Shaped charge rod warhead
AssigneeThe Unites States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorWilliam M. Hurst
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A warhead containing an hourglass-shaped explosive charge. At either or b ends of the charge an expandable rod structure or rod fragments are placed and arranged at any desired angle to the longitudinal axis of the charge. The charge is initiated at the center of its length and because of its shape creates a concentrated pancake configured shock wave and gas cloud expanding radially outward from the center of the missile. Because of the large amount of explosive between the initiation point and the rod structure the rods are imparted with a higher velocity than in conventional rod warheads of comparable mass.
Claims3
A warhead comprising:
- an elongated explosive charge having portions diverging from the longitudinal center of said charge and converging portions adjacent the longitudinal ends of said diverging portions;
- means for initiating said explosive charge at a position along its length;
- at least one expanding rod structure mounted on each of said converging portions substantially spaced from said initiating means;
- the diverging portions of said explosive charge between said initiating means and said rod structures being shaped so that as a detonation front travels from said initiating means toward said rod structures the explosive energy of said portions is substantially focused in a desired plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.