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AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsLucia D. Kuhns, Donna R. Reedal, Leonard T. Wilson
Estimating the term…
Fragmentation body for fragmentation projectiles and warheads, including an integral fragmentation shell structure made of cast metal, and the shell structure has an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface separated by a thickness of the shell, where at least one of the inner or outer surfaces includes recesses formed through part of the thickness of the shell to define a plurality of fragments which remain integrated with the shell structure until an explosive force is detonated in proximity of the shell, wherein the shell material comprises a steel alloy including carbon, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, cobalt, and the balance essentially being iron. Shell structures of the inventive fragmentation body also have a fragmentation pattern defined via recesses or grooves provided in at least one of the inner or outer wall surfaces thereof to define the size and shapes of the fragment projectiles desired. The steel alloy used is high strength, yet controllably fragmentable into desired and uniform individual projectile shapes and sizes, and in a desired overall dispersion pattern, during case break up.
Fragmentation body for fragmentation projectiles and warheads, including an integral fragmentation shell structure comprising cast metal, wherein said shell structure has an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface separated by a thickness of said shell structure, and where at least one of said inner or outer wall surfaces includes recesses formed through part of the thickness of said shell structure to define a plurality of fragments, where said recesses are cast into said shell structure, and said fragments remain integrated with said shell structure until an explosive force is detonated in proximity of said shell structure, and wherein said shell structure comprises a steel alloy having about 10-15 wt % nickel, about 0.75-1.75 wt % molybdenum, about 2-4 wt % chromium, about 0.2-0.35 wt % carbon, about 8-17 wt % cobalt, and the balance is essentially iron.
Missile body including a fragmentation shell structure comprising cast metal, wherein said shell structure has an outer surface and an inner surface separated by a thickness of said shell structure, and where at least one of said inner or outer surfaces includes recesses formed through part of the thickness of said shell structure to define a plurality of fragments, where said recesses are cast into said shell structure and are filled with an explosive material, and said fragments are integral with said shell structure until said explosive material is detonated wherein said shell structure fails along said recesses as a result of said detonation, and wherein said shell structure comprises a steel alloy having about 10-15 wt % nickel, about 0.75-1.75 wt % molybdenum, about 2-4 wt % chromium, about 0.2-0.35 wt % carbon, about 8-17 wt % cobalt, and the balance is essentially iron.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.