Expandable bullet

• US 4,665,827 A
• Filed: 12/24/1985
• Issued: 05/19/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: J&W Industries
• Original Assignee: Robert K. Ellis II
• Inventors: Ellis, Robert K. II
• Primary Examiner(s): TUDOR, HAROLD JAY
• Application Number:
  US06/813,251
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 102/501, 102/514-516, 102/517-519, 102/507-510
• US Class Current: 102/510
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/34 expanding before or on impact, i.e. of dumdum or mushroom type

Abstract

A bullet is described having a series of slits disposed along the length thereof about the circumference of the bullet and through to a cavity disposed in the front of the bullet through the center. The cavity is comprised of three sections and is adopted to hold a screw having a generally tapered profile. The rear end of the bullet is provided with a cavity which balances the bullet longitudinally and provides a volume to permit the rear portion of the bullet to expand when the screw is threaded therethrough.

When the bullet is fired and strikes a target, the rotation of the bullet as a result of the rifling causes the screw to thread its way through the bullet thereby expanding the bullet along its slits into a fan-like configuration. The expanded bullet, and the whirling of the blades formed by the screw increases the destructive power of the bullet.

Claims

1. A bullet comprising:

a generally cylindrically-shaped body having a cavity disposed in the front end thereof, said cavity comprising a tapered front end adapted to mate with the head of a screw;

a centrally disposed cylindrical portion having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the threads of said screw at the largest cross-section thereof;

a narrow portion near the rear end of said bullet having a diameter sufficiently narrow to secure the threads of said screw therein;

fault lines disposed in said body between said cavity and the exterior surface of said body, said fault lines extending from the front end of said body to a predetermined position along the length thereof;

a cavity disposed in the rear end of said body such that said bullet is substantially balanced at the midpoint along its longitudinal axis;

a screw disposed in said cavity with the head of said screw disposed adjacent the tapered portion of said cavity;

whereby when said bullet is fired from a firearm and strikes a target, said screw is threaded through said body such that said body expands in a fan-like manner to form blades out of the body from adjacent fault lines.

2. The bullet of claim 1 wherein said fault lines comprise slits through the body of said bullet.

3. The bullet of claim 2 wherein said slits are disposed along approximately two-thrids of the length of the bullet.

4. The bullet of claim 3 wherein said slits comprise four slits symetrically disposed about said body.

5. The bullet of claim 1 wherein said rear cavity comprises a single indentation.

6. The bullet of claim 1 wherein said rear cavity comprises a circular indentation having an inner diameter approximating the diameter of said narrow portion of said front cavity.

7. The bullet of claim 1 wherein said bullet is jacketed.

8. The bullet of claim 1 wherein said bullet has a flat front end.

9. The bullet of claim 1 wherein said body is formed of a material having a greater density than the material forming said screw.

10. The bullet of claim 9 wherein said body comprises lead.

11. The bullet of claim 10 wherein said body comprises a lead alloy of selected rigidity such that said bullet expands at a predetermined rate upon impacting a target.

12. The bullet of claim 11 wherein said bullet comprises slits along the length thereof, said slits being approximately two-thirds of the length of said bullet.