Patent ID: 9534858
Date: 2017-01-03
CPC Classifications: F41A,F41C,F41G,F41H,F42B,F42C

Claim:
1. A fire control apparatus for selectively initiating one or more of a plurality of primers in a cartridge comprising a plurality of primers, a plurality of electrical contacts comprising a plurality of concentric annular tracks of conductive material in a rear surface of a casing, a plurality of propellant chambers and a projectile, wherein each primer is operatively connected to a propellant chamber and to one of the plurality of annular tracks to allow the projectile to be fired from the cartridge with a selectable launch velocity, the fire control apparatus comprising: a plurality of pins for electrical connection with the plurality of electrical contacts wherein each pin is aligned with one of the plurality of concentric tracks to allow the cartridge to be loaded in any orientation; a user interface comprising a trigger for generating a firing signal; a firing controller in electrical communication with the cartridge, wherein the firing controller is configured to generate one or more signals in response to a firing signal to select and initiate one or more of the plurality of primers in the cartridge, and after a time delay which is sufficient to allow the projectile to be expelled from the cartridge, generates a further one or more signals to initiate the remaining primers in the cartridge so as to render the cartridge safe, and wherein the firing controller further comprises a primer testing module for sending one or more signals for testing the status of each of the plurality of primers, and the primer testing module tests the status of all of the primers after generation of the further one or more signals to initiate the remaining primers, and the user interface comprises at least one indicator for indicating a safety status of cartridge after firing of the projectile, wherein if the primer test module indicates all primers have been initiated a safe status is indicated, and if not all of the primers have been initiated, then a hazard status is indicated to alert a user that the cartridge comprises unused propellant.