WO2000034732B1

WO2000034732B1 - Ammunition

Info

Publication number: WO2000034732B1
Application number: PCT/IB1999/001949
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Hamilton Kay-Clough
Original assignee: Kay Clough Mark Hamilton
Priority date: 1998-12-08
Filing date: 1999-12-07
Publication date: 2000-08-03
Also published as: GB2367349A; WO2000034732A1; AU1402400A; GB0116362D0

Abstract

A projectile (130) for a cartridge (200) includes a projectile body (14) and mounting means for removably mounting the projectile body (14) to a cartridge case (202). The mounting means includes a mounting formation (7) which projects from a base of the projectile body (14) and which has a smaller maximum transverse dimension than a maximum transverse dimension of the projectile body (14). The invention extends to a cartridge case (202), a cartridge (200) and protection means (140) for protecting a primer (232) of a cartridge.

Claims

28 AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 2 June 2000 (02.06.00); original claims 1 -43 replaced by amended claims 1 -43 (9 pages)]

1 . A projectile for a cartridge which includes both a primer and a

propellant, the projectile including a projectile body and mounting means for

removably mounting the projectile body to a propellant-containing cartridge case,

the mounting means including a mounting formation which projects from a base

of the projectile body and which has a smaller maximum transverse dimension

than a maximum transverse dimension of the projectile body, the projectile body

and the mounting formation being configured to travel together when fired

through a barrel, at least while travelling through the barrel, with the projectile

body engaging the barrel.

2. A projectile as claimed in claim 1 , in which the projectile body is

elongate and circular in outline in end view and the mounting formation is

elongate and circular in cross section, thus having a maximum diameter which is

smaller than the maximum diameter of the projectile body, the mounting

formation tapering over at least a major portion thereof, away from the projectile

body.

3. A projectile as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the maximum

transverse dimension of the mounting formation is at least half the maximum

transverse dimension of the projectile body, but smaller than that of the projectile

body by a sufficient margin to ensure that the mounting formation does not

interfere with the rifling of a barrel when the projectile is fired through a rifled 29

barrel dimensioned in conventional manner for the caliber of the projectile, and in

which the projectile body defines an annular rear or trailing surface or base.

4. A projectile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which

a ratio of the maximum transverse dimension of the mounting formation to the

maximum transverse dimension of the projectile body is between 0,5: 1 and

0,95: 1 .

5. A projectile as claimed in claim 4, in which the ratio of the maximum

transverse dimension of the mounting formation to the maximum transverse

dimension of the projectile body is between 0,75: 1 and 0,95: 1 .

6. A projectile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which

the mounting formation is integral with the projectile body.

7. A projectile as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 inclusive, in which

the mounting formation is a separate body attached to the projectile body.

8. A projectile as claimed in claim 7, in which the mounting formation

is in the form of an insert which extends into the projectile body and which

projects away from a rear end of the projectile body. 30

9. A projectile as claimed in claim 8, in which the insert defines a

retaining formation cooperating with a complimentary retaining formation defined

by the projectile body, thereby to secure the projectile body to the insert.

10. A projectile as claimed in claim 9, in which the retaining formation

defined by the insert includes a cannelure.

1 1 . A projectile as claimed in claim 10, in which the cannelure includes

at least one angled spline.

1 2. A projectile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which

the mounting formation is of a material selected from the group consisting of

solid metals, alloys, ceramics, and solid synthetic plastics or polymeric materials.

1 3. A projectile as claimed in claim 1 2, in which the mounting formation

is of a solid synthetic plastics or polymeric material.

14. A projectile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which

the projectile body is of a material selected from the group consisting of solid

metals, alloys, and solid synthetic plastics or polymeric materials.

1 5. A projectile as claimed in claim 1 4, in which the projectile body is of

a solid synthetic plastics or polymeric material. 31

1 6. A projectile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which

a rear surface of the mounting formation, remote from the projectile body, is

concavely curved.

1 7. A projectile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which

the projecting portion of the mounting formation is shaped to enhance a friction

fit between the mounting formation and a cartridge case.

1 8. A cartridge case which is elongate with a central passage for receiving a propellant extending therethrough and which is open at both a

projectile mounting end for mounting a projectile to the cartridge case such that it projects from the cartridge case, and a primer mounting end, a primer housing

for housing a primer for igniting a propellant received in the central passage being

fitted to the primer mounting end of the cartridge case.

1 9. A cartridge case as claimed in claim 1 8, in which the primer housing

has a substantially cylindrical portion fitting with a friction fit into the primer

mounting end of the cartridge case.

20. A cartridge case as claimed in claim 1 8 or claim 1 9, which includes

sealing means for inhibiting escape of pressurized gas, in use produced by

combusted propellant inside the central passage of the cartridge case, from the

cartridge case between an interior surface of the cartridge case and the primer

housing. 32

21 . A cartridge case as claimed in claim 20, in which the sealing means includes a deflector for in use inwardly deflecting pressurized gas moving towards

the primer mounting end of the cartridge case away from the interior surface of

the cartridge case towards a central longitudinal axis of the cartridge case.

22. A cartridge case as claimed in claim 21 , in which the deflector has

a central aperture and is deformable such that in use it is deformed against the interior surface of the cartridge case by the pressurized gas.

23. A cartridge case as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 22 inclusive,

in which the sealing means includes a deformable seal abutting against the primer

housing and located inside the cartridge case, the seal having a central passage

and being arranged such that in use it is forced against the primer housing and

the interior surface of the cartridge case by the pressurized gas.

24. A cartridge case as claimed in claim 22, in which the sealing means

includes a deformable seal sandwiched between the primer housing and the

deflector, the seal having a central passage in register with the central aperture

of the deflector.

25. A cartridge case as claimed in claim 22, which includes protection

means for in use protecting a primer seated in the primer housing against the

pressurized gas, thereby to prevent the primer from being unseated by the

pressurized gas. 33

26. A cartridge case as claimed in claim 25, in which the protection

means includes a displaceable plug body located in the central passage of the

seal, the plug body being displaceable between a first position in which a flash

hole of the primer housing is unobstructed, and a second position in which the

plug body obstructs the flash hole of the primer housing .

27. A cartridge case as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 26 inclusive,

in which the central passage of the cartridge case is circular cylindrical and has

a constant diameter over at least a major portion of its length, the central passage not changing diameter in a shoulder region of the cartridge case.

28. A cartridge case as claimed in any one of claims 1 8 to 24 inclusive,

which includes protection means for in use protecting a primer seated in the

primer housing against the pressurized gas, thereby to prevent the primer from

being unseated by the pressurized gas.

29. A cartridge case as claimed in claim 28, in which the protection

means includes a displaceable plug body located in front of a flash hole outlet of

the primer housing, the plug body being displaceable between a first position in

which the flash hole of the primer housing is unobstructed, and a second position

in which the plug body obstructs the flash hole outlet of the primer housing. 34

30. A cartridge case as claimed in any one of claims 1 8 to 29 inclusive,

in which the primer housing is of aluminium and the cartridge case is of a

synthetic plastics or polymeric material.

31 . Protection means for in use protecting a primer of a cartridge against

pressure produced inside a case of the cartridge by a combusted propellant, the

protection means including a plug body which is dimensioned to fit inside the

case of the cartridge and which defines a plug for plugging a flash hole of the

cartridge, the plug body defining at least one passage for a flash produced by a

primer to travel through.

32. Protection means as claimed in claim 31 , in which the plug body has

a bearing surface or bearing surfaces falling on a cylindrical surface, allowing the

plug body in use to be guided inside a cylindrical passage.

33. A cartridge which includes

an elongate cartridge case which houses propellant;

a primer for the propellant located at a primer mounting end

of the cartridge case; and a projectile as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 1 7 inclusive

removably mounted to a projectile mounting end of the cartridge case, at

least a portion of the projecting mounting formation of the projectile

extending into the cartridge case. 35

34. A cartridge as claimed in claim 33, in which the cartridge case is as claimed in any one of claims 1 8 to 30 inclusive.

35. A cartridge as claimed in claim 34, in which the mounting formation

is of an alloy, the projectile body is of nylon, the cartridge case is of nylon, and the primer housing is of aluminium.

36. A cartridge as claimed in claim 34 or claim 35, in which the projectile

body is of nylon 6 and the cartridge case is of nylon 66.

37. A cartridge which includes protection means for in use protecting a

primer of the cartridge against pressure produced inside a case of the cartridge

by a combusted propellant, the protection means being as claimed in claim 31 or

claim 32.

38. A projectile as claimed in claim 1 , substantially as herein described

and illustrated.

39. A cartridge case as claimed in claim 1 8, substantially as herein

described and illustrated.

40. Protection means as claimed in claim 31 , substantially as herein

described and illustrated.

41 . A cartridge as claimed in claim 33 or claim 37, substantially as herein described and illustrated .

42. A new projectile for a cartridge; a new cartridge case; a new

protection means for in use protecting a primer of a cartridge against pressure

produced inside a case of the cartridge by a combusted propellant; or a new

cartridge, substantially as herein described.

43. A projectile as claimed in claim 8, in which the insert defines a nose

of the projectile.