Patent ID: 6085660
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: F42B

Abstract:
A discardable sabot for firing a subcaliber projectile from a weapon having a having a chamber and a barrel, the barrel having rifling and extending from the chamber along a central longitudinal axis to a muzzle, the sabot comprising:a first support;a second support, aft of the first support, the first and second supports dimensioned to cooperate with an inner bore of the barrel so as to maintain the projectile substantially centered along the central longitudinal axis of the barrel during travel of the projectile from the chamber to the muzzle, at least one of the first and second supports being a sealing support configured to provide a substantially gas-tight seal with the barrel, effective to allow the sabot and projectile to be propelled forward through the barrel by the expansion of gas behind the sealing support; anda slip obturator encircling the sealing support for forming a seal which accommodates the rifling,wherein the sabot includes surfaces for permitting a flow of a portion of the gas through the sabot while redirecting such portion at least partially transverse to the central longitudinal axis so that the flow applies a first torque to the projectile about the central longitudinal axis during travel of the sabot and projectile between the chamber and the muzzle, the first torque opposite a second torque applied to the sabot by engagement of the sabot with the rifling during the travel of the sabot and projectile between the chamber and the muzzle.