Method of making lightweight polymer ammunition
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of making a polymeric ammunition cartridge having a substantially cylindrical metal primer insert comprising the steps of:
- providing a substantially cylindrical metal insert comprisinga top surface opposite a bottom surface and a substantially cylindrical coupling element that extends from the bottom surface to form an inner circumferential surface and an outer surface,a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface,a primer flash hole aperture positioned in the primer recess to extend through the bottom surface, anda flange that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the top surface;
forming a substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body comprising the steps ofmolding a polymer composition to form a substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end,extending the polymer composition from the coupling end and overmolding the polymer composition over the substantially cylindrical metal primer insert wherein the polymer composition extends over the substantially cylindrical coupling element, over the outer surface and over the inner circumferential surface andextending the polymer composition into the primer flash hole aperture to form a primer flash hole;
forming a substantially cylindrical open-ended polymeric bullet-end component from a second polymer composition comprising the steps offorming a polymeric bullet-end coupling component opposite a bullet-end aperture, wherein the polymeric bullet-end coupling component connects to the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end; and
adhering the polymeric bullet-end coupling component, the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end or both to connect the polymeric bullet-end coupling component to the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end;
forming a propellant chamber in the substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body to extend from the bullet-end aperture to the primer flash holeinserting a primer into the primer recess;
at least partially filling the propellant chamber with a propellant; and
frictionally fitting a bullet in the bullet-end aperture.
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of making a polymeric ammunition cartridge having a substantially cylindrical metal primer insert, a substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body coupled to a substantially cylindrical open-ended polymeric bullet-end component.
315 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of making a polymeric ammunition cartridge having a substantially cylindrical metal primer insert comprising the steps of:
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providing a substantially cylindrical metal insert comprising a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a substantially cylindrical coupling element that extends from the bottom surface to form an inner circumferential surface and an outer surface, a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface, a primer flash hole aperture positioned in the primer recess to extend through the bottom surface, and a flange that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the top surface; forming a substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body comprising the steps of molding a polymer composition to form a substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end, extending the polymer composition from the coupling end and overmolding the polymer composition over the substantially cylindrical metal primer insert wherein the polymer composition extends over the substantially cylindrical coupling element, over the outer surface and over the inner circumferential surface and extending the polymer composition into the primer flash hole aperture to form a primer flash hole; forming a substantially cylindrical open-ended polymeric bullet-end component from a second polymer composition comprising the steps of forming a polymeric bullet-end coupling component opposite a bullet-end aperture, wherein the polymeric bullet-end coupling component connects to the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end; and adhering the polymeric bullet-end coupling component, the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end or both to connect the polymeric bullet-end coupling component to the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end; forming a propellant chamber in the substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body to extend from the bullet-end aperture to the primer flash hole inserting a primer into the primer recess; at least partially filling the propellant chamber with a propellant; and frictionally fitting a bullet in the bullet-end aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of making a polymeric ammunition having a substantially cylindrical metal primer insert comprising the steps of:
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providing a substantially cylindrical metal insert comprising a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a substantially cylindrical coupling element that extends from the bottom surface to form a circumferential surface, a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface, a primer flash hole aperture positioned in the primer recess to extend through the bottom surface, and a flange that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the top surface; forming a substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body comprising the steps of overmolding a polymer composition over the substantially cylindrical metal primer insert by molding the polymer composition over the substantially cylindrical coupling element, over the circumferential surface and into the primer flash hole aperture to form a primer flash hole, forming the substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body extending from the substantially cylindrical metal primer insert, and forming a substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end at the end of the substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body; forming a substantially cylindrical open-ended polymeric bullet-end component comprising the steps of forming a polymeric bullet-end coupling component opposite a bullet-end aperture from a second polymer composition, wherein the polymeric bullet-end coupling component mates to the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end; adhering the polymeric bullet-end coupling component mates to the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end to form a propellant chamber having a bullet-end aperture opposite a primer flash hole; inserting a primer into the primer flash hole aperture; at least partially filling the propellant chamber with a propellant; and frictionally fitting a bullet in the bullet-end aperture, wherein the primer, the propellant and the bullet form a sealed propellant chamber.
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20. A method of making a polymeric ammunition cartridge having a substantially cylindrical metal primer insert comprising the steps of:
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providing a substantially cylindrical metal insert comprising a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a substantially cylindrical coupling element that extends from the bottom surface to form an inner circumferential surface and an outer surface, a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface, a primer flash hole aperture positioned in the primer recess to extend through the bottom surface, and a flange that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the top surface; forming a substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body comprising the steps of molding a polymer composition to form a bullet-end aperture, extending the polymer composition from the bullet-end aperture and overmolding the polymer composition over the substantially cylindrical metal primer insert wherein the polymer composition extends over the substantially cylindrical coupling element, over the outer surface and over the inner circumferential surface and extending the polymer composition into the primer flash hole aperture to form a primer flash hole; forming a propellant chamber in the substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body to extend from the bullet-end aperture to the primer flash hole; inserting a primer into the primer recess; at least partially filling the propellant chamber with a propellant; and frictionally fitting a bullet in the bullet-end aperture. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification