EP0675336B1 - Projectile, in particular non lethal bullet - Google Patents

Abstract

The projectile, esp. a bullet, consists of a case (1) with an inner cavity (6) containing an active product (8) such as an irritant fluid, a powder or a dye, which is released on impact. It has a propellant element (5) and can have a recess shaped to form a braking surface lying perpendicular to the direction of the bullet's trajectory. The case can also have rupture lines so that it bursts more easily on impact to disperse the product inside. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a projectile, in particular a bullet, intended to put out of action a opponent without major risk of fatal injury.

Such projectiles are used by the forces of order to put an end to the troubles on the way public during agitated demonstrations or riots.

We currently know in the state of technique of rubber projectiles or equivalent materials which are intended to be fired on demonstrators to neutralize them. The charges propellants are adapted so that the impact of the projectile on the protester only creates bruises without danger to his life.

We also know other types of projectiles intended to be used in front of demonstrators. In particular, projectiles which, fired in the direction of the crowd but towards the sky, release suffocating gases or irritants, causing the protesters to disperse.

With the first type of projectile, the effect shock induced is not always enough to stop the attacker especially if he has a shield protection.

Projectiles releasing gases present them the downside of releasing their substance into a space very wide, due to the nature of the shot and therefore to inconvenience a large number of people on the scene sometimes including people not involved in unrest, or even law enforcement when they regain possession of the occupied land previously by the demonstrators at the time of the shooting and whose the air is heavily charged with gases.

We also know from documents GB-A-2.213572 and US-A-3.782286 a projectile comprising the characteristics of the preamble of claim 1.

The present invention therefore aims to combine in the same projectile the interests of the two types of previously mentioned projectiles by removing the effect undesirable due to excessive dispersion of gases.

It therefore aims to create a projectile allowing to create an impact effect during the impact of the projectile on its target and a neutralizing effect by releasing a irritant fluid near the point of impact.

The subject of the invention is therefore a projectile or bullet according to the preamble of claim 1 and characterized in the projectile body has a propulsion motor as well as an additional portion along its length small diameter followed by a shoulder forming a plane of braking perpendicular to the direction of travel of the projectile.

• le corps comporte des amorces de rupture facilitant son éclatement lors d'un impact pour permettre la libération du produit contenu dans le logement ;
• les amorces de rupture sont constituées par des entailles pratiquées suivant des génératrices du corps ;
• le corps comporte dans son nez des moyens d'absorption d'une partie de l'énergie lors du choc d'impact ;
• le corps comprend une pièce massive déformable en forme générale d'ogive prolongée par une jupe délimitant le logement pour le produit et reliée à son tour à une embase ;
• les amorces de rupture sont ménagées dans la jupe au moins en regard du logement de réception contenant le produit ;
• la jupe du corps comporte au moins une partie en forme de soufflet compressible pour absorber une partie de l'énergie lors du choc d'impact ;
• le nez du corps forme un bouchon évasé dont une partie fait saillie à l'extérieur de la jupe et dont une partie engagée dans la jupe amorce la rupture du corps lors de l'impact ;
• le logement de réception contenant le produit comporte une capsule formant capacité contenant le produit ;
• le logement de réception contenant le produit comporte un matériau spongieux apte à contenir du fluide ;
• le nez du corps est réalisé en un matériau contondant comme du caoutchouc ;
• le logement de réception contenant le produit comporte suivant son axe un tube solidaire de l'embase du projectile et fermé en regard de cette embase et le nez comporte un piston adapté pour coopérer avec le tube et provoquer l'éclatement de celui-ci par surpression de l'air emprisonné dans le tube lors de l'impact, facilitant ainsi la libération du produit contenu dans le logement ;

According to other characteristics:

• the body comprises fracture primers facilitating its bursting upon impact to allow the release of the product contained in the housing;
• the incipient fractures consist of notches made along generatrices of the body;
• the body has in its nose means for absorbing part of the energy during the impact shock;
• the body comprises a solid deformable part in the general shape of a warhead extended by a skirt delimiting the housing for the product and in turn connected to a base;
• the breaking points are formed in the skirt at least opposite the receiving housing containing the product;
• the body skirt has at least one part in the form of a compressible bellows for absorbing part of the energy during the impact shock;
• the nose of the body forms a flared stopper, part of which projects outside the skirt and a part of which engages in the skirt initiates the rupture of the body on impact;
• the receiving housing containing the product comprises a capacity-forming capsule containing the product;
• the receiving housing containing the product comprises a spongy material capable of containing fluid;
• the nose of the body is made of a blunt material like rubber;
• the receiving housing containing the product comprises along its axis a tube secured to the base of the projectile and closed opposite this base and the nose comprises a piston adapted to cooperate with the tube and cause the bursting thereof by overpressure air trapped in the tube upon impact, thus facilitating the release of the product contained in the housing;

la figure 1 est une vue en coupe d'un projectile.

la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'un exemple de corps de projectile portant des amorces de rupture ;

la figure 3 est une vue en coupe d'un mode de réalisation du projectile suivant l'invention, cette figure étant la seule qui décrit toutes les caractéristiques de la revendication 1;

les figures 4 et 6 sont des vues en coupe d'autres modes de réalisation du projectile.

la figure 5 est une vue en coupe d'un exemple de corps suivant l'invention portant un soufflet compressible.

The invention will be better understood and other advantages will appear on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a projectile.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a projectile body carrying incipient fractures;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the projectile according to the invention, this figure being the only one which describes all the features of claim 1;

Figures 4 and 6 are sectional views of other embodiments of the projectile.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of an exemplary body according to the invention carrying a compressible bellows.

In Figure 1, a projectile is shown self-propelled comprising a body 1, formed by a nose 2 with rounded tip, extended by a skirt 3 cylindrical, itself connected to a base 4 carrying a motor 5. Here, the cylindrical skirt 3 and the base 4 are two separate pieces nested one on the other but we can also conceive that the cylindrical skirt 3 is integral with the base 4.

The skirt 3 defines a housing 6 between the nose 2 and the base 4. In this housing 6 there is a capsule 7 containing an irritant liquid 8.

The thickness of the walls of the capsule 7 is sufficient weak to allow rapid breakage of walls as soon as the irritant liquid 8 is subjected to a significant pressure, thus causing his release.

The nose 2 has a warp-shaped part 9 made of a material capable of absorbing by deforming part of the impact energy (rubber for example). This warhead-shaped part is completed by an element solid cylindrical 10 made of rigid plastic bonded to its flat base.

The base 4 of generally cylindrical shape comprises a guide wall 11 allowing its nesting in the skirt 3 to thereby form a compact assembly which with the nose 2 forms the body 1 of the ball. On its back side, the base 4 has a central well 12 in which the motor 5 is housed.

The base 4 is made by molding in material plastic and has recessed portions 13 in order to decrease the total mass.

The motor 5 has a conventional constitution for self-propelled projectiles. It consists of a cylindrical body 14 and a nozzle 15, both made made of metal.

The cylindrical body of the engine can also be formed by the walls of an axial bore made in base 4.

The nozzle is crimped, glued or machined on the body 14.

The nozzle 15 has in its center, flush the rear face of the base 4, a percussion primer 16 or electric depending on the type of launcher used.

The cylindrical body 14 of the motor 5 thus formed contains a propellant powder 17 connected to the primer 16 by conventional suitable means. A compensation piece volume 18 is added to the engine as a function the amount of powder required.

The number, inclination and diameter of holes in the nozzle 15, the mass and the nature of the powder, as well as the size of the compensation piece 18 are adapted according to the desired characteristics of the projectile.

Such a projectile is intended to be fired at from an individual weapon with a suitable barrel to the caliber of the projectile and a firing device of the primer. As seen in Figure 1, such a projectile does not have a socket and does not therefore leaves nothing in the weapon after being drawn.

In Figure 2, we can see an embodiment of the skirt 3 of the previously described projectile. The skirt 3 made of a plastic material has the following generators of the initiators of rupture 19 leading to only one end 20 of the skirt. Once the projectile assembled, these breaking points are opposite the housing 6 containing the liquid 8. Part 21 of the skirt devoid of breaking points is intended to receive the base 4.

During the impact of a projectile as described, with a target, nose 2 crashes against the target, absorbing by deformation part of the energy of the ball.

The cylindrical element 10 then compresses the fluid 8 contained in the capsule 7 against the base 4, causing the capsule walls to rupture and therefore the release of the fluid contained therein.

The skirt 3 under the effect of the shock tears in tulip following the incipient fractures 19, in order to release outwardly the irritant fluid 8 contained in the housing 6.

In Figure 3, there is shown schematically a projectile according to the invention of the same type as that of FIG. 1 and does not differing from it only by its base 4. Indeed, on Figure 3, the cylindrical base 4 has a portion 30 cylindrical of smaller diameter. This portion 30 is extended on one side by a flared portion of diameter ascending 31 towards the front and is limited towards the rear by a stabilization braking plane 32. The rear of the base extending beyond the braking plane 32 comprises a chamfer 33.

This particular structure is suitable for braking the ball, which provides air means resistant to advancement. Furthermore, the plan braking 32 ensures the stabilization of the ball.

We can, depending on the needs, adjust the dimensions and shapes of the body's exterior profile the ball.

In figure 4, we can see a projectile similar to that described with reference to FIG. 1, some elements not having been represented.

In this figure, the skirt 40 came from material with the warp-shaped part 41 of the nose 2, thus forming a warhead 42 made of a deformable material (rubber for example) and forms with the base 4 engaged in the skirt 40, as seen in FIG. 4, a housing 43 containing the irritant liquid.

According to another embodiment, shown in Figure 5, the skirt 50 made of material with the warp-shaped part 41 of the nose 2 includes a portion 51 in the form of a compressible bellows. This bellows is intended to absorb part of the energy during shock.

This portion 51 in the form of a compressible bellows defined with the base engaged in the skirt (not shown) the housing for the fluid which is therefore opposite said bellows.

In Figure 6, a projectile is shown according to another embodiment. A tube 59 with the same axis as the base 4 and the skirt 3 extends from the base 4 in the housing 6 intended to contain the fluid. A circular groove 60 is arranged on the base 4 to allow embedding of the tube in the base. A glue can be added during assembly to ensure the seal between the tube and the base.

In this case, the housing 6 intended to contain the fluid has a toroidal shape and contains a spongy material 61 intended to contain the irritant liquid.

A nose 62, forming a plug, has one end hemispherical projection. It has a piston axial 63 engaged in the tube 59.

Guide means 64 made of material with the nose 62 allow the nose to enter the skirt 3 along the main axis of the projectile during an impact.

The guide means 64 comprise a part cylindrical cooperating with the end of the skirt 3 and present in the vicinity of the hemispherical part of the nose a flared portion 65 whose maximum diameter is greater the inside diameter of the skirt 3. During the impact, the nose forming a plug enters the skirt 3 and the part flared 65 of the nose promotes the bursting of this skirt.

During the impact, the piston 63 enters the tube 60 which, subject to the overpressure of the air it contains, bursts thus favoring the dispersion of the fluid 8 contained in the capsule 7 through the skirt 3, itself torn according to its breaking points.

The above description presents projectiles in which an irritant fluid has been placed. This one can of course be replaced by any other fluid by example a marker fluid.

In each of the embodiments described above, you can use either a capsule or a body spongy to contain the irritant 8.

Fluid can also be placed directly in the housing 6 delimited by the skirt 3, the nose 2 and the base 4.

The fact that the projectile carries the Propulsion engine leads to a number of advantages.

In particular, the propulsion engine remains always attached to the projectile. Because of this, this type of projectile leaves nothing in the launcher like for example a socket. It can be drawn from a very simple design launcher, easy to use, very handy and does not require the use of rifle anti-riot type for example, with magazine and ejector socket.

In addition, the propulsion engine can be self-propelled type, this gives the projectile speed increasing over part of its trajectory. The projectile thus achieves its full effectiveness at a shooting distance determined. In the first part of the trajectory, the effect is therefore attenuated, which gives it security at the start of the trajectory.

Furthermore, the propulsion engine can be of impulse type; this gives the projectile a determined initial speed which is then almost constant. The projectile thus has the same effectiveness and the same safety over its entire useful trajectory.

The projectile can be used on a target alive, but also on a fixed non-living target or mobile, especially when the fluid in the projectile is a marker fluid.

In addition, the fluid can be replaced by any type of product, a powder for example.

Claims (12)

1. Projectile, particularly a bullet, comprising a body (1) having a receiving housing (6) containing a product (8) effective against a live or other target and means for releasing this product when the projectile hits its target, characterised in that the body (1) of the projectile comprises a propulsion motor (5) and, over its length, a portion of smaller diameter (30) followed by a shoulder forming a deceleration plane (32) perpendicular to the direction of travel of the projectile.
2. Projectile according to claim 1, characterised in that the body comprises fracture initiators (19) which facilitate its explosion on impact in order to permit the release of the product (8) contained in the housing (6).
3. Projectile according to claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the fracture initiators (19) consist of notches formed along the generatrices of the body.
4. Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the body comprises, in its nose (2), means for absorbing some of the energy during the shock of impact.
5. Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the body comprises a deformable solid part in the general form of a nose cone (9) extended by a skirt (3) demarcating the housing (6) for the product (8) and connected in turn to a base (4).
6. Projectile according to claims 2 or 3 and 5, characterised in that the fracture initiators (19) are formed in the skirt (3) at least facing the receiving housing (6) containing the product.
7. Projectile according to claim 5, characterised in that the skirt (3) of the body comprises at least one part (51) in the form of a compressible bellows for absorbing some of the energy during the shock of impact.
8. Projectile according to claim 5, characterised in that the nose (2) of the body forms a flared plug (62) part of which projects outside the skirt (3) and part of which, engaging in the skirt (3), triggers the fracture of the body on impact.
9. Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the receiving housing (6) containing the product (8) comprises a capsule (7) forming a container holding the product.
10. Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the receiving housing containing the product comprises a spongy material suitable for containing fluid.
11. Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the nose (2) of the body (1) is made of a blunt material such as rubber.
12. Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 11 and 5, characterised in that the receiving housing (6) containing the product (8) comprises, along its axis, a tube (60) fixedly attached to the base (4) of the projectile and closed off relative to this base and in that the nose (62) comprises a piston (63) adapted to co-operate with the tube (59) and cause the latter to explode by the excess pressure of the air trapped in the tube during impact, thus facilitating the release of the product (8) contained in the housing (6).

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