Ammunition and weapon systems

• US 3,913,445 A
• Filed: 11/02/1973
• Issued: 10/21/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Andrew J. Grandy
• Original Assignee: Andrew J. Grandy
• Inventors: Grandy, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bentley, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US05/412,063
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 89/35R,35A 102/38,40,43,86.5
• US Class Current: 89/35.01
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/045 of telescopic type F42B5/184 takes precedence

Abstract

A weapon system employing encapsulated ammunition in which the pressure chamber, located axially rearward of the projectile, is longitudinally or axially offset from but in fluid communication with the propellant capsule chamber. This permits use of ammunition rounds having reduced length for given characteristics of prior rounds, resulting in lightest weight and improved bulk characteristics for the ammunition as well as associated weapon systems. This ammunition concept is adaptable to recoilless, partially recoilless and closed breech ballistic systems in a variety of arrangements.

Claims

1. A cluster of ammunition capsules comprising, a plurality of ammunition capsules each provided with an elongated longitudinally extending cylindrical chamber having a forward barrel portion for slidaby receiving a corresponding projectile and a pressure chamber portion aligned with and rearward of its barrel portion, adjacent ones of said ammunition capsules being integrally connected, a respective propellant capsule chamber integral with aNd laterally offset from each corresponding elongated chamber, each of said forward barrel portions being laterally spaced from longitudinally extending portions of its corresponding propellant chamber by a respective capsule wall portion, each of said capsules having means defining a forwardly opening recess between each barrel portion and its corresponding propellant chamber, each of said recess defining means including respective capsule portions of each of its corresponding cylindrical chamber, porpellant chamber and capsule wall portion, each of said propellant chambers having a closed forward end extending across and integral with the forwardmost longitudinally extending portions of the corresponding propellant chamber, each of said capsules having metering orifice means for fluidly communicating each capsule propellant chamber with its corresponding pressure chamber, each of said metering orifice means being partially defined by its corresponding capsule wall portion, and a primer carried by each of said ammunition capsules for igniting respective capsule propellant charges.

2. The cluster of ammunition capsules according to claim 1 wherein each propellant chamber has a transverse section of substantially rectangular configuration.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the transverse sections are of substantially square configuration.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein each propellant chamber has a transverse section of substantially triangular configuration.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein each propellant chamber is of substantially cylindrical configuration.

6. The cluster in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said metering orifice means is a necked down passage interconnecting one of said capsule propellant chambers and its corresponding pressure chamber.

7. The structure in accordance with claim 6 wherein each propellant chamber has a transverse section of substantially rectangular configuration.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein each transverse section is of substantially square configuration.

9. The structure of claim 6 wherein each propellant chamber has a transverse section of substantially triangular configuration.

10. The structure of claim 6 wherein each propellant chamber is of substantially cylindrical configuration.

11. The cluster in accordance with claim 6 wherein each primer is carried by its corresponding propellant chamber.

12. The structure of claim 1 wherein each of said metering orifice means is positioned rearward of its corresponding capsule wall portion.

13. The structure in accordance with claim 12 wherein each propellant chamber has a transverse section of substantially rectangular configuration.

14. The structure of claim 13 wherein each transverse section is of substantially square configuration.

15. The structure of claim 12 wherein each propellant chamber has a transverse section of substantially triangular configuration.

16. The structure of claim 12 wherein each propellant chamber is of substantially cylindrical configuration.

17. The structure of claim 1 wherein a rearward wall of each pressure chamber portion has a pre-formed weakened section for use with a recoil vent in breech means of a recoilless system.

18. The structure of claim 1 wherein each pressure chamber portion has means spaced from its corresponding primer for rearwardly exhausting operatively developed pressure gas therefrom.

19. The cluster of ammunition capsules according to claim 1 wherein the cluster includes an annular linking member having peripherally recessed concave surface portions receiving respective ones of said capsules.

20. The cluster of ammunition capsules according to claim 1 wherein the cluster includes means linking adjacent ones of said capsules.

21. The cluster of ammunition capsules according to claim 1 wherein the cluster includes a plurality of clip members linking successive adjacent capsules.

22. The structure of claim 21 wherein each clip Member has a substantially straight common portion and upper and lower groups of alternately disposed loop portions, the loops of one of said groups embracing corresponding capsule elongated chambers and the loops of the other group embracing the corresponding capsule propellant chambers.

23. The structure in accordance with claim 22 wherein each group of loop portions includes at least one pair of longitudinally spaced loops.