Captive piston projectile and method of manufacture
AssigneeThe Secretary of State for Defence
InventorSamuel Brendan Dixon Cooke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A captive piston projectile (40) comprising a payload housing (43), a piston assembly attached to the payload housing (43), and actuation means (46) for urging the piston assembly from a stowed configuration to an extended configuration. The piston assembly comprises a tubular piston member (41) attached around the periphery of the payload housing (43), the attachment optionally being in the form of a circumferential groove (42) within which the piston member (41) can slide. This provides increased thrust whilst maintaining payload volume. Particularly suited to use with barrelled weapons, and also relates to a method of manufacture.
Claims23
A captive piston projectile for launching from a gun barrel, comprising a payload housing, a piston assembly, and means for actuation for urging the piston assembly from a stowed configuration to an extended configuration, such that in use the piston assembly urges against a breech of the gun barrel to thrust the captive piston projectile from the gun barrel, wherein the piston assembly comprises a tubular piston member with a first end attached around a periphery of the payload housing, such that when the piston assembly is in the extended configuration, a cross-sectional area of the first end approximates that of the payload housing, wherein the piston assembly is attached to the payload housing in both the stowed and extended configurations.
A method of manufacturing a captive piston projectile, the method comprising:
- a) providing a payload housing that comprises a piston assembly, the piston assembly comprising a tubular piston member;
- b) attaching a first end of the tubular piston member around a periphery of the payload housing, the tubular piston member being adjustable between a stowed configuration and an extended configuration;
- and
- c) arranging an actuation means to urge the tubular piston member from the stowed configuration to the extended configuration when the captive piston projectile is in-use, wherein the piston assembly is attached to the payload housing in both the stowed and extended configurations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.