Shrouded bomb

Details Shrouded bomb Shrouded bomb

2000-05-25

2002-04-23

Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3641)

Ammunition and explosives

Projectiles

Composite

C102S519000, C102S473000, C102S489000, C102S495000, C102S389000, C102S382000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06374744

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to projectiles. More particularly, the present invention is directed to bombs, such as aerial bombs to be dropped from aircraft.
2. State of the Art
In the discussion of the state of the art that follows, reference is made to certain structures and/or methods. However, the following references should not be construed as an admission that theses structures and/or methods constitute prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to demonstrate that such structures and/or methods do not qualify as prior art against the present invention.
A typical bomb configuration includes a hard casing which carries a payload material. Bombs which are designed to penetrate into the target typically include a substantially-ogive shape nose section and an elongated cylindrical body. Such bombs can be deployed by release from an aircraft.
Bombs delivered from an aircraft, including free-fall bombs, guided bombs, and boosted bombs, must pass rigorous field testing in order to demonstrate that the bombs can be safely handled and deployed, and that they can be accurately delivered to the target. Such testing must be conducted for each type of aircraft which will carry the bomb. Therefore, the development of new bomb designs is subject to significant delay and expense before the weapon is certified for use.
Efforts have been made to modify the configuration of the hard casing of such bombs in order to enhance performance characteristics. For instance, efforts have been made to modify the shape and size of the hard casing for improved penetration performance. However, modifications to the shape and size of the bomb casing affect the properties of the bomb itself such as weight, center of gravity, moment of inertia, and aerodynamic properties. As such, such modified designs would normally be subjected to the costly and time-consuming process required to certify the safety and performance of such new designs for use in the field.
In order to avoid much of the time and expense associated with re-certification or re-qualification of modified bomb configurations, the present inventors developed a shrouded bomb assembly as disclosed in WO 99/30106, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The invention disclosed therein generally includes a modified bomb casing surrounded by an outer shroud member. The shroud member is configured to emulate the shape and size of an existing qualified bomb. The combination of the shroud member and the bomb casing also emulates the weight, center of gravity and moments of inertia of an existing qualified bomb. Thus, the shrouded bomb disclosed therein may be readily qualified based on similarity of function to existing qualified bombs for use on an aircraft.
A shrouded aerial bomb formed according to the principles disclosed by WO 99/30106 is illustrated in FIG.
1
. The shrouded bomb SB′ depicted in
FIG. 1
generally includes a penetrator P′ comprising a modified warhead casing C′, a shroud assembly S′, and an aft closure assembly AC′.
The shroud assembly S′ includes forward clamp ring or H-ring segments
1
′,
2
′ and rear clamp ring or H-ring segments
3
′,
4
′ which are mounted about the outer peripheral surface of warhead casing C′. Typically, attachments lugs (not shown) are provided on the outer surface of the H-ring segments which are in turn used to attach the shrouded bomb SB′ to an aircraft. The shroud assembly S′ further includes a central shell or tube
5
′, a nose cone
6
′, a nose collar
11
′ and an aft shell or tube
12
′. Thus, as clearly illustrated in
FIG. 1
, the shroud assembly S′ comprises numerous individual parts which must be assembled about the warhead casing C′. Such assembly is tedious and time-consuming and, thus. Thus can increase the costs associated with production of the shrouded bomb SB′.
Each individual component of the shroud assembly S′ is fabricated from sheet material. Thus, fabrication of each individual component requires riveting and welding steps which further adds to the costs and complexity of manufacture of the shrouded bomb SB′.
Moreover, accurate fabrication and assembly of the components of the shroud assembly S′ is dependent upon the skill of the worker fabricating and assembling the shrouded bomb SB′. As such, it can be difficult to consistently achieve quality in the fabrication and assembly of the shroud assembly S′ and the shrouded bomb SB′.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention satisfies the abovementioned needs, and others, by providing an improved shroud assembly.
More particularly, the present invention provides an improved shrouded bomb which is fabricated and assembled at reduced costs, and less time, and with greater quality than previous shrouded bombs.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a shrouded bomb comprising a penetrating body surrounded by an outer shroud member, the shroud comprising a nose cone having a forward end and a rear end, a central tube having a forward end contiguous with the rear end of the nose cone, and a rear end, and an aft tube having a forward end contiguous with the rear end of the central tube.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a shroud comprising a nose cone having a forward end and a rear end, a central tube having a forward end contiguous with the rear end of the nose cone, and a rear end, and an aft tube having a forward end contiguous with the rear end of the central tube.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3224334 (1965-12-01), Curtis et al.
patent: 3712219 (1973-01-01), Blair et al.
patent: 4112843 (1978-09-01), Laviolette
patent: 4597333 (1986-07-01), Bocker et al.
patent: 4638736 (1987-01-01), Farmer
patent: 4638737 (1987-01-01), McIngvale
patent: 4656943 (1987-04-01), Edminster
patent: 4674407 (1987-06-01), Seubert et al.
patent: 4676167 (1987-06-01), Huber, Jr. et al.
patent: 4911080 (1990-03-01), Leeker et al.
patent: 4920887 (1990-05-01), Frehaut et al.
patent: 4932326 (1990-06-01), Ladriere
patent: 4957046 (1990-09-01), Puttock
patent: H959 (1991-09-01), Heckman et al.
patent: 5056408 (1991-10-01), Joner et al.
patent: 5103734 (1992-04-01), Arnaud et al.
patent: 5305505 (1994-04-01), Ruhlman
patent: 5656792 (1997-08-01), Rentzsch
patent: 5698814 (1997-12-01), Parsons et al.
patent: 5939662 (1999-08-01), Bootes et al.
patent: 6012393 (2000-01-01), Tal
patent: 6123289 (2000-09-01), Manole et al.
patent: 667526 (1988-10-01), None
patent: 670882 (1989-07-01), None
patent: 3904625 (1990-08-01), None
patent: 99/30106 (1999-06-01), None
patent: 00/30106 (2000-05-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Shrouded bomb does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Shrouded bomb, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Shrouded bomb will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2867665