WO2023020683A1

WO2023020683A1 - Modular training ammunition for a recoilless rifle and a single use charge module for said modular training ammunition

Info

Publication number: WO2023020683A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/072799
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jens Haug
Original assignee: Defforce Oü
Priority date: 2021-08-17
Filing date: 2021-08-17
Publication date: 2023-02-23

Abstract

Invention relates to a modular training ammunition (1) for a recoilless rifle and a single use charge-module (3) for said modular training ammunition. It comprises a hollow cartridge module (2) with an open front end, closed at the back end of the cartridge module (2) by a charge module (3) comprising a primer capsule (9) and a charge (13). Cartridge module (2) comprises at the back end a flange (4) with positioning incisions (5, 6). The back end of the cartridge module (3) comprises undercuts (7) through said flange (4), where said undercuts (7) are occupied by the radially protruding parts (8) of the charge module (3). The charge module (3) comprises a central bore (10), where both ends (14) and (15) of said bore (10) are flared out and are closed by the covers (11, 12). Between said covers (11, 12) there is a pyrotechnic charge (13).

Description

Modular training ammunition for a recoilless rifle and a single use charge module for said modular training ammunition

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a modular training ammunition for recoilless antitank rifle weapons and a single use charge module for the cartridge module of the modular training ammunition. The invention is intended especially for reusable and man-portable recoilless antitank rifles of the Carl Gustav (CG) 84 mm type or for the man-portable antitank grenade launchers of a single-use type, but it is obvious for a person skilled in the art that the ammunition of the invention is suitable for use with other similar recoilless antitank rifle weapons. The training ammunition of the invention is intended to simulate the firing of a recoilless antitank rifle with a realistic firing sound effect, visible flash and exiting gases from the weapon, but without an actual projectile being fired from the weapon.

Background Art

For an effective training of a specific weapon, it is crucial that the soldiers have the experience of firing many ammunition rounds under as realistic and safe conditions as possible. This means that the handling of the weapon and its ammunition should be as close to the real weapon as possible, and furthermore the firing experience should be as realistic as possible.

European patent EP2569587 discloses a training weapon system for recoilless antitank rifle weapons. Said system comprises a sub-calibre barrel for firing sub-calibre practice projectiles, said sub-calibre barrel being arranged in a cartridge of training ammunition.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of this invention is to provide a modular training ammunition for a recoilless rifle for training purposes in which the safety has been improved compared to previous systems of this kind. Another object of the present invention is to provide a training ammunition, that looks, has its weight and handling characteristics very similar to the real live ammunition.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a modular training ammunition with at least one reusable major part/module, which can be reloaded in a simple and cost-effective manner with a new charge module comprising a charge and a primer capsule.

According to the invention, this is achieved by providing acoustical and visual pyrotechnical effects and designating hazard areas for the firing crew and surrounding personnel, without any dangerous kinetic projectiles exiting the barrel.

Technical Problem

Recoilless ammunition round of this type has a plastic bottom plate which is broken when the round is fired. When the bottom plate is broken, it is divided into small splinters which could be dangerous up to 70 m behind the weapon. The main risk is the massive energy of back-blast of the propellant charge. This can be deemed unsafe as the required safety distance is just 15 m for the service weapon under war conditions. Also, in many cases this type of training ammunition has no reusable parts.

Technical Solution

The practical and cheap training device comprises two main modules – a reusable cartridge module and a disposable charge module comprising a charge with a primer. The cartridge module copies the mass and dimensions of live round, providing training possibilities for loading, unloading and logistics. The disposable charge module fits into the cartridge module and provides the necessary acoustic and visual imitation of the real firing. The imitation is realistic enough to imitate the danger areas for the shooting crew and personnel, yet harmless even at a close distance.

The loading and unloading of the charge module into the cartridge module can be done in a few seconds and there is a design feature prohibiting the incorrect placement of the charge module, which is explained in detail below.

According to the present invention, a module training ammunition for a recoilless rifle is provided, comprising a hollow cartridge module with an open front end, closed at the back end of the cartridge module by a charge module comprising a primer capsule and a charge, where at the back end said cartridge module comprises a flange with at least one positioning incision. The back end of the cartridge module comprising at least two undercuts in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge module through said flange, where said undercuts are occupied by radially protruding parts of the charge module, one of said protruding parts comprises a primer capsule. Also said charge module comprises a central bore in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge module, where both ends of said bore are flared out and are closed by a cover, where between said covers a charge is placed into said bore of the charge module.

Said radially protruding parts of the charge module interlock with said undercuts at the back end of the cartridge module.

According to first preferred embodiment, said back end of the cartridge module comprising three undercuts through said flange.

According to the present invention, also a single use charge module is provided for a cartridge module of a training ammunition of a recoilless rifle, said charge module comprising a primer capsule and a charge.

Said charge module comprises radially protruding parts, where one of said protruding parts comprises a primer capsule.

Also said charge module comprises in the longitudinal direction a central bore, where both ends of said bore are flared out and are closed by a cover, where between said covers a charge is placed into said bore.

According to first preferred embodiment, both ends of said bore are flared out and have in the longitudinal section a curved broadening funnel-shape.

According to the second preferred embodiment, both ends of said bore are flared out and have in the longitudinal section a broadening conical shape.

According to the preferred embodiment, the placement and/or width of said undercuts in the circumferential direction of said cartridge module and protruding parts of the charge-module allow said charge module to be placed into said undercuts only in one position so that the position of the primer capsule in the cartridge module is always in the predetermined position in relation to at least one positioning incision, thus by design prohibiting the incorrect placement of the charge module into the cartridge module.

According to the first preferred embodiment, said charge module is made of plastic material. Suitable plastic materials are for example a polyethylene, ABS, polyamide, polyacetal, but the invention is not limited to said materials.

According to the second preferred embodiment, said charge module is made of biodegradable plastic material. Suitable biodegradable plastic materials are for example a polylactide (PLA), cellulose-based materials, but the invention is not limited to said materials.

In further embodiment said charge module is made of a metal alloy.

According to the preferred embodiment, said charge in said charge module is a pyrotechnic charge.

Advantageous Effects

According to the invention, the charge module of the module training ammunition is a single use charge module and the cartridge module of the ammunition is a reusable cartridge module, meaning that the cartridge module can be provided with a new unused charge module containing a primer capsule and a charge.

Brief Description of Drawings

The invention will now be described in greater detail in the context of the preferred embodiment and with reference to the attached schematic drawings, of which:
Figure 1 shows back end view of the ammunition;
Figure 2 shows front end view of the ammunition;
Figure 3 shows axonometric view of the ammunition;
Figure 4 shows axonometric exploded view of the ammunition according to Figure 3;
Figure 5 shows partial longitudinal sectional view of the ammunition; and
Figure 6 shows partial longitudinal sectional view of the ammunition with another embodiment of the charge module 3.

Mode(s) for Carrying Out the Invention

Training ammunition 1 for a recoilless rifle of the invention comprises two main parts, a hollow cartridge module 2 and a charge module 3, Figures 3 and 4. The cartridge module 2 has an open front end and is closed at the back end of the cartridge module 2 by the charge module 3. Said charge module 3 comprises a primer capsule 9 and a pyrotechnic charge 13. The cartridge module 2 has a conical head for an easy loading and a realistic appearance, in other words, as a result, the training ammunition looks, has its weight and handling characteristics very similar to the real live ammunition.

The cartridge module 2 at the back end comprises a flange 4 with two

positioning incisions

5 and 6, which are intended to position the cartridge module 2, when loaded into the barrel of the rifle, so that the primer capsule 9 is positioned opposite the striking (firing) needle of the weapon.

The back end of the cartridge module 2 comprises three undercuts 7 in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge module 2 through the flange 4. Inside said undercuts 7 are radially protruding parts 8 of the charge module 3, where one of said protruding parts comprises a primer capsule 9. Said protruding parts 8 protrude radially from the cylindrical part 16 of the charge module 3.

The protruding parts 8 of the charge module 3 and sections of the cartridge module 2 between undercuts 7 in the fully assembled state of the ammunition 1 are seamlessly engaged with each other, and said parts 8 and sections form continues outer surface of the cartridge module 2, as it can been seen from Figure 3.

Also, said charge module 3 comprises a central bore 10 in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge module 2 holding the pyrotechnic charge 13.

Both

ends

14 and 15 of said bore 10 are flared out and are closed by the

covers

11 and 12. Said flaring is intended to distribute the explosion pressure evenly to the flared parts and to minimize the probability of said charge module 3 to splinter into sharp projectiles when the pyrotechnic charge 13 explodes inside the bore 10 during use.

According to the first preferred embodiment depicted on Figure 5, both ends 14 and 15 of said bore 10 are flared out and have in the longitudinal section a curved broadening funnel-shape.

According to the second preferred embodiment depicted on Figure 6, both ends 14 and 15 of said bore 10 are flared out and have in the longitudinal section a broadening conical shape.

Above mentioned pyrotechnic charge 13 is held between said covers 11 and 12 inside the bore 10. Said charge 13 is intended to simulate live ammunition firing during training exercises with a realistic firing sound effect, visible flash and exiting gases from the weapon and without the projectile leaving the weapon.

The placement and/or width of said undercuts 7 in the circumferential direction of said cartridge module 2 and the protruding parts 8 of the charge module 3 allow said charge module 3 to be placed into said undercuts 7 only in one position so that the position of the primer capsule 9 in the cartridge module 2 is always in the predetermined position in relation to the

positioning incisions

5 and 6.

Preferably said charge module 3 is made of biodegradable plastic material, so in case said charge module 3 fragments during use, any fragments left behind after use degrade into the surrounding soil.

As the cartridge module 2 is made of a metal alloy, preferably of an aluminium alloy, the cartridge module 2 is reusable by loading a new charge module 3, comprising a pyrotechnic charge 13, into the back end of said cartridge module 2.

Said charge module 3 is held at the back end of the cartridge module 2 inside a receiving bore 17 mainly by friction. In some embodiments, a cylindrical part 16 of the charge module 3 extends into said receiving bore 17 at the back end of the cartridge module 2, which comprises small deformable fins or protrusions (not shown on Figure 4), which are intended to guarantee sufficient friction to hold the charge module 3 in place in said receiving bore 17.

It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and depicted on the drawings, but the present invention may have other embodiments within the scope of the attached claims.

Industrial Applicability

It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the modular training ammunition of the invention for recoilless antitank rifle weapons allows for a simple and cheap production of said ammunition, also the design of said training ammunition allows it to be adapted for different types and models of similar weapons. The cartridge module of said training ammunition is by design reusable.

Claims

Modular training ammunition (1) for a recoilless rifle, comprising a hollow cartridge module (2) with an open front end, closed at the back end of the cartridge module (2) by a charge module (3) comprising a primer capsule (9) and a charge (13), said cartridge module (2) at the back end comprising a flange (4) with at least one positioning incision (5, 6), characterized in that, said back end of the cartridge module comprising at least two undercuts (7) in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge module through said flange (4), where said undercuts (7) are occupied by radially protruding parts (8) of the charge module (3), one of said protruding parts comprises a primer capsule (9), where said charge module (3) comprises a central bore (10) in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge module, where both ends of said bore (10) are flared (14, 15) out and are closed by a cover (11, 12), where between said covers (11, 12) a charge (13) is placed into said bore (10).
The modular training ammunition (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, said back end of the cartridge module comprising three undercuts (7) through said flange (4).
The modular training ammunition (1) according to any previous claim, characterized in that, the placement and/or width of said undercuts (7) in the circumferential direction of said cartridge module (2) and protruding parts (8) of the charge module (3) allow said charge module (3) to be placed into said undercuts (7) only in one position so that the position of the primer capsule (9) in the cartridge module (2) is always in the predetermined position in relation to at least one said positioning incision (5, 6).
The modular training ammunition (1) according to any previous claim, characterized in that, said charge module (3) is made of plastic material.
The training ammunition (1) according to any previous claim 1 to 3, characterized in that, said charge module (3) is made of biodegradable plastic material.
The modular training ammunition (1) according to any previous claim, characterized in that, said charge (13) is a pyrotechnic charge.
The modular training ammunition (1) according to any previous claim, characterized in that, both ends of said bore (10) are flared (14, 15) out and have in the longitudinal section a curved broadening funnel-shape.
The modular training ammunition (1) according to any previous claim 1 to 6, characterized in that, both ends of said bore (10) are flared (14, 15) out and have in the longitudinal section a broadening conical shape.
Single use charge module (3) for a cartridge module (2) of a modular training ammunition (1) of a recoilless rifle, said charge module (3) comprising a primer capsule (9) and a charge (13), characterized in that, said charge module (3) comprises radially protruding parts (8), where one of said protruding parts comprises a primer capsule (9), where said charge module (3) comprises in the longitudinal direction a central bore (10), where both ends of said bore (10) are flared (14, 15) out and are closed by a cover (11, 12), where between said covers (11, 12) a charge (13) is placed into said bore (10).
The single use charge module (3) according to claim 9, characterized in that, both ends of said bore (10) are flared (14; 15) out and have in the longitudinal section a curved broadening funnel-shape.
The single use charge module (3) according to claim 9, characterized in that, both ends of said bore (10) are flared (14; 15) out and have in the longitudinal section a broadening conical shape.
The single use charge module (3) according to any previous claim 9 to 11, characterized in that, said charge module (3) is made of plastic material.
The single use charge module (3) according to claim 12, characterized in that, said charge module (3) is made of biodegradable plastic material.