Patent Description:
When elongated sub-projectiles (rods, flechettes, sub-munitions etc.) are fired out of a barrel, separated from a carrier shell or cylinder, the sub-projectiles rotate either relative to a stationary barrel, or the barrel, carrier shell or cylinder rotates together with the sub-projectiles. The sub-projectiles are affected by the centrifugal forces which give rise to a tumbling motion when the centre of gravity of the projectiles/sub-projectiles pass the muzzle of the barrel/cylinder, or are released from a carrier shell, (see <FIG>). The tumbling motion means that the projectiles/sub-projectiles tumble uncontrollably and many meet their target wide-sided, which results in poorer impact and penetration.

<CIT> provides a method for reducing shot dispersion by using a viscoelastic matrix utilized to hold flechettes or other types of small missiles or shots in a unitary projectile form until the unit are released from the gun barrel and until it has substantially passed through the blast region area. <CIT> discloses a method to avoid contact-impact event of the payload, i.e., sub-projectiles, when the payload is released from a carrier shell, i.e., the payload chamber opens essentially along a casing line from the bottom to the top (cap) and the sub-projectiles are released from the carrier shell when the shell opens up, thereby avoiding contact-impact events. The construction is complex and heavy; the aim is also to fill the casing with maximum number of sub-projectiles for improved hit rate, i.e., quantity.

In view of the background there is a need of developing a device that allows the sub-projectiles to leave the barrel, carrier shell or the like with decreased interference of the centrifugal forces leading to decreased tumbling of the sub-projectiles thereby obtaining increased effect/penetration.

Document <CIT> concerns a despinning method and apparatus for changing the spin of bodies released from an aggregate. The bodies are connected by straps which serve as tension or compression members. Spin of the connected bodies results in either compressive or tensile forces in the connecting member. Those forces in turn provide torque which counters or enhances the spin and converts that spin to translational energy. Once the spin of the bodies has been changed a predetermined amount, the connecting member is released.

Document <CIT> relates to packing of fin-stabilised penetrators in a carrier shell. The penetrators comprise a front penetrator part and a rear fin part comprising fin sides, so that the empty space between the penetrators and problems with the penetrators upon the release of the penetrators from the carrier shell are minimised. The penetrators are packed in groups and are joined together to form larger packing units. Each group is arranged with a centrally located penetrator flanked by at least three outer penetrators, which outer penetrators are arranged so that their front penetrator parts lie side to side against the fin sides of the centrally located penetrator. The rear fin parts of the penetrators are made shorter than the front penetrator parts of the penetrators, while the front penetrator parts are made cylindrical for the distribution of load stresses, upon firing of the carrier shell, from the centrally located penetrator rearwards in the direction of firing via the front penetrator parts of the flanking penetrators.

Document <CIT> discloses a spin-stabilised carrier shell comprising groups of flechettes, each group being surrounded by a cylindrical element, a number of these groups of flechettes being expelled forward out of the carrier shell by means of a pusher disc, after which under the centrifugal forces the cylindrical element break into segments thereby releasing the flechettes to move in a radial direction.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a device that decreases and/or counter-acts the tumbling effect of projectiles/sub-projectiles fired from a carrier shell.

This object is obtained by providing a carrier shell comprising a holding device as defined in present claim <NUM>. The holding device counteracts the contact-impact event on sub-projectiles when they are fired from a carrier shell.

The holding device comprises a core having at least two legs. The legs enclose at least partially at least one sub-projectile each.

In one embodiment the number of legs is in the range of two to twelve. In yet another embodiment the number of legs is in the range of two to six. The number and design of the legs varies and depends on the type of projectile to be used. The number and the design of the legs depend on the type of sub-projectiles to be enclosed.

Generally, the holding device comprises a core from where at least two legs are protruding. The legs are protruding from the core in a circular symmetric manner and evenly distributed around the core. If two legs are utilized they are separated by <NUM> degrees, three legs <NUM> degrees, four legs <NUM> degree, etc..

The holding device may for example be made of plastics. In another embodiment it may be made of aluminium. In yet another embodiment the holding device may be made of magnesium. A holding device made of steel, preferably soft steel, is also provided.

The holding device may in another embodiment be made of a combination of material.

The holding device of the present invention may be manufactured by molding, but other processes known by the art is also possible.

In one embodiment of the holding device each leg can enclose up to <NUM> sub-projectiles.

The holding device may in one embodiment be enclosed by a cover. A cover may surround the holding device, e.g., surrounding the outside on the legs. In another embodiment a cover can be used for preventing the sub-projectiles from falling out from the holding device, e.g., as top or bottom cover. The holder may also be used in combination with a payload container.

A holding device of the present invention and sub-projectiles can be arranged in a carrier shell, preferably in the payload chamber of the carrier shell.

The carrier shell is in the form of a spin-stabilized projectile. In one example the projectile is a dividable projectile, comprising a payload chamber, a time fuze and a separation charge arranged behind the payload chamber for separating the payload chamber from the projectile in the forward direction of the projectile.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a process for decreasing the tumbling effect when firing sub-projectiles from a carrier shell. The tumbling effect of a sub-projectile is counteracted or decreased when the holding device described above is used. A leg of the holding device encloses at least partly a sub-projectile. The rotation implies that the sub-projectile loads the leg which is deformed and opens up, which results in that the sub-projectile is released outside the muzzle or opening without tumbling, i.e., in a controlled manner. The present invention also provides a process for adapting a commercial projectile for firing sub-projectiles without or with decreased contact-impact events when passing a carrier shell. The process for decreasing the tumbling effect comprises the steps of.

The loading of the sub-projectiles is due to the centrifugal forces and the rotation that implies that the sub-projectiles load the legs.

The holding device is preferably arranged in a payload chamber of a projectile.

In general, the holding device of the present invention can be arranged in any suitable commercial projectile, thereby providing a projectile that does not suffer from contact-impact events upon firing the projectile from a barrel or the like.

Before the invention is disclosed and described in detail, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular materials or configurations disclosed herein as such configurations and materials may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which different embodiments of the invention are shown.

In context of the present invention the term sub-projectile means a small weapon or device that is part of a larger warhead and separates from it prior to impact, e.g., rods, flechettes, or arrow-like darts, i.e., not only munitions of various kinds, but all kinds of payloads, from which a specific continued flight on a determined flight path is expected after its release.

In context of the present invention the term contact-impact events means the event when the sub-projectile is fired/released from a carrier shell passes the muzzle-edge resulting in disturbances and tumbling of the sub-projectile.

In context of the present invention the term holding device defines devices that at least partly enclose and arrange sub-projectiles.

When a sub-projectile is separated forward from a spin-stabilized carrier shell, the carrier shell rotates together with the sub-projectiles. Due to the rotation, the sub-projectiles are influenced by the centrifugal force (F, <FIG>) which gives rise to a tumbling motion when the centre of gravity of the sub-projectile is outside the opening of the carrier shell. The uncontrolled tumbling of the sub-projectiles results in that they hit their target with the broad-side (i.e., contact-impact event) which leads to less effect/penetration.

An ideal solution would be that the sub-projectiles are released from the carrier shell without tumbling.

<FIG> shows an example of a holding device <NUM> with the purpose to overcome the problems caused by the centrifugal forces described above.

The holding device <NUM> comprises a core <NUM> with protruding legs <NUM> arranged to it. The core <NUM> and legs <NUM> can be manufactured in one piece, or the legs <NUM> may be arranged to the core <NUM> in a separate step.

In some embodiments the centre of the core <NUM> it is a bore for arrangement of a continuous detonator wire, for example a shock tube or an electric wire.

The legs <NUM> are in this embodiment six, but in other embodiments the number may vary between <NUM>-<NUM> depending on the type of carrier shell, holder or purpose. Usually, the number of legs is in the range of <NUM>-<NUM>, or <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM><NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> or only <NUM>.

The legs <NUM> are in this embodiment at least partially enclosing the sub-projectiles <NUM>, and in this example there is one sub-projectile <NUM> enclosed per leg <NUM>.

When sub-projectiles <NUM> are released from a carrier shell, the holding device is deformed due to the centrifugal forces and the rotation implies that the sub-projectiles <NUM> load the legs <NUM> which are deformed and open up (<FIG>). The sub-projectiles <NUM> are then released in a controlled manner (<FIG>) and will not tumble which leads them to hit and penetrate their target with the short-side, as desired.

The holding device <NUM> may for example be made of plastics, aluminium, magnesium, or steel, or a combination of said materials. The core <NUM> and the legs <NUM> can be made of different materials. The holding device (<NUM>) may be manufactured by molding.

<FIG>show different examples of embodiments of a holding device <NUM> and its arrangement of legs <NUM> and sub-projectiles <NUM>.

In the embodiment of <FIG> the distance of the sub-projectiles <NUM> to the centre of the core <NUM> is varied.

The embodiment shown in <FIG> has several layers of sub-projectiles <NUM> enclosed by a leg <NUM> which is divided into two legs <NUM> or more.

The embodiment in <FIG> shows an example of a more closed design. The holding device <NUM> comprises different compartments separated by the legs <NUM>, and each compartment comprises a plurality of sub-projectiles <NUM>. Three sub-projectiles <NUM> are in this example enclosed by one leg <NUM>. The number of legs <NUM> and/or sub-projectiles <NUM> is scalable and is not intended to be limiting.

In the embodiments shown here the legs <NUM> enclose the sub-projectiles <NUM> from the left, but other embodiments are also possible.

Generally, the holding device <NUM> comprises a core <NUM> from where at least two legs <NUM> are protruding. The legs <NUM> are protruding from the core in a circular symmetric manner and evenly distributed around the core. If two legs <NUM> are utilized they are separated by <NUM> degrees, three legs <NUM> degrees, four legs <NUM> degree, etc..

<FIG> illustrates the effect of using the present invention, in particular the effect of using the holding device <NUM>, when pluralities of sub-projectiles are fired from a carrier shell. In <FIG> the sub-projectiles are released from the holding device <NUM> and hit the target with the short-side (arrow). In <FIG> are the sub-projectiles released without using the holding device <NUM> of the present invention, and it is clearly shown that the sub-projectiles tumble and hit the target with the broad-side (arrow) which is less penetrating and effective.

Clockwise as shown in <FIG> provides best result.

<FIG> shows a cross-view of an example of a projectile <NUM> including the holding device <NUM> in accordance with the present invention. The projectile <NUM> comprises a front projectile body <NUM> and a rear projectile body <NUM>, and a belt <NUM>. The front <NUM> and the rear projectile body <NUM> are joined by means of for example a threaded connection, shrink connection and/or press-fit connection. The rear projectile body <NUM> comprises a separation charge <NUM> and a pyrotechnic primer device <NUM> for initiating the separation charge <NUM>. The primer device <NUM> is arranged in front of the separation charge <NUM> behind a drive plate <NUM> adjacent to the rear end of a payload chamber <NUM> and the front projectile body <NUM>. The separation charge <NUM> may consist of a propellant charge of conventional type, for example a propellant charge comprising a smokeless nitrocellulose propellant, or in an alternative embodiment a composite propellant.

The payload chamber <NUM> arranged in the front projectile body <NUM> comprises at least one holding device <NUM> comprising sub-projectiles <NUM>. A time fuze comprising an activation unit for activating the primer device <NUM> is arranged in the nose part <NUM> of the front projectile body <NUM>, in front of the payload chamber <NUM>. The nose part <NUM> is fitted to the front projectile body <NUM> by a second drive plate <NUM> and by for example shear pins <NUM>, which are designed to rupture under the effect of the pressure on the separation of the payload chamber <NUM> from the projectile <NUM>. In an alternative embodiment a continuous detonator wire <NUM>, for example a shock tube, is arranged between the pyrotechnic primer device <NUM> and the front part <NUM> for separating the nose part (fuze) <NUM> from the projectile <NUM>.

The holding device <NUM> of the present invention can be used in commercially available projectiles. The holding device <NUM> is manufactured separately, and suitable sub-projectiles <NUM> are inserted into the holding device. At least one holding device <NUM> comprising sub-projectiles is thereafter arranged in a suitable projectile/carrier.

Sub-projectiles suitable for the holding device of the present invention are for example small calibre e.g.<NUM> gauge shotgun: rods, flechettes, medium calibre e.g. <NUM>, <NUM>: rods, flechettes, armor-piercing wolfram carbide projectiles and large calibre e.g. <NUM>, <NUM> sub-munitions, flechettes, rods.

Claim 1:
A carrier shell in the form of a spin-stabilized projectile (<NUM>), comprising
a holding device (<NUM>) comprising
a core (<NUM>), and
at least two legs (<NUM>), each leg at least partially enclosing at least one elongated sub-projectile (<NUM>) each, characterised in that the holding device (<NUM>) is arranged to, after having been separated forward from the carrier shell, be deformed by centrifugal forces acting on the sub-projectiles (<NUM>), thereby releasing the sub-projectiles (<NUM>) in a controlled manner, leading the sub-projectiles (<NUM>) to hit and penetrate their target with the short side.