Ammunition and explosives – Projectiles – Nonlethal or deterrent
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-07
2001-10-09
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Ammunition and explosives
Projectiles
Nonlethal or deterrent
C102S444000, C102S447000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298788
ABSTRACT:
GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured, licensed, and used by or for the U.S. Government.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method that use non-lethal force for crowd control. More particularly, multiple soft pellets are propelled into a crowd, in a non-lethal manner, to disrupt the organization of the crowd. Most particularly, the soft pellets are propelled into zones of the crowd, disrupting the self-sustaining momentum found within the crowd. The device and method are useful when fixed from a myriad of terrain or vehicle platforms.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Rioting and mass mob actions are encountered by military and police units during the performance of their duties. In both calculated and spontaneous actions, often crowds involved in rioting and mob actions direct their energies towards a particular person to harass, object to possess or location to occupy. The focus of a mob may include, for example, foods, medicines and other necessities during famine or other catastrophes, harassment of political persons during civil unrest, destruction or ransacking of buildings, and possession of weapons located within storage facilities. Mobs may also desire to occupy significant locations, such as parliamentarian offices, military compounds, federal building, embassies, and airports to disrupt operations and/or harm personnel staffing those facilities. When confronting the mob action, civil authorities are generally outnumbered by the mob members who have lost any sense of control, resulting in situations that force civil authorities to consider and possibly use deadly force to control a particular situation, resulting in serious injury or death of one or more individuals.
When possible, use of an effective amount of non-lethal force is desirable over the use of deadly force. Security force, however, may be confronted with uncontrollable crowds where current non-lethal method of deterrent are ineffective inhibiting crowd action. Known non-lethal devices generally are effective against individuals, but remain ineffective against large numbers of people, particularly at close range. Rubber bullets fired from a sidearms may incapacitate individuals within a crowd, while still not interrupting the momentum of the crowd. Water cannons may be used in crowd situations, but the use and implementation of the water cannons is cumbersome and restricted.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improvements for non-lethal crowd control. The present invention addresses this and other needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a non-lethal modular crowd control munition comprising a support having a front side and a back side defining a chamber therein, a pellet matrix fixed within the defined chamber, the pellet matrix having a substantially uniform thickness and containing a plurality of compartments with each compartment being substantially similar in shape and size with other compartments, a plurality of soft pellets fixed within the pellet matrix, wherein each compartment contains approximately an individual soft pellet therein and a low energy explosive sheet material located within the defined chamber and along the back side of the pellet matrix, the explosive sheet material having a thickness and composition sufficient to propel the plurality of soft pellets from the pellet matrix.
The present invention also includes a method for crowd control comprising the steps of providing a non-lethal modular crowd control munition having a support with a front side and a back side defining a chamber therein, a pellet matrix fixed within the defined chamber, the pellet matrix having a substantially uniform thickness and containing a plurality of compartments with each compartment being substantially similar in shape and size with other compartments, a plurality of soft pellets fixed within the pellet matrix, wherein each compartment contains approximately an individual soft pellet therein and a low energy explosive sheet material located within the defined chamber and along the back side of the pellet matrix, the explosive sheet material having a thickness and composition sufficient to propel the plurality of soft pellets from the pellet matrix, positioning the munition with the front side facing a crowd and detonating the low energy explosive, wherein the soft pellets are effectively propelled into the crowd.
The non-lethal modular crowd control munition, and method of crowd control using the munition, are used as a close-in deterrent to rioting persons that may be used prior to the decision to use deadly force. Generally, the use of the non-lethal modular crowd control munition is a last resort course of action in a situation that would otherwise require the use of deadly force. The non-lethal modular crowd control munition provides directional and zone area coverage against large crowds to disperse and interrupt the riot action without having to exercise a deadly force option.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4833961 (1989-05-01), Adini
patent: 5200573 (1993-04-01), Blood
patent: 5535679 (1996-07-01), Craddock
patent: 5610359 (1997-03-01), Spector et al.
Vehicle Mounting System (VMS) for the Modular Crowd Control Munition (MCCM), Commerce Business Daily Issue of May 18, 1999.*
1998 Department of Defense Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program Annual Report (Jan. 1999).*
1997—A Year in Review, Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program, Department of Defense Annual Report.*
Field Manual 23-23 (Chapters 1-4), Antipersonnel Mine M18A1 and M18 (Claymore), Jan. 6, 1966, (chapter 2, Mar. 30, 1973).
Fairbanks Gary G.
Fuchs Brian Edward
Gillen Gerard I.
Woods John W.
Jordan Charles T.
Moran John F.
Sachs Michael C.
Smith Kimberly S
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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