Plastic composite sabot

• US 4,735,148 A
• Filed: 02/05/1987
• Issued: 04/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Holtzman, Allen L., Goodson, Forest R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TUDOR, HAROLD JAY
• Application Number:
  US07/014,200
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 102/520-528, 102/532
• US Class Current: 102/522
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 14/064 Sabots enclosing the rear end of a kinetic energy projectile, i.e. having a closed disk shaped obturator base and petals extending forward from said base

Abstract

A plastic composite sabot (1) includes an integrally molded rearwardly located deformable shoulder (6) which engages the grooves (10) in a rifled barrel (7). The sabot also includes mid and forward sections (4) and (5) which engage the lands (11) in the rifled barrel, and, an axially disposed projectile retaining chamber (13). An obturator (17), attached by pins to the sabot, drives the sabot and projectile through the barrel on firing. Utilizing a unitary plastic composite sabot substantially lessens manufacturing costs and increases projectile stability while reducing overall weight, thereby optimizing projectile velocity and accuracy while minimizing costs.

Claims

1. In a subcaliber projectile assembly which includes a sabot, a projectile disposed within said sabot and a rearwardly located obturator, wherein said assembly is fireable through a rifled barrel, the improvement characterized by:

said sabot comprising a generally cylindrical unitary body made from a moldable plastic, said body having an outside diametric surface which provides engagement of said body with the lands of said rifled barrel, said sabot further including a rearwardly located radially deformable shoulder, diametrically sized to provide engagement thereof with the grooves of said rifled barrel, and including means for attaching said obturator to said body at a rearward section thereof, said means comprising pin insertion passages provided within said body, and pin means, said obturator having pin receptacles dipsosed therein for receiving said pin means, said obturator engaging said projectile solely at its rearward base, said sabot having a projecitle retaining chamber axially disposed within said body, essentially matching the contours of said projectile disposed therein, said sabot further including a forward section of reduced diameter for retaining said projectile within said sabot, said projectile substantially but not completely embedded within said body, said projectile sidewall solely supported by said sabot, whereby a solid, void free assembly is formed which maintains the axial and lateral stability of said projectile, said sabot being separably manufacturable for later incorporation with said projectile and said obturator.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the body includes forwardly located integrally molded weakening structures.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said structures comprise slots.

4. The sabot of claim 1 wherein said moldable platic provides sufficient handling strength while simultaneously being sufficiently weak to insure immediate destruction into small particles on discharge from a gun.