Propellant system
First Claim
1. A propellant load arrangement for a munition cartridge having a longitudinal axis and having an internal volume for accommodating a ballistic projectile and propellant material comprising:
- (a) a plurality of relatively flat shaped slab segments of propellant material assembled face to face in an ordered arrangement, the faces of the segments of the arrangement being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge case and generally configured to occupy the available propellant volume of the cartridge; and
(b) each of said slab segments of the ordered arrangement further having an outer peripheral geometry being generally shaped to accommodate the corresponding cartridge casing interior geometry and each of said slab segments of the ordered arrangement, where necessary, further having a shaped central interior recess opening of a geometry accommodating the corresponding geometry of any interfering internal cartridge element and any required projectile exterior geometry.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A propellant load arrangement for a large caliber ammunition cartridge case accommodating a ballistic projectile includes a plurality of relatively flat shaped segments of propellant assembled face to face in an ordered arrangement. The faces of the segments of the arrangement are optionally parallel or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge case and essentially occupy the entire available propellant volume of the case. The outer peripheral geometry of each segment of the ordered arrangement is shaped to match the corresponding cartridge casing interior geometry and each segment of the ordered arrangement also has a shaped central interior recess opening as required of a geometry matching the corresponding geometry of any interfering internal cartridge part and any projectile geometry present. Relatively cool-burning segments can be combined with relatively hot-burning segments in stratified arrangements to provide a cooler boundary layer and reduce tube erosion.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A propellant load arrangement for a munition cartridge having a longitudinal axis and having an internal volume for accommodating a ballistic projectile and propellant material comprising:
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(a) a plurality of relatively flat shaped slab segments of propellant material assembled face to face in an ordered arrangement, the faces of the segments of the arrangement being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge case and generally configured to occupy the available propellant volume of the cartridge; and (b) each of said slab segments of the ordered arrangement further having an outer peripheral geometry being generally shaped to accommodate the corresponding cartridge casing interior geometry and each of said slab segments of the ordered arrangement, where necessary, further having a shaped central interior recess opening of a geometry accommodating the corresponding geometry of any interfering internal cartridge element and any required projectile exterior geometry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of providing propellant for a large caliber munition cartridge case accommodating a ballistic projectile comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an ordered series including a plurality of relatively flat slabs disposed face to face in an ordered arrangement, the faces of the slabs being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge case; (b) shaping the outer peripheral geometry of each slab correspond to adjacent cartridge case interior surface geometry; (c) providing and shaping a central interior opening as required in each serially ordered slab of a geometry similar to accommodate the corresponding geometry of any internal cartridge elements and the corresponding external geometry of the projectile; and (d) stacking the propellant slabs in the cartridge case in the ordered sequence. - View Dependent Claims (8, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
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9. A propellant load arrangement for a large caliber munition cartridge having a longitudinal axis and having an internal volume for accommodating a ballistic projectile and an amount of propellant material, said propellant material comprising:
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(a) a plurality of relatively flat shaped slab segments of propellant material in juxtaposed alignment in an ordered arrangement, the faces of the segments of the arrangement being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge and configured to occupy the available propellant volume of the case; (b) wherein the outer peripheral geometry of each segment of the ordered arrangement is generally shaped to accommodate the corresponding cartridge casing interior geometry and each segment of the ordered arrangement, where necessary, further having a shaped central interior recess opening, as required, of a geometry accommodating the corresponding geometry of any interfering internal cartridge element and any required projectile geometry; and (c) wherein the propellant material includes amounts of relatively hot-burning and relatively cool-burning propellant in stratified form. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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19. A propellant load arrangement for a munition cartridge having a longitudinal axis and having an internal volume for accommodating a ballistic projectile and propellant material comprising:
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(a) a plurality of relatively flat shaped disk segments of propellant material assembled face to face in an ordered arrangement, the faces of the segments of the arrangement being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge case and generally configured to occupy the available propellant volume of the cartridge; (b) each of said disk segments of the ordered arrangement further having an outer peripheral geometry being generally shaped to accommodate the corresponding cartridge casing interior geometry and each of said slab segments of the ordered arrangement, where necessary, further having a shaped central interior recess opening of a geometry accommodating the corresponding geometry of any interfering internal cartridge element and any required projectile exterior geometry; and (c) wherein each of said disk segments is provided with a dense pattern of perforations through the faces thereof for controlling burning progression. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification