Patent ID: 7293492

Claim:
A multiple less-lethal projectile launcher comprising: a launcher base comprising: a first cassette bank having a first elevation and a first azimuth, comprising: a first movable cassette holding mechanism configured to receive a cassette of cartridges, said cassette comprising a substantially planar body having slots, wherein each slot is for holding a cartridge, and wherein each of said cartridges comprises an electric igniter, propellant, and a payload; and a first plurality of contact pads, wherein each contact pad comprises an electric igniter contact and corresponds to one of the slots in the cassette, and wherein the cartridges of a cassette loaded into the first movable cassette holding mechanism may be primed by moving said cassette such that the electric igniter contacts of the contact pads make electrical contact with the electric igniters of the cartridges; a second cassette bank having a second elevation and a second azimuth, wherein (i) said second elevation is different than said first elevation, and/or (ii) said second azimuth is different than said first azimuth, comprising: a second movable cassette holding mechanism configured to receive the cassette of cartridges; and a second plurality of contact pads, wherein each contact pad comprises an electric igniter contact and corresponds to one of the slots in the cassette, and wherein the cartridges of a cassette loaded into the second movable cassette holding mechanism may be primed by moving said cassette such that the electric igniter contacts of the contact pads make electrical contact with the electric igniters of the cartridges; wherein one or more cartridges primed in the first and/or second cassette bank may be fired by applying an electric charge to the electric igniters of said one or more cartridges through the electric igniter contacts of the contact pads of the first and/or second cassette bank; and whereby a plurality of payloads may be substantially simultaneously launched into two different areas.