Ammunition articles with plastic components and method of making ammunition articles with plastic components

• US 6,845,716 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2001
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Development Capital Management Company
• Original Assignee: NATEC, Inc.
• Inventors: Byron, David E., Husseini, Nabil
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEMUNEGUS, LULIT
• Application Number:
  US09/832,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 102/466, 102/467, 102/516, 102/517, 29/12, 29/12.3, 29/13
• US Class Current: 102/466
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/307 formed by assembling several elements

Abstract

An ammunition article includes a molded plastic cartridge casing body having a first end and a second end, and a projectile attached to the first end of the cartridge casing body. The cartridge casing body is molded around at least a portion of the projectile. A molded plastic base for an ammunition article, a molded plastic blank cartridge, and a molded plastic cartridge casing body having a pronged web are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of making an ammunition article, comprising the steps of:

injection molding plastic around at least a portion of a projectile to form a tubular plastic cartridge casing body having a first end closed only by the projectile and a second end.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plastic is molded around a core pull such that the core pull and the portion of the projectile define an interior volume of the plastic cartridge casing body, the method comprising the further step of removing the core pull from the plastic cartridge casing body.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the core pull has a smaller diameter than the portion of the projectile such that the interior volume of the cartridge casing body includes a first interior portion defined by the portion of the projectile and a second interior portion having a smaller diameter than the first interior portion and being separated from the first interior portion by a shoulder, the shoulder being of sufficient size to prevent axial movement of the projectile into the second interior portion.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, comprising the further step of heat bonding the projectile to the cartridge casing body.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, comprising the further step of adhesive bonding the projectile to the cartridge casing body.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plastic is molded around the portion of the projectile such that the plastic enters a recess in the portion of the projectile and forms a flange on the cartridge casing body extending into the recess.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, comprising the further step of attaching a base to the second end of the cartridge casing body.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, comprising the further step of providing a propellant charge inside the cartridge casing body.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, comprising the further step of providing a primer for igniting the propellant.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, comprising the further step of providing an electronic ignition for igniting the propellant.

11. The method as set forth in claim 7, comprising the further step of molding the base from plastic.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the base is molded from plastic prior to attaching the base to the cartridge casing body.

13. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the base is mechanically attached to the cartridge casing body.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the base is attached to the cartridge casing body by screwing threads on the base together with threads on the cartridge casing body.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the base is attached to the cartridge casing body by connecting a tongue and groove arrangement between attachable portions of the base and the cartridge casing body.

16. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the base is attached to the cartridge casing body by an interference fit.

17. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the base is attached to the cartridge casing body by adhesive joining.

18. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the base is attached to the cartridge casing body by heat bonding.

19. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the base is attached to the cartridge casing body by ultrasonic welding.

20. A method of making an ammunition article, comprising the steps of:

injection molding plastic around at least a portion of a projectile while a core pull contacts a bottom end of the projectile to form a plastic cartridge casing body having a first end to which the projectile is attached and a second end.

21. A method of making an ammunition article, comprising the steps of:

injection molding plastic around at least a portion of a one-piece projectile to form a cartridge casing body having a first end to which the projectile is attached so to be separable from the cartridge casing body only upon application of a bullet pull above a first desired value and not requiring for separation a bullet pull above a second desired value and a second end, the cartridge casing body being in the form of an open tube between the first end and the second end, the first end being closed only by the projectile.