EP1735584B1 - Cartridged ammunition, especially of middle caliber - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a piece of cartridged ammunition, particularly blank ammunition, comprising a cartridge shell (3) and a projectile (2) that is inserted therein. A propellant chamber that accommodates a propellant charge (5) is provided in the cartridge shell. The propellant charge (5) is ignited by a pyrotechnic ignition device (13) and develops propellants which act upon the bottom (8) of the projectile and propel the same out of the cartridge shell. In order to prevent the pyrotechnic ignition device and thus also the propellant charge (5) from igniting and the cartridge shell and the projectile from being torn apart and being projected in case of high ambient temperatures, particularly during a fire, relief ducts (14) which are filled with a meltable material, especially a meltable metal (15), are provided between the propellant chamber and the exterior of the cartridge shell (3). The meltable material has a lower melting point than the ignition temperature of the ignition device (13) and the propellant charge (5). If the ambient temperature of the cartridge shell rises above the melting temperature of the meltable material, said meltable material melts and unblocks the relief ducts (14) such that the propellant charge burns without pressure building up when the propellant charge is ignited later on while the cartridge shell and the projectile remain interconnected.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cartridge ammunition, especially medium caliber, and in particular to a training ammunition, with a cartridge case and a projectile inserted into this and mechanically connected to the cartridge case. At the bottom of the cartridge case in this case a drive chamber is provided which receives a propellant charge, the z. B. pyrotechnic with the help of a primer is flammable. After lighting the propellant gases of the propellant charge act on the bottom of the projectile, so that after releasing the mechanical connection between the cartridge case and projectile this is expelled from the cartridge case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Such a patronized training ammunition is in the U.S. Patent 5,936,189 described. This cartridge ammunition is used in conjunction with medium-caliber rapid-fire weapons of about 40 mm. A plurality of such cartridges are received in a belt, which is then fed to a rapid-fire weapon. The drive chamber in the cartridge case is divided into a high-pressure chamber in which the propellant is received, and in a low-pressure chamber, which is in communication with the high-pressure chamber via overflow openings. Cartridge and bullet are mechanical connected via a central screw, which is designed as a predetermined breaking point.

When the propellant in the high-pressure chamber is ignited pyrotechnically via a primer, the propellant burns off, develops propellant gases at high pressure, which then act in both chambers on the floor and finally drive the bullet out of the cartridge case, after at a certain pressure the breaking point between Cartridge shell and bullet is broken.

A similar cartridge ammunition is in the U.S. Patent 4,892,038 described.

Furthermore, practice cartridges of this type are known in which only a low-pressure drive chamber is provided; such cartridges are referred to as low-speed ammunition cartridges.

Such cartridge ammunition is used in high volumes and must be stored both safely and safely transported from the manufacturer to a user. Storage and transport usually take place in larger boxes, z. B. Tin boxes that receive a variety of such cartridges.

Despite the not inconsiderable amount of ignition material for primer and propellant charge, which is located in a storage or transport container, storage and transport are usually easy. At most, a fire poses a fire in the storage or transport area, where temperatures above and above 220 ° C are reached.

At such temperatures, however, already ignites the pyrotechnic ignition charge of the primer. This ignites then the actual propellant, which otherwise ignites only at 320 ° C to 400 ° C. After the ignition of the propellant charge, as in the ordinary shot, such a pressure builds up in the driving chamber, which acts on the floor of the floor, that finally after breaking the mechanical connection between the cartridge case and projectile they are hurled explosively apart.

Alone by the amount of exploding propellant charges of a variety of cartridges can cause considerable damage. But even the explosively torn apart cartridge cases and projectiles can cause great damage. Cartridge sleeve and projectile act both like bullets. Any receptacles are thereby destroyed, with the disassembled cartridge cases and projectiles also endanger people and cause great mechanical damage.

In experiments such cartridges were placed in a heating bowl, after which the heating shell was heated slowly. After reaching the ignition temperature of the primer cap of about 220 ° C, as described, first the primer and then ignited by this the propellant charge of the cartridges. Due to the build-up of pressure in the drive chamber, the cartridge case and projectile were torn apart and thrown up to 100 meters, so that the energy that is released by many such cartridges in a fire, is well conceivable.

From the US 3665857 For projectiles such as grenades, it is known to substitute the overhead charge igniter at the top of the projectile for the storage of the projectile with a fuse plug having one or more outward channels into the atmosphere are filled with a melting material whose melting temperature is lower than the ignition temperature of the effective charge. In the event of a fire in the bearing, the melting material melts before the ignition temperature of the active charge is reached. If the temperature continues to rise and reaches the ignition temperature of the active charge, it merely burns down without exploding, as the pressure building up is reduced via the channels leading to the outside.

However, this principle can not be easily transferred to a cartridge ammunition, since, as stated above, when firing the ammunition, the pressure n of the propellant chamber is very high, up to 3,000 bar and more. At these pressures, the aforementioned fusible materials begin to flow already, opening the channels leading to the outside and thus preventing the firing of the ammunition.

In addition, before using the ammunition, the safety plug must be replaced with an impact fuse, which is cumbersome and time-consuming.

From the US 2003/0205161 Alist a bullet is known, the bottom of which is closed by a lid, which is held in the bullet by an external locking ring of a melting material. In the event of a fire in the bearing, as described above, this sealing ring initially melts, so that the lid is released from the ground and an explosive ignition of the actual active charge is prevented. During normal use, no pressure is applied to the molten material.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention has for its object to provide provisions to avoid a tearing of cartridge case and projectile at a strong increase in the outside temperature on the ignition temperature of the pyrotechnic ignition charge.

A further object of the invention is to provide provisions to prevent the accumulation of many such cartridges, e.g. B. in a transport or storage container, with excessive increase in the outside temperature, z. B. to avoid damage to the environment by a fire.

A further object is to weaken the effect of the propellant charge in a danger trap after ignition of the ignition charge to the extent that in the environment neither large pressure damage nor large mechanical damage occur.

It is a further object of the invention to design the cartridge ammunition so that the properties of the cartridge ammunition during normal shooting and the high pressures occurring in the drive chamber are not affected by said precautions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a bullet ammunition from a projectile and this receiving cartridge case in which a drive chamber is provided, it is proposed according to the invention to provide outgoing from the drive chamber passages or channels that penetrate the wall of the cartridge case and filled with a solid, pressure-tight, fusible material whose melting point is lower than the lowest ignition temperature of one of the cartridges' pyrotechnic charges, ie lower than the ignition temperatures of the pyrotechnic ignition charge and the propellant charge.

The channels rejuvenate towards their exit. This absorbs the high pressures that occur when the cartridge ammunition fires, preventing the molten metal from flowing and releasing the channels.

Such a melting material is preferably a molten metal. Such molten metals are z. B. alloys of bismuth and tin, possibly with other metals, such as lead, etc., are added.

Accordingly, if a cartridge of the type in question up to the melting temperature of the molten material or molten metal of z. B. 180 ° C is heated, then the melting material melts in the passages between the drive chamber in the cartridge case and the outside environment. If the primer and finally the propellant charge are then ignited as the temperature continues to increase, no pressure can build up in the propellant chamber since the exposed passages act as pressure relief openings. The result is that the propellant only burns off, whereby the propellant gases thereby developed can escape through the discharge openings. Cartridge sleeve and projectile are not separated in this way, so that neither a pressure damage nor a mechanical damage can occur.

This has been confirmed in experiments in which a plurality of such cartridges were accommodated in a conventional sheet metal transport box. Not even the tin box was significantly damaged.

The passages between the propellant and the exterior of the cartridge case can be varied: So z. B. the housing of the primer are made of such a melting material or molten metal; Also around the primer arranged relief holes that are filled with the melt material are possible. Preferably, two or four holes are provided here. Likewise, bores are possible from the drive chamber, starting through the side wall of the cartridge case.

The passages, however designed, must be designed so that during the normal firing of the projectiles from the cartridge case, the melt material will withstand the high pressures within the propellant chamber.

The compressive strength is supported so that the passages taper conically outward or as stepped or threaded holes etc. are executed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

• Figur 1 einen Längsschnitt durch eine Patronenmunition aus einem Geschoss und einer Patronenhülse, die eine Treibkammer mit einer Treibladung aufnimmt, wobei zwischen der Treibkammer und der Außenwand der Patronenhülse gemäß der Erfindung Entlastungsbohrungen bzw. Kanäle vorgesehen sind, die ein Schmelzmetall aufnehmen und in diesem Falle einen konischen Verlauf aufweisen;
• Figur 2 ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel einer Patronenmunition mit gestuften Entlastungsbohrungen zwischen der Treibkammer und der Außenwand der Patronenhülse; und
• Figur 3 ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel gemäß der Erfindung, wobei das Gehäuse eines Zündhütchens für die Treibladung aus einem Schmelzmetall gefertigt ist.

The invention will be described in exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. In this represent:

• FIG. 1 a longitudinal section through a cartridge ammunition from a projectile and a cartridge case which receives a drive chamber with a propellant charge, between the drive chamber and the outer wall of the cartridge case according to the invention relief holes or channels are provided which receive a molten metal and in this case a conical shape exhibit;
• FIG. 2 a second embodiment of a cartridge ammunition with stepped relief holes between the drive chamber and the outer wall of the cartridge case; and
• FIG. 3 A third embodiment according to the invention, wherein the housing of a primer for the propellant charge is made of a molten metal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An in FIG. 1 shown cartridge ammunition 1 consists of a projectile 2 and a cartridge case 3. The cartridge case 3 has a drive chamber 4, in which a propellant charge 5 is arranged.

The wall of the drive chamber 4 is provided with overflow openings 6, which open into a low pressure chamber 7, which is located below the floor 8. The drive chamber 4 is provided with a central threaded connector 9, which engages in a central thread 10 in the floor 8. With the floor 8, a flare set 11 is still connected, which dives through the threaded connector 9 into the propellant chamber.

The cartridge 1 has a caliber of z. B. 40 mm and is shot from a gun, not shown here with swirl, including the projectile here only hinted guide or twist band 12 has.

The propellant charge 5 is pyrotechnic ignited by a primer 13, wherein the primer 13 is inserted centrally in the bottom of the cartridge case 3.

Between the bottom of the drive chamber 4 and the lower bottom of the cartridge case 3 conically extending channels 14 are provided, which taper towards the bottom of the cartridge case. The channels 14 have z. B. at the bottom of the drive chamber at the caliber of 40 mm, a diameter of 7 mm and taper to about 6 mm.

It can z. B. symmetrical to the center line of the projectile and the primer two channels 14 or three or four channels may be provided which are located around the primer.

The outwardly tapered channels 14 are filled with a molten metal 15; this molten metal is z. B. a bismuth-tin alloy with 30 to 40 weight percent bismuth and 60 to 70 weight percent tin. Depending on the percentage, the melting point of this alloy is approximately between 140 and 175 ° C. The alloy is readily impact-resistant and not water-soluble.

The molten metal 15 may, after appropriate heating z. B. poured into the channels 14; or conical rivets are prepared from the molten metal, which then into the channels 14 z. B. be hammered or screwed.

With the molten metal 15, the driving chamber is sealed tightly and pressure-resistant to the outside, so that the cartridge 1 can be shot down like a conventional cartridge from a gun barrel. Due to the conical design of the channels prevents the molten metal 15 is pressed out of the channels 14 by high pressure in the driving chamber.

If, as mentioned above, z. B. as a result of a fire, the temperature in the vicinity of the cartridge 1 rises to 140 ° C to 175 ° C, the melting material 15 melts in the channels 14th and release them. If then the temperature continues to rise above the ignition temperature of about 220 ° C of the primer 13, it ignites and thus also the propellant charge 5. The propellant gases produced during the burning of the propellant charge can be discharged freely through the free channels 14, so that in the blowing chamber can not build up pressure and therefore the propellant charge 5 is not implemented explosively. Cartridge sleeve 3 and projectile 2 remain mechanically connected to each other via the threads 9 and 10, so that in the environment of the cartridge 1 neither large damage by high pressure nor by flinging the cartridge case and the projectile occur.

In FIG. 2 a longitudinal section through a cartridge case 3 and a part of the projectile 2 is shown; Cartridge sleeve and projectile are the same except for the channels 14 with the molten metal 15, as in FIG. 1 , In this case, the channels 14 are stepped holes into which the molten metal 15 is introduced. Again, the molten metal poured either in the production of the cartridge into the channels 14 or made out in advance as a rivet and hammered into the channels, or if the channels and the molten metal are provided with a thread, are screwed.

Also in this embodiment, the relief channels 14, as shown, are located either on both sides of the central primer 13 or in any other arrangement around the primer.

This cartridge can also be fired like a conventional cartridge; in case of fire or the like, the function is the same as for FIG. 1 described.

In FIG. 3 is another variant of a cartridge shown, where as in FIG. 2 only the cartridge case 3 and a part of the projectile 2 are shown. The cartridge case 3 is constructed the same in the area of the drive chamber as in the embodiments according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 ,

In this case, the primer 13 is inserted into a primer housing 14 ', the z. B. is screwed into the bottom of the cartridge case 3 in a stepped bore. The primer housing 14 'consists of the mentioned molten metal 15th

Climb z. Example, in a fire, the ambient temperature above the melting temperature of the molten metal 15, the primer housing 14 'melts and thus releases a discharge channel corresponding to the insertion opening 14 between the bottom of the drive chamber and the bottom of the cartridge case 3. Now if the primer 13 ignites at further increasing temperature and thus ignites the propellant charge 5, it burns only from without pressure can build up, so that the cartridge case and projectile are not torn apart. Pressure damage and major mechanical damage are avoided.

Although in the foregoing the relief channels 14, 14 'always extend from the bottom of the propellant chamber to the outer bottom of the cartridge case, so it is common for any expert to arrange these channels differently, for. B. through the side wall of the cartridge case and the drive chamber to lead.

It is of course also possible to use other low-melting materials in place of the mentioned bismuth-tin alloy, provided that they are strong enough and completely seal the discharge channels, so that a normal launch of the cartridge from a gun barrel is possible.

Claims (8)

1. Cartridge munition (1), particularly of medium caliber, with a cartridge shell (3) and a projectile(2) inserted into the cartridge shell and mechanically connected to it whereby a pyrotechnic propulsive charge (5) is located in a propulsion chamber (4) of the cartridge shell (3) that is ignited by means of a pyrotechnic igniter (13), and whose propulsive gases exert a force on the base (8) of the projectile (2) when they burn, by means of which the projectile (2) is driven out of the cartridge shell (3), characterized in that channels (14) exit from the propulsion chamber (4) that penetrate the cartridge shell (3) and that are filled with a fusible, solid, pressure-tight material (15) whose melting temperature is lower than the ignition temperatures of the pyrotechnic igniter (13) and the propulsion charge (5) of the projectile and that the channels (14) narrow as they progress from the base of the propulsion chamber (4) to the exit.
2. Cartridge munition as in Claim 1, characterized in that the channels (14) extend from the base of the propulsion chamber (4) to the outer base of the cartridge shell (3)
3. Cartridge munition as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the channels narrow conically.
4. Cartridge munition as in Claim 2, characterized in that the channels are stepped drillings.
5. Cartridge munition as in Claim 2, characterized in that the channels (14) are positioned around the igniter (13) of the propulsive charge.
6. Cartridge munition as in Claim 5, characterized in that the pyrotechnic igniter (13) includes a housing (14') of fusible material (15) that is inserted into the base of the cartridge shell (3) and that extends into the propulsion chamber (4).
7. Cartridge munition as in any of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the fusible solid material is a fusible metal (15).
8. Cartridge munition as in Claim 7, characterized in that the fusible material is a metal alloy of at least bismuth and tin.

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