Ammunition and explosives – Cartridges – Case
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-10
2001-12-25
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Ammunition and explosives
Cartridges
Case
C102S499000, C102S202500, C102S202900
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332402
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority of German Application Nos. 199 21 379.8 filed May 10, 1999 and 199 36 650.0 filed Aug. 4, 1999, which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an ammunition cartridge having an electrothermal ignition device for the propellant.
For igniting the propellant powder in known ammunition cartridges having an electrothermal igniting device, in the bottom region of the cartridge a wire conductor is supplied with a current of such an intensity that the wire vaporizes explosively and produces a high-energy arc which, in turn, ignites propellant powder.
It has been found to be disadvantageous in ammunition cartridges of the above-outlined type that by generating the bottom-side arc, first only a relatively small percentage of the propellant powder is ignited and, particularly in case of propellant powders which ignite only with difficulty (LOVA), frequently no reproducible combustion behavior of the propellant powder can be obtained.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an ammunition cartridge of the above-outlined type in which even propellant powders which are ignitable only with difficulty and which are packed with high density have a reproducible combustion behavior without adversely affecting the performance and/or the high-voltage resistance of the cartridge.
This object and others to become apparent as the specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention, according to which, briefly stated, the ammunition cartridge with electric propellant ignition includes a case having a rearward end closed by a case bottom and a front end; a propellant powder charge contained in the case; a high-voltage electrode disposed at the case bottom and having an end situated within the case; at least three tubes composed of propellant powder and extending from the electrode end toward the front end of the case through the propellant powder charge; an electric conductor extending in each tube and having opposite first and second ends; and an electric contact arrangement situated within the case in the front end thereof. The electric contact arrangement is electrically connected to the second end of the conductors and has externally exposed contact locations connectable to an electrically conducting component externally of the case. The first end of each electric conductor is electrically connected to the electrode.
Essentially, it is the principle of the invention to provide special, axially extending ignition channels which pass through the propellant powder which fills the case. The ignition channels are constituted by the inner passage of the propellant tubes. An electric conductor, such as a wire or an electrically conducting inner coating passes through each propellant tube and is connected with the high-voltage electrode.
Upon connecting the high-voltage electrode with a current source, the wires disposed in the propellant powder tubes or the metallized inner layer of the tubes abruptly vaporize and generate an arc plasma canal within each tube. The current then flows through the plasma canals and high energy is transmitted to the environment of the electric conductors by way of radiation. Such an energy transfer leads to a rapid ignition of the propellant tubes and results in their fragmentation. The burning fragments of the propellant tubes as well as the released arc radiation cause a rapid and uniform ignition of the propellant powder.
Advantageously, the propellant powder tubes have radial openings to enhance a rapid transfer of energy to and ignition of the surrounding powder bed.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least three ignition channels are provided, and the high-voltage electrode forms a current distributor at its end oriented toward the inside of the case.
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Haak Hans Karl
Weise Thomas
Jordan Charles T.
Kelemen Gabor J.
Smith Kimberly S
TZN Forschungs—und Entwicklungszentrum Unterlüss GmbH
Venable
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