Ammunition and explosives – Igniting devices and systems – Percussion primers or ignitors
Patent
1995-02-28
1996-06-11
Jordan, Charles T.
Ammunition and explosives
Igniting devices and systems
Percussion primers or ignitors
102223, F42C 1910
Patent
active
055245439
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of the present invention is that of priming systems for an explosive charge.
Ordinarily, a priming system comprises a pyrotechnic priming component (or primer) that initiates a secondary explosive booster charge, the secondary explosive booster charge providing initiation of the principal explosive charge.
The primer is a pyrotechnic component that contains a small quantity of very sensitive primary explosive. The secondary explosive booster charge is less sensitive than the primer, but can be initiated by it.
The principal drawback of known priming systems has to do with the extremely sensitive nature of the primer and the primer boosters.
Moreover, in order to initiate insensitive explosives, priming components that can deliver high energies have to be employed.
To prevent untimely detonation of explosive charges, safety and arming devices have been designed with which the primer or primer booster can be isolated from the remainder of the pyrotechnic system.
These devices are complex and costly mechanical assemblies.
Priming systems are all the more difficult to implement (and bulky) if the explosive being initiated is of the insensitive type, and thus requires substantial levels of priming energy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One purpose of the invention is to propose a safety priming system that does not possess such disadvantages. Specifically, the priming system according to the invention allows initiation of an explosive charge without using pyrotechnic components with a primary composition, and without even using priming explosives.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a priming system particularly well suited for safely priming of insensitive explosives.
A first aspect of the invention provides a safety priming system for an explosive charge having a block made of pyrotechnically inert material, the block having on one of its surfaces a cavity placed facing the explosive charge, and structure for allowing percussion of the block at a receiving surface substantially parallel to that on which the cavity is present.
Advantageously, the percussion structure includes a pressurizable chamber that can be filled with a compressible fluid using a supply line, one end of which chamber, arranged facing the receiving surface of the block, is closed by a sliding piston that is made integral with the chamber by connecting structure that can be unlocked by the action of a control device.
According to one particular embodiment, the connecting structure may include explosive pins.
According to another particular embodiment, the connecting structure may include pegs that are retractable by the action of an actuator.
The fluid may, for example, selected from among the following gases: air, helium, carbon dioxide, nitrogen.
According to a first embodiment, the cavity may be covered with a lining of ductile material, and the block may be made of a material whose impact impedance is greater than or equal to that of the lining.
The material of the block can be selected, for example, from the following: titanium, iron, beryllium, cobalt, aluminum.
The lining of the block can then advantageously be made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.
According to another embodiment, the cavity may not be covered with a lining, and the block is made of a material that is ductile under impact.
In this case the material of the block can be selected from the following: aluminum, uranium, copper.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood upon reading the description below of preferred embodiments thereof, made with reference to the attached Figures that schematically depict priming system according to the inventions wherein:,
FIG. 1 shows a priming system according to a first embodiment of the invention in which a lining serves as the jetted material;
FIG. 2 shows a priming system according to a second embodiment of the present invention in which the block itself serves as the jetted material; and
FIG. 3 shows a retractable pin that is useable with either of
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4464990 (1984-08-01), Bendler et al.
patent: 4532866 (1985-08-01), Lagofun
patent: 4541342 (1985-09-01), Routledge
patent: 4711177 (1987-12-01), Foster, Jr. et al.
patent: 4862805 (1989-09-01), Szabo
patent: 5233925 (1993-08-01), Fohl
Giat Industries
Jordan Charles T.
Wesson Theresa M.
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