US 6,186,071 B1 · Projectile with non-discarding sabot

Abstract

A projectile includes a core having a substantially conical head extending from a tip to an outwardly projecting annular lip. A substantially cylindrical body projects from the conical head adjacent to the annular lip and extends to a substantially flat tail end face. An annular slot is bounded between the annular lip and the cylindrical body. An annular groove encircles the body between the conical head and the tail end face. A plastic sabot has a front end with a chamber recessed therein. The chamber is bounded by an inner side surface having a substantially dome shaped annular bulge radially inwardly projecting therefrom. The body of the core is received within the chamber of the sabot such that the front end of the sabot is received within the annular slot on the core and the bulge on the sabot is received within the groove on the core. In another embodiment, a plurality of spaced apart fins inwardly project from the inner side surface of the sabot. The fins are oriented parallel with the longitudinal axis of the sabot. A plurality of spaced apart flutes are longitudinally recessed within the body of the core. The flutes are complementary to the fins and are positioned such that the fins are received within the corresponding flutes when the body of the core is received within the chamber of the sabot.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A projectile for firing from a gun barrel, comprising:

a core having a rearward facing annular slot located on an exterior of said core;
a plastic sabot partially surrounding said core and having a leading edge complementary to said slot, said leading edge being configured to lock into said slot so that said sabot and said core will remain attached during firing and flight of said projectile;
means for biasing said leading edge end into said slot so that said leading edge exerts a positive pressure against said slot.

A projectile for firing from a gun barrel, comprising:

a core having a tip end and an opposing tail end, said tip end forming a substantially conical shape which increases in diameter toward said tail end to a maximum diameter defining an annular lip, said tip end thereafter decreasing in diameter toward a front of said projectile thereby forming a rearward facing annular slot circumscribed by said annular lip and bounded on the interior by a cylindrical ledge, said core further comprising a concave annular groove and longitudinal flutes formed therein and said tail end having a smaller cross-sectional area than said annular lip;
a plastic sabot having a chamber formed therein for receiving said tail end of said core, said chamber having an inner side surface shaped with a convex annular bulge complementary to said concave annular groove in said core and said chamber also being shaped with longitudinal protruding fins complementary to said longitudinal flutes in said core, and said sabot further comprising a front end shaped complementary to said annular slot, said annular groove and said annular bulge being positioned and shaped so as to bias said front end against said annular slot when said core is assembled with said sabot so that said core and said sabot will remain attached throughout the trajectory of the projectile.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Projectile with non-discarding sabot

Life of this patent

Projectile with non-discarding sabot

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11