US 4,068,556 AGranted

Ammunition identification and firing system having electrical identification means

AssigneeBEI Electronics, Inc.

InventorNelson D. Foley

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Abstract

The system for electrically identifying and firing ammunition is especially advantageous for firing military rockets from a multiple tube rocket launcher. The system provides an electrical signal for initially identifying the type of rocket or other ammunition loaded and ready to fire in each launching tube. The identifying signal is derived from the firing wire or lead which is also used to fire the rocket. In each rocket an igniter and a diode rectifier are connected in series in the firing circuit which usually extends between the firing lead and a common ground. The diode rectifier is polarized to conduct the firing current while being nonconductive as to the signal current which is oppositely polarized. Each rocket includes an identification impedance having a nature to identify the type of rocket. The different types of rockets have measurably different identification impedances.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A system for identifying and firing ammunition,

comprising a round of ammunition having an igniter with a predetermined electrical resistance and operable by an electrical firing current,
a firing circuit for said igniter and having two electrical firing circuit terminals,
a diode rectifier,
a firing current path connecting said diode rectifier and said igniter in series between said firing circuit terminals,
said diode rectifier being capable of carrying a firing current of one polarity in said firing current path,
a firing voltage source for supplying the firing current of said polarity,
a signal source for supplying a signal current of opposite polarity relative to the polarity of said firing current,
said diode rectifier being nonconductive as to the signal current,
switching means for initially connecting said firing circuit to said signal source to identify the ammunition and for subsequently connecting said firing circuit to said firing voltage source to energize said igniter and thereby fire the round of ammunition,
said round of ammunition including an identification impedance having a nature to identify said ammunition,
said round of ammunition having a signal current path connecting said identification impedance to said firing circuit,
said signal current path being in parallel with at least a portion of said firing current path,
and measuring means connected to said firing circuit for measuring the impedance of said signal current path and thereby indicating the nature of said identification impedance to identify the ammunition.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.