Ammunition and explosives – Shells
Patent
1996-11-08
1998-06-30
Tudor, Harold J.
Ammunition and explosives
Shells
102293, 102372, 102521, F42B 1220, F42B 1406
Patent
active
057737517
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for converting certain mortar ammunition for use as fin-stabilized, non-rotating shells in smooth-bore guns, in particular tank guns. The present invention also includes ammunition which has been converted in accordance with this method.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes, on the one hand, a method for converting mortar shells for use as fin-stabilized, non-rotating shells in smooth-bore gun barrels, in particular tank guns, of essentially the same caliber as the mortars for which the shells were originally intended. On the other hand, the present invention also includes method for converting mortar shells, of smaller caliber than the small-bore gun barrels, to subcaliber non-rotating shells provided with discarding sabots. The discarding sabots are separated in a known manner from the shells outside the muzzle of the gun barrel.
The invention is considered to be of great value since there is plenty of mortar ammunition in stockpiles. Also, the high-explosive mortar shells in particular have well-designed shell bodies with good fragmentation properties. At the same time, there is need for high-explosive shells for tank divisions, which generally have artillery pieces with smooth-bore barrels. Of course, the present invention also includes the converted shells and the complete rounds of which these form part.
According to the invention, the actual conversion is carried out in such a way that the warhead of the original shell is kept unchanged. The original tail fin of the shell with internal propellant charge chamber, is either replaced by a new tail fin adapted to the new and higher velocity of exit (Vo) of the projectile, or is merely deprived of its internal propellant charge. At the same time, the warhead is always provided with a guide part or guide casing which is adapted to the caliber gauge of the smooth-bore barrel in question and which is preferably provided with a bourrelet of the type regularly used as a powder gas seal in barrels of the type in question here.
In purely general terms, the ordinary tail fin of the mortar shell is usually secured on the warhead by means of a screw thread. Particularly in those cases where the tail fin is to be replaced by a new one, the the screw thread can be used for securing the guide casing on the warhead. The guide casing is, in turn, provided with a screw thread for screwing-on the tail fin.
Moreover, shells converted in accordance with the present invention are always intended to be supplemented with a propellant powder charge that is appropriate for the gun in question. In the case of tank guns, the supplemental charges generally involves fixed propellant charges. The shells can be combined with the supplemental charge to form complete rounds.
The invention further includes two alternative possibilities for converting mortar shells for use in smooth-bore barrels. The first variant is based on mortar shells intended for mortars of the same, or essentially the same, caliber as the smooth-bore guns in which the converted shells are intended to be used. In this case, the guide casing is mainly in the form of a casing that encloses and supports the rear part of the warhead of the original shell. The inside of the casing is shaped match the outer shape of the warhead in order to increase the strength of the warhead against firing stresses. Also, the rear portion of the casing is designed to be relatively strong. Additionally, the front portion of the casing consists of an approximately tubular and relatively thin-walled portion that adjoins the outer periphery of the warhead in the vicinity of its maximum diameter. The more solid rear portion of the guide casing also includes a bourrelet groove that is provided with a conventional bourrelet.
The second variant for converting mortar shells is based on a mortar shell of smaller diameter than the gun barrel in which the converted shell is to be used. This shell is provided with a guide casing designed in accordance with the pr
REFERENCES:
patent: 2613605 (1952-10-01), Brandt
patent: 2788744 (1957-04-01), Donner
patent: 3788230 (1974-01-01), Losfeld
patent: 4408538 (1983-10-01), Deffayet et al.
patent: 5063855 (1991-11-01), Diel et al.
Fredriksson Lennart
Wikstrom Arne
Bofors Liab AB
Tudor Harold J.
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