Classifications

• • 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
  • F42B12/46—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 gases, vapours, powders or chemically-reactive substances
  • F42B12/48—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 gases, vapours, powders or chemically-reactive substances smoke-producing, e.g. infrared clouds
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
  • C06D—MEANS FOR GENERATING SMOKE OR MIST; GAS-ATTACK COMPOSITIONS; GENERATION OF GAS FOR BLASTING OR PROPULSION (CHEMICAL PART)
  • C06D3/00—Generation of smoke or mist (chemical part)
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S102/00—Ammunition and explosives
  • Y10S102/70—Combustilbe cartridge
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S149/00—Explosive and thermic compositions or charges
  • Y10S149/117—Smoke or weather composition contains resin

Definitions

• a caseless smoke generating grenade consists essentially of a cast flexible. main charge.
• the flameless Cl I pyrotechnic composition used in the main charge is 149/2, 149/19, 149/76, 14 comprised of substantially equal proportions of zinc [51] I131. Cl ..F42b 27/00, C06Cl 3/00 oxide and m perchlorate oxidizer distributed [58] held of Search "1 2; 102/652 throughout a plastieized polymeric resin fuel having a l high halogen content.
• the composition is free of solvent and provides controlled burning coupled with ex- [56] References cued cellent flexibility, cohesive strength and impact re- UNITED STATES PATENTS f 2,939,779 6/1960 Brock ..l ..l49/76 12 Claims, No Drawings CASELESS SMOKE GRENADE INCLUDING POLYVINYL CHLORIDE BINDER BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• the present invention relates generally to a pyrotechnic-smoke producing composition and more particularly concerns a new and improved smoke composition and to caseless grenades made therefrom.
• the white smoke formulation used extensively and successively heretofore has contained substantially equal proportions of zinc oxide and hexachlorethane.
• compositions also had a tendency to burn at relatively high combustion temperatures, that is at temperatures of about l,O00 C or higher.
• This high combustion temperature necessarily resulted in destruction of any additional agent being dispersed and consequently smoke formulations incorporating agents such as tear gas or the like exhibited low operating efficiencies.
• the high combustion temperatures also created a substantial thermal updraft in the area of the smoke canister causing the smoke to rise rapidly and be easily diluted within the atmosphere, thereby resulting in lower efficiency of operation.
• spent housing or casing could be used in a manner contrary to its originally intended purpose.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved zinc oxide type smoke formulation free of hexachlorethane and exhibiting high efficiency operation and rapid yet controlled dissemination of voluminous clouds of dense smoke. Included in this object is the provision for a charge of the type described which is easily ignitable even in the absence of a special ignition mix.
• Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved zinc oxide smoke formulation adapted to being molded, extruded or otherwise formed into caseless smoke producing charges free of the bulky containers heretofore used to confine the pyrotechnic formulation. Included in this object is the provision for a polymeric smoke producing charge ex- 5 hibiting excellent flexibility and cohesive strength thereby avoiding rupture upon impact with hard surfaces.
• An additional object of the present invention is to provide a caseless grenade of the type described having a pyrotechnic charge that does not require consolidation and can assume a variety of different shapes yet is completely free of solvents that might adversely affect the burning rate of the charge.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved caseless smoke grenade, that is, a grenade free of the bulky metal or noncombustible containers used heretofore, adapted to incorporate additional vapor producing substances such as tear gas, insecticides, cloud nucleants or the like.
• This object includes provision for a smoke generating grenade having a relatively low burning temperature, characterized by flameless combustion at atmospheric pressure and facilitating dispersion of tear. gas or similar agents in a highly efficient manner without thermal destruction.
• the pyrotechnic composition consists essentially of zinc oxide, ammonium perchlorate oxidizer and a solvent-free plasticized polymeric resin having a 'high halogen content, such as plasticized polyvinyl chloride.
• the caseless grenade of the present invention consists essentially of a cast, extruded or formed charge of a white smoke formulation that includes not only the zinc oxide and ammonium perchlorate components used heretofore but also advantageously eliminates the conventional hexachlorethane and replaces it with a plasticized organic thermoplastic resin having a moderate to high halogen content.
• the resin acts not as just a binder for the reactants but as the fuel for the combustion reaction and as a source of halogen for producing the desired zinc and ammonium chlorides.
• the rapid hydrolysis of these chlorides by the moisture in the air is responsible for the voluminous clouds of white smoke resulting from combustion of the composition.
• the composition is free of solvents that adversely affect its burning rate and includes a resin that serves as a control over the combustion temperature of the composition.
• the resultant flameless combustion occurs at relatively low temperatures, that is at a temperature range of about 350500 C, the requisite reaction of the zinc oxide is effectively and efficiently carried out to produce the desired smoke output.
• the organic plasticizer used in conjunction with the halogen containing-resin acts as a vehicle for mixing and homogenizing the components of the formulation while obviating solvents in the system.
• the plasticizer may be of the general purpose type suited for use with halogen containing polymers such as polyvinyl chloride.
• the preferred plasticizers are generally esters of dibasic acids such as phthalic, adipic, 'maleic, succinic or the like.
• plasticizers such as dibutyl and dioctyl phthalate, dihexyl sebacate, dilauryl adipate and the like may be used.
• liquid plasticizers being fully compatible with the resin and of low volatility, become an integral part of the plastisol composition that serves as a dispersing medium for the zinc oxide and perchlorate oxidizer as well as a fuel, binder and halogen donor.
• the halogenated resins found most suited to functioning both as a combustible organic fuel and as a source of halogen for reaction with the zinc oxide are the high molecular weight polymers and copolymers having a moderate to high halogen content, such as vinyl chloride and copolymers thereof.
• the vinyl resins sold by B. F. Goodrich under the trade name Geon, such as Geon 121 have given good results.
• These polymers are high molecular weight homopolymers of vinyl chloride having an average molecular weight of about 200,000.
• the solid particulate resin has a specific gravity of about 1.4 and an inherent viscosity of about 1.2 as measured by test procedure ASTM-D- 1234-60 A.
• the preferred material also has a chlorine content of about 56 percent; however, other polymers and copolymers of moderate to high halogen content such as vinylidene chloride may be employed.
• the polymeric resin as received from the supplier is a fine powder having a bulk density of about 20-25 lbs/cubic foot and a particle size small enough so that 100 percent of the powder easily passes through a 200 mesh screen.
• the resin is preferably of the stir-in type and is preferably plasticized with a general purpose plasticizer of the less volatile type, such as dioctyl phthalate, using substantially equal proportions of the resin and plasticizer. However, frequently it is desired to reduce the relative amount of plasticizer to achieve proper processing conditions.
• the plasticized halogenated resin, perchlorate oxidizer and zinc oxide are utilized.
• the plasticized resin or plastisol may broadly vary from about 10 percent by weight up to about 60 percent by weight and the amount of zinc oxide and perchlorate oxidizer may be from about 15 percent to about 40 percent of the pyrotechnic smoke producing composition.
• formulations using less than 15 percent of zinc oxide tend to flame while zinc oxide concentrations below 2 percent are completely ineffective.
• the preferred zinc oxide content is about 18 percent or more.
• the perchlorate oxidizer be the last component to be added to the mix.
• the paste-like mixture is a flammable material having a viscosity of about 200,000 cps. This mixture is then poured into suitable molds and cast into its desired shape or added to an extruder for subsequent fabrication into its final configuration.
• the suitably configured or extruded pieces or charges of smoke formulation are then slowly heated at moderate temperature, such as temperatures of about 300 F for a period of approximately 2 to 3 hours.
• the resultant charges have a density of about 1.5, exhibit excellent structural integrity and strength and are relatively insensitive to impact yet are easily ignited by a cigarette, match or the like even in the absence of an ignition mix.
• This resiliency, flexibility and impact resistance makes the formulation particularly well suited to caseless grenades. It will be appreciated that frequently it may be desirable to provide a specific grenade structure with a pull wire lighter or other ignition device, or to incorporate a short delay element such as a 5 second delay at the ignition portion of the grenade in order to facilitate its ignition and permit the user to propel the grenade to its desired location or to otherwise remove himself from the area of the smoke generation prior to the ignition of the main pyrotechnic smoke producing charge.
• the cured cast or extruded charge may be provided with an elongated cavity along the length thereof and a suitable riot control agent placed therein.
• a suitable riot control agent placed therein.
• a plurality of such cavities may be provided within the caseless grenade in order to more fully utilize the combustible pyrotechnic composition.
• the tear gas producing riot control agents frequently employed are the ortho substituted benzal malononitriles, such as the fluoro, chloro, nitro, cyano or hydroxy substituted benzal malonitriles.
• suitable color producing agents such as organic dyes in the smoke producing composition. These may be incorporated into the mix prior to the casting or extruding operations so long as the dye is not adversely affected by the heating operation. Where the dye pellets are sensitive to temperatures belowabout 350 F, incorporation of the dye is preferably withheld until after the charge has cooled. As will be appreciated other dispersible agents, such as insecticides or the'like, may also be added to the grenade for controlled release upon combustion.
• the tear gas, dye or other additives may be incorporated into the smoke producing grenade, these additives should generally constitute less than 50 percent of the total weight of the smoke grenade or similar device. In fact, in the preferred formulation wherein the dye is mixed with the composition prior to the casting or extruding operation, the dye constitutes only about 35 percent by weight of the total main charge.
• the total burning time and, consequently, the mass consumption rate for each grenade or other device formed from the smoke formulation of the present invention can be easily controlled.
• the mass consumption rate associated with a particular device is reported in terms of the weight per unit of time and is the product of the linear burning rate. of the composition, the density of the composition and the size of the surface area subject to combustion.
• the first two factors may remain constant yet the mass consumption rate can still be varied with the surface area under combustion and will increase or decrease as that area increases or decreases.
• the mass consumption rate of a device can be substantially increased over that for a device of identical composition and construction except for the central aperture.
• EXAMPLE 1 into a 4-inch long cardboard mold of generally cylindrical configuration having a diameter of about 1 inch and the filled mold placed in an oven at 300 F for 2 hrs. The composition was cooled and the resultant solid charge removed from the cardboard mold. lt exhibited excellent flexibility and upon ignition at one end thereof burned in cigarette fashion at a rate of about 4 inches/minute.
• Example II The procedure of Example I was repeated except that the solid cured charge was provided with a central longitudinally extending hole of about one-eighth inch diameter along the entire length thereof. This resulted in a four fold increase in the surface area under combustion and a corresponding increase in the mass consumption rate, the entire charge being consumed in about 15 seconds.
• a flameless pyrotechnic smoke producing composition comprising from about 15 to about 40 percent by weight zinc oxide, from about 15 to about 40 percent by weight oxidizer and greater than about 10 percent by weight of a plasticized resin fuel comprised of an organic plasticizer and a vinyl polymer resin having a moderate to high chlorine content, said composition exhibiting a combustion temperature well below 1,000 C.
• composition of claim 1 including a minor amount of a supplemental halogen donor capable of serving as an additional smoke forming component.
• composition of claim 1 wherein the oxidizer is ammonium perchlorate.
• composition of claim 1 comprising 10-25 per cent by weight polymeric resin, lO-25 percent by weight plasticizer, 20-35 percent by weight perchlorate oxidizer and 1 840 percent by weight zinc oxide.
• a caseless grenade comprised of a solid, flexible,
• auxiliary agent is a tear gas producing agent.
• the caseless grenade of claim 8 including an ignition mix and delay element for igniting the charge.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Botany (AREA)
• Pest Control & Pesticides (AREA)
• Plant Pathology (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Air Bags (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (8)

Families Citing this family (1)

• 1971
  • 1971-09-23 US US00183252A patent/US3724382A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1972
  • 1972-08-22 CA CA149,938A patent/CA966382A/en not_active Expired
  • 1972-09-22 FR FR7233693A patent/FR2153431A1/fr not_active Withdrawn

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