Patent GB-471165-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in ammunition and firearms
IPC: F41A1/04
Filed: 1935-11-21
Abstract: 471,165. firearms; ammunition; explosives. ROST, H. Nov. 21, 1935, No. 32300. Void. Convention date, May 25. [Classes 9 (i), 9 (ii), and 92 (ii)] [Also in Group XIII] A projectile is propelled from a gun by the gases generated by the combustion of a liquid fuel with oxygen derived from a solid oxygenliberating charge. The fuel may be gasoline, kerosene, gas oil, crude oil, mononitrotoluene, or mononitrobenzol. The solid oxygen-liberating charge may be potassium chlorate or perchlorate, or sodium or ammonium perchlorate. The projectile may be further propelled by explosive charges contained in the projectile and fired while the projectile is still in the gun or rocket-wise after the projectile has left the gun. As shown in Fig. 1, a cartridge case 14 is 'fitted with a projectile 12 at one end and a perforated disc 17 at the other end, and contains a charge of potassium chlorate 15 formed with channels 16. The cartridge is inserted in the gun through a loading aperture 2, and is pushed into the chamber of the barrel 1 by a cylindrical breech-block 3, which contains a piston 19 with a rod 21 and a handle 23. Springs 29, 32 urge the piston and breech-block forward, but these parts may be drawn back by the handle. The piston is retracted first and held cocked by a spring catch 30; then the piston and breech-block are drawn back together to open the breech. The breechblock may be held open and released automatically if desired. When a trigger is operated, the spring catch 30 releases the piston, which compresses air in the chamber 9 ; a projection 24 on the handle operates a pump 36 with inlet and outlet valves 38, 37 fed with liquid fuel through a filter 40, whereby the fuel is injected into the chamber 9 by a nozzle 11 ; and a sparking plug 10 is set in operation to ignite the charge in the chamber. The compressed air with the injected fuel mix up with the oxygen derived from the solid charge 16 and the gases generated by the combustion, expel the projectile. The barrel chamber may be kept cool by means of aluminium fins 41. In a modification, the barrel chamber is cooled by a surrounding jacket, and the ignition is performed by a percussion cap in the base of the cartridge adapted to be struck by a firing- pin in the piston. In the cartridge, Fig. 5, the projectile 61 contains additional explosive charges 69 fired in succession in the gun or during flight, ignition being derived from a percussion cap 68 fired when the main propellent charge is ignited. In another cartridge, Fig. 6, the solid charge 75 is in the projectile and the liquid combustible in a fragile container 74, which is burst when a percussion cap 73 is fired. In a modification, the solid charge is in the cartridge and the liquid fuel in the projectile. An arrangement for cooling the gun barrel is shown in Fig. 9. The reciprocation of the breech-block 103 in the cylinder 106 sucks in air through a valve 107 and forces it through a valve 108 to a receptacle 109, from which the air passes through an expansion valve 110 to a cooling jacket 111 around the explosion chamber 102 of the gun barrel 100. The air then escapes through an outlet 112. Instead of air, a gas or liquid adapted for refrigeration may be used in a closed system.