Primer propellant electrical ignition interconnect arrangement for single and multiple piece ammunition

A multi-cartridge unit ammunition round including:

• an aft cartridge unit having a rear base and forward end;
• at least a first forward cartridge unit each having a rear base and a forward end, and a projectile;
• wherein the aft and forward cartridge units and projectile are configured to be disposed in a tandem, end-to-end nested, serial arrangement, the aft and forward cartridge units each containing a charge of propellant;
• a propellant-primer electrical ignition interconnect arrangement, comprising,
• a multi-element primer system mounted in the base of the aft cartridge unit adapted to receive external electrical activation energy, the primer system having a plurality of primer electrodes, the aft cartridge unit further comprising an electro-ignition device electrically connected to one of said plurality of primer electrodes and communicating with the propellant charge contained in the aft cartridge unit,
• one or more electrical interconnect interfaces including back-to-back transverse wall members, one of said electrical interconnect interfaces associated with and separating the aft and the first forward cartridge unit and additional ones of said electrical interconnect interfaces separating each of any successive additional forward cartridge units each providing electrical conduction continuity therethrough,
• one or more additional electro-ignition devices, one of which is disposed in the propellant charge contained in each said forward cartridge unit,
• one or more first sets of insulated electrical conductors each electrically connecting a primer electrode of said plurality of primer electrode with a corresponding one of said one or more electrical interconnect interfaces;
• and
• one or more second sets of insulated electrical conductors each electrically connecting an interconnect interface of said at least one interconnect interface with a corresponding one of said one or more electro-ignition devices.

A multi-cartridge unit ammunition round including:

• a plurality of independent, self-contained cartridge units having forward and aft ends configured to be nested in a tandem, coaxial arrangement;
• detachable, reconnectable retaining means associated with the cartridge units whereby the independent cartridge units are capable of being disconnected and reconnected with each other in the round;
• each said cartridge unit further comprising,
• means for carrying a propellant charge,
• electro-ignition means for igniting the propellant charge,
• the forward and aft ends including means cooperating to form a detachable, reconnectable electrical interconnect interface at each inter-cartridge unit junction such that ignition signals can be passed across each said junction to reach more forward electro-ignition means, and
• conductor means connecting the electro-ignition means with an associated said electrical interconnect interface.