Kinetic energy, impact-separated, follow-through ungula penetrator

• US 4,085,678 A
• Filed: 04/25/1977
• Issued: 04/25/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Heincker, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tudor, Harold
• Application Number:
  US05/790,647
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 102/92.1-92.7, 102/52
• US Class Current: 102/519
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/06 with hard or heavy core; Kinetic energy penetrators F42B12/16, F42B12/74 take precedence

Abstract

An air dropped penetrator or projectile for a gun, (herein referred to as the munition), adapted for use in fracturing and penetrating a hard concrete target or a similar highly resistant target. In the most basic and generic form, the munition includes: a forward kinetic energy penetrator section, an aft follow-through ungula-shaped penetrator section, and a frangible intermediate section in the form of a tube which releasably interconnects the forward section and the aft section, thereby forming an integrated munition. Upon impact of the munition on the target, the frangible intermediate section breaks, thereby separating from the forward and aft sections, and also separating the forward and aft sections. The forward section fractures the concrete target and penetrates it; and, the aft section follows-through the fractured and penetrated target. Unlike the prior art, separation of this munition into its constituent sections is accomplished without the use of any explosive/propellant to initiate and to cause separation.

Claims

1. A munition, adapted for use in penetrating a hard concrete target, comprising:

a. a forward section having a fore end, and a cylinderlike aft end of preselected diameter and in the structural form of an ungula having a rear surface inclined at a predetermined angle;

b. an aft section comprising;

(1) a threaded, cylinder-like fore end of the same diameter as said aft end of said forward section, and in the structural form of an ungula having a front surface inclined complementary to said inclined rear surface of said aft end of said forward section;

(2) a closed openable aft end that is finned;

(3) a cavity having a mouth, with said mouth located at said closed openable aft end;

(4) and, a plug threadedly connected to said closed openable aft end for selectively closing and opening said aft end;

c. and, a hollow cylinder-like frangible intermediate section interposed between, and releasably interconnecting, said forward section and said aft section, wherein said intermediate section has;

(1) a first open end into which said aft end of said forward section is press fitted;

(2) a second open end, threaded complementary to said threaded fore end of said aft section, into which the said threaded fore end of said aft section is threadedly fitted;

(3) and, an external surface with two horizontal grooves therein, with said grooves oppositely disposed in parallel-spaced relationship;

whereby said forward section, said aft section, and said interconnecting intermediate section are integrated to form a single cylinder-like configurated munition;

and, whereby upon impact of said forward section with said hard concrete target, said intermediate section breaks along said grooves and separates from said forward section and also from said aft section, and said forward section fractures the hard concrete target and makes a penetration therein and therethrough, and thereafter said aft section passes into and through said fractured and penetrated hard concrete target.