Ammunition round assembly with combustible cartridge case

• US 6,748,870 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Armtec Defense Products Co. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Armtec Defense Products Co. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mutascio, Enrico R., Heidenreich, Paul D., Krushat, James M., Vladescu, Bogdan I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sukman, Gabriel S.
• Application Number:
  US10/278,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20030167952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 102/430, 102/431, 102/432, 102/465, 102/466, 102/467, 102/700
• US Class Current: 102/431
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/067 Mounting or locking missiles in cartridge cases F42B5/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/18 Caseless ammunition; Cartridges having combustible cases
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/181 consisting of a combustible casing wall and a metal base; Connectors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/307 formed by assembling several elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 102/70 Combustilbe cartridge

Abstract

An ammunition round assembly having a combustible cartridge is provided. In one embodiment, the ammunition round assembly comprises a cartridge body made of a combustible material consumed in combustion upon firing the ammunition round assembly. A base is releasably connected to the cartridge body'"'"'s bottom end portion. A retention member is positioned in a locking groove defined by groove in the cartridge body and the base. A projectile is positioned adjacent to the top end portion of the cartridge body. An attachment sleeve releasably connects the projectile and the cartridge body. The attachment sleeve has a connection member releasably engaging the connection member on the top end portion of the cartridge body. The attachment sleeve is configured to resist longitudinal motion of the projectile relative to the cartridge body until the ammunition round assembly is fired.

Claims

1. An ammunition round assembly fireable from a firing device of a known caliber, comprising:

a cartridge body having top and bottom end portions, the bottom end portion having a first retaining groove therein, the cartridge body being made of a combustible material configured to be consumed in combustion upon firing of the ammunition round assembly from the firing device;

a base connected to the bottom end portion of the cartridge body, the base having a second retaining groove radially adjacent to the first retaining groove, the first and second retaining grooves defining a locking groove between the base and the cartridge body;

a retention member in the locking groove, the retention member engaging the cartridge body and the base and holding the cartridge body and the base together until ammunition round assembly is fired from the firing device;

a projectile coupled to the cartridge body, the projectile having a caliber that substantially matches the caliber of the firing device, the projectile having a retaining portion; and

an attachment sleeve releasably connecting the projectile to the cartridge body, the attachment member having a first connection portion releasably engaging the too end portion of the cartridge body and a second connective portion releasably engaging the retaining portion of the projectile.

2. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the cartridge body has an outer wall surface, and the first retaining groove is formed in the outer wall surface, and the case base has an inner wall surface, and the second retaining groove is formed in the inner wall surface.

3. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second retaining grooves each have a cross-sectional shape of a substantially right triangle.

4. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second retaining grooves have cross-sectional shapes that are substantially mirror images of each other.

5. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the retention member is a radially expandable locking ring.

6. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the retention member is an adhesive member in the locking groove and adhered to the base and the cartridge body.

7. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the locking groove is a first locking groove, and the retention member is a first retention member, the cartridge case and the base include a second locking groove, and further comprising a second retention member in the second locking groove.

8. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the base, the cartridge body, and projectile define a 105 mm armament round.

9. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein an upper portion of the cartridge body has an outer surface and a connection member on the outer surface, and the attachment sleeve extends over the upper portion'"'"'s outer surface, the attachment sleeve having an inner engagement portion releasably engaging the connection member and resisting longitudinal motion of the projectile relative to the cartridge body.

10. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the upper portion of the cartridge body has an outer connection member, and the first connection portion of the attachment sleeve has an inner connection member releasably engaging the outer connection member and configured to resist longitudinal motion of the projectile relative to the cartridge body.

11. The ammunition round assembly of claim 10 wherein the outer connection member is a flange formed in the cartridge body.

12. The ammunition round assembly of claim 10 wherein the inner and outer connection members are inverted, mating flanges.

13. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the retaining portion of the projectile is at least one of a driving band and an obturating band.

14. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment sleeve configured to move with the projectile upon firing of the ammunition round assembly until the projectile exits the firing device.

15. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the projectile has a driving band, and the attachment sleeve is connected to the driving band.

16. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment member is a nonmetallic sleeve.

28. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment sleeve has an integral break portion formed therein adjacent to the projectile and configured to break and allow separation of the attachment sleeve and the projectile after the attachment sleeve and projectile exist the firing device.

29. The ammunition round assembly of claim 28 wherein the break portion is adjacent to an annular groove formed in the attachment sleeve.

30. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment sleeve has a flange portion moveable to a swagged down configuration when the attachment sleeve and projectile travel together as a unit through a barrel of the firing device, and being movable to a radially flared position when the attachment sleeve and the projectile exit the barrel.

31. The ammunition round assembly of claim 30 wherein the attachment sleeve has an annular groove formed therein adjacent to the flange portion, the flange portion being pivotable at the annual groove for movement between the swagged down configuration and the radially flared configuration.

17. An ammunition round assembly fireable through a barrel of a firing device of a known caliber, comprising:

a cartridge body having a top end portion with a first connection member thereon, the cartridge body being made of a combustible material configured to be consumed in combustion upon firing the ammunition round assembly in the firing device;

a projectile positioned adjacent to the top portion of the cartridge body having a caliber that substantially matches the caliber of the firing device; and

an attachment sleeve having a second connection member releasably engaging the first connection member of the cartridge body, the attachment sleeve connected to a portion of the projectile spaced apart from the cartridge body, the attachment sleeve configured to resist longitudinal motion of the projectile relative to the cartridge body.

18. The ammunition round assembly of claim 17 wherein the first connection member is an annular flange formed in the cartridge body.

19. The ammunition round assembly of claim 17 wherein the first and second connection members are inverted mating flanges.

20. The ammunition round assembly of claim 17 wherein the projectile has an annular retaining portion formed therein, the attachment sleeve has a third connection member releasably engaging the annular retaining portion of the projectile.

21. The ammunition round assembly of claim 17 wherein the upper portion of the cartridge body has an outer surface and the first connection member is on the outer surface, and the attachment sleeve has an inner surface with the second connection member formed on the inner surface.

22. The ammunition round assembly of claim 17 wherein the attachment sleeve is a deformable sleeve that travels with the projectile in the barrel when the ammunition round assembly is fired.

23. The ammunition round assembly of claim 17 wherein the first connection member is integrally formed in the upper portion of the cartridge body, and the second connection member is integrally formed in the attachment sleeve.

24. The ammunition round assembly of claim 17 wherein the projectile has a driving band, and the second connection member of the attachment sleeve is releasably connected to the driving band.

25. The ammunition round assembly of claim 17 wherein the attachment sleeve is a nonmetallic sleeve.

32. The ammunition round assembly of claim 17 wherein the attachment sleeve has a flange portion moveable to a swagged down configuration when the attachment sleeve and projectile travel together as a unit through a barrel of the firing device, and being movable to a radially flared position when the attachment sleeve and the projectile exit the barrel.

33. The ammunition round assembly of claim 17 wherein the attachment sleeve has an integral break portion adjacent to the projectile and configured to break and allow separation of the attachment sleeve and the projectile after the attachment sleeve and projectile exist the firing device.

26. An armament system, comprising:

a firing device having a firing chamber and a barrel with a first caliber;

an ammunition round assembly sized to seat in the firing chamber for firing through the barrel, the ammunition round assembly comprising;

a cartridge body having a top end portion with a first connection member thereon, the cartridge body being made of a combustible material configured to be consumed in combustion in the firing chamber upon firing the ammunition round assembly;

a base connected to the cartridge body and being releasably engagable by the firing device;

a propellant charge contained in the cartridge body and being configured to be consumed in combustion along with the cartridge body;

a projectile positioned adjacent to the top end portion of the cartridge body and sized to be fired through the barrel, the projectile having a second caliber that substantially matches the first caliber; and

an attachment sleeve connected to the projectile and the cartridge body, the attachment sleeve having a second connection member releasably engaging the first connection member of the cartridge body, the attachment sleeve configured to resist longitudinal motion of the projectile relative to the cartridge body until the ammunition round assembly is fired.

27. An armament system, comprising:

a firing device having a firing chamber and a barrel with a first caliber;

an ammunition round assembly sized to seat in the firing chamber for firing through the barrel, the ammunition round assembly comprising;

a cartridge body having top and bottom end portions, the bottom end portion having a first retaining groove therein, the cartridge body being made of a combustible material configured to be consumed in combustion in the firing chamber upon firing the ammunition round assembly from the firing device;

a base connected to the bottom end portion of the cartridge body, the base being sized to be engaged by the firing device and having a second retaining groove radially adjacent to the first retaining groove, the first and second retaining grooves defining a locking groove between the base and the cartridge body;

a retention member positioned in the locking groove, the retention member engaging the cartridge body and the base in the first and second retaining grooves to hold the cartridge body and the base together until ammunition round assembly is fired from the firing device;

a unitary projectile positioned adjacent to the top end portion of the cartridge body and being deliverable along a trajectory to a selected target, the projectile having a second caliber that substantially matches the first caliber; and

a breakable attachment sleeve releasably engaging the projectile and the cartridge body.