Projectile having ignitable payload with delay column igniter
AssigneeMartin Electronics
InventorBruce G. Van Stratum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A modified projectile round which is configured to function with a propellant cartridge such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,074. The projectile assembly uses a High-Low gas pressure cartridge to launch the projectile. When the high pressure cartridge is ignited, hot propellant gases rupture a burst cup and shoot propellant gases toward the aft end of the projectile. The hot propellant gases impinge against a delay carrier located in the aft end of the projectile. The contents of the delay carrier are thereby ignited. The delay carrier includes one or more delay columns ultimately terminating in an igniter charge. The delay columns burn as the projectile is in flight. A specified amount of time later, the igniter charge ignites an ignitable payload—such as a marker flare candle.
Claims20
A projectile cartridge assembly, comprising:
- a. a low pressure cartridge, having a first end and an open second end;
- b. a high pressure cartridge located in said first end of said low pressure cartridge, said high pressure cartridge including
- i. propellant;
- a burstable seal sealing said high pressure cartridge, configured so that when said propellant is ignited, said burstable seal bursts to allow hot propellant gases to escape toward said open second end of said low pressure cartridge;
- c. a projectile, seated in said open second end of said low pressure cartridge, said projectile including
- i. an ignitable payload, having a forward end and an aft end;
- ii. an aft closure located proximate said aft end of said ignitable payload;
- iii. a delay carrier attached to said aft closure;
- iv. wherein said delay carrier includes an input opening facing said low pressure cartridge and an output opening facing said ignitable payload;
- v. wherein said input opening is connected to said output opening by a passage through said delay carrier;
- vi. an igniter charge inside said passage proximate said input opening;
- vii. an output charge inside said passage proximate said output opening;
- viii. at least one delay column inside said passage lying between said igniter charge and said output charge;
- d. a sleeve surrounding said ignitable payload, with said sleeve being slidably attached to said ignitable payload;
- and
- e. wherein said sleeve is attached to said aft closure, so that when said output charge ignites said ignitable payload, said sleeve and said aft closure will be propelled away from said ignitable payload as a unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.