Cartridge with safety fuse in the drive system, and method for producing it

• US 9,995,563 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Inventors: Redeker, Hendrik, Luebbers, Willi
• Primary Examiner(s): Morgan, Derrick R
• Application Number:
  US15/337,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20170299361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/001 Devices or processes for assembling ammunition, cartridges or cartridge elements from parts
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/04 Fitting or extracting primers in or from fuzes or charges F42B33/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 39/20 Packages or ammunition having valves for pressure-equalising; Packages or ammunition having plugs for pressure release, e.g. meltable ; Blow-out panels; Venting arrangements ventilating arrangements on packages formed from foldable or erectable blanks B65D5/4295; packages with pressure-relief valves incorporated in a container wall B65D77/225
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/02 Cartridges, i.e. cases with charge and missile
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/083 characterised by the shape and configuration of the base element embedded in the cartridge bottom, e.g. the housing for the squib or percussion cap

Abstract

A cartridge with a drive system and a projectile which is connected to the drive system, wherein the drive system has a propellant case filled with a propellant and has a case bottom containing a substantially axially extending case bottom opening with a T-shaped edge contour. The case bottom opening is closed by a plug which is of T-shaped configuration, receives an ignition cap and is held in position by a safety fuse ring of a rupture disc. The safety fuse ring is arranged between the front side of the head part of the plug and the rear side of an adjoining inner-side projection of the case bottom, with the result that the propellant chamber is delimited by the front surface of the plug neck. An inner edge of the safety fuse ring engages in a positively locking and/or non-positive manner into an outer groove-shaped recess of the plug.

Claims

1. A method for assembling a cartridge having a propulsion system and having a projectile connected to the propulsion system, wherein the propulsion system comprises a propellant casing that is filled with propellant charge and has a case bottom that has a substantially axially extending case bottom opening, and wherein the case bottom opening is closed by a plug that accommodates a primer and the plug is held in position by a fusible ring of a burst protection device, the method comprising:

inserting the fusible ring into the case bottom opening from a rear side of the case bottom of the propellant casing until a front of the ring bears against an internal projection of the case bottom, and then inserting the plug into the case bottom opening; and

exerting an axial force on a back of the fusible ring by a head part of the plug so that the fusible ring is compressed and plastically deformed and the material of the fusible ring flows radially into the groove-shaped recesses of the plug and the case bottom, as a result of which no additional seals are necessary.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primer is joined to the plug before the plug is inserted into the case bottom opening of the propellant casing.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a filling of the propellant casing takes place through the case bottom opening.

4. A cartridge assembled according to the method of claim 1, wherein the front of the fusible ring bears against the back of an internal projection of the case bottom and the back of the ring bears against the front of the head part of the plug, wherein the inner edge of the ring engages an outer groove-shaped recess of the plug in a positive or frictional manner and its outer edge engages an inner groove-shaped recess of the case bottom in a positive or frictional manner, so that the fusible ring is not directly subjected to gas pressure and no additional seals are required.

5. The cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the fusible ring has an outside diameter chosen such that it is insertable into the case bottom opening from the back of the case bottom for assembly of the cartridge.

6. The cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the plug is T-shaped in design.

7. The cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the plastically deformable fusible ring material is an alloy made of bismuth and tin.