Cartridge

• US 6,539,874 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TZN Forshungs-Und Entwicklungszentrum Unterluss GmbH
• Original Assignee: TZN Forshungs-Und Entwicklungszentrum Unterluss GmbH
• Inventors: Weise, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): TUDOR, HAROLD JAY
• Application Number:
  US09/839,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20010032563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 102/430-433, 102/470, 102/472, 102/700, 102/202, 102/202.5, 102/202.7, 102/202.94, 102/202.14
• US Class Current: 102/472
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/08 modified for electric ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/0834 Arrangements of a multiplicity of primers or detonators dispersed within a propellant charge for increased efficiency

Abstract

A cartridge having an electrothermal ignition device, in which, ignition conduits extend axially through a first propellant-charge powder (4) filling a cartridge sleeve (5), with the conduits essentially comprising an electrical wire (11-13) that is guided axially through a tube (14-16) comprising a second propellant-charge powder. Propellant-charge-powder tubes (14-16) comprising an optically transparent propellant-charge powder are used so that even cartridges (1) having a first propellant-charge powder (4) that is difficult to ignite can be ignited rapidly and reliably, requiring the smallest possible quantity of electrical energy.

Claims

1. A cartridge with an electrothermal ignition device comprising:

a cartridge including a combustible sleeve that is at least partially filled with a first propellant-charge powder, and a metal base connected to one end of the sleeve and forming the base of the cartridge;

a high-voltage electrode extending through and insulated from the base;

an electrically-conductive wire, which extends axially through the first propellant-charge powder, having a first end connected to the high-voltage electrode and a second end connected to an electrical contact disposed in a forward region of the combustible sleeve for contact with an inner wall of a gun barrel when the cartridge is fired; and

,

a tube formed of a second propellant-charge powder disposed in the first propellant charge powder along at least an axial portion of the combustible sleeve, and through which the electrically-conductive wire is guided axially with the second propellant-charge powder being an optically transparent propellant-charge powder.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1 including a plurality of tubes and a plurality of said electrically conductive wires extending through respective ones of said tubes and connected between said high voltage electrode and said contact.

3. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the contact is an annular contact extending around the sleeve.

4. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second propellant-charge powder is nitrocellulose powder.

5. The cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the second propellant-charge powder is JA2 propellant-charge powder.

6. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the first propellant-charge powder is N (2-nitroxy)-nitraminethane propellant-charge powder.

7. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the first propellant-charge powder is dinitro-diaza-alkanes propellant-charge powder.

8. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the tube formed of the second propellant-charge powder is provided with a plurality of radial openings that are distributed over the tube length and circumference.

9. The cartridge according to claim 2 wherein at least three of said tubes extend axially through the first propellant-charge powder located in the sleeve, with each said tube having a respective one of said conductive wires extending there through and connected between said high-voltage electrode facing the interior of the sleeve, and to which the wires are connected, is formed as a current distributor.

10. The cartridge according to claim 9, wherein the current distributor is a metal disk.