Ammunition and explosives – Cartridges – Practice projectile type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-03
2001-12-04
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3641)
Ammunition and explosives
Cartridges
Practice projectile type
C102S447000, C102S444000, C102S445000, C102S446000, C102S430000, C102S464000, C102S469000, C102S470000, C089S029000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324984
ABSTRACT:
U.S. GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, or licensed by or for the U.S. Government for U.S. Government purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of Invention
This invention applies to the field of weapons and cartridges which are capable of firing low impulse non-lethal payloads and other payloads from automatic weapons.
The present invention relates in general to the field of ammunition, and it particularly relates to a payload mechanism for low impulse cartridges used in automatic weapons. More specifically, the present invention relates to a low impulse payload cartridge for use in automatic weapon systems such as the 40 mm MK19 Grenade Machinegun, though the inventive concept is applicable to any caliber of weapon and ammunition. The present invention relates to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/351,978 now patented, U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,889 to Frank Dindl, titled “Low Impulse Telescoping Cartridge”, filed on Jul. 12, 1999, and commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
II. Background of the Invention
Payload type munitions (non-lethal multiple rubber balls, bean bags, foam batons, wood batons, etc.) have been mostly limited to single shot or manually operated weapons, with of course the exception of shotguns and other weapons purposely designed to work with shot shell cylindrical cartridges.
The U.S. Military, however, has the need to fire payload type munitions from such automatic weapons as the 40 mm MK19 Grenade Machine Gun. Such weapons fire lethal rounds which use rounded tips to provide reliable weapon function. On the other hand, payload type munitions require an opening in the tip of the cartridges to allow payloads to be launched.
Automatic weapons such as the 40 mm MK19 Grenade Machinegun are designed to use ammunition with a specific external envelope. The external dimensions of a payload cartridge must be compatible with the weapon from which it is fired. The cartridge configuration must also withstand the forces encountered during weapon feeding and cycling.
Additionally, the typical opening for launching a payload can be described as cylindrical. Since a simple cylindrical cartridge tip is normally not reliably compatible with most automatic weapon mechanisms, a cover must be provided to provide the necessary external cartridge dimensions and be robust to withstand the forces encountered during weapon operation. However, the cover must open on firing to allow the payload to be expelled.
In summary, there is a great and still unsatisfied need for a payload mechanism for low impulse cartridges used in automatic weapons. Exemplary payloads include liquids, solids and powders, and include nonlethal payloads such as rubber balls, wood batons, foam batons, and rubber projectiles. A need also exists for firing obscurant payloads, which are typically powdered materials.
Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide the rounded nose configuration essential for reliable weapon function in weapons such as the 40 mm MK19GMG, while at the same time providing the requisite payload for launch.
Another object is to provide a low impulse payload cartridge with an external configuration which is compatible with conventional automatic weapon systems such as the 40 mm MK19 Grenade Machinegun.
Yet, another feature of the present invention is to provide an ammunition configuration that provides a cylindrical opening for launching the payload where the opening approaches the size of bore of the weapon barrel to allow for the launching of low velocity and/or low mass projectiles or payloads such as non-lethal multiple rubber balls, batons, rubber projectiles, powders, and a variety of other low impulse projectile configurations while functioning the MK19 Grenade Machinegun or other firearms in a fully automatic mode.
Finally, another feature of the present invention is to provide a fully automatic weapon function without requiring changes to the weapon itself, while permitting effective firing of reduced velocity and/or reduced mass projectiles. These and other features and advantages of the invention are achieved by a low impulse payload cartridge. Other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It has now been discovered that the above and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished in the following manner. Specifically, the invention provides the rounded nose configuration essential for reliable weapon function with low impulse cartridges. This is accomplished upon chambering of the round of ammunition when the internal payload cup is forced through the nose, exposing the payload, allowing straight forward launch of the payload.
The cartridge configuration includes a payload mechanism which consists of a cup containing the payload. The cartridge nose configuration provides the external shape required for compatibility with the weapon while allowing the payload cup to pierce the cartridge nose upon firing to allow the launching of the payload.
During the operation of the 40 mm MK19 Grenade Machinegun using the cartridge of the present invention, the cartridge travels through the weapon feed mechanism. The outside configuration of the cartridge and the position of the link is preferably constrained to that of conventional ammunition to be compatible with the weapon. The link and cartridge are restrained during the delinking operation and cartridge pickup as the bolt reaches the battery position. As the bolt is returned rearward, the cartridge is cammed down the bolt face into alignment with the barrel. As the bolt moves forward to the battery position, the cartridge is chambered. Upon firing, the payload cup is forced through the nose of the cartridge by either the expanding propellant gases or telescoping action of the cartridge case. Expanding propellant gases from the primary propellant charge in the base of the cartridge case or from a secondary charge in the base of the payload cup propels the payload from the payload cup and launches the payload from the weapon. A shoulder on the outer surface of the payload cup stops against a mating surface on the inside of the piston to prevent the payload cup from being ejected during firing. Reaction loads are applied to the barrel through the shoulder and through the base of the cartridge to the bolt. The energy imparted to the bolt accelerates the bolt rearward and cycles the weapon.
The present invention enables the practical and efficient use of low impulse payload ammunition in an unmodified automatic weapon such as the MK19 Grenade Machinegun.
In one embodiment, the secondary propellant charge can be used as an alternative to bleeding propellant gases from the primary propellant charge, in order to accelerate the projectile.
REFERENCES:
patent: H000114 (1986-08-01), Quintavalle
patent: 3744420 (1973-07-01), Barr
patent: 4686905 (1987-08-01), Szabo
patent: 4862805 (1989-09-01), Szabo
patent: 5359937 (1994-11-01), Dittrich
patent: 5677505 (1997-10-01), Dittrich
patent: 5834681 (1998-11-01), DuBay
patent: 5938773 (1999-11-01), Dionne
patent: 6095051 (2000-08-01), Saxby
Carone Michael J.
Moran John F.
Sachs Michael
Semunegus Lulit
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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