GB602219A - Improvements in or relating to projectiles - Google Patents

Abstract

602,219. Projectiles. STEVENS, A. H. (Aerial Products, Inc.). Dec. 14, 1945, No. 33874. [Class 9 (i)] A rocket projectile includes a cartridge casing which is inserted in the barrel of a launching pistol and retained the reinafter discharge and which contains a minor launching charge, the major charge being housed in a part of the projectile upon which slides a member which, in conjunction with a second member, supports some pivotally mounted guiding vanes, the latter being normally held in frictional contact with the inner wall of the cartridge casing but being moved towards the rear end of the projectile by friction on discharge and then opening out under spring action. In the construction shown, a projectile containing a parachute D and attached flare E, and also a rocket propulsion charge 45, is ejected from the barrel of a firearm by a charge 21 located in front of a detonator 24 in a cartridge case 14. The case has a groove 11, which is held by a suitable retainer in the gun on firing. The front of the charge 21 is a disc 25 which is perforated so that, on firing, the detonator will be able to ignite a projecting portion 50 of a fuze 47. The fuze is located in the charge 45 which is disposed between plugs 49, 52, in a casing 42. As shown, in Fig. 1, this casing is normally surrounded by four vanes 30 which are pivoted on rods 28 extending between a ring 27 and a sleeve 37. Springs 32 tend to swing the vanes outwards, that is to the operative position shown in Fig. 2. When the projectile is fired the frictional contact of the vanes with the interior well of the case 14 causes the vane structure to move to the rear as shown in Fig. 2, and when the projectile leaves the barrel the vanes are opened by their springs 32. The charge 21 is sufficient to send the projectile a distance of 25 to 50 feet, and at this stage the fuze 47 ignites the main propellant charge 45. When the projectile reaches a predetermined height, the charge 45 ignites a release charge 63 which, by pressure on a plug 64 expels the flare E and parachute D from a cylindrical container at the front of the projectile. The flare is ignited by the charge 45 through an axial hole 53. In Fig. 6 (not shown) a projectile is shown in which the vane and rocket structures are as in Fig. 1, but in which the head contains an explosive charge and has longitudinal and transverse grooves so that it may break into fragments when its nose strikes the target.