US3344742A - Explosive projector - Google Patents

Description

Oct- 3 1967 c. J.' SCHNEIDER, .JR 3,344,742

EXPLOSIVE PROJECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

Filed May 10, 1965 lllll..

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OC- 3 1967 l c. J. SCHNEIDER, JR 3,344,742

EXPLOS IVE PROJECTOR Filed May l0, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOI; Clgy'ron J. Schneider, Jr.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,344,742 EXPLOSIVE PROJECTGR Clayton J. Schneider, Jr., Amherst, N.Y., assigner to Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory, Inc., Budalo, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 10, 1965, Ser. No. 454,470 1 Claim. (Cl. 102--7.2)

This invention relates t-o an explosive projector, and more particularly to such a projector which projects a proejctile upwardly from ground level into the air.

While the invention has general application to any use where it is desired to Iproject a member from ground level into the air above, it has particular application to a munition device which can be placed at substantially ground level but which Will air burst rather than ground burst. Air burst provides a. more eilective distribution of the projectile Whether it be of a chemical type or a fragmentation anti-personnel type.

Accordingly, the general object of the present invention is to provide an explosive projector which as a self-contained unit may be placed on the ground or substantially at ground level and which upon actuation wi-ll project a projectile of the desired type upwardly into the overhead atmosphere.

Another important object is that when the invention is embodied in a munition device, the projectile is arranged for bursting in the air rather than at the ground.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of two embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l shows a pop-up chemical land mine type explosive projector and depicting the same in a slight subterranean position at the instant of tripping by contact with the leg of a foot soldier.

FIG. 2 illustrates such a projector during the initial phase of upward projection of the land mine.

FIG. 3 shows a more advanced phase of the firing and depicts the land mine immediately upon separation from the projecting mechanism.

FIG. 4 depicts on a reduced scale the air bursting of the chemical mine at a distance above ground level.

FIG. 5 is a vertical central sectional view of the explosive projector shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of another type of munition device embodying the present invention and depicting the same as a spherical bomblet immediately after impact with the ground following being dropped from overhead.

FIG. 7 is a view generally similar to FIG. 6 but depicting the bomblet immediately after being fired resulting in initial separation of its two semi-spherical shells.

FIG. 8 depicts a more advanced red condition of the bomblet, illustrating the same when the projectile is about to be separated from the shells.

FIG. 9 illustrates the air burst of the projectile above ground level.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged central cross sectional view of the bomblet illustrated in FIGS. 5-9'.

FIGS. 1-5

The form of explosive projector illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 is shown as comprising a case 11, a diaphragm 12, a chemical land mine 13, and a fuse assembly 14 including a trip lever 17. The lprojector including its elements 11-14 is shown in FIG. 1 as being buried slightly in the ground G so that only the upwardly projecting trip lever 17 is exposed above ground level.

The fuse assembly 14 may be of any suitable construction and is shown in FIG. 5 as being operatively asso- 3,344,742 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 ICC ciated with a propellant charge assembly indicated generally at 15 which includes a propellant charge 16 of any suitable composition such as black powder.

The chemical mine 13 which is illustrative of one form of projectile or payload member is of known construction. It is shown as having its upper wall central-ly recessed as indicated at 1S to accommodate a burster assembly 19 and a booster assembly 20. The mine is also shown as having a bottom wall 21 Iprovided with a large central opening which is covered by an upper member 22. This member 22 has a central opening surrounded by an upturned neck portion 23 which engages the recessed top wall portion 1S. The mine 13 also includes a downwardly offset lower wall member 24 provided with a central opening.

Propellant chamber assembly 15 comprises a generally bell-shaped casing 25 open at its bottom and having an internal tubular member 26 depending from its top. Arranged in the bottom portion of this tube 26 is a body of ignitor material 28 above which is arranged a delay train 29, and above that a body of suitable detonating material 30. This detonator material 3G when ignited after a predetermined delay in turn detonates the booster assembly 20.

The exposed lower portion of ignitor material 28 is in direct contact with the body of propellant charge material 15. The lower end of casing 25 is shown as closed by a cap or cover 31 which is press-fitted over such lower end and normally rests on the bottom wall 32 of case 11. Cap 31 is separable from casing 25 by the pressure of gas generated by combustion of propellant charge 16.

Case 11 is shown as having an upturned annular side wall 33 formed with a beaded rim 34 at its upper end which defines an opening. 'I'his opening is closed by diaphragm 12 which is shown at being in the form of a sheet of suitable flexible material. This diaphragm is preferably cup-shaped and molded from ethylene-propylene rubber with Daeron fabric reinforcement. Its marginal portion 35 is shown as draped over the rim 34 and secured to the case 11 by an encircling outer clamping band 36. Diaphragm 12 is also shown as provided with a central aperture which is surrounded by a slightly thickened annular portion of the diaphragm as indicated at 38.

Propellant chamber assembly 15 includes a shoulder member 39 which is supported on casing 25 and at its upper end is provided with external threads 40. The thickened rim 38 of diaphragm 12 rests on the shoulder portion of member 39 and also bears against the bottom surface of lower wall member 24. This wall member has a central opening and the marginal portion of this member surrounding this opening carries a nut member 41 suitably atttached thereto. This nut member 41 has internal threads 42 which receive the threads 40 on shoulder member 39. A tubular spacer 43 is shown as interposed between the top of shoulder member 39 and the bottom of the recessed portion 18 of the upper wall for the mine 13.

The operation of the explosive projector shown in FIGS. l-5 is as follows. When trip lever 17 of fuse assembly 14 is actuated as depicted in FIG. l, the fuse ignites propellant charge 16. This generates gas which expands the internal volume of the propellant chamber assembly 15. In other word-s, casing 25 is urged upwardly by the pressurized gases being generated l`and the lower cap 31 is blown off this casing. When casing and `cover separate the pressurized propellant gases lill the chamber 44 which is the space between diaphragm 12 and case 11. This causes diaphragm 12 to be elevated, inflated so to speak, in turn lifting mine 13. A partial elevation of mine 13 is depicted in FIG. 2 from which it will be noted that the earth above the buried mine is heaving to accommodate the upward movement of the mine.

Inflation of the diaphragm 12 continues until it is fully extended as depicted in FIG. 3 which illustrates that instant when mine 13 leaves diaphragm 12. The diaphragm has its thickened portion 38 pulled from the clamping space between members 39 and 41. At this time, it matters not if diaphragm 12 is ruptured since it has done its work in projecting mine 13 upwardly. Under its momentum generated by its upward acceleration mine 13 travels to a predetermined height h as designated in FIG. 4 at which elevation it explodes. This occurs because when propellant 16 was fired, it ignited the ignitor 23, in turn the delay train 29 and this ignited the detonator 30. 'I'he ignition of this detonator res booster 20 which fires burster 19 resulting in explosion of the mine and dissemination of its chemical content 45.

FIGS. 6-10 The form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 6-10 is a bomblet 50 which may be dropped from an aircraft. This bomblet 59 is shown as comprising a case composed of two semi-spherical shells 51 and 52; a diaphragm on the inside of each shell, that for shell 51 being designated 53 and that for shell 52 being designated 54; and a propellant charge arranged between each diaphragm and its shell, that for diaphragm 53 being designated 55 and that for diaphragm 54 being designated 56. Arranged between the diaphragms 53 and 54, which are within the corresponding ` shells 51 and 52, is a spherical projectile 58 which may be of any suitable construction. As shown, this projectile 58 includes an internally grooved casing 59, these grooves providing scoring of this casing so that when a burster charge 60 is detonated the casing 59 will fragment into pieces defined by the grooves.

Also arranged within projectile 58 is a fuse represented generally by the numeral 61 which may be of any suitable construction. In the embodiment illustrated this is of a known type which is armed by impact of the bomblet 50 with an object such as the ground, as depicted in FIG. 6. Leading from fuse 61 are a pair of ignitors 62 and 63 severally leading to the propellant charges 55 and 56 respectively.

While the shells S1 and 52 may be -held together in any suitable manner, the same are shown as bonded together by a detonating fuse ring 64 which contacts one or both of ignitors 62 and 63. Also operatively associated with these ignitors 62 and 63 is a time delay train represented generally by the numeral 65 and arranged inside the projectile. This delay train 65 is operatively associated with a detonator represented by the numeral 66 which is also arranged inside projectile 58 and embedded in its burster charge 60.

Each of the diaphragms S3 and 54, which again may be molded from ethylene-propylene rubber reenforced with Dacron fabric, has its marginal portion folded outwardly upon itself, as indicated at 68 for diaphragms 53 and 69 for diaphragm 54. The outer surface of the folded marginal portions 68 and 69 which are annular are suitably bonded to the internal surface of the corresponding shell 51 or 52. It will be noted that the ignitors 62 and 63 extend between the corresponding shell and diaphragm folded part 68 or 69.

In operation of the bomblet 50 shown in FIGS. 6-10, when it impacts the ground G as `depicted in FIG. 6, the fuse 61 is armed thereby igniting ignitors 62 and 63. As these burn, the flame front reaches fuse ring 64, detonating it and causing a slight separation of the shells 51 and 52 as depicted in FIG. 7. The ignitors 62 and 63- continue to burn and ultimately ignite their respective propellant charge 55 or 56. Ensuing generation of pressurized gas causes iniiation of the diaphragms 53 and 54 as depicted in FIG. 8. Since lower shell 52 is supported on the ground, diaphragm 54 will inate upwardly, thereby accelerating upwardly projectile 58 and diaphragm 53 and upper shell 51. Inasmuch as upper diaphragm 53 reacts against projectile 58, upper shell 51 is accelerated upwardly away from projectile 58. Upper shell 51 will be separated ultimately from projectile 58 by the relatively downward ination of diaphragm 53.

In other words, upper propellant charge 55 will be utilized to separate upper shell 51 from the projectile 58 while lower propellant charge 56 in lower shell 52 is utilized to project projectile 58 upwardly to a predetermined distance above the ground G at which projectile 58 will burst, as depicted in FIG. 9. This `bursting is occasioned by the actuation of the delay train 65, detonator 66 and burster charge 60.

It will be seen that the same operation of the projectile 58 will be produced if the bomblet ends up on the ground in an inverted position, i.e., with shell 51 at the bottom and shell 52 at the top. Even if opposing rims of the shells 51 and 52 do not end up in a substantially horizontal plane, the tiring of the bomblet will through reaction against the ground cause the device to assume a condition substantially as depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8 with the result of au overhead air burst depicted in FIG. 9.

The specific construction of `and materials employed in the fuses, schematically illustrated, are well known to those skilled in the art and form no part of the present invention.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention accomplishes the objects stated. Inasmuch as changes in construction may occur to those skilled in the art, the embodiments shown and described are illustrative and not limitative of the present invention, the scope of which is to be measured by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A munition device, comprising a case including two separable generally semi-spherical shells .arranged with their rims opposing each other, a flexible diaphragm for each of said shells and having a marginal portion sealingly secured to the same adjacent its rim leaving a movable central portion unsecured to the corresponding one of said shells, a generally spherical projectile arranged within said case between said diaphragms, a propellant charge arranged between each of said diaphragms and the corresponding one of said shells, a burster arranged within said projectile, means for igniting said charges, and time delay igniting means operatively interposed between said charge igniting means .and said burster, said central portion of each of said diaphragms being movable upon ignition of the corresponding one of said charges to a position exterior of the `corresponding one of said shells while said marginal portion of the same one of said diaphragms remains secured to such corresponding one of said shells.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,791,716 2/1931 Davis et al. 102-6 2,374,179 4/ 1945 Delalande 102--8 2,440,702 5/ 1948 Short 102-8 2,830,538 4/1958 Dodge 102-8 2,830,539 4-/1958 Cecil 89-1.01 3,119,302 1/1964 Barr 89-1 3,170,398 2/1965 Paulson et al 102-9 X 3,175,489 3/1965 Reed 102-8 SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner.

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