Kinetic energy sabot projectile

The projectiles possess high kinetic energy owing to the high velocity of the projectiles, on the one hand, and the high specific weight of the projectiles, on the other hand. The heretofore normally employed explosive and incendiary charges are replaced by an inert powder serving as the projectile filling or filler and having a density of at least 10 g/cm.sup.3 and whose constituents have a mass of 10.sup.-4 to 10.sup.-2 grams. Certain constructions of the projectiles contain a fragmentation jacket, the filling or filler, a closure body or penetrator and a projectile tip. Another construction of the projectile contains a fragmentation jacket, the filling or filler, an integrated base for the fragmentation jacket and the projectile tip.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a 
kinetic energy sabot projectile activated by or effective by virtue of the 
action of its kinetic energy. 
In its more specific aspects, the present invention relates to a new and 
improved construction of a kinetic energy sabot projectile suitable for 
use against various types of targets, particularly homogeneous and 
heterogeneous targets. The sabot projectile of the present development is 
of the type comprising a projectile tip and a hollow fragmentation or 
disintegration jacket which is closed at the rear or rear end and at the 
front or front end. The projectile tip is attached to or carried by the 
front or front end of the hollow fragmentation jacket. An inert filling or 
filler with a density of at least 10 g/cm.sup.3 is located in the interior 
of the hollow fragmentation jacket. The projectile tip protects the 
fragmentation jacket against premature fragmentation or disintegration. 
The fragmentation jacket fragments or disintegrates after penetration of 
the projectile at the target. The filling or filler increases the radial 
effect of the projectile in the target. 
With an undercalibrated or sub-caliber, stabilized multi-purpose projectile 
of this type, as known from European patent No. 146,745, there is likewise 
provided a fragmentation jacket with an inert filling or filler. This 
projectile fragments without the need for using a complicated fuze after 
target impact of the projectile, during the penetration of the projectile 
into the target, and possesses a radial effect. The projectile exhibits a 
projectile body provided with an axial channel which is closed at the 
front by a ballistic hood. Behind the ballistic hood there is located a 
piston which is guided in the axial channel of the projectile body in an 
axially displaceable or slidable manner. 
With another projectile of this type activated by kinetic energy, as known 
from U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,305, granted Dec. 12, 1982, a penetration tip is 
located at the front and a main penetration body or main penetrator at the 
rear and intermediate these components there is positioned a spacer 
sleeve. Pellets are located in this spacer sleeve as secondary or 
sub-projectiles. These pellets can be flung or propelled away in all 
directions either by the impact of the projectile in the target or by the 
action of an explosive or incendiary charge. The spacer sleeve serves as a 
shock absorber in order to maintain the reflected waves away from the main 
penetration body which arise during the impact of the projectile at the 
target. The secondary or sub-projectiles are preferably made from heavy 
metal. 
Now it has been found that these known projectiles do not yet attain the 
desired synergistic effect and can be further improved in their operation. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Therefore, with the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the 
present invention to provide a new and improved construction of a kinetic 
energy sabot projectile which does not exhibit the aforementioned 
drawbacks and shortcomings of the prior art constructions. 
Another and more specific object of the present invention aims at the 
provision of a new and improved construction of a projectile which is 
particularly suitable for combatting various types of targets and which, 
on penetrating several plates of a target, effects as great as possible 
destruction of the target in the radial direction. 
Now in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention, 
which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the 
sabot projectile of the present invention is manifested by the feature 
that the filling or filler comprises a powder whose granule or grain size 
is smaller than 200 .mu.m. 
Preferably the fragmentation or disintegration jacket possesses an 
integrated base at its rear end and its hollow space is closeable at the 
front by a projectile tip, or the fragmentation or disintegration jacket 
possesses an integrated projectile tip at the front and can be closed at 
the rear by a closure body or closure. 
The fragmentation jacket is preferably provided with reference fracture 
locations, by means of which the size of the individual fragments or 
splinters is determined. Instead of a construction using reference 
fracture locations, the fragmentation jacket can be designed to be so 
brittle that it fragments or disintegrates into individual fragments on 
penetrating into the target. 
The invention is particularly suitable for medium caliber multi-purpose 
projectiles (i.e. 20-40 mm caliber) for combatting airborne targets. 
The projectiles preferably should be exclusively made of metallic 
materials, especially heavy metal. In order to achieve a high 
cross-sectional loading there is dispensed with the use of an explosive, 
an incendiary charge and a fuze. Nevertheless, fragmentation and explosive 
effects should not be foregone, and a large depth of penetration of the 
projectile is desired. 
The projectile should possess a high probability of striking or hitting the 
intended target, which is achieved by means of a short flight time. To 
achieve a short flight time, a high cross-sectional mass loading is 
necessary, in order to keep the deceleration or retardation of the 
projectile by the air resistance small. A high cross-sectional mass 
loading is attained by the use of high density materials. 
Furthermore, a high initial velocity is achieved by the use of a sabot. 
The projectile should possess a great destructive capacity or effect, which 
is attained when as much as possible of the total kinetic energy is 
transferred from the projectile to the target, in order to be able to 
destroy a great volume of the target. However, for this effect to be 
realized it is necessary that the projectile only fragments after 
penetrating into the target and not already on impact. The radial action 
of the projectile may therefore only take place after a certain 
time-delay. Armor plating and other target coverings or shielding should 
be penetrated with as little energy expenditure as possible.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Describing now the drawings, it is to be understood that to simplify the 
showing thereof, only enough of the construction of the various exemplary 
embodiments of kinetic energy sabot projectile has been illustrated 
therein as needed to enable one skilled in the art to readily understand 
the underlying principles and concepts of the present invention. Turning 
now to specifically to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the first embodiment of 
kinetic energy projectile illustrated therein by way of example and not 
limitation, will be seen to comprise a hollow fragmentation or 
disintegration jacket or shell 10, a filling or filler 11 in the hollow 
space 20 thereof, a closure body or closure 12 and an integrated 
projectile tip 13 for the fragmentation jacket or shell 10. 
In the second exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the inventive 
kinetic energy projectile possesses a penetrator 12' instead of the 
closure body or closure 12 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 and instead of the 
integrated projectile tip 13 thereof a separate projectile tip 13'. 
In the third exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the inventive 
projectile possesses neither a closure body 12 nor a penetrator 12' at the 
rear end, but an integrated base 12" and a projectile tip 13" constructed 
as a closure body is provided instead of the integrated projectile tip 13 
or separate projectile tip 13'. 
The hollow fragmentation jacket 10 will fragment after the penetration of 
the projectile into the target and will fragment or disintegrate into 
individually effective fragments or splinters or the like. An appropriate 
heavy metal alloy is used for this hollow fragmentation jacket 10, for 
example, tungsten or uranium. Sintered heavy metal, steel or hard metal or 
metal carbide is also suitable. The fragmentation jacket 10 should either 
be very brittle or it should fragment or disintegrate at reference 
fracture locations 14 into fragments 15 of appropriate size (see FIG. 4). 
Preferably a material is used whose elongation or extensibility is below 
about 10%. 
The powdery filling or filler 11 is dispersed or expelled in all directions 
after the penetration of the projectile into the target. A heavy metal 
powder is used for this filling or filler 11, particularly tungsten 
powder, that has a high density of 10 g/cm.sup.3 and a granule or grain 
size of about 10 to 200 .mu.m, i.e the granule or grain size should be 
smaller than 200 .mu.m. Heavy metal powder is preferably used for the 
filling or filler 11. The dispersal or spreading apart of the filling or 
filler 11 in the target causes a pressure wave. 
The closure body 12, particularly the penetrator 12', fulfills the task of 
penetrating as deep as possible into the target without breaking apart or 
splitting up. A heavy metal alloy, possessing however a high toughness and 
which can penetrate armor plating, is also preferred for the closure body 
12 or penetrator 12'. 
The closure body or element 12 is substantially cylindrical in shape (FIG. 
1). The penetrator 12' possesses a tapered portion or conical tip 12a at 
the front of its substantially cylindrical body portion 12b (FIG. 2). 
When the projectile penetrates the target, the projectile tip 13, 13' or 
13", as the case may be, should prevent a premature fragmentation or 
splitting up of the fragmentation jacket 10 and a premature dispersal of 
the filling or filler 11. A tough and hard material is used for the 
projectile tip. As depicted in FIG. 1, the projectile tip 13 can be made 
of one piece with the fragmentation jacket 10. 
The mode of operation of the projectile described hereinbefore is as 
follows: 
The elements of the projectile, particularly the fragmentation jacket 10, 
filling or filler 11 and closure body 12, penetrator 12' and integrated 
base 12", as the case may be, are matched or coordinated to one another 
such that a high synergism in the target is attained. The fragmentation 
jacket 10 and closure body 12, penetrator 12' and integrated base 12", as 
the case may be, guarantee the necessary structural stability of the 
projectile during introduction to or loading into the firing weapon and 
during the projectile firing phase. 
The elements have a variable effect in the target, as they possess various 
dimensions: 
(a) The closure body 12, penetrator 12' and integrated base 12", as the 
case may be, each exhibits a mass of 10-100 grams. With these components 
12, 12' and 12" only a few holes are produced deep in the target. 
(b) The fragments of the fragmentation jacket 10 exhibit a mass of 0.1 to 
10 grams. With the fragments, many individual holes are produced. 
(c) The powder granules or grains of the filling or filler 11 have a mass 
of 0.0001 to 0.01 gram. A heterogeneous target is destroyed with this 
filling or filler 11. 
However, the action of these elements is graded. The radial action of the 
projectile is increased by the projectile spin; therefore the relationship 
between kinetic energy in the firing direction and kinetic spin energy is 
important. 
While there are shown and described present preferred embodiments of the 
invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not 
limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced 
within the scope of the following claims. ACCORDINGLY,