Low toxicity composite bullet and material therefor
OwnerStephen J. Bilsbury, Bruce E. Burdickinventors
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Abstract
A low toxicity, high density composite bullet material is disclosed and its use in a practice ammunition projectile. The material includes a compacted mixture of fine lead particles each encapsulated by a non toxic thermoplastic resin. The mixture which is compacted and formed by compression molding or injection molding, has a specific density of at least 7.
Claims22
A practice ammunition comprising a compacted mixture of fine lead powder and of a inert, acid-resistant, non-toxic thermoplastic resin;
- the fine lead powder having a particle size of less than no. 12 shot and being greater than 90% of the mixture by weight;
- the mixture having a minimum specific gravity of 7.0;
- and the resin encapsulating the lead particles to minimize the lead exposure to the surrounding environment.
A composite material comprising a compacted mixture of from about 60% to about 75% by volume fine lead powder and from about 25% to about 40% by volume inert, acid-resistant, non-toxic thermoplastic resin, wherein the composite material has a specific gravity of at least 7.0, end wherein the lead particles are surrounded by the non-toxic material to minimize lead pollution of surrounding environment.
A method of making a composite material of a desired shape and size, which comprises the steps of:
- first, a fine lead powder is coated with a solution of inert, acid-resistant, non-toxic thermoplastic polymer in a solvent for the polymer;
- second, the solvent is removed from the solution coating the lead particles to produce lead particles relatively uniformly encapsulated with polymer;
- third, a desired weight of the encapsulated particles are placed in a cavity of a desired shape and compressed to form the composite in the desired shape.
A method of making a composite material of a desired shape and size, which comprises the steps of:
- a) preweighing the raw materials according to a predetermined final mix;
- b) precoating the pre-weighed metal particles with a dilute solution of intert, acid-resistant, non-toxic polymer and a solvent;
- c) drying the pre-coated metal particles to remove the solvent and leave particles coated with the non-toxic polymer;
- d) delivering the precoated metal particles to an injection molding machine;
- and
- e) injection molding the pellets into the desired final shape and size.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.