Identifiable bullet and method for manufacturing the same

• US 5,698,816 A
• Filed: 06/03/1996
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boeing North American Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Boeing North American Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Roxby, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TUDOR, HAROLD JAY
• Application Number:
  US08/660,218
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 102/293, 102/430, 102/439, 102/501, 102/506-510, 102/513-518, 29/1.2-1.23
• US Class Current: 102/516
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/36 for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/025 characterised by the dimension of the case or the missile

Abstract

The identifiable bullet includes a jacket having sidewalls and a rear base; a bullet core contained within the jacket, the bullet core comprising a rear end; and, an identification member positioned between the rear base and the rear end. The invention provides an inexpensive method to add identification members to bullets that will remain legible following cartridge discharge, bullet impact and post firing environments.

Claims

1. An identifiable bullet, comprising:

a jacket comprising sidewalls and a rear base;

a bullet core contained within said jacket, said bullet core comprising a rear end; and

an identification member positioned between said rear base and said rear end.

2. The identifiable bullet of claim 1, wherein said jacket and said bullet core each have a circular cross-section and said identification member comprises a thin disk marked with identification data.

3. The identifiable bullet of claim 1, further including adhesive material applied between said identification member and said jacket for affixing said identification member to said jacket during fabrication to prevent undesired movement of said identification member prior to containment of said bullet within said jacket.

4. The identifiable bullet of claim 1, wherein said identification member is initially slightly wider than said jacket so that it is pressed into position within said jacket and secured therein during fabrication of said bullet to prevent undesired movement of said identification member prior to containment of said bullet core within said jacket.

5. The identifiable bullet of claim 1, further including a protective insert, which is inserted between said identification member and said bullet core to protect any identification data on said identification member therebetween.

6. The identifiable bullet of claim 1, further including a protective insert, which is inserted between said identification member and said jacket to protect any identification data on said identification member therebetween.

7. The identifiable bullet of claim 1, wherein said identification member comprises a metallic label.

8. The identification bullet of claim 1, wherein said identification member comprises a label, which has been marked with a laser.

9. The identification bullet of claim 1, wherein said identification member comprises a non-metallic label, which has been marked with a laser.

10. The identification bullet of claim 1, wherein said identification member comprises a fabric material label, which contains printed information.

11. The identification bullet of claim 1, wherein said identification member comprises a fabric material label, which contains information which has been stitched or embroidered onto the material.

12. The identification bullet of claim 1, wherein said identification member comprises a paper label, which contains printed information.

13. The identification bullet of claim 1, wherein said identification member comprises tabs to facilitate punching.

14. The identifiable bullet of claim 1, wherein said identification member comprises identification data comprising a machine-readable matrix symbol.

15. The identifiable bullet of claim 1, wherein said identification member comprises identification data comprising human readable information.

16. A method for making an identifiable bullet, comprising:

securing a jacket having side walls and a rear base in a desired position within a holding fixture;

placing an identification member over an opening in said jacket;

punching the identification member through said opening into a desired position against a said rear base of said jacket; and

inserting and securing a bullet core within said jacket so that the identification member is positioned between the rear base of the jacket and a rear end of the bullet core.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a protective insert is inserted into said jacket adjacent to said identification member prior to insertion of said bullet core.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said identification member comprises tape including tabs to facilitate punching.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said identification member comprises perforations for facilitating punching.