Muzzle loader powder increment using celluloid combustible container

• US 8,881,634 B1
• Filed: 08/05/2013
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Secretary of the Army, Federal Cartridge Company (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Worrell, William J. Jr., Vaughan, Benjamin R., Case, Sandra L., Young, Ming-Wan, Gogos, Costas G., Faridi, Niloufar, Zhu, Linjie, Bonnett, Peter, Shimm, Howard, Caravaca, Elbert, Palk, Joseph Jr., Conti, Dale, Elalem, Mohamed, Shen, Fei
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Stephen M
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOMBERG, BENJAMIN S
• Application Number:
  US13/959,138
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 86/10, 86/198, 102/431, 102465-466
• US Class Current: 86/10
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 30/12 with provision for additional propulsive charges, or for varying the length
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/18 Caseless ammunition; Cartridges having combustible cases
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/188 Manufacturing processes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/192 Cartridge cases characterised by the material of the casing wall cartridge bags F42B5/38
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/38 Separately-loaded propellant charges, e.g. cartridge bags F42B5/16, F42B5/192 take precedence

Abstract

An encapsulated propellant charge comprised a sealed combustible container comprised of a consumable material and having a substantially cylindrical shape. The sealed combustible container comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall therebetween. The top wall, the bottom wall and the side wall define a chamber; which contains a propellant composition.

Claims

1. A propellant charge comprising a sealed combustible container comprised of a foamed celluloid consumable material and having a generally cylindrical shape, the sealed combustible container comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall therebetween;

the top wall, the bottom wall and the side wall defining a chamber;

wherein the chamber contains a measured amount of propellant composition, wherein the propellant composition is a different material than the consumable material.

2. The propellant charge of claim 1, wherein the side wall has a thickness of less than 0.05 inches.

3. The propellant charge of claim 1, wherein the propellant composition is selected from the group consisting of:

smokeless propellant, single base nitrocellulose, nitrocellulose propellant, black powder propellant, pyrotechnic propellant, non-pyrotechnic propellant, and any combination thereof.

4. The propellant charge of claim 1, wherein the sealed combustible container has a length that is greater than its diameter.

5. The propellant charge of claim 4, wherein the ratio of the length of the sealed combustible container to the diameter of the sealed combustible container is at least 2:

1.

6. The propellant charge of claim 4, wherein the ratio of the length of the sealed combustible container to the diameter of the sealed combustible container is at least 3:

1.

7. The propellant charge of claim 1, wherein the consumable material is water resistant.

8. A muzzle-loader ammunition round comprising:

a bullet held in place with a sabot; and

at least one propellant charge engaged with the sabot, the at least one propellant charge having an outer wall constructed from a foamed celluloid consumable material, the outer wall defining a chamber that is at least partially filled with at least one propellant composition having a charge weight, wherein the propellant composition is a different material than the consumable material.

9. The propellant charge of claim 8, wherein the outer wall is water resistant.

10. The propellant charge of claim 8, wherein the propellant composition is selected from the group consisting of smokeless propellant, single base nitrocellulose, nitrocellulose propellant, black powder propellant, pyrotechnic propellant, non-pyrotechnic propellant, and any combination thereof.

11. A method of manufacturing a propellant charge comprising:

forming a cylinder of a desired diameter from a sheet of foamed celluloid consumable material, the sheet having sides and ends, wherein the sides of the sheet are adhered to each other and the cylinder has an open end;

at least partially filling a chamber defined by the cylinder with a propellant composition;

sealing the open end of the cylinder by adhering a circular disc to the open end.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the propellant composition is selected from the group consisting of:

smokeless propellant, single base nitrocellulose, nitrocellulose propellant, black powder propellant, pyrotechnic propellant, non-pyrotechnic propellant, and any combination thereof.