High density projectile

• US 5,877,437 A
• Filed: 09/16/1996
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Victor C. Oltrogge
• Original Assignee: Victor C. Oltrogge
• Inventors: Oltrogge, Victor C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jenkins, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/713,090
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 102/448, 102/501, 102/517, 75/245, 75/228
• US Class Current: 75/228
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/00 Metallic powder; Treatment of metallic powder, e.g. to facilitate working or to improve properties
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/065 Spherical particles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/148 Agglomerating
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2009/0808 Mechanical dispersion of melt, e.g. by sieves
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2202/01 Use of vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2207/01 Composition gradients
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/00 Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 9/08 by casting, e.g. through sieves or in water, by atomising or spraying using electric discharge B22F9/14
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/74 of the core or solid body
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 7/046 Pellets or shot therefor

Abstract

Numerous products can be formed by combining a low melting matrix made up of one or more metals and high melting, high density metal particles and wherein the products can be formed by adding the high density particles to a molten matrix metal and casting same, mixing powders of all the metals together, compacting and sintering at a temperature in the low end of the melting range of the matrix alloy, or by mixing the high density particles into a paste of the matrix alloy and molding. These methods and compositions are particularly adaptable for use in forming low or non-toxic high density projectiles, such as, shot, bullets and pellets having a density comparable to that of lead while avoiding problems of toxicity associated with the use of lead.

Claims

1. A lead-free projectile of a selected density, comprising a composite structure consisting of at least one sintered low melting point metal having a density less than that of said selected density and at least one high melting point metal powder having a density greater than that of said selected density, said metal powder(s) being distributed throughout said low melting point metal(s) in discrete form and being present in sufficient quantities to form said projectile.

2. An article of manufacture according to claim 1, said mixture of said low melting point metal(s) and said metal powder(s) being in the form of generally spherical shotgun pellets in which said selected density is approximately equal to that of lead.

3. An article of manufacture according to claim 1, said metal powder(s) selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tantalum, iridium, osmium, rhenium, gold and alloys thereof.

4. An article of manufacture according to claim 1, said low melting point metal(s) consisting of bismuth and tin, said bismuth being present in a major proportion by weight to that of said tin, and said metal powder composed of tungsten which is present in an amount sufficient to raise the density level of said article to that of said selected density.

11. An article of manufacture according to claim 1, said one sintered metal consisting of bismuth and tin, and said metal powder composed of tungsten which is present in an amount sufficient to raise the density level of said article to at least as great as that of lead.

15. An article of manufacture according to claim 4, said article being in the form of a spherical pellet having an increased concentration of said metal powder(s) on one side of said article.

17. An article of manufacture according to claim 1 wherein said low melting point metal(s) is composed of bismuth and tin, and said metal powder is composed of tungsten.

18. An article of manufacture according to claim 17 wherein said tin is present in a major proportion by weight to that of said bismuth.

5. An article of manufacture comprising a composite structure consisting of at least one low melting point matrix metal having a density less than that of lead and at least one high melting point metal powder having a density greater than that of lead, said metal powder(s) being distributed throughout said matrix metal(s) in discrete form and being present in sufficient quantities to form an article of manufacture of a selected density;

wherein said at least one low melting point matrix metal(s) is selected from the group consisting of tin, antimony, zinc, indium, bismuth, copper, silver, arsenic, aluminum, cadmium, selenium, and calcium.

6. An article of manufacture according to claim 5, said metal powder(s) selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tantalum, iridium, osmium, rhenium, gold and alloys thereof.

7. An article of manufacture according to claim 5, said projectile being in the form of a pellet having a generally spherical end and a conical tail portion.

8. An article of manufacture according to claim 7, including fins on said conical tail, said high density metal powder(s) distributed throughout said pellet including said fins.

9. An article of manufacture according to claim 8, including a pair of fins in diametrically opposed relation to one another, said fins including trailing edges.

10. An article of manufacture according to claim 9, said trailing edges angled in opposite directions away from an imaginary plane passing through said fins whereby to impart aerodynamic spin to said pellet.

12. A non-toxic high density projectile comprising a composite structure including at least one low melting point matrix metal having a density less than that of lead and at least one high melting point metal powder having a density greater than that of lead, said metal powder(s) being distributed throughout said matrix metal(s) in discrete form and being present in sufficient quantities to form a projectile of a selected density;

and wherein said projectile has an increased concentration of said metal powder(s) on one side thereof.

13. A non-toxic high density article of manufacture of a selected density comprising a composite structure including at least one low melting point matrix metal having a density less than said selected density and at least one high melting point metal powder having a density greater than said selected density, said metal powder(s) being distributed throughout said matrix metal(s) in discrete form and being present in sufficient quantities to form an article of manufacture having a density equal to that of said selected density;

and wherein said at least one low melting point matrix metal(s) is selected from the group consisting of tin, antimony, zinc, indium, bismuth, copper, silver, aluminum, selenium and calcium.

14. An article of manufacture according to claim 13, said metal powder(s) selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tantalum, iridium, osmium, rhenium, gold and any alloy of one of said group.

16. An article of manufacture comprising a composite structure of a selected density consisting of at least one low melting point matrix metal having a density less than that of the selected density and at least one high melting point metal powder having a density greater than that at the selected density, said matal powder(s) being distributed throughout said matrix metal(s) in discrete form and being present in sufficient quantities to form an article of manufacture of the selected density;

and wherein said at least one low melting point matrix metal(s) is selected from the group consisting of tin, antimony, zinc, indium, bismuth, copper, silver, arsenic, aluminum, cadmium, selenium and calcium.