Lead-free frangible bullets and process for making same
DCFirst Claim
1. A frangible bullet comprising at least 60 percent by weight copper and manufactured by pressing a copper-containing powder in a die to form a pressed powder compact and subsequently sintering said pressed powder compact, wherein said sintering is partially impeded either(i) by the addition of a frangibility effecting additive to said powder, or(ii) through control of density of said pressed powder compact, or(iii) through control of sintering temperature, or sintering time, orany combination of the above;
- so as to produce a bullet capable of fragmenting upon impact with a target.
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Abstract
The invention relates to bullets having increased frangibility (or which can be easily fragmented) and to materials and processes for the manufacture of such bullets. The bullets of the present invention are typically made from copper or copper alloy powders (including brass, bronze and dispersion strengthened copper) which are pressed and then sintered under conditions so as to obtain bullets with the desired level of frangibility. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the bullets also contain several additives that increase or decrease their frangibility.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. A frangible bullet comprising at least 60 percent by weight copper and manufactured by pressing a copper-containing powder in a die to form a pressed powder compact and subsequently sintering said pressed powder compact, wherein said sintering is partially impeded either
(i) by the addition of a frangibility effecting additive to said powder, or (ii) through control of density of said pressed powder compact, or (iii) through control of sintering temperature, or sintering time, or any combination of the above; - so as to produce a bullet capable of fragmenting upon impact with a target.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 56, 57, 58)
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39. A method of making a frangible bullet which comprises pressing a powder containing at least 60 percent by weight copper in a die to form a pressed powder compact and subsequently sintering said pressed powder compact, wherein said sintering is partially impeded either
(i) by the addition of a frangibility effecting additive to said powder, or (ii) through control of density of said pressed powder compact, or (iii) through control of sintering temperature, or sintering time, or any combination of the above; - so as to produce a bullet capable of fragmenting upon impact with a target.
- View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
- 49. A powder useful for manufacturing a frangible item by pressing in a die and subsequently sintering, said powder comprising at least about 60 percent by weight copper and a frangibility effecting additive selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a solid lubricant, a nitride, a carbide, a boride, and combinations thereof.
Specification