Ammunition and explosives – Projectiles – Line carrying or filamentary material distributing
Patent
1979-10-23
1982-06-08
Tudor, Harold
Ammunition and explosives
Projectiles
Line carrying or filamentary material distributing
102340, 102351, 102357, 343 18E, F42B 1342
Patent
active
043334024
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to an arrangement for launching particles of interference material for defensive purposes. The interference material can consist of a metal or metal-coated material in the form of a multiplicity of thin strips or fibres, knows as dipoles, which, with a view to leading astray hostile guided missiles equipped with radar homing devices during an attack on a particular target, can be dispersed rapidly from this target into a nearby area in space. For effective confusion of the guided missiles it is necessary for the interference material to be dispersed at the correct moment to form a cloud positoned in a specific way, within which the radar-reflecting material is distributed as evenly as possible, and for the cloud to provide a target area which is larger than the actual objective, so that the latter will not be hit after elusive manoeuving. Another interference material which may be used is powdered carbon which, if sufficiently distributed in a similar manner, can form a cloud which is capable of absorbing heat radiated from the actual objective so that the latter escapes detection by an IR homing device. An important field of application for the invention lies in the use of this type of firing arrangement on ships. As is known, the environment on the open sea requires that all equipment on board a marine vessel must fulfil special requirements with regard to reliability, durability and simplicity of handling, and conventional systems for firing interference materials based on pyrotechnic firing means with electrical ignition devices have difficulty in fulfilling these requirements. Safety regulations exist which forbid the reloading of such launchers at sea.
For marine use, there is also a requirement that the interference cloud should not be formed immediately after the projectile is fired, but only after a certain time has elapsed corresponding with a predetermined trajectory height or distance from the actual objective, as this greatly increases the defensive protection which is provided by the interference material. For the same purpose, in pyrotechnically operated firing devices intended for use on aircraft, provision is made for a timing device to be installed in the projectile which controls the release of the interference material from the projectile case. In addition to the fact that providing such a time-lag makes the projectile considerably more expensive and complicated, there is also a reduction in its reliability and resistance to ageing.
The knowledge of these defects in pyrotechnically operated interference material launchers, combined with the fact that whenever this type of equipment is installed on board marine vessels there is access to compressed air, has led to a construction concept in which all of the firing process is pneumatic. The present invention is therefore based on a launcher which comprises at least one substantially upwards-pointing firing tube in the lower part of which there is a connection for the supply of compressed air to the tube, and an elongated projectile which can be inserted in the tube and the casing of which forms a chamber in which the interference material is accommodated, this projectile being designed to be fired through the upper end of the launching tube by means of compressed air which is supplied through the said connection, the interference material being released from the projectile at a specific time after the latter has been fired, and spreading out so that it forms a cloud of interference at a specific distance or at a specific height.
Such an arrangement is know from DE-OS No. 25 27 206. The launching tube in this instance forms a single hollow chamber in the upper part of which interference material is accommodated in a pair of containers located one behind the other. The tube is loaded in advance with compressed air which also spreads into the interference material containers, and to prevent the air from flowing out of the tube the upper end is closed off with a lid around which there is an explosive charge. Launc
REFERENCES:
patent: 3899975 (1975-08-01), Laurence
patent: 4026188 (1977-05-01), Woodruff et al.
patent: 4031828 (1977-06-01), Larson
patent: 4175469 (1979-11-01), Ritland et al.
patent: 4222306 (1980-09-01), Maury
patent: 4263835 (1981-04-01), Dragonuk
English translation of German patent app. OS 2530 057.
English translation of Swedish published patent application 76-01-570-0.
British Counterpart of German published patent application OS 1,961,642.
Landstrom Sven
Lundahl Kaj
Custin James R.
Nilles James E.
Tudor Harold
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