Rifle-launched non-lethal cargo dispenser
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsNoel Gonzalez, Daniel J. Hartman, William G. Rouse, Raymond J. Malecki, Paul W. Morgan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rifle muzzle launched projectile having a launch tube defining an interior cavity, and having an opening at one end with an inner diameter sized to fit over the end of a rifle muzzle; a bullet trap located in the launch tube cavity; and a payload assembly mounted on the launch tube. The payload assembly is further configured for safely releasing a payload in a controlled manner. The payload assembly also includes a casing for retaining an aerosol composition; a propellant located in the casing; a primer for igniting the propellant; and a frangible portion of the casing in contact with the aerosol composition.
Claims11
A rifle muzzle-launched payload delivering projectile comprising:
- (a) a launch tube defining an interior cavity, and having an opening at one end with an inner diameter sized to fit over the end of a muzzle of a rifle;
- (b) a bullet trap fixedly located in said launch tube cavity opposite from the launch tube opening, said bullet trap adapted for safely capturing a bullet fired from said muzzle;
- (c) a payload assembly mounted on said launch tube opposite from said opening end, said payload assembly further configured for safely releasing a payload associated therewith in a controlled manner during delivery in absence of shrapnel formation or fragmentation, and wherein said payload assembly further comprises:
- (i) a casing having a distal end and a proximal end, said casing defining a chamber adapted for retaining an aerosol composition;
- (ii) a propellant housed in a reservoir in said casing for generating an expandable gas into said chamber upon ignition thereof;
- (iii) a primer for igniting said propellant;
- and
- (iv) a frangible portion of said casing in contact with the aerosol composition, said frangible casing portion adapted for safely rupturing in a controlled manner under pressure generated by said propellant after ignition, whereby an aerosol cloud is expelled and released into the atmosphere therefrom, and
- (d) a diffuser plate for partitioning said propellant reservoir at the proximal end in said chamber from the aerosol composition, said diffuser plate adapted for regulating gas flow from the reservoir into the chamber containing the aerosol composition;
- and
- (e) said frangible casing portion extends along the surface of the distal end of said casing in contact with the aerosol composition for end expulsion of said aerosol composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.