CONTAINERS FOR MISSILES OR PROJECTILES

Abstract: A container for sensitive objects, e.g. projectiles, comprising mainly two halves (1) which when brought together enclose therebetween an elongated cavity for accommodating the projectile (2). The cavity presents support surfaces (3, 5, 6) which correspond to the configuration of the projectile and support the projectile radially. Each container half (1) presents an internal groove (9) in which a plate-like element (8) can be firmly positioned. The plate-like element (8) has locking means (12, 13) for locking the projectile firmly to the plate-like element (8), so as to support the projectile axially. A further plate-like element (16) is arranged behind the firstmentioned plate-like element (8) and each of the plate-like elements (8, 16) is secured firmly to a respective side (14) of the container half.

Description: Containers for missiles or projectiles TECHNICAL FIELD 5 The present invention relates to a container for sensi¬ tive objects, for example projectiles or missiles, com¬ prising mainly two container halves which when brought together define an elongated cavity which accommodates the projectile or missile, this cavity exhibiting support 0 surfaces which correspond to the configuration of the projectile and which support the projectile radially. The invention relates particularly, although not exclusively, to containers for projectiles intended for antitank rifles. 5 BACKGROUND PRIOR ART It is known to package sensitive objects, such as shells and the like, in containers or capsules having internal 0 support surfaces arranged so as to conform the shape of the object to be stored in the container or capsule. The container is normally made of cellular plastic, rubber or . some equivalent material. It is essential that the pack¬ aged object is held gently against movement in all direc- 5 tions and capable, in other respects, to withstand such loads as those which are liable to occur as a result of vibrations or in the event of the container falling during transportation. It is desirable that in the event of a fall the container will not be damaged to such an 0 extent that the object contained therein will break through the container. In the case of projectile con¬ tainers it is of decisive importance that the projectile cannot be accelerated to such an extent as to arm the detonating fuse of the projectile. Those containers at 5 present,known to the art are not always capable of satisfying the latter requirements. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the object of the invention is to provide a container of the kind described in the introduction which will afford much gentler deceleration in all directions, and which in the case of projectiles greatly reduces the risk of the detonating fuse of the packaged projectile being accelerated to an extent such as to arm the fuse. This object is achieved with a container constructed in accordance with the invention and having the character¬ izing features set forth in Claim 1. Further developments of the invention are set forth in the pending Claims. The container according to the invention takes up forces acting radially on the projectile in a known manner, through support surfaces which conform the outer con- figuration of the projectile. In accordance with the invention the axial forces liable to occur should the container fall or be dropped for example, are taken up by a plate-like element capable of being firmly positioned in the container. It is a relatively easy matter for one skilled in the art to dimension such a plate-like element so that it will gently retard movement of the projectile should the container fall or be dropped, even from a relatively high height. If that part of the container located forwardly of the plate-like element is structurally weak, e.g. if it narrows in the forward direction in order to conform to conically shaped parts of the shell, a further plate-like element can be arranged rearwardly of the firstmentioned element in accordance with a further development of the invention, the two plate-like elements being held firmly against a respective side of one part of the container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the two halves of the container. Figure 2 is a longitudinal view of the container half illustrated in Figure 1, with a schemati- cally illustrated projectile positioned firmly between two plate-like elements. Figures 3a and 4a are end views of the two plate-like elements shown in Figure 2. Figures 3b and 4b are respective cross-sectional views of the plate-like elements shown in Figures 3a and 4a. Figures 5a och 5b are respectively an end view and a cross- sectional view of a bayonet-coupling part of the rearward end of the projectile, the shell, indicated in Figure 2. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Figure 1 illustrates one of two mutually identical container halves 1 made of cellular plastic or a like material, from which substantially the whole of the container is constructed. When the two halves 1 of the container are brought together, they define therebetween an elongated cavity which accommodates the projectile 2 shown in chain lines in Figure 2 and which has the same shape as the projectile, therewith forming support sur¬ faces for the projectile. The cavity exhibits, inter alia, a plurality of support surfaces in the form of three ribs 3, 4 and 5, whose shape conforms to a corre¬ sponding cylindrical part 6 of the projectile 2. The projectile 2 presents a part 6a which narrows coni- cally rearwardly of the cylindrical part 6, and a part 6b which narrows conically forwardly of the cylindrical part 6 and which is provided, inter alia, with an extendable stand-off means 7. These parts 6a, 6b and 7 of the pro¬ jectile must not come into contact with the container when subjected to vibrations or when the container falls or is dropped, and are therefore left free in the con- tainer. The support surfaces 3, 4 and 5 are intended to take-up any forces which might act radially on the projectile during its transportation. Axial forces are taken-up with the aid of a plate-like element 8 made of aluminium or the like, the illustrated element having the form of a circular disc. The element 8 is received in a correspon¬ ding groove 9 provided in the two container halves 1. The grooves 9 lie in a common plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the projectile. The form given to the element 8 is shown more clearly in Figures 3a and 3b. Located on the rearward end 10 of the projectile 2 is the male part 11 of a bayonet-type coupling, having four coupling shoulders 11a, as shown in more detail in Figures 5a and 5b. The part 11 of the bayonet coupling is intended for securing a propellant-part (not shown) to the projectile with the aid of a female part of a corre¬ sponding bayonet coupling on the propellant-part. In this regard, the coupling part 11 can be rigidly connected rearwardly (through a joint not shown) with a cylindrical part 10a (indicated in chain lines in Figures 2 and 5b), e.g. a part which incorporates means for initiating firing of the propellant-part. According to the invention, the male part 11 of the bayonet coupling can also be used to secure the projec¬ tile 2 firmly to the element 8. To this end, the element 8 is accordingly provided with an opening 12 which is shaped to form a female coupling-part corresponding to the male coupling-part 11. The projectile is thus held against axial movement, by passing the coupling-part 11 and its associated shoulders 11a through the correspondingly shaped openings 12 in the element 8, and rotating the coupling-part through 45°. A locking device in the form of a flexible spring 13 on the rearward side of the element 8 is arranged to snap-in between two shoulders 11a on the coupling-part 11, to prevent it from turning. The thickness of the element 8 is equal to that of the groove 9, so that the element is seated securely in the groove. If, however, the container material located for¬ wardly of the container is structurally weak, as in the illustrated case of the Figure 1 embodiment in which the container presents the aforesaid narrowing part 3, the projectile may possibly break through this weak section 3 of the container in the event of a forward fall, as seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the projec¬ tile. In order to prevent this, the platelike element 8 is firmly secured rearwardly, seen in the longitudinal direction of the projectile, against a relatively heavily dimensioned container-part 14 behind the groove 9, with the aid of a strap 15 made of plastic or the like. A further plate-like element 16 shown in detail in Figures 4a and 4b and made, for example, of plywood or a like material and having a rectangular shape, is therewith placed at the remotist location rearwardly in the con¬ tainer while resting against rear support shoulder 17 and 18 on the container part 14, so that the plate-like elements 8 and 16 can be firmly held to the part 14 of the container-half 1 located rearwardly of the groove 9, with the aid of the strap 15. The four support shoulders 17 form corner shoulders, thereby affording a very stable support surface. Each of the elements 8 and 16 has two apertures 19 and 20 respectively for anchoring the strap 15. The strap 15 can be tightened from the rearwardly located, open end of the container.

Claims: Claims 1. A container for sensitive objects, e.g. projectiles (2), comprising mainly two halves (1) which when brought together enclose therebetween an elongated cavity for accommodating the object, the cavity presenting support surfaces (3, 5, 6) which correspond to the configuration of the object and support the object radially, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that each container half (1) presents an internal groove (9) which lie opposite one another when said container halves are brought together and which lie in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cavity, in that a force ab¬ sorbing plate-like element (8) is positionable in said groove; and in that the plate-like element presents locking means (12, 13) effective to lock the object (2) to the plate-like element, such as to support the object axially. 2. A container according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the grooves (9) are located in a part of the container (1) intended to receive a reareward part (10) of the object (2); and in that a securing means (15) is provided for securing the plate-like element (8) firmly to a part (14) of the con¬ tainer half (1) located rearwardly of the grooves (9) when seen in the longitudinal direction of the object. 3. A container according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a further plate-like element (16), each of the two plate-like elements being placed on a respective side of the said part (14) of the container half.

Inventors: ANNERFALK KARL-ERIK, ANNERFALK, KARL-ERIK
Applicants: AFFARSVERKET FFV, AFFAERSVERKET FFV
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B65D81
IPC codes: B65D81, F42B39