Ammunition and explosives – Projectiles – Having jacket
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-14
2001-02-13
Tudor, Harold J. (Department: 3641)
Ammunition and explosives
Projectiles
Having jacket
C102S518000, C102S522000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186071
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to projectiles and, more specifically, projectiles including a non-discarding sabot for discharge from a rifled barrel.
2. Present State of the Art
Guns, such as hand guns and rifles, are designed to interact with a cartridge for discharging a projectile, commonly referred to as a bullet. A cartridge includes a metal case which houses a charge such as gun powder. Mounted at one end of the case is a primer. The projectile is crimped or otherwise secured to the opposing end of the case.
During operation, the cartridge is positioned within the chamber of a gun. By depressing a trigger, a hammer strikes against the primer. In turn, the primer ignites the gun powder which burns at an extremely fast and almost instantaneous rate. As the gunpowder burns, it produces a gas. The rapid expansion of the gas detaches the projectile from the case and pushes the projectile down and out the end of the barrel.
It has long been known that imparting an axial rotation to the projectile significantly improves the accuracy in which the projectile can be fired. Several approaches have been used to impart rotation to the projectile. The most common approach is to form a series of spiral grooves that longitudinally extend along the interior surface of the barrel. The projectile is configured to engage the grooves and thus rotate as the projectile travels the length of the barrel. Momentum allows the projectile to continue to spin after the projectile leaves the barrel.
Depending on the type of projectile used, different approaches have been used to engage the projectile and the grooves. For example, some projectiles are made from relatively soft lead alloys. During discharge, the force of the expanding gas causes the projectile to obterate and radially expand, thereby engaging the grooves. Where the projectile is made of a harder material, the projectile is configured having a diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the barrel. As a result, the projectile is forced into the grooves as the projectile travels within the barrel.
Although the operation of guns has become a refined science, there are still several shortcomings associated with conventional projectiles. For example, extended firing of a gun, such as commonly encountered in the military, results in pressure from the expanding gases wearing or deteriorating the interior surface of the gun barrel. Significant wear on the barrel occurs much earlier when hard projectiles are used. The resulting wear on the barrel can produce irregular flight paths in the projectile and can reduce the speed and distance which the projectile travels. In such cases, it is necessary to replace the gun or at least the barrel thereof.
The problem with using lead alloy bullets is that they produce lead build-up on the interior surface of the barrel. Lead build-up increases the resistance on the projectile and can radically increase pressures as well as offset the flight path of the projectile. One approach to solving this problem has been to use various cleaning materials to remove the lead build-up from the interior surface of the barrel. This cleaning process, however, requires the use of toxic solvents that produce a harmful lead waste.
Discarding sabots have been used as another approach to overcoming some of the above problems. A discarding sabot is simply a plastic jacket that is placed over the projectile. During firing, the expanding gas results in expansion of the projectile and sabot such that the sabot, rather than the projectile, engages the grooves of the barrel. By engaging the grooves, the sabot rotates which in turn imparts a rotational movement to the projectile. As the projectile exits the barrel, the sabot is caught by the surrounding air and peeled off of the projectile, allowing the projectile to freely travel. The discarding sabot thus eliminates and prevents the need for the metal projectile to engage the interior surface of the barrel. As a result, wear on the barrel is minimized. Furthermore, there is no metal fouling or buildup in the barrel.
Although sabots produce some advantages, conventional discarding sabots also produce significant problems. For example, as a discarding sabot leaves the barrel, it rapidly expands to release the projectile. In some instances, the sabot breaks apart resulting in a fouled bore. The discarding sabot can produce bore fouling. Specifically, the discarding sabot can clog or otherwise obstruct such systems as sound suppressors, flash suppressors, gas recoil systems, recoil reduction systems, and bore evacuators. Furthermore, if the sabot does not evenly release the projectile, the projectile can become imbalanced and subsequently tumble.
OBJECTS AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved projectiles for firing from the barrel of a gun.
Another object of the present invention is to provide improved projectiles as above which minimize wear of the bore.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide improved projectiles which maximize the effective rotation of the projectile as it is discharged from the barrel of the gun.
Another object of the present invention is to provide projectiles which do not result in bore fouling.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide increased velocity while reducing pressure within the barrel.
Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved projectiles which maximize accuracy.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a projectile is provided for firing from the barrel of a gun. The projectile comprises a core having an exterior surface extending from a conical tip end to an opposing substantially cylindrical tail end. The projectile also includes a plastic sabot having a front end with a chamber recessed therein. The chamber is bounded by an inner side surface and is configured to receive the tail end of the core.
In one embodiment of the invention, longitudinal interlock means are provided for mechanically locking the tail end of the core within the chamber of the sabot such that the sabot remains attached to the core when the core and sabot are discharged from the barrel of the gun. By way of example, the conical tip end of the core terminates at a annular outside lip. An annular slot is bounded between the lip and the exterior surface of the core. An enlarged annular groove encircles the core adjacent to the annular slot. A substantially dome shaped annular bulge radially inwardly projects from the inner side surface of the sabot chamber. The annular bulge is complementary to the enlarged groove on the core. During assembly, the tail end of the core is pressure fit within the chamber of sabot such that the leading edge of the sabot is received within the annular slot on the core and the annular bulge of the sabot is received within the annular groove on the core. This interlocking of the complementary features between the core and sabot prevents radial expansion at the front end of the sabot and longitudinal sliding of the sabot relative to the core. As a result of this engagement, the sabot remains attached to the core when the core and sabot are discharged from the barrel of the gun.
The sabot is configured to engage the barrel of the gun so that the sabot rotates about a longitudinal axis as the sabot is discharged from the barrel of the gun. In one embodiment of the present invention, rotational interlock means are provided for mechanically locking the tail end of the core within the chamber of the sabot such that the core rotates concurrently with the sabot as the sabot and core are discharged from the barrel of the gun. By way of example, a plurality of spaced apart fins inwardly project from the inner side surface of the sabot. The fins are oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sabot. A plurality of spaced apart flutes are longitudinally recessed within the tail end of the core
Kirton & McConkie
Krieger Michael F.
Laser II, LLC
Tudor Harold J.
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