Ammunition and explosives – Propellent chemical charge container
Patent
1996-08-28
1998-02-03
Tudor, Harold J.
Ammunition and explosives
Propellent chemical charge container
102431, 102443, 102464, F42B 500
Patent
active
057147108
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to two part ammunition rounds comprising two separate cartridges provided with connectors.
In recent times there have been substantial improvements in the effectiveness of armour arrays, and to counter these improvements corresponding improvements are required in the performance of solid propellant gun/ammunition systems, and especially tank gun systems for main battle tanks. This is often achieved mainly by a combination of significant increases in propellant charge weight and the use of very long penetrators so as to deliver the increased kinetic energy per unit area necessary to defeat such advanced armour arrays. If rounds with these increased propellant charge weights are to be compatible with existing main battle tank designs, constraints are placed on the maximum diameter for the ammunition round and thus, to accommodate the increased propellant, total round lengths must increase.
There is a requirement in many existing main battle tank systems that at least half its ammunition load should be carried in hull stowage. In order to facilitate such stowage of these longer rounds within the vehicle and also the handling of the round in use it is common to split the round into two or more parts. Where the round is in two parts some propelling charge is contained along with the projectile in one cartridge and the remaining propellant is contained within a second cartridge. The latter is usually referred to as the primary cartridge, and is located to the rear of the other cartridge (the secondary cartridge) when the round is loaded.
Such a round may be loaded by using the primary cartridge to push the secondary cartridge into a gun barrel. However, only the primary cartridge can be readily unloaded in this case, with the secondary cartridge only being removable in practice by pushing through the muzzle, so that such a system is unsuitable where rapid unloading of the whole round may be desired. It is desirable therefore for the ammunition round to be provided with interengagement means for connecting the front end of the primary cartridge to the rear end of the secondary cartridge. It is particularly desirable that such interengagement means can be used with an autoloader system for rapid operation in the field.
DE-U-8804573 discloses an interconnection means for modular propellant charges comprising tongues which fit under each other. However, the connection means involves rotating the charges relative to one another which would be unsuitable for use in an autoloader.
The main battle tank application imposes a general requirement for connection means which can be operated rapidly and withstand the strains produced by the high ramming stresses encountered in loading main battle tank guns, particularly via an autoloader. UK patent No 2194024 discloses combustible cases with integrally moulded joining means. However, the combustible case material used is relatively weak so that such an arrangement is susceptible to deformation damage under the ramming stresses imposed by rapid loading, especially if an autoloader is used. A nested interconnection means having electrical contacts for propagation of an ignition signal is disclosed in WO-A-93/16350. However, the high stresses of rapid loading would lead to a likelihood of damage to the connectors.
Furthermore, in a typical system, when the rearward (primary) cartridge is brought to a halt by contact of its rear case rim with the barrel chamber face, tolerances inevitable within the system allow the forward (secondary) cartridge, which may weigh as much as 30 kg, to continue down the chamber under its own inertia until halted by the chamber forcing cone, which can produce considerable stress on any connector, and lead to damage to either the connector or the body of the case.
The present invention is directed to the provision of a connectible two cartridge ammunition round which mitigates the above problems, and in particular to the provision of such a round which is compatible with autoloader systems in main battle tanks.
According
REFERENCES:
patent: 5193702 (1993-03-01), Shannon
patent: 5353710 (1994-10-01), Eches et al.
The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Go
Tudor Harold J.
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