Indirect fire munition non-lethal cargo carrier mortar

• US 9,528,802 B1
• Filed: 11/19/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Secretary of the Army
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Markowitch, Michael, Rizzi, Francesco, Drake, Bryan, Surmanek, Jason, Perez, Samuel, Na, Wooje, Czerechowski, Piotr, Trohanowsky, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Bret
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORGAN, DERRICK R
• Application Number:
  US14/946,118
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 102/387, 102/340, 102/348, 102/339, 102/354, 102/337, 102/489, 102/393, 102/445
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/56 of parachute or paraglider type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/36 for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/58 Cluster or cargo ammunition, i.e. projectiles containing one or more submissiles F42B12/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 30/10 Mortar projectiles
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 8/20 Mortar grenades

Abstract

An indirect fire munition non-lethal cargo carrier mortar deploys non-lethal sub-munitions to an intended target. The cargo carrier mortar includes a deceleration system which allows for the discarded mortar to descend at a controlled non-free fall velocity thereby minimizing the risk of injury or collateral damage from the mortar. The cargo carrier mortar is adapted to be compatible with existing standard military equipment such as standard mortar caliber sizes.

Claims

1. A non-lethal cargo carrier mortar configured for delivering a non-lethal payload and descending at a non-free fall velocity, the non-lethal cargo carrier mortar comprising:

a first parachute assembly comprising a first tether coupling a first parachute to a front portion of the non-lethal cargo carrier mortar;

wherein the front portion comprises a fuze, a fuze adapter and a body;

a second parachute assembly comprising a second tether coupling a second parachute to a rear portion of the non-lethal cargo carrier mortar;

wherein the rear portion comprises a tail cone and a fin; and

a recess formed within the front portion of the non-lethal cargo carrier mortar, the recess configured for supporting the first tether on an outer conical surface of the fuze adapter and further configured for shielding the tether from gases ejected from a supplemental charge ignited by a fuze.

2. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 1 wherein the recess is formed within the fuze adapter.

3. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 2 wherein the first tether is coupled to the fuze adapter.

4. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 3 wherein the fuze adapter further comprises a steel alloy pin extending from a surface of the fuze adapter and wherein the first tether is looped around the steel alloy pin.

5. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 1 wherein the first tether and the second tether are composed of one of the following materials:

Technora, Kevlar and steel.

6. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 1 wherein the first tether and the second tether are wrapped in a low friction tape configured for preventing abrasion.

7. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 1 wherein the second tether is coupled to an eyebolt of the tail cone.

8. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 1 wherein both the first parachute and the second parachute are disposed in a common drogue parachute assembly.

9. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 1 wherein the first tether is coiled around the recess to maximize a payload area within the body.

10. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 1 wherein a payload area formed by a body of the front portion is configured for housing flash bang munitions.

11. An 81 millimeter caliber non-lethal cargo carrier mortar configured for delivering a non-lethal payload and descending at a non-free fall velocity, the non-lethal cargo carrier mortar comprising:

an M776 fuze configured for detonating a supplemental charge at a predetermined time;

a fuze adapter configured for supporting the M776 fuze and further comprising a recess formed within an outer surface of the fuze adapter, the recess configured for supporting a first tether coiled on an outer surface of the recess and shielding the first tether by channeling propulsive gases released from the supplemental charge through an inner surface of the recess;

a body comprising a payload area formed in a cavity of the body and one or more shear pins configured for shearing in response to pressure from the propulsive gases;

a tail cone;

a fin;

a first parachute assembly comprising the first tether coupling a first parachute disposed in the payload area of the body to the fuze adapter;

a second parachute assembly comprising a second tether coupling a second parachute disposed in the payload area of the body to the tail cone; and

a drogue parachute assembly comprising a drogue parachute and a parachute bag configured for housing the first parachute and second parachute until deployment.

12. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 11 wherein the payload area is configured for holding fourteen flash bang munitions.

13. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 11 wherein the payload area has a length dimension of 6.625 inches.

14. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 11 wherein the first tether and the second tether are composed of one of the following materials:

Technora, Kevlar and steel.

15. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 11 wherein the first tether and the second tether are wrapped in a low friction tape configured for preventing abrasion.

16. The non-lethal cargo carrier mortar of claim 11 wherein the fuze adapter further comprises a steel alloy pin extending from a surface of the fuze adapter and wherein the first tether is looped around the steel alloy pin.