Ammunition and explosive-charge making – Ammunition loading – Filling and ramming
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-26
2001-12-25
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3641)
Ammunition and explosive-charge making
Ammunition loading
Filling and ramming
C086S023000, C086S029000, C086S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332389
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates in general to manual die sets for pressing explosive powder and in particular to manual die sets for pressing explosive powder into hardware.
For some munitions applications, it is desirable to have explosive powder encased in hardware, such as a cup. The cup is a hollow tube with a closed bottom and is made of, for example, aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The explosive powder is a highly sensitive explosive molding powder, for example, PBXN-9 or PBXW-11. The explosive powder is poured into the cup and the cup is inserted into a die. A ram presses the explosive powder in the cup to form a pellet in the cup. The ram is then retracted, and the cup with the explosive pellet therein removed from the die. A set of crimping tools is used to close the top opening in the cup.
A particularly dangerous part of the above-described procedure is retracting the ram from the cup. The inside diameter of the cup is generally about 0.003 to 0.005 inches larger than the outside diameter of the ram. The cup retains explosive powder residue on its internal surfaces. As the ram is retracted, it is possible that friction between the ram and the powder residue on the inside of the cup way cause the powder residue to ignite and explode, and, in turn, cause the pressed powder to ignite and explode. Therefore, it is necessary that any humans be far enough away from the retracting operation to avoid injury or death if the powder explodes.
Although humans possess the strength required to retract the ram from the cup, the danger of explosion absolutely prohibits a human from manually retracting the ram from the cup. Therefore, “fixed” die sets have been used to press explosive powder into hardware, such as a cup. In the fixed die set, the ram is rigidly connected to the pressing device. The pressing device is, for example, a 100 to 200 ton hydraulic press. The press is remotely controlled so that the human operator is out of the zone of danger, should an explosion occur. The fixed die set is safer for the operator, but there are some disadvantages of using a fixed die set.
First, much time is required to manufacture the tooling to fix the ram to a press. Second, because different models of presses may be used, different tooling for each press is necessary. Third, after the ram is attached to the press, the press is “dedicated” to a single operation, until the ram is removed. Fourth, much time is spent aligning the ram that is attached to the press to the die. Last, different lengths of ram travel are necessary for different amounts of explosive powder used. Thus, the fixed die set and/or press must be adjusted whenever a different length of ram travel is desired.
The present invention is a manual die set that overcomes the disadvantages of the fixed die set while maintaining the safety of the human operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a manual die set comprising a ram, the ram having an upper portion and a lower portion; a ram head removably connected to the upper portion of the ram; a die, the die defining an opening therethrough for reciprocably receiving the ram, the die including a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion including an upward facing step; a support ring disposed in the die opening in the bottom portion of the die, the support ring defining a bore therethrough; a baseplate disposed in a bottom of the die opening and extending into a bottom of the support ring bore; a die guide plate for supporting the die and the baseplate; and a spring disposed in the die opening, the lower portion of the ram being inserted through a center of the spring, a lower end of the spring bearing against the upward facing step in the bottom portion of the die, an upper end of the spring bearing against a bottom face of the upper portion of the ram; wherein the spring is compressed when a pressing force moves the ram downwardly such that when the pressing force is removed from the ram, the spring forces the ram to move upwardly.
The manual die set further comprises a cup with explosive molding powder disposed therein, the cup being disposed in the support ring bore between the lower portion of the ram and the baseplate, the cup being supported by the baseplate.
Preferably, the top portion of the die is removably connected to the bottom portion of the die, and the ram head is removably connected to the upper portion of the ram by a cap screw. The upper portion of the ram includes an upward facing step. The top portion of the die includes a downward facing step that limits upward movement of the ram by engaging the upward facing step of the upper portion of the ram. A pressing distance is defined by a distance between a bottom surface of the ram head and a top surface of the die, when the ram is in a fully retracted position.
In one embodiment, the manual die set further comprises a plurality of rams wherein a distance from the upward facing step of the upper portion of the ram to a top surface of the upper portion of the ram varies with each one of the plurality rams whereby the pressing distance is adjustable by changing rams in the manual die set.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of compressing explosive powder in hardware comprising pouring explosive molding powder into a cup; placing the cup in the support ring bore; inserting the baseplate in the support ring bore below the cup; inserting the cup, support ring and baseplate in the bottom of the die opening; placing the die on the die guide plate; moving the ram downwardly to compress the explosive molding powder into a pellet; retracting the ram using the spring; lifting the die off the die guide plate and removing the baseplate; and removing the support ring and cup with the explosive pellet therein, as a unit.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the following drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2741148 (1956-04-01), Thompson
patent: 3745875 (1973-07-01), Kennedy
patent: 3823669 (1974-07-01), Zacharin
patent: 3974736 (1976-08-01), Minko
patent: 4537112 (1985-08-01), Dabonde
patent: 4836078 (1989-06-01), Lee
patent: 4862567 (1989-09-01), Beebe
patent: 5649465 (1997-07-01), Beebe
patent: 6244154 (2001-06-01), Beebe et al.
patent: 2830600 (1980-01-01), None
Carone Michael J.
Homer Mark
Semunegus Lulit
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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