US3027839A

US3027839A - Tubular explosive transmission line

Info

Publication number: US3027839A
Application number: US803808A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew J Grandy; Robert S Shulman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-04-02
Filing date: 1959-04-02
Publication date: 1962-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 1979-04-03

Description

April 1962 A. J. GRANDY ETAL 3,027,839

TUBULAR EXPLOSIVEI TRANSMISSION LINE Filed April 2, 1959 H Wee l0 l3 FIG.2

I k l8 '7 22 23 2| FIG.3.

INVENTORJ, ANDREW J. GRANDY By ROBERT S. SHULMAN ATTORNEYS:

United States Patent TUBULAR EXPLOSIVE TRANSMISSION LINE Andrew J. Grandy, North Hills, and Robert S. Shnlman,

Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Apr. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 803,808 2 Claims. (Cl. 102-27) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to explosive transmission lines which are ignited at one location to generate a gas usable at another location to produce an elfect such as the ignition of a propellant or the like.

In the use of the currently available explosive transmission lines, difficulty is encountered due to pop-out" or rupture of the lines outer wall. In accordance with the present invention, this dilfrculty is avoided by the provision of an improved explosive transmission line which is hollow at its center and has its ignition powder in the form of a tube located between a relatively strong outer tube and a relatively weak inner tube. With this structure, the stress to which the outer wall is subjected is somewhat reduced by the layer of powder between the two layers and is further reduced by the collapse of the inner tube which provides greater space for the generated gases.

The invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings and its scope is indicated by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved transmission line,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section of the line, and

FIG. 3 indicates how the line is utilized to fire a recoilless rifle which is hand carried and fired from the shoulder.

As indicated by FIGS. 1 and 2, the line includes a relatively strong outer tube and a relatively weak inner tube 11. Between these tubes is a layer 12 of black powder. The outer tube sheath 13 of nylon, glass braid or the like.

The tubes 10 and 11 may consist of a synthetic material such as polyethylene or the equivalent. Suitable 10 may be surrounded by a 3,027,839 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 thickness for the walls of the tubes are 0.030 in. for the outer tube and 0.020 in. for the inner tube.

To one end of the line is fixed an adapter 14 which has a thread 15 and is hollowed out to provide an igniter powder chamber 16. A collet 17 enclosing a primer 18 is at the other end of the line.

The improved explosive transmission line is utilized to fire a recoilless rifle as indicated by FIG. 3. From this figure it can be seen that the adapter 14 is threaded into the base of a cartridge 19 which is chambered in a rifie 20. The firing mechanism 21 of this rifle has a casing which is provided at its breech end with flange 22 formed to be received in the collet 17 for maintaining the primer 18 in operative relation with a firing pin 23. Since the firing mechanism forms no part of the present invention it is not described in detail.

In the operation of the above-described line, the firing of the primer 18 ignites the black powder 12 and burning of this powder fires the igniter 16, the burning of which ignites the propellant of the cartridge.

As can be readily understood by those skilled in the art, the herein disclosed explosive transmission line has the advantage that it is relatively easy to manufacture, is hermetically sealed from one end to the other and has a pressure resistance which makes suitable for use in close proximity to personnel.

We claim:

1. An explosive transmission line including an outer tube, an inner tube provided with a hollow axial space, and a tubular layer of black powder between said tubes, the outer tube being of thicker and stronger material than the inner tube and in addition is provided with a reinforcing sheath whereby only said inner tube is ruptured by the force generated by the burning of said powder.

2. An explosive transmission line according to claim 1 wherein a detonator is fixed to one end of said line for firing said powder and a member having an igniter chamber opening into said inner tube is fixed to the other end of said line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS