Versatile nonelectric dearmer

• US 4,957,027 A
• Filed: 10/02/1989
• Issued: 09/18/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Cherry, Christopher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/415,758
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 89/1.1, 89/1.14, 86/50
• US Class Current: 89/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 9/0046 Disruptors, i.e. for neutralising explosive devices
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/062 by high-pressure water jet means

Abstract

A versatile, dearmer using small arms cartridges that is low cost, may be usable, and can employ various types of destructive projectiles including water, clay, shot and steel slugs. A novel feature is a shock tube firing circuit which, when combined in a multiple barrel embodiment, produces multiple projectiles with a high degree of firing simultaniety.

Claims

1. A versatile dearmer using small arms cartridges comprising:

a barrel having a receiver sized to receive a small arms cartridge and a muzzle end; and

a housing to stabilize and hold said barrel in stable firing position; and

a mechanical firing circuit comprised of a piston shaped on one end as a firing pin slidably mounted in a tubular guide operatively positioned to fire a small arms cartridge loaded in the receiving end of said barrel; and

an unspecified length of shock tube to initiate movement of the piston in said mechanical firing circuit; and

an initiator to initiate energy transfer in said unspecified length of shock tube.

2. A dearmer according to claim 1 wherein said barrel is sized to receive a commercial shotgun shell.

3. A dearmer according to claim 1 wherein said barrel is sized to receive a commercial 38 special/357 magnum pistol cartridge.

4. A dearmer according to claim 1 wherein said mechanical firing circuit is operatively sized to fire a military 50 caliber small arms cartiridge.

5. A dearmer according to claim 1 wherein said shock tube initiator is a military M-60 fuse lighter.

6. A dearmer according to claim 1 wherein said housing is constructed of wood.

7. A dearmer according to claim 6 further defined by a metal plate mounted on said housing on the end supporting the muzzle end of said barrel in such a manner as to provide recoil support to the firing end of said barrel.

8. A dearmer according to claim 6 whrein said wood housing is rectangular in shape and has barrel mounting holes to support a barrel in axial alignment with said housing.

9. A dearmer according to claim 8 wherein the barrel alignment holes are offset from the axial alignment of said wood housing whereby the elevation of said barrel would be controlled by selecting which of the four sides of said housing supported the device when the device was placed in operating position.

10. A dearmer according to claim 9 wherein the small arms cartridge loaded in said barrel is a modified shotgun shell firing a cylinder of modeling clay instead of shot.

11. A dearmer according to claim 9 wherein said barrel is sized to receive a 12-gauge commercial shotgun cartridge.

12. A dearmer according to claim 11 further defined by a pair of liquid sealing rings mounted in said barrel in a manner whereby a liquid is trapped within the barrel to act as a water projectile when the device is fired.

13. A dearmer according to claim 12 wherein said liquid sealing rings are closed cell plastic.

14. A versatile dearmer using small arms cartridges comprising:

a plurality of barrels having receiver ends operatively sized to receive a particular caliber or gauge of small arms cartridge and firing ends; and

a housing for each of said barrels to stabilize and hold the firing ends of said barrels in firing position toward an improvised explosive device to be dearmer, and

a shock tube initiated firing circuit operatively mounted in firing proximity to the receiver ends of each of said barrels; and

a shock tube connector capable of connecting said plurality of barrels to a single section of shock tube; and

a shock tube initiator to initiate energy transfer in said single section of shock tube.

15. A versatile dearmer according to claim 14 further defined by projectiles operatively spaced within each of said barrels whereby firing of the cartridges in the receiving end of said barrels causes the projectiles to accelerate and exit the firing ends of said barrels.

16. A dearmer according to claim 14 wherein said shock tube connector is operatively mounted so that the shock tube connecting said shock tube connector and said barrels are substantially the same length to provide a high degree of firing simultaniety between said barrels.

17. A versatile dearmer comprising:

a rectangular wooden housing having a breach and receiving end, each containing a barrel support hole in axial alignment with the opposing hole; and

a barrel operatively sized to receive a 12-gauge shotgun shell having a breach end and a firing muzzle end operatively mounted within said wooded housing; and

a shotgun shell disposed within the breach end of said barrel; and

a breech cap containing a center hole threadably attached to the breech end of said barrel to urgingly retain the 12-gauge shotgun shell in firing position within said barrel; and

a shock tube initiated mechanically operated firing device threadably attached to the hole in said breech cap; and

a length of shock tube having an initiation end, and a firing end attached to said firing device; and

a shock tube initiator attached to the initiator end of said shock tube to initiate energy transfer in said length of shock tube.

18. A dearmer according to claim 17 further defined by a washer sealingly mounted between said breech cap and said barrel.

19. A dearmer according to claim 17 wherein said shock tube initiated mechanically operated firing device is comprised of a piston sliding down a cylinder to enter the hole within said breech cap thereby striking the shotgun shell a firing blow.