Abstract:
A low velocity bullet has an elongated body with a forward end, opposed rear end and intermediate cylindrical portion between. In the forward end, there is a preset cavity designed to receive a resilient nose element made from an elastomer or other rubber-like material. Unlike prior flat-tipped bullets for high speed rifles, the elastomer in the forward end of this bullet is intentionally raised for protruding outwardly beyond the forward body end. Preferably, the lower end to the bullet head is folded and crimped to the bullet body.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to firearms ammunition, i.e. the cartridge and/or bullet for a gun. More particularly, this invention relates to bullets for use with pistols and other handguns, said bullets having improved expansion characteristics. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Several rifles employ “rimfired” cartridges which do not have a central primer. They require a sharp pinch of the rim to discharge, or center fired cartridges with broad flat noses. Blunt, rounded nose bullets may be employed with rifles, but they are generally regarded as more risky than flat nosed bullets. 
         [0003]    For applications other than rifles, it is important for some applications to employ bullets having an expansion capability. An expanding bullet is more effective at disabling or stopping the intended target. For hunting, this means a more lethal, humane effect on game. For self-defense, police, and military applications, it means that an attacker is more readily incapacitated, ending the attack. 
         [0004]    One common type of expanding bullet is a hollow point bullet. This has a central cavity or opening at the bullet&#39;s nose. That cavity facilitates the hollow forward end flaring outward on impact to create a broader profile. It is more disruptive of tissue and provides increased effectiveness. Hollow-point bullets have certain disadvantages, however. The amount by which the bullet expands is critical. If the bullet under-expands, it has less disruptive effect leading to reduced stopping power, and may over penetrate the target. An over-expanded round delivers all its energy to the target but has limited penetration. That, in turn, diminishes the bullet&#39;s intended effectiveness against its target. 
         [0005]    If an attacker wears heavy clothing like denim or leather, material may clog up the bullet&#39;s hollow point and prevent (or at least substantially reduce) expansion. 
         [0006]    Other problems with conventional hollow point bullets is that an off-axis impact on a hard surface like sheet metal or glass can cause the hollow point leading edge to bend, closing it up and preventing expansion on eventual target impact. 
         [0007]    It is known to have the tip of pistol bullets employ a round plastic ball that partially fills a bullet&#39;s cavity. They&#39;re meant to prevent clogging with clothing material and facilitate expansion. While providing some benefits, there remains a need to generate more effective and controlled expansion of bullets. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing a bullet having an elongated body with a forward end, opposed rear end and intermediate cylindrical portion between. In the bullet&#39;s forward ends, there is a preset cavity designed to receive a resilient nose element made from an elastomer or other rubber-like material. Unlike prior bullets for high speed rifles, this bullet employs a forward end with an intentionally raised (and NOT flat-faced) elastomer protrusion that extends outwardly beyond the forward end of the body. 
         [0009]    In addition, the bullet of this invention employs a novel bullet head connection wherein its pinwheel-like sides at the lower head end are rolled or folded over before being crimped down to hold the bullet body together and keep it from falling apart from force and/or velocity. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Further features, advantages and objectives of this invention will become clearer when reviewing the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side plan view of a bullet according to one preferred embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1A  is a sectional view taken along lines  1 A- 1 A of  FIG. 1 ;  FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the bullet head component from  FIGS. 1 and 1A ; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 3A  through D are sectional views, taken along lines III-III of  FIG. 2 , sequentially showing one preferred method of bullet head joinder according to the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the bullet from  FIGS. 1 ,  1 A and  2 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a two-frame, side view representation of a bullet according to the invention first striking a targeted surface (frame A) before proceeding to pass therethrough (frame B). 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    The present invention is directed to a low velocity bullet for a pistol or other handgun. It is not intended for the higher velocities required for most long range rifles. It is primarily a self-defense bullet as it is meant to successfully penetrate the thick clothing sometimes worn by an aggressive attacker. The bullet of this invention can penetrate such clothing without clogging. Furthermore, because of the filled hollow cavity configuration of this bullet, it is more likely to “open” properly and stay on a truer course/path for its intended (secondary) target even when the nose of said bullet has to first impact an exterior (primary) target like some unforeseen wood, metal or other material situated ahead of the intended target. 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  1 A and  2 , there is shown a bullet (generally  10 ) according to the present invention. Bullet  10  has a flat tipped nose region  12  with sides  14  that taper a more deeply pointed angle, from the bullet top  16  to its base  18 , than most known hollow tip bullets/cartridges. Due to this deeper, angled “tip”, the bullet of this invention should provide for more dynamic and accurate target penetration. 
         [0018]    On a preferred basis, there is included a plurality of slits  20  extending downwardly and inwardly from bullet top  16 . These slits  20  serve as pre-designated expansion points or regions from which the bullet will eventually “open” (as per frame B of  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0019]    Towards the bottom of bullet  10 , i.e. its preferred base  18  should preferably include a crimping region  22 , where metal for making the body of bullet  10  proper is essentially folded over, onto itself. There, region  22  holds the overall base  18  together and provides means for applying pressure (forces) from the bullet bottom up and along its upper sides  14 . Beneath that crimped region  22  is a typical shell casing  24  that terminates in a rimmed lower edge  26 . 
         [0020]    Critical to the improvements expected from this new bullet design, there is provided a rubber-like, racquetball type material  30  intentionally fed/inserted into the hollow cavity of nose region  12 . More importantly, this “filler” is kept to a raised level or bump (as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) rather than being made flush with the uppermost edge to bullet top  16 . Such cavity filling with a soft elastomer, to slightly protrude outwardly above and beyond the upper, outermost edge to the bullet body provides the bullet of this invention with greater aerodynamics. Ideally, an uppermost surface of that raised bump ends in a flat, or substantially planar surface. 
         [0021]    The aforementioned elastomeric material intentionally flattens out to the bullet&#39;s edges upon compression. In fact, with a raised elastomer surface, more than is observed with any preceding flat-tipped version, this material causes the overall bullet design to open up more consistently like that of a pinwheel, or cutting blade to a household blender. This same material causes the bullet to purposefully slow on impact for more consistent bullet body “opening” while knocking down the power levels from typical bullet firing. Finally, as this protruding portion of polymer extends outwardly beyond the typical top of an otherwise flat-tipped bullet, it provides greater resistance to clogging from an attacker&#39;s outer clothing while giving the overall bullet greater target accuracy and firing range. 
         [0022]    In  FIGS. 3A through 3D , there is sequentially shown one preferred method of bullet head joinder according to the present invention. For ease of illustration, the bullet head  14 , at its lowermost end or base  18  is sectionally shown as already filled to overflowing with elastomer  30 . It is to be understood, however, that bullet head joinder may be accomplished either before or after such additions of elastomer to a hollowed out bullet tip according to this invention. 
         [0023]    Particularly, with respect to  FIG. 3A , it should be noted how an elongated lip  40  to base  18  extends outwardly beyond the typical perimeter to bullet head  14 . Then, in  FIG. 3B , a front end  42  to that lip  40  is curled onto itself, or slightly folded over. Lip curling about the entire perimeter to bullet head  14  continues in  FIG. 3C  before the fully folded edge to lip  40  is crimped down per  FIG. 3D . All of the foregoing keeps the pin-wheeled sides to that lip  40  in place and serves to preserve the bullet head configuration through the typical steps of bullet firing and the forces and velocities exerted thereon. In some respects, these pin-wheeled sides would tend to resemble the up-and-down blades of a blender but for the actions of folding and crimping described above. 
         [0024]    In accompanying  FIG. 4 , the aforementioned bullet head is representatively shown in top view. While it is depicted with six spaced slits  20 , said number of slits is merely representative. There can be more than  6  or fewer depending on materials selected (both bullet metal alloy and elastomeric cavity filler) for greater end use/application bullet customization. Note the exterior shell casing  24  in this top view and the upper most raised “ridge” of polymeric cavity filler designed to provide a declined surface for planned bullet expansion upon impact. The degree to which the hollow cavity of this bullet is overfilled is much more than mere raised blunting of a flat-tipped bullet and much less than the known, raised ball tip of some prior art bullet configurations. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown in two frames a typical target penetration with the bullet of this invention. Particularly, in frame A, bullet  10 , with slits  20  and filler material  30  approaches the target to which it was aimed. There, the forward most end to bullet  10  the sides S of thick clothing or a secondary material surface. After successfully penetrating sides S, bullet  10  may more accurately proceed along its intended flight to stopping or at least incapacitating an attacker as the upper sides  14  to bullet  10  open more evenly and consistently, and near simultaneously, due to the purposeful addition of a raised region of cavity filler properly expanding. 
         [0026]    The preceding discussion discloses and describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.