Projectile

• US 4,379,531 A
• Filed: 10/15/1979
• Issued: 04/12/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John R. Manis
• Original Assignee: John R. Manis
• Inventors: Manis, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Application Number:
  US06/084,735
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 42/76, 42/78, 102/92, 102/92.1, 102/92.2, 102/92.3, 102/92.4, 102/92.6, 102/92.7, 102/501, 102/514-517, 102/524, 244/3.23, 89/14 D, 89/14 R
• US Class Current: 244/3.23
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 21/00 Barrels; Gun tubes; Muzzle attachments; Barrel mounting means F41A25/00 takes precedence; barrel attachments for firing grenades or riot-control ammunition from smallarms F41C27/06
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 21/18 Grooves-Rifling
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/24 with inclined grooves
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 14/04 Lubrication means in missiles coatings for reducing friction F42B12/82

Abstract

A method of imparting a rotational motion to a projectile in a firearm barrel by flow of propellant gases within surfaces of the rear area of the projectile into pressure relieving chambers opening into the barrel bore along it length, each chamber allowing the propellant gases to impart an impulse to the rotational motion of the projectile, the projectile seals the bore past each chamber to prevent the escape of propellant gases so that the full volume of the gas is retained to propel the projectile until it leaves the barrel; and after the projectile has left the barrel the rear surfaces act with atmospheric air flow to increase tangential drag to reduce the effect of gyroscopic spin overstabilizing forces to provide increased range and accuracy.

Claims

1. A firearm projectile, comprising,

a cylindric forward area, and a helicoidal rearward area in the form of a series of helical notches constructed and arranged to completely surround said rearward area, all of said helical notches structure arranged to begin immediately from the adjacent demarcation point of a laterally disposed one of the other of said notches construction.

2. A firearm projectile, comprising,

means of construction and arrangement of a forward area of a calibre proper for sealing propellant gases within the confines of a firearm barrel'"'"'s bore, and

means of construction and arrangement of a helicoidal rearward area of the said projectile for turning propellant gases traveling along said rearward helicoidally constructed area to impart a twist to the said projectile with the turned said gases staying before, during, and after unvented to the free outside atmosphere.

3. A firearm projectile, comprising,

means of construction and arrangement of a helicoidal rearward area of low relative air pressure to effect increased rotative aerodynamic drag in free flight substantially tangentially opposed to the circle of rotation of the projectile below the speed of sound, and

means of construction and arrangement of a high air pressure lateral wall adjacent to the helicoidal side which rotatively impinges on the transitional flow of the airstream causing aerodynamic drag in cooperation with the said helicoid side.

4. A firearm projectile comprising, in combination

means on the projectile for transitionally actuating expansive impulse flow of propellant gases along its rearward area, and

means on the projectile responsive to the foregoing means for imparting, from the impulse flow of propellant gases, a rotational motion to the projectile'"'"'s forward movement, and

obturating means on the projectile for preventing escape of all significant expansion of any part of the column of propellant gases to the free outside atmosphere.

5. A firearm projectile comprising, in combination

means on the projectile for transitionally actuating intermittent transitory impulse flows of propellant gases expansively along its rearward area, and

means on the projectile responsive to the foregoing means for imparting, from the impulse flow of propellant gases, a rotational motion to the projectile'"'"'s forward movement, and

obturating means on the projectile for preventing escape of all significant expansion of any part of the column of propellant gases to the free outside atmosphere.

6. A firearm projectile comprising, in combination

means on the projectile for transitionally actuating intermittent transitory impulse flows of propellant gases expansively along its rearward area,

whereby, a series of helicoidally notched areas constructed and arranged to completely surround the rearward area of the projectile are responsive to the foregoing means for imparting rotational movement to the projectile'"'"'s forward motion, and

obturating means on the projectile for preventing escape of all significant expansion of any part of the column of propellant gases to the free outside atmosphere.

7. A firearm projectile comprising, in combination

means on the projectile for transitionally actuating intermittent transitory impulse flow of propellant gases expansively along its rearward area,

whereby, a series of helicoidally notched areas constructed and arranged to completely surround the rearward area of the projectile are responsive to the foregoing means for imparting rotational movement to the projectile'"'"'s forward motion, and

obturating means on the projectile for preventing escape of all significant expansion of any part of the column of propellant gases to the free outside atmosphere, and,

means of construction and arrangement of the projectile'"'"'s structure functioning, in free flight, to cause increased aerodynamic rotative drag significantly opposed to the circle of rotation of the projectile, in the free atmosphere, below the speed of sound.

8. A method of imparting a rotational motion to a projectile in a firearm barrel by flow of propellant gases within the surface of a rear area of the projectile and increasing its forward velocity when fired along the bore in which the projectile acts as an obturator, wherein propellant gases under static pressure in the bore and acting on the rear area of the projectile are subjected to a partial sudden limited relief of static pressure, into a relatively low pressure and temperature captive environment of a pressure relieving expansion chamber opening into the bore wall forwardly of the point of maximum propellant gas pressure, at the instant when the bearing surface of the projectile has initially passed the chamber opening in the bore wall, whereupon the transiently accelerated bore gases are turned by the projectile to which said bore gases give up some of their momentum absorbed from the column of high pressure gases in the bore to thereby effect rotation of the projectile and increases its forwarded velocity, the gases in said captive environment thereafter turbulently receding rearwardly of the projectile to become a part again of the column of gases in the bore and the residual energy of the gases in said captive environment not absorbed by the projectile or barrel becoming a part of the total energy in the column of gases in the bore, the method including the steps of repeating said partial sudden limited relief of column static pressure into subsequent expansion chambers to thereby recycle said residual energy which, together with the energy in the column of gases, causes transitory increases in projectile rotation and forwarded velocity by converting more of the static pressure of the gases in the column into dynamic pressure at the projectile which thereby absorbs and stores kinetic energy from the column of gases while in the barrel for free flight purposes, and the method including the steps when the projectile in free flight below the speed of sound, atmospheric air flow within the surface of the rear area of the projectile increases and the rear area then functions to increase aerodynamic drag tangentially opposed to the circle of rotation of the projectile significantly coordinated with its decreasing forward velocity to thereby reduce the effect of gyroscopic spin overstabilizing forces acting along the projectile'"'"'s longitudinal axis whereby the angle of attack of the projectile, when traveling a long distance through the atmosphere, is significantly controlled in coordination with the curve of the projectile'"'"'s trajectory to thereby provide increased range and greater accuracy to the target.