Stabilizer for a cannon projectile
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsStewart Gilman, Anthony Farina
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cylindrical device connected to the nose of a projectile for imparting n to the projectile fired from a non-rifled bore of a cannon. The device has at least two coaxial, adjacent, and integrally connected cylindrical segments of different diameter. The segment having the larger diameter is positioned most rearwardly of the projectile, relative to the nose of the projectile, and the periphery of this segment has circumferentially spaced angled slots for catching air moving past the projectile to spin the projectile. The segment with the smaller diameter attaches the cylindrical device to the aft end of the nose of the projectile and directs the flow of air to and through the angled slots of the segment having the larger diameter.
Claims9
A supersonic projectile, to be fired from a non-rifled tube, comprising a stabilizer to impart an accuracy enhancing, stabilizing spin, during flight, said projectile comprising:
- a nose section and a stabilizer coaxially connected thereto,
- said nose section having a longitudinal axis, a forward end and a cylindrical aft end, and the largest diameter thereof being slightly smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the non-rifled tube of the cannon, an obturator ring mounted on an aft portion of the nose section;
- said stabilizer consisting of a one piece solid metal element and being cylindrical and having first and second unequal diameters defining at least two coaxial first and second adjacent sections, said first section of said stabilizer being connected to the aft end of the nose section of the projectile and having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said largest diameter of the nose section, said second section, located at an aft end of the stabilizer having a diameter substantially equal to said largest diameter of the nose section, said second section defining a circumferential periphery and a plurality of angled slots circumferentially spaced apart on the periphery, said slots being defined by opposing spaced apart parallel flat side walls, said side walls being angled relative to the longitudinal axis, whereby air striking such walls during flight forces said spin to be imparted to said projectile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.