US3351013A - Illuminating mortar shell - Google Patents

Illuminating mortar shell Download PDF

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Publication number
US3351013A
US3351013A US542774A US54277466A US3351013A US 3351013 A US3351013 A US 3351013A US 542774 A US542774 A US 542774A US 54277466 A US54277466 A US 54277466A US 3351013 A US3351013 A US 3351013A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
shell
nose portion
tail portion
illuminating
tail
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US542774A
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English (en)
Inventor
Simmons Bjorn Herman Olof
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Saab Bofors AB
Original Assignee
Bofors AB
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bofors AB filed Critical Bofors AB
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3351013A publication Critical patent/US3351013A/en
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
    • F42B10/00—Means for influencing, e.g. improving, the aerodynamic properties of projectiles or missiles; Arrangements on projectiles or missiles for stabilising, steering, range-reducing, range-increasing or fall-retarding
    • F42B10/02—Stabilising arrangements
    • F42B10/04—Stabilising arrangements using fixed fins
    • F42B10/06—Tail fins
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
    • F42B12/00—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material
    • F42B12/02—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect
    • F42B12/36—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
    • F42B12/42—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information of illuminating type, e.g. carrying flares
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
    • F42B12/00—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material
    • F42B12/02—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect
    • F42B12/36—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
    • F42B12/56—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information for dispensing discrete solid bodies
    • F42B12/58—Cluster or cargo ammunition, i.e. projectiles containing one or more submissiles
    • F42B12/62—Cluster or cargo ammunition, i.e. projectiles containing one or more submissiles the submissiles being ejected parallel to the longitudinal axis of the projectile

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a luminous or illuminating shell to be fired from a mortar and more particularly to an illuminating mortar shell including a flare to be supported by a parachute after ignition.
  • Illuminating mortar shells of this kind as heretofore known are inserted, tail end first, into the launching barrel of a mortar.
  • a striker mechanism actuates a percussion type detonator in the tail portion of the shell.
  • the percussion detonator ignites the propellant charge in the shell which, in turn, develops the required propellant force when ignited.
  • the shell further contains a suitable flare material in its nose end. This material or more specifically the container therefor is attached to a parachute disposed in the tail portion of the shell which is joined to the nose portion by a suitable frangible joint such as a shear pin. After a predetermined flight time of the shell a time fuze usually arranged in the tip of the shell, causes ignition of the flare.
  • An illuminating mortar shell of the general kind above referred to has generally a rather poor stability when in flight in that the shell will tend to oscillate about an axis normal to the longitudinal axis of the shell. Such oscillations are highly undesirable but are unavoidably caused by the fact that in illuminating shells of conventional design the center of gravity of the shell is in or close to the tail portion of the shell. Such rearwardly located center of gravity is due to the fact that the tail portion must be made of a material strong and heavy enough to withstand the pressures to which it is subjected during the firing of the shell.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved illuminating mortar shell of the general kind above referred to in which interference of the tail portion, after separation thereof from the front portion, with the parachute during release and opening thereof is effectively prevented.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved illuminating mortar shell of the general kind above referred to the costs of which are materially reduced due to relieving the tail portion of the shell of the high firing stresses experienced by the tail portion of conventional illuminating shells so that the tail portion can be safely made of an inexpensive light weight material such as a suitable plastic.
  • the tail portion can be safely divided into several releasably joined lengthwise parts. These parts of the tail portion will be released from each other and thrown into different directions during the flight of the shell at the moment the flare material in the shell is ignited causing separation of the tail portion from the nose portion. As a result the scattered parts of the tail portion will not interfere with the unfolding of the parachute.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of an illuminating mortar shell according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 shows a mortar in position for receiving a shell
  • FIG. 3 shows the shell in three different phases of flight just after it has been fired
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the parts of the tail portion of the shell after having been just separated from the nose portion and the beginning of the unfolding of the parachute.
  • the illuminating mortar shell as exemplified in FIG. 1 comprises a charge 1 of suitable and conventional combustible flare material encapsulated in a cylindrical casing 2 which is closed at one end by a wall 3.
  • the casing and the flare material therein are so constructed in a well known manner that they can be propelled as a unit.
  • End Wall 3 mounts an eye 4 for a ring 5 linked to a second ring 6 to which is secured a cord '7 of a parachute 8 (see FIG. 4).
  • the end of casing 1 opposite to end wall 3 is closed by a cover 9 which is held in position by a peripheral flange 10 on one end of an outer casing 11 made of suitable sheet material such as sheet metal.
  • a nose cone comprising a cylindrical portion 13 and a frusto-conical portion 14 are secured to cover 9.
  • a percussion type detonator 15 of conventional design is fitted in the tip of frustoconical portion 14. The detonator when activated serves to ignite a propellant charge 16 also placed in frustoconical part 14.
  • the wall of nose cone part 1 2- includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced exhaust ports 17 through which the propellant gases developed when charge 16 is ignited, can escape.
  • Cylindrical nose cone portion 13 contains a suitable priming charge and delay composition both designated by 18.
  • the priming charge serves to ignite flare material 1 at the end of the period of time for which the delay composition is set.
  • Time delay composition and priming charges of this kind are well known in the art and do not constitute part of the present invention.
  • the tail portion of the shell is in the form of a truncated cone and comprised of two separate sections 19 and 20.
  • a plurality of guide fins 21 are provided at the narrow end of the tail portion.
  • the other ends of tail sections 19 and 20 terminnate in an outwardly turned flange 23 the outer diameter of which is substantially the same as that of casing 2 and is in abutment with the same.
  • Flange 23 is also in engagement with an inwardly turned flange 12 which may be in the form of a plurality of circumferentially spaced lips as is best shown in FIG.
  • Flanges 12 and 23 join the nose portion and the tail portion of the shell and also sections 19 and 20 and constitute a frangible joint which yields to the gas pressures which are developed during the flight of the shell after firing the same, as will be more fully explained hereinafter,
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 show a portable mortar or launcher suitable for launching an illuminating shell according to the invention.
  • the launcher comprises a box 24 including a support in which one end of a launching barrel 25 is pivotally mounted.
  • the barrel is pivotal between an inactive position in which it is completely within the box and an elevated firing position which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
  • the barrel may be secured in any selected angular position by a rod 27 of variable effective length which is linked to the barrel 25 by a suitable hinge 28.
  • the space in the box not occupied by the barrel in its lowered position may be used as a storage space for shells.
  • a cover (not shown) for box 24 is preferably provided and also a carrying handle so that the entire mortar assembly can be conveniently carried.
  • a shell to be fired is inserted into barrel 25 with its nose portion first as it is indicated in FIG. 2 by a hand 29 holding a shell in reversed position.
  • the shell will slide down the barrel by gravity and detonator 15 of the shell will hit a percussion mechanism of conventional design (not shown) provided at the inner end of the barrel.
  • detonator 15 is activated and ignites the propellant charge 16.
  • the gases now developed escape through ports 17 and the resulting pressure built up ejects the shell from the barrel.
  • FIG. 3 shows three positions of the shell.
  • One position is the position in which the shell is still reversed, that is, immediately after leaving the barrel.
  • the second position is the one in which the shell has begun to turn due to the previously explained pronounced instability of the shell while flying backwards.
  • the third position shows the shell after it has fully turned and now continues along its trajectory with the nose portion facing forwardly. As has also been pointed out before, in this position the shell is stabilized due to moving forwardly the center of gravity of the shell.
  • the priming charge is activated and ignites flare material 1.
  • the ignited flare material develops a gas pressure which when reaching a predetermined magnitude exerts upon the flare material and its casing 2 a pressure strong enough to bend outwardly peripheral flange lips 12.
  • the tail portion and the nose portion of the shell are separated from each other.
  • tail sections 15 and 20 are released from each other at the forward end.
  • Such release of the tail sections at the forward ends thereof causes a release at the rear ends also by the self-releasing fastening means. Accordingly, the two tail sections will tend to move into the positions of FIG. 4, or into even further scattered positions in which they cannot interfere with the opening of parachute 8.
  • FIG. 4 shows the condition in which casing 2 with the flare material has just left outer casing 11 and parachute 8 has started to unfold.
  • tail sections 19 and 20 are not subjected to any substantial pressure during firing of the shell. They can hence be made of very light material thereby causing the center of gravity of the shell to be moved forwardly to a substantial extent. As previously explained such forward movement of the center of gravity increases the stability of the shell during flight.
  • Suitable materials for tail sections parts 19 and 211 are for instance, thin sheet metal or plastic sheets in particular sheets made of a thermoplastic such as polycarbonate or acryl-butadiene styrene (ABS).
  • a thermoplastic such as polycarbonate or acryl-butadiene styrene (ABS).
  • An illuminating mortar shell comprising a casing having a hollow nose portion and a hollow tail portion, of lighter Weight than the nose portion so that the center of gravity of the shell is in the nose portion thereof, a propellant charge and a percussion type detonating means disposed in the tip of the nose portion for igniting said charge upon activation of the detonating means, a frangible joint securing said nose portion to said tail portion, a container containing combustible flare material loosely fitted in the part of the nose portion adjacent to the tail portion, a folded parachute disposed in the tail portion and secured to sail container, and ejecting means including time delay means in said nose portion, said ejecting means being activated by ignition of said propellant charge and when activated igniting said flare material at the end of a delay period controlled by said time delay means, ignition of the flare material developing a directional force breaking said frangible joint thereby separating the tail portion from the nose portion and ejecting the container with the parachute attached there
  • tail portion comprises two lengthwise extending separate sections secured together at one end by said frangible joint and at the other end by self-releasing fastening means, said fastening means being released when said joint is broken.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
US542774A 1965-04-20 1966-04-15 Illuminating mortar shell Expired - Lifetime US3351013A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE521965 1965-04-20

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3351013A true US3351013A (en) 1967-11-07

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ID=20265963

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US542774A Expired - Lifetime US3351013A (en) 1965-04-20 1966-04-15 Illuminating mortar shell

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3351013A (de)
AT (1) AT261450B (de)
BE (1) BE679665A (de)
CH (1) CH444716A (de)
GB (1) GB1079098A (de)
IL (1) IL25329A (de)
NL (1) NL6604035A (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3706281A (en) * 1971-04-01 1972-12-19 Nasa Method and system for ejecting fairing sections from a rocket vehicle
US5220128A (en) * 1991-11-22 1993-06-15 Grau John C Soft-recovery system for gun-launched projectiles
US6386112B1 (en) * 2001-05-01 2002-05-14 Gregory P. Shelton Aerial pyrotechnic product with retarded post-explosion descent

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9217613B2 (en) 2010-06-01 2015-12-22 F. Richard Langner Systems and methods for disrupter recovery
US8413570B2 (en) 2010-06-01 2013-04-09 F. Richard Langner Disrupter ejection and recovery system and method therefor
DE202015001833U1 (de) * 2015-03-10 2015-09-10 Kapi Electronics Gmbh Intelligentes Pressluft - Fallschirmrettungssystem für bemannte und unbemannte Luftfahrzeuge

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR818967A (fr) * 1936-03-14 1937-10-07 Anciens Ets Skoda Mine, bombe d'avion, projectile et analogue, notamment de défense contre les chars
US2362534A (en) * 1940-01-12 1944-11-14 Sageb Sa Lighting projectile
US3088403A (en) * 1959-05-26 1963-05-07 James T Bartling Rocket assisted torpedo

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR818967A (fr) * 1936-03-14 1937-10-07 Anciens Ets Skoda Mine, bombe d'avion, projectile et analogue, notamment de défense contre les chars
US2362534A (en) * 1940-01-12 1944-11-14 Sageb Sa Lighting projectile
US3088403A (en) * 1959-05-26 1963-05-07 James T Bartling Rocket assisted torpedo

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3706281A (en) * 1971-04-01 1972-12-19 Nasa Method and system for ejecting fairing sections from a rocket vehicle
US5220128A (en) * 1991-11-22 1993-06-15 Grau John C Soft-recovery system for gun-launched projectiles
US6386112B1 (en) * 2001-05-01 2002-05-14 Gregory P. Shelton Aerial pyrotechnic product with retarded post-explosion descent

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IL25329A (en) 1970-12-24
NL6604035A (de) 1966-10-21
BE679665A (de) 1966-10-03
CH444716A (de) 1967-09-30
AT261450B (de) 1968-04-25
GB1079098A (en) 1967-08-09
DE1578055A1 (de) 1970-10-15

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