Variable output warhead
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorTerrence Lane Munsinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention involves a hard target penetrating warhead designed to produce a variable explosive discharge. A standard warhead casing is divided into several compartments with each compartment separated by a shock-absorbing shield. Explosive fill in contained within each compartment. The shock-absorbing shield inhibits the dynamic shock produced by detonating a compartment, thus preventing sympathetic detonation of adjoining compartments. As a result, the size of an explosive blast is controlled by detonating the explosive fill, in a set number of compartments. Each compartment also contains an igniter element, which initiates a slow burn of undetonated explosive fill.
Claims10
A warhead which comprises:
- a casing;
- a plurality of compartments contained within said casing;
- an explosive fill contained within each of said compartments;
- means for absorbing dynamic shock positioned between adjacent compartments within said casing;
- a detonator contained within each of said plurality of compartments;
- a fuzewell means attached to said casing;
- and
- a plurality shielded detonation cords, each of said plurality of shielded detonation cords having a first end originating in said fuzewell and a second end of one of said plurality of shielded detonation cords terminating in each of said detonators.
A warhead which comprises:
- a casing;
- a plurality of compartment means for containing explosives;
- a shock-absorbing shield positioned between adjacent compartments within said casing, so that unwanted sympathetic detonation is hindered;
- a detonator disposed within each of said plurality of compartments;
- a fuzewell means attached to said casing;
- and
- a plurality shielded detonation cords, each of said plurality of shielded detonation cords having a first end originating in said fuzewell and a second end of one of said plurality of shielded detonation cords terminating in each of said detonators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.