of the ejection charge effect a pushing of the explosive charge at the rear of the projectile and out of the fragmentation casing so that ignition of the explosive charge does not rip the fragmentation casing apart and hurl high speed fragments.

2. A projectile according to claim 1, wherein first ignition device operates in a first mode and in a second mode, wherein in the first mode the first ignition device operates to ignite the explosive charge without prior activation of the ejection charge, and in the second mode the first ignition devices operates to ignite the explosive charge only after activation of the ejection charge and a complete pushing-out of the explosive charge from the fragmentation casing that occurs due to propellant gases developed due to activation of the ejection charge.

3. A projectile according to claim 1, wherein the first ignition device is temperature-controlled.

4. A projectile according to claim 1, wherein the fragmentation casing is securely connected to the projectile casing.

5. A projectile according to claim 1, wherein the projectile casing and the fragmentation casing are connected to one another by several steel grooved pins arranged so as to be uniformly distributed over a circumference or the projectile casing and or the fragmentation casing.

6. A projectile according to claim 1, wherein the explosive charge and the first ignition device are connected to one another in a non-positive manner and form a unit.

7. A projectile according to claim 6, wherein the explosive charge includes a metal jacket that is connected to the first ignition device in a non-positive manner.

8. A projectile according to claim 6, wherein the ejection charge is arranged in an annular cavity that surrounds an outside of the fragmentation casing, and wherein the unit comprising the explosive charge and the first ignition device has a radially protruding annular surface on which propellant gases developing after ignition of the ejection charge act, wherein the first ignition device includes a housing, and the radially protruding annular surface is a surface of the housing.

9. A projectile according to claim 8, wherein the radially protruding annular surface is on a front side of the first ignition device facing the explosive charge.

10. A projectile according to claim 1, wherein the projectile is a fin-stabilized tank projectile having a caliber≧

100 mm.

11. A projectile according to claim 1, wherein the projectile has two warheads arranged axially one behind the other in the projectile casing, wherein a first warhead is located at the rear of the projectile and is a fragmentation warhead provided with the explosive charge.

12. A projectile according to claim 11, where the second warhead is a hollow charge warhead.

13. A projectile according to claim 2, wherein the ignition device is temperature-controlled.

14. A projectile according to claim 2, wherein the fragmentation casing is securely connected to the projectile casing.

15. A projectile according to claim 3, wherein the fragmentation casing is securely connected to the projectile casing.

16. A projectile according to claim 7, wherein the ejection charge is arranged in an annular cavity that surrounds an outside of the fragmentation casing, and wherein the unit comprising the explosive charge and the first ignition device has a radially protruding annular surface on which propellant gases developing after ignition of the ejection charge act, wherein the first ignition device includes a housing, and the radially protruding annular surface is a surface of the housing.

17. A projectile according to claim 16, wherein the radially protruding annular surface is on a front side of the first ignition device facing the explosive charge.

18. A projectile according to claim 11, wherein the second warhead is located in front of the first warhead, and the second warhead is a hollow charge warhead, and the projectile further comprises a second ignition device operably connected to ignite the second warhead.