US2037308A - Projectile - Google Patents

Description

April 1936. E.- w. BRANDT 2,037,308

PROJECTILE Filed March 22, 1935' Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED .STATES PROJECTIIE Edgar William Brandt, Paris, France Application March 22, 1935, Serial No. 12,503 In France April 5, 1934 4 Claim.

This invention relates to projectiles.

Projectiles and particularly such as are fired from mortars are already known, which are provided at their rear end with a tubular tail carrying stabilizing fins and in which the propulsive charge is located between the forward end of said fins and the body of the projectile.

In all these known projectiles, the insertion of the propulsive charge in the form of a cylindrical casing containing the powder, necessitates the tail of the projectile being first disconnected from the body so as to enable the cylindrical cartridge to be fitted on to the front portion of the tail which latter must then be screwed on to the projectile. This operation entails a loss of time when firing.

Projectiles for motars are also known which have at their rear end a tubular tail which is open at the posterior end and is intended to receive a propulsive cartridge. Mounted on this tail are the stabilizing fins between which are situated the mouths of radial bores in the tail. In order to increase the range of such projectiles, it has been proposed to place outside the tail and between the fins, supplementary charges or relays which are ignited by the defiagration of the cartridge, the flame being transmitted through the radial bores in the tail. 1

This arrangement however, has the following disadvantage: During the defiagration of the cartridge powder, the gases detach small particles of the cartridge case at the points facing the radial bores, which particles accumulate in the combustion chamber of the mortar and lead to the risk of miss-fires when firing is continued for some time. If the projectile is fired from a gun with a movable (for example screw-in) breech, these particles or confetti make it difficult to close the breech.

Moreover, the position of the relays between the fins distorts the latter when the charge or strength of the powder exceeds a certain value, thereby shortening the range of the projectile.

The present invention aims at obviating the foregoing drawbac To this end, the invention contemplates p oviding the projectile in the rear with a tubular tail having stabilizing fins disposed round its perimeter, and carrying a propulsive charge located between the forward edge of the fins and the body of the projectile.

The projectile of the present invention is characterized in that the said propulsive charge constituted by component members, is housed in cavities in the tail, and is adapted to be ignited by a cartridge disposed in a known manner, in the lower portion of the tail, the flame being transmitted through one or more bores provided in the upper part of the cartridge chamber.

By virtue of this arrangement of the propulsive charge in accordance with'the invention, 5 there is no risk of the relays, which are no longer situated between the fins, distorting the fins during defiagration. Moreover, since such relays are embedded in the interior of the tail, they are protected from damage during transport and 1 handling of the projectile.

The insertion or removal of one or more relays can be effected instantly without first screwing or unscrewing the tail of the projectile. Finally the formation of confetti, cut from the cartridge 15 case is prevented.

. Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

In order more clearly to understand the inven- 20 tion, reference is made to the accompanying drawing which illustrates diagrammatically and by way of example one embodiment thereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is an axial section; and

Fig. 2 is a cross sectionalong the line l-I of Fig. 1.

The projectile illustrated comprises a tapered body I, to the rear end of which is attached a tail 2. Said tail 2 is provided with one or more 30 recesses 3 adapted to receive the component members 4 of the propulsive charge. In the embodiment shown, said charge members are enclosed in combustible casings comprising a rim 5, which bears against the outer periphery of the 35 recesses 3 and enables the charges to be entirely extracted, for example by the finger tips, if necessary.

The tail also comprises an axial passage 8, communicating by way of an opening I with the recesses 3. The passage 6 is intended to receive another fraction of the propulsive charge represented'in the drawing by a cartridge 8, fitting friction-tight in the passage 6. The length of the 45 cartridge is preferably less than that of the passage so that when the cartridge is pushed home, the cap 9 will be slightly sunk below the level of the rear edge of the tail, and protected against shock.

The stabilizing fins in are mounted on the periphery of the tail 2 in rear of the recesses 3 and opposite the solid part containing the cartridge 8. These fins preferably extend beyond the tip of the tail as shown in order not only to protect the cartridge from shock but also to increase their stabilizing action.

The body may comprise driving band grooves l I at its widest part. A suitable fuse I2 ensures the ignition of the explosive or other charge contained in the body I.

The projectile is intended more particularly for being fired in smooth-bore mortars, either by means of a fixed striker pin or by a trigger. 7

When the cartridge 8 and one or more supplementary charges 4 has been inserted in the tail 2, the percussion of the cartridge deflagrates its charge of powder which in turn, ignites the supplementary charges 4 by way of the passage 1. Since the fins III are located in rear of the charges 4, they are not exposed to any effort capable of distorting them.

The maximum supplementary charge or relay 4 may with advantage be inserted in the recesses 3 beforehand, one or more of them, according to the desired range, being taken out just before firing. If, through inadvertance, this operation should be omitted, a long shot will always result, which is a precautionary factor of importance when firing over friendly troops.

The embedding of the relays 4 in their radial housings 3 enables the projectile, fitted with its propulsive charge, to be carried in a bag without any risk of the relays becoming detached.

Although the recesses 3 accommodating the re lays 4 have been shown in the accompanying drawing as merged together in a transverse bore in the tail 2, it is obvious that they may be separated from one another and that each communicates with the passage 6.

The cartridge may obviously also be replaced by a propulsive charge constituted by a cartridge with separate priming. The body may also be of diilerent shape to that shown in the drawing.

In fine, it is obvious that the invention is capable of numerous modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims. Y

Having thus described my invention,- what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A projectile comprising a body, a tail rigid with said body and extending rearwardly therefrom, a receptacle formed in the rear portion of said tail to receive a propelling charge, stabilizing fins rigid with said tail and at least one radially'extending additional receptacle formed in the forward portion of said tail and communicating with therear receptacle the said additional receptacle having its outer end open to receive an additional propelling charge. a

2. A'projectile comprising a body, ajail rigid with said body and extendin rearwardly therefrom, a receptacle formed in the rear portion of said tail to receive a propelling charge, stabilizing fins rigid with said tailand at least one radially extending additional receptacle formed in the forward portion of said tail and communieating with the rear receptacle, the said additional receptacle having its outer end open to receive an additional propelling charge and said outer end opening between the front edge of the fins and the body of the projectile.

3. A projectile comprising a body, a tail rigid with said body and extending rearwardly therefrom, a receptacle formed in the rear portion 01' said tail to receive a propelling charge and at least one radially extending additional receptacle formed in the forward portion of said tail to receive additional propelling charges, the said additional receptacle communicating with the rear receptacle, in combination with a cartridge of propelling material fitting said rear receptacle and with at least one additional propelling charge housed in a combustible casing fitting the radial ly extending receptacle, said casing having a rim adapted to bear against the periphery of the open end of the additional receptacle to enable the additional charge to be easily extracted.

4. A projectile comprising a body, a tail fixedly connected to said body during transportation and flight, said tail providing within its peripheral surface a primary receptacle open at the rear for receiving a primary propelling charge, and also providing therewithin at least one radially ex-- tending secondary receptacle open at the peripheral surface of the tail for receiving a secondary propelling charge and spaced axially of the projectile from the primary receptacle, said tail having a passage for establishing communication be tween said receptacles, and stabilizing fins mounted upon the tail and extending rearwardly of the opening of the secondary receptacle.

EDGAR WILLIAM BRANDT.

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