GB999501A - Projectile firing device - Google Patents

Abstract

999,501. Spigot projectors. H. BERTSCHMANN. July 9, 1964 [May 12, 1964; May 27, 1964], No. 28270/64. Heading F3C. A projectile firing device comprises a guide rod 21, a hollow body 22 fitting slidably on the rod, a piston 30 fitted to slide in fluid-tight manner in the body 22 so as to form an extensible explosion chamber in which is disposed the firing charge contained in the case 35b of an auxiliary projectile 35. A spring-loaded striker 25 which can be instantaneously released from the cocked position by withdrawal from the body 22 of a transverse pin is adapted to fire the auxiliary projectile 35 so that the ball 35a thereof moves backward into the aperture 33 of the piston 30 and the case 35b moves forwards carrying the hollow body 22 and projectile 23 therewith. The ball 35a presses grease contained in piston aperture 33 into an opposite piston aperture 32 which cushions the reactions of the ball with the piston and also the latter with the end of the guide rod 21 and also acts to seal the rear end of the explosion chamber. When the hollow body has moved forward sufficiently for apertures 36 therein to be connected with the explosion chamber the explosion gases may expand into a decompression chamber 37 from where they may pass into the atmosphere and so reduce noise. The rod may be held in the muzzle of a fire-arm or by a support fixed in the ground. In another embodiment the guide rod is connected to the projectile and the hollow body is fixed. In a further embodiment a fixed guide rod is hollow and contains the spring-loaded striker which moves forwards on release to fire an auxiliary projectile housed in the nose of the hollow body. The article may be operated by electrical, electromagnetic, or pneumatic means.