US3120151A

US3120151A - Ejectable tail unit for the propelling launching charge of a projectile which is loaded through the muzzle of the firing means

Info

Publication number: US3120151A
Application number: US204743A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jasse Joseph Raymond
Original assignee: Hotchkiss Brandt SA
Current assignee: Hotchkiss Brandt SA
Priority date: 1961-07-03
Filing date: 1962-06-25
Publication date: 1964-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1981-02-04
Also published as: ES278168A1; BE618133A; CH381120A; DE1176026B; FR1301320A; NL280369A; NL123712C; GB968130A

Description

ING

J. R. JASSE T FOR THE PROPELLING LAUNCH CTILE WHICH IS LOADED THROUGH Filed June 25, 1962 THE MUZZLE OF THE FIRING MEANS EJECTABLE TAIL UNI CHARGE OF A PROJE Feb. 4, 1964 United States Patent 3,120,151 EJECTABLE TAIL UNlT FOR TIE PRGPELLHQG LAUNCHIING CHARGE OF A PRUJEQTKLE WHICH IS LQADED THROUGH THE MUZZLE OF THE FNG MEANS Joseph Raymond .lasse, Paris, France, assignor to Hatchkiss-Brandt, Paris, France, a body corporate of France Filed June 25, 1962, Ser. No. 204,743 Claims priority, application France July 3, 1961 4 Claims. (Cl. 81)

The present invention relates to propelling launching charges for projectiles which are loaded through the muzzle of the gun tube or other launching means.

in some of these projectiles the launching charge is disposed in a tail directly fixed to the base of the projectile, but in respect of relatively large calibre projectiles oi relatively great length, the overall length of the projectile and tail does not permit the easy introduction of a projectile and tail assembly in one go in the launching tube. For such projectiles it has therefore been proposed to dispose the propelling launching charge in a support which is independent of the projectile, adapted to be placed in the launching tube before the projectile is placed therein and so arranged that when the projectile is launched it is ejected a 'few metres away from the launching tube irrespective of the propelling charge; this permits introducing in the launching tube another propelling charge and another projectile immediately after firing.

Attempts have been made to achieve ejection of the independent support by providing it with surfaces so arranged as to cause the support to be driven by the pressure and the blast of the gases generated by the projectile launching powder charge, but this solution has a drawback in that the distance at which the support is ejected varies to a marked extent as a function of the launching charge.

The object of the invention is to avoid this drawback and provides an improved ejectable tail unit for the launching charge of a projectile loaded through the muzzle of the launching means, said unit avoiding the aforementioned drawbacks and being provided with a small jet propelling means incorporated therein, said jet propelling means being so adapted that its self propelling charge is ignited by the launching charge.

By means of said propelling means the distance at which the tail unit is ejected remains constarit.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description, with reference to the accompanying drawing to which the invention is in no way limited.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view on a small scale of the interior of the launching tube and of the projectile and independent tail unit having a propelling means according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of said tail unit with its launching charge, and

FIG. 3 is an end elevational View of the forward guide device of said tail unit.

The invention shown in FIG. 1 concerns the launchingby means of a tube T provided at its rear end with a. breech C and an ignition percussion pin aorf a projectile P which could be of the shell type or, as shown, a self-propelling projectile whose self-propelling charge is ignited through a rear obturating and igniting device b which is ejected after ignition. The launching of the projectile is obtained by means of an independent tail unit comprising a propelling charge L disposed within a support S, said charge also insuring the ignition of the self-propelling charge through the device b if the projectile is of the self-propelling type.

The support S comprises (FIG. 2) in the known man- "ice ner a tube 1 the rear of which is fixed to a base 2 carrying :at its centre a small fining pin 3 adapted to be actuated by the percussion pin a so as to ignite through the medium of a primer (not shown) the charge L of a cartridge, the gases of this charge issuing from the tube 1 through apertures 4 formed in said tube after having perforated the wall of the cartridge.

{it the forward end, the tube 1 is fixed by a screw thread 5 to the rear of a body 6 which latter is threadedly engaged by a screw thread 7 on a tube it freely surrounding, in the presently-described embodiment, the obturating and igniting device b for the self-propelling charge whose ignition is obtained by means of the buming gases of the launching charge L, said gases entering the tube 8 by way of the apertures 9.

The body 6 is provided at its forward end with a blind hole or cavity lit in which is disposed the powder charge 11 of a small jet propelling means adapted to eject the tube 7 from the support S. This charge is ignited by the burning gases of the launching charge L which enter the hole or cavity lit by way of small ejection nozzles 12.

The support S is completed by two guide elements one of which is provided at '13 at the forward end and the other at M at the rear end. Each of said guide elements consists of a suitably bent metal strip FIG. 3) having at 15 faces which bear against the inner face of the tube T, this strip being secured by a number of spot welds 16 to the forward tube 8 or to the rear base 2.

The tail unit according to the invention operates in a manner which will be clear from the foregoing.

Before launching or firing the projectile, there is placed in the gun or launching tube T through the muzzle of the latter, first the tail unit comprising the support S with its propelling charge L, if desired suitably completed by one or a plurality of relay charges placed on the tube 1. The support S drops through the gun tube while it is guided by the guide elements 13 and 14 and its rear face 17 abuts the forward face of the breech C.

The projectile P is then placed in the tube and abuts the forward face 18 of the support S.

When the percussion mechanism a of the breech C is actuated, the small firing pin 3 is struck thereby and ignites the primer of the cartridge L. The powder contained in this cartridge ignites and the gases of the powder issuing from the apertures 4 in the tubular tail 1 ignite the additional charge or charges, if provided, and enter the cavity ltlvia the ejection apertures 12 where they ignite the small self-propelling charge ll of the support 3; if the projectile P is of the self-propelling type another part of the burning gases enters the projectile through the apertures 9 and the obturating and igniting device b so as to ignite the self-propelling charge of the projectile.

As concerns the support S, the gases resulting from the ignition of the charge 11 create ejection jets which issue through the nozzles 12 in oblique rearward directions so that the support S is ejected by self-propulsion.

Thus, by suitably selecting the charge l l it is possible to obtain a distance at which the support S is ejected which is practically independent of the propelling charge L and is for example about 15 to 20 in.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Ejectable tail unit for launching a projectile, the tail unit being unattached to the projectile and adapted to assume a position at the rear of the projectile in the projectile launching gun tube and comprising: a hollow support, a projectile launching charge disposed within the support, apertures provided in the support and putting the launching charge in communication with the exterior of the tail unit for the free passage of the projectile launching gases from the launching charge into the gun tube; a jet propelling device carried by the support and provided for ejecting the support from the launching gun tube, the jet propelling device comprising means defining a chamber, a propellant charge disposed in the chamber, and rearwardly directed gas ejection nozzle means putting the interior of the chamber in communication With the exterior of the tail unit; and means defining a passageway putting the launching charge in communication with the interior of the chamber, whereby when the launching charge is ignited for launching the projectile the burning gases from the launching charge ignite the propellant charge by way of said passageway and the jet propelling device ejects the support from the gun tube.

2. Ejectable tail unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support comprises a forward guide means and a rear guide means, each guide means having a plurality of localized bearing faces and recessed portions interposed between the beming faces, said bearing faces being contained in a cylindrical plane coaxial with the support and adapted to slide along the inner face of the gun tube whereby the tail unit is supported in coaxial relation to the gun tube.

3. Ejectable tail unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the jet propelling device is located forward of the launching charge.

4. Ejectable tail unit for launching a projectile, the tail unit being unattached to the projectile and adapted to assume a position at the rear of the projectile in the projectile launching gun tube and comprising: a tubular support, a projectile launching charge disposed Within the suppont, lateral apertures provided in the support and putting the launching charge in communication with the exterior of the tail unit for the free lateral passage of the projectile launching gases from the launching charge into the gun tube; a jet propelling device carried by the support and provided for ejecting the support from the launching gun tube, the jet propelling device being located forward of the launching charge and comprising means defining a chamber, a propelled charge disposed in the chamber, and rearwardly directed gas ejection nozzle means putting the interior of the chamber in communication with the exterior of the tail unit; whereby when the launching charge is ignited for launching the projectile the burning gases from the launching charge issue lateral- 13 from said apertures, launch the projectile and also enter said chamber through said nozzle means and ignite the propellant charge whereupon the burning gases from the propellant charge issue from said nozzle means and eject the tail unit from the gun tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,657,630 Blacker Nov. 3, 1953 2,821,923 Alderso-n Feb. 4, 1958 2,944,486 Iasse July 12, 1960 3,038,382 Noyes June 12, 1962 3,056,351 Bares Oct. 2, 1962

Claims

1. EJECTABLE TAIL UNIT FOR LAUNCHING A PROJECTILE, THE TAIL UNIT BEING UNATTACHED TO THE PROJECTILE AND ADAPTED TO ASSUME A POSITION AT THE REAR OF THE PROJECTILE IN THE PROJECTILE LAUNCHING GUN TUBE AND COMPRISING: A HOLLOW SUPPORT, A PROJECTILE LAUNCHING CHARGE DISPOSED WITHIN THE SUPPORT, APERTURES PROVIDED IN THE SUPPORT AND PUTTING THE LAUNCHING CHARGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE EXTERIOR OF THE TAIL UNIT FOR THE FREE PASSAGE OF THE PROJECTILE LAUNCHING GASES FROM THE LAUNCHING CHARGE INTO THE GUN TUBE; A JET PROPELLING DEVICE CARRIED BY THE SUPPORT AND PROVIDED FOR EJECTING THE SUPPORT FROM THE LAUNCHING GUN TUBE, THE JET PROPELLING DEVICE COMPRISING MEANS DEFINING A CHAMBER, A PROPELLANT CHARGE DISPOSED IN THE CHAMBER, AND REARWARDLY DIRECTED GAS EJECTION NOZZLE MEANS PUTTING THE INTERIOR OF THE CHAMBER IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE EXTERIOR OF THE TAIL UNIT; AND MEANS DEFINING A PASSAGEWAY PUTTING THE LAUNCHING CHARGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE CHAMBER, WHEREBY WHEN THE LAUNCHING CHARGE IS IGNITED FOR LAUNCHING THE PROJECTILE THE BURNING GASES FROM THE LAUNCHING CHARGE IGNITE THE PROPELLANT CHARGE BY WAY OF SAID PASSAGEWAY AND THE JET PROPELLING DEVICE EJECTS THE SUPPORT FROM THE GUN TUBE.