US3352189A

US3352189A - Explosive bolt

Info

Publication number: US3352189A
Application number: US547077A
Authority: US
Inventors: Karl R Brown
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-04-29
Filing date: 1966-04-29
Publication date: 1967-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1984-11-14

Description

Nov. 14, 1967 Fig.3

Filed April 29, 1966 A l /5 g l /'/9/3 24 32 29 n Fig.5

I T j 'III, 24 Ii 30 25 29 /7 2/ f M: Z Z /5 /9 23 32 INVENTOR. I Karl R. Brown BY id/ W a% W4w A T TOR/VEYS United States Patent ()fiice 3,352,189 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 Army Filed Apr. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 547,077 4 Claims. (Cl. 851) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by and for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to releasable components and more particularly to a bolt or like elements which may be instantly released from an associated member with which it is associated by means of an explosive charge.

Explosive charges utilized in cooperating structures are presently known for efiecting the quick release of one piece of structure from another. Such devices are utilized in the aircraft industry for effecting the quick release of closures, canopies, auxiliary gas tanks, bombs, etc., positioned at remote locations. Such quick release means may be utilized in any type of installation where instantaneous release of assembled parts are required.

In certain instances, the noise created by the utilization of explosive charges in cooperating structures for effecting the quick release of one piece of structure from another cannot be tolerated. It has been discovered that quieted operations are achieved by sealing the propellant gases from the surrounding atmosphere on activation of the explosive device. In addition, a high initial propelling force is exerted on the propelled material on the sealing of the explosive generated propellant gases.

It is an object of the invention to provide and disclose a member containing an explosive charge therein, and adapted to cooperate with an associated member, whereby on the detonation of the explosive charge, said associated member is instantaneously propelled therefrom.

It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a member containing an explosive charge therein, and adapted to cooperate with an associated member, whereby on the detonation of the explosive charge, the generated propellant gases are sealed from the atmosphere, thereby resulting in a quieted explosion.

It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a member containing an explosive charge therein, and adapted to cooperate with an associated member whereby on the detonation of the explosive charge, the generated propellant gases are sealed from the atmosphere, thereby resulting in the exertion of a high initial force on the associated member being propelled.

It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a member containing an explosive charge therein, and adapted to cooperate with an associated member, whereby on the detonation of the explosive charge, there is an absence of fragmentation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a member containing an explosive charge therein, and adapted to cooperate with an associated member, wherein the member and associated member are simple and compact in design and construction and easily manufactured.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the device in an undetonated condition.

FIGURE 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken through line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the device in a detonated condition.

FIGURE 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken through line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 shows an exploded longitudinal sectional view of the device.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, the device comprises cylindrical housing 10, which contains a longitudinal coaxial bore 11 extending partially therethrough. Bore 11 comprises threaded section 13 at one end, shoulder E16, and reduced diameter 18, which terminates on surface 12 at the other end. Extending axially from the closed end of cylindrical housing 10 is cylindrical bolt 25, being separated therefrom by integral web 32. Cylindrical bolt 25 comprises a threaded end 29 and a smooth end 30 having a diameter substantially equal to reduce diameter 18 of bore 11. Cylindrical housing 10 and bolt 25 projecting therefrom are machined from one piece. The threaded end of bore 11 is suitably contoured to receive externally threaded cylindrical propellant housing 15. In the assem bly of the device, a threaded sealing compound may be utilized in order to assure a complete seal. Longitudinal coaxial bore 17 extends through propellant housing 15 to cylindrical detonation well 19, which contains explosive charge 24 as shown in FIGURE 1. Electric leads 14 pass through bore 17 and are embedded in explosive charge 20 in such a manner that the charge will be detonated when an electric current is caused to flow through the leads. Detonation well 19 is formed by the hollowed abutting ends of cylindrical propellant housing 15 and plunger 21, which comprises a cylindrical shaped object having a diameter equal to cylindrical propellant housing 15 at its hollowed abutting end and reduced diameter 22 at the other end. Seal 23 is positioned circumferentially on reduced diameter 22 so as to encompass a substantial portion thereof, and in an amount so that the combined diameter of the reduced section of the plunger and the seal is equal to the unreduced section of the plunger. The seal may be of any suitable material which possesses the characteristics of pliability and extrudability, e.g., rubber. In addition, a Tygon seal was tested and found to be effective.

On the detonation of explosive charge 20 in detonation well 19, the explosive gases generated thereby motivate plunger 21 laterally so that surface 24 is connected with surface 12 of cylindrical housing 10. As a result, seal 23 is compressed between shoulder 26 of plunger 21 and shoulder 16 of cylindrical housing 10. As a result of the compression of the seal between two shoulders, seal 23 is extruded circumferentially over the reduced and nonreduced sections of plunger 21, as shown in FIGURE 3. Concurrently with the compression and extrusion of seal 23, the force of contact of surface 24 of plunger 21 against surface 12 of cylindrical housing 10 shears the integral web 32, thereby expelling bolt 25. The noise is reduced to that created by the plunger shearing the integral web 32 between the cylindrical housing and bolt. The compression and extrusion of the seal by the lateral movement of plunger 21 seals the device, thereby preventing the escape of the propellant gases.

Although we have described our invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by Way of example and that numerous changes in the detail of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A gas sealed propelling arrangement comprising a cylindrical housing and bolt separated by an integral web, said cylindrical housing having a longitudinal coaxial partially threaded bore extending partially therethrough, an externally threaded cylindrical propellant housing encompassed within the cylindrical housing and suitably contoured so as to be compatible with the internally threaded section of the cylindrical housing, said propellant housing having a longitudinal coaxial bore extending therethrough which terminates into a hollowed end, a cylindrical plunger having a reduced diameter section encompassed within the unthreaded section of the cylindrical housing, said cylindrical plunger having a hollowed end abutting the hollowed end of the propellant housing so as to form a well, the other end of said cylindrical plunger abutting the integral web, sealing means positioned circumferentially on the reduced section of the cylindrical plunger, an explosive charge positioned within the well, electric leads passing through the bore of the propellant housing and embedded in the explosive charge in such a manner that the charge is detonated when an electric current is caused to flow through the leads.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sealing means utilized are constructed of rubber.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 whereby on the detonation of the explosive charge within the well, the cylindrical plunger is motivated axially thereby extruding the sealing means circumferentially on the reduced and unreduced section of the cylindrical plunger, thereby sealing the explosive gases.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3, whereby on the detonation of the explosive charge within the well, the cylindrical plunger is motivated axially, thereby shearing the integral web and separating the bolt from the cylindrical housing.

No references cited.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A GAS SEALED PROPELLING ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL HOUSING AND BOLT SEPARATED BY AN INTEGRAL WEB, SAID CYLINDRICAL HOUSING HAVING A LONGITUDINAL COAXIAL PARTIALLY THREADED BORE EXTENDING PARTIALLY THERETHROUGH, AN EXTERNALLY THREADED CYLINDRICAL PROPELLANT HOUSING ENCOMPASSED WITHIN THE CYLINDRICAL HOUSING AND SUITABLY CONTOURED SO AS TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE INTERNALLY THREADED SECTION OF THE CYLINDRICAL HOUSING, SAID PROPELLANT HOUSING HAVING A LONGITUDINAL COACIAL BORE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH WHICH TERMINATES INTO A HOLLOWED END, A CYLINDRICAL PLUNGER HAVING A REDUCED DIAMETER SECTION ENCOMPASSED WITHIN THE UNTHREADED SECTION OF THE CYLINDRICAL HOUSING, SAID CYLINDRICAL PLUNGER HAVING A HOLLOWED END ABUTTING THE HOLLOWED END OF THE PROPELLANT HOUSING SO AS TO FORM A WELL, THE OTHER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PLUNGER