Counter-mine dart
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsAntonio Paulic, Lance Hamilton Benedict
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Some embodiments of the invention provide a dart that contains an HE payload, two time-delay fuses, one providing a relatively longer delay and the other providing a relatively shorter delay and two triggering mechanisms for triggering the fuses. The first triggering mechanism, which triggers on contact with a mine lid, triggers the relatively shorter time-delay fuse. The second mechanism, which triggers on overburdening exposure to water, sand, or soil, triggers the relatively longer time-delay fuse.
Claims21
A projectile comprising:
- a high-explosive payload;
- a first triggering device, wherein the first triggering device is triggered by contact with a mine;
- a first time-delay fuse that provides a relatively shorter time delay, wherein expiration of the relatively shorter time delay results in detonation of the high-explosive payload, and wherein the first time-delay fuse is initiated when the first triggering device is triggered, and;
- a second triggering device, wherein the second triggering device is triggered by overburdening exposure to water, sand, or soil;
- and
- a second time-delay fuse that provides a relatively longer time delay, wherein expiration of the relatively longer time delay results in detonation of the high-explosive payload, and wherein the second time-delay fuse is initiated when the second triggering device is triggered;
- wherein the first triggering device and the second triggering device are co-axial sleeves that are independently movable in an axial direction.
(canceled)
9-11. (canceled)
A projectile comprising:
- an explosive payload;
- a first time-delay fuse that provides a relatively shorter time delay, wherein expiration of the relatively shorter time delay results in detonation of the high-explosive payload;
- a second time-delay fuse that provides a relatively longer time delay, wherein expiration of the relatively longer time delay results in detonation of the high-explosive payload;
- and
- a triggering device, wherein the triggering device triggers the first time-delay fuse and the second time-delay fuse so that the triggering device is capable of triggering only one of the first time-delay fuse and the second time-delay fuse depending on magnitude of forces imparted on the triggering device.
A projectile comprising:
- a high-explosive payload;
- a first triggering device, wherein the first triggering device is triggered by contact with a mine;
- a first time-delay fuse that provides a relatively shorter time delay, wherein expiration of the relatively shorter time delay results in detonation of the high-explosive payload, and wherein the first time-delay fuse is initiated when the first triggering device is triggered, and;
- a second triggering device, wherein the second triggering device is triggered by overburdening exposure to water, sand, or soil;
- and
- a second time-delay fuse that provides a relatively longer time delay, wherein expiration of the relatively longer time delay results in detonation of the high-explosive payload, and wherein the second time-delay fuse is initiated when the second triggering device is triggered;
- wherein the projectile is configured for supercavitating movement through water, and wherein the second triggering device is dimensioned and arranged such that, before triggering, the second triggering device extends beyond a low drag region, which is created around the projectile during supercavitating movement, and into a high drag region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.