Patent Application
20170138712
Projectiles, such as bullets and missiles, may be fired from a variety of delivery devices such as hand guns, rifles, rocket launchers, and the like. Each projectile will have penetration, fracturing and other characteristics particular to that type and make of projectile. An end user may purchase a projectile based on the penetration, fracturing and other characteristics of the projectiles available for sale. However, the end user is not able to customize projectiles to achieve particular characteristics as may be desired. There is a need, therefore, for a projectile that may be mechanically adapted by an end user so as to achieve desired penetration, fracturing or other characteristics.
The Mechanically Adaptable Projectile of the present invention can be propelled from a cartridge, shell, or vessel by various means, to include but not limited to, explosion, air, spring, magnetic energy, vacuum, or gravity for the purpose of using the projectile for impacting objects in applications similar to, but not limited to, hunting, law enforcement use of force and tactics, target practice, self defense, firearms training and recreational shooting. The projectile will generally be created in the form and shape of a bullet, missile, or ballistic projectile of many different dimensions to be used in firearms and launching devices of a variety of styles to include, but not limited to, rifled and smooth bore firearms, rail guns, tubes, and devices used for launching or firing projectiles. Using a series of Core Projectile Module the manufacturer can customize the projectiles by adding or omitting Interchangeable Component that will alter the size, mass, shape, internal ballistics, external ballistics, and mechanical characteristics of the projectile.
Definition as used in this description include: Mechanics (Mechanically, Mechanical)—deals with the action of forces on the bodies and with motion, comprised of kinetics, statics, and dynamics; Reactive Qualities—How the projectile reacts when striking a target medium; Mechanical Characteristics—The relationship of the reactive qualities and mechanics; and, Mechanical Design—Visible characteristics of the component.
The present invention is novel in the ammunition and gun related industry by introducing manufacturer and end user adaptability and customization to a range of projectiles that may be used in modern rifles, pistols, guns and other projectile launching devices.
A first embodiment includes a Core Projectile Module of varied mechanical designs and calibers that utilizes materials with a specific gravity no less than that of water and no more than 270 percent greater than that of water; tensile strength properties no less than 10,000 pounds per square inch; compressive strength properties no less than 10,000 pounds per square inch; and a coefficient of friction of no more than 0.3. The Core Projectile Module is capable of being fitted with Interchangeable Components (See
A second embodiment includes a Core Projectile Module of varied mechanical designs and calibers that utilizes materials with a specific gravity no less than that of water and no more than 270 percent greater than that of water, tensile strength properties no less than 10,000 pounds per square inch, compressive strength properties no less than 10,000 pounds per square inch, and a coefficient of friction of no more than 0.3. The Core Projectile Module is capable of being fitted with Interchangeable Components (See
A third embodiment includes a Core Projectile Module of varied mechanical designs and calibers that utilizes materials with a specific gravity no less than that of water and no more than 270 percent greater than that of water, tensile strength properties no less than 10,000 pounds per square inch, compressive strength properties no less than 10,000 pounds per square inch, and a coefficient of friction no more than 0.3. A Core Projectile Module manufactured from the specified materials will have a bearing surface with a low friction coefficient enabling it to pass down the barrel of a rifle or gun more easily, which lowers heat and pressure within the barrel, enabling higher muzzle velocities and faster external ballistic speed passing through the air, while simultaneously reducing recoil relative to the caliber and mass of the projectile and the powder charge. These material characteristics enable the projectile to achieve higher flight speeds than previous art made from materials with a higher friction coefficient and an equal ballistic coefficient.
A fourth embodiment includes an Interchangeable Component (See
In a fifth embodiment, the mechanical characteristics of the projectile are affected by the techniques used in manufacturing, such as utilizing specified materials, pressures and heat to enable different manufacturing techniques. Each unique manufacturing method will be used to predictably alter the mechanical characteristics of the various components comprising a Mechanically Adaptable Projectile, thereby altering the characteristics of the pressure wave that is introduced into the specified target upon impact of the projectile. The methods include, but are not limited to, injection molding, blow molding, rotational molding, extrusion molding, lathe/mill machining, and stamping. The chosen method of manufacturing alters the performance of the projectile in a predictable and marketable manner. This enables a manufacturer to use the same material and change the marketable characteristics of the end product by altering the method of manufacturing and not changing the physical design or type of material. For example, a projectile of identical style, shape and size can have two distinct mechanically functional qualities if one is made through a machine lathe process and another is made by an injection molding process. This manufacturer design flexibility allows adjustment of the number of mechanical characteristics for a projectile of identical size, style and shape.
A sixth embodiment a Core Projectile Module includes varied mechanical designs and calibers that utilizes materials with a specific gravity no less than water and no more than 270 percent greater than that of water, tensile strength properties no less than 10,000 pounds per square inch, compressive strength properties no less than 10,000 pounds per square inch, and a coefficient of friction of no more than 0.3. The unique utilization of the specified range and combination of materials, varied velocities, varied sizes, varied mass and varied mechanical designs of a Core Projectile Module enables the manufacturer to create a projectile that efficiently and predictably propagates ballistic pressure waves into specified targets. The rapid fracturing causes the energy from the projectile to rapidly propagate into the animal being impacted by the projectile. This reduces the depth of wound channels. There is a direct connection to the depth of the wound channel and the amount of traumatic vascular tearing. In other words, the present invention allows the end user to choose components of a projectile so as to provide a desired depth of projectile channel upon impact. Previous art relies on vascular injuries and blood loss to increase their incapacitative capabilities. More vascular tearing requires more significant surgical repairs to prevent blood loss. This present invention allows the manufacturer to create a projectile that relies on ballistic pressure waves and remote cerebral effects from ballistic pressure waves that shock the system into incapacitation, rather than vascular injuries and blood loss. By design this projectile will penetrate less and therefore create less vascular tearing associated with a wound channel, thus decreasing the surgical complexity of repairing vascular injuries related to a wound channel. This present invention, therefore, departs from the prior art by changing the mechanism of incapacitation from vascular tearing and trauma, which causes massive bleeding, to relying primarily on ballistic shock waves that cause remote cerebral effects as well as remote effects on the spine and internal organs of an animal. This phenomenon is commonly known as “hydrostatic shock.” Each of the mechanisms of incapacitation has their lethal concerns, but incapacitation by hydrostatic shock may provide more minutes for medical intervention, thereby increasing combat effectiveness while pushing back the margin of lethality.
In a seventh embodiment, the Interchangeable Components can be assembled onto or into a Core Projectile Module using ultrasonic welding. This method of manufacturing is unique to the manufacturing of projectiles. No known prior art utilizes this assembly process to alter the performance of a projectile. Ultrasonic welding of Interchangeable Components to the Core Projectile Module enables press fitting of precision Interchangeable Components of varying materials to the Core Projectile Module, forming a precision projectile such that the projectile will withstand the extreme pressures of gun barrels, rifling, and flight through air, additionally affecting how the specified components react with each other upon impact. The fit tolerance of the Interchangeable Component to the Core Projectile Module alters the mechanical characteristics of the entire projectile by pre-stressing or compressing the Core Projectile Module. As the tolerances change from interference fit to varying press fit tolerances, the interaction of individual components upon each other changes as the mechanical interaction of each component is altered by the tightness of the fit tolerance. The mechanics of fracturing upon impact will change based on the fit tolerances of the Interchangeable Component to the Core Projectile Module. The ballistic pressure waves propagate through the target differently based on changes in the fracturing characteristics of the projectile when impacting a specified target. Also, the varied fit tolerances will alter the reactive qualities of the projectile based on the manner in which impact energy propagates through the projectile upon striking a specified target medium. That in turn alters how the pressure wave propagates from the projectile into the target being impacted by the projectile. This produces desirable and predictable qualities in a projectile that are identifiable and marketable. The use of ultrasonic welding is unusual in the bullet manufacturing industry and is novel and unique to the utility of this art.
In an eighth embodiment, the Interchangeable Component (see
In a ninth embodiment, the interchangeable Component can be added or omitted to the Core Projectile Module to reduce the friction coefficient and mass. This will enable the manufacturing of low recoil cartridges and safe rounds for indoor ranges and other target applications. It will also optimize the projectile's ability to fly through the air for long range shooting (see
In a tenth embodiment, the Interchangeable Component can be added to or omitted from the Core Projectile Module (see
In an eleventh embodiment, the Interchangeable Component can be added to the Core Projectile Component to change the length, shape, mass, flight characteristics, rifling twist requirements and specific density of the projectile.
In a twelfth embodiment, the Interchangeable Component can be added to the Core Projectile Module to optimize the projectile to match the barrel twist of a firearm.
In a thirteenth embodiment the adaptable qualities of a given Mechanically Adaptable Projectile can be changed after the cartridge is fully completed without removing the projectile from the casing.
The Core Projectile Module will now be described. Prior art projectiles may include a clad projectile which may have an exterior shape (
Prior art projectiles may include toxic materials as their base component, whereas the new Mechanically Adaptable Projectile utilizes a non toxic polymer that reduces complications of soil contamination and risk to pregnant shooters. The low friction coefficient of the Core Proectile Module (
A Core Projectile Module impact analysis will now be described. When the Core Projectile Module strikes a medium with lower specific gravity than water, the depth of penetration is deeper than in mediums with a specific gravity of water or greater. This is a predictable quality due to the specifications of the material, manner it is manufactured, combination of mechanical qualities and internal and external ballistics. The adaptability of the inventive projectile enables the changing or adding of Interchangeable Components to the Core Projectile Module by the end user or manufacturer for the purpose of adapting the mechanical qualities, thus altering the propagation of ballistic pressure waves, such as by altering the Core Projectile Module by adding Interchangeable Components with varying specific gravities, friction coefficients and shapes.
For example, when viewing a hole in a material, such as a piece of wood, through which a projectile has traveled, the shape of the hole may indicate that there is a slight projectile instability with the rifle used. The inventive projectile could be used with such a rifle and fitted with an Interchangeable Component that alters the overall specific gravity of the projectile thereby causing stabilized rotation of the projectile fired from that particular rifle. In this manner, the user of the particular rifle could adapt the projectiles fired from his rifle to provide a more stable projectile travel path from the rifle.
In another example of use, a material, such as a piece of wood, may show splitting on the backside of the board around the projectile path of the inventive projectile. The board may be split in a conical pattern outward from the centerline of the projectile path. At the center of the pressure pattern there may be more crushing of the wood material as the pressure wave propagates through the wood. The depth of the damage along the centerline of the projectile's path may be deeper and grows shallower as the pressure wave propagates outward from the centerline. This demonstrates how the building material violently reacted to the ballistic pressure wave which results in crushing and fragmenting of the material from the inventive projectile. A typical projectile path of the inventive projectile through a medium will show a widening damage path as the ballistic pressure wave propagates through the wood.
The Specific Gravity, Projectile Fracturing, and Ballistic Pressure Wave Propagation properties will now be described.
When a ballistic pressure wave impacts an object with a specific gravity nearly equal to that of water, the crushed particles from the medium will ride on the pressure wave as it blows back toward the direction from which the projectile originated. In one test conducted on the inventive projectile, the remaining particles from a Core Projectile Module that was fired into a wood medium were examined. The original Core Projectile Module weighed 151 grains (0.345 ounces). The recovered fragments from the Core Projectile Module weighed 11 grains (0.025 ounces). Such an efficient fracturing and crushing of the Core Projectile Module enables efficient propagation of ballistic pressure waves through the medium.
In one embodiment including a Core Projectile Module with the addition of an Interchangeable Component, the Interchangeable Component is designed to delay the fragmentation of the Core Projectile Module, allowing the projectile to enter the medium more deeply before fragmenting and propagating the ballistic pressure wave into the medium. The Interchangeable Component is altering the mass, tip, meplat, ogive, ballistic coefficient and overall length of the projectile. All of these changes combine to alter the mechanical characteristics, external ballistics and internal ballistics of the projectile when it impacts varying mediums. The end user or the manufacturer is able to adapt the projectile to optimize specific qualities depending on the use of the projectile.
Additionally, in a particular embodiment, the components are lathe turned from Delrin® 150E and 6061 T6 aluminum. This provides for known ductility of the material components, thereby creating a predictable, marketable quality. Annealing one or both of the components will alter the ductility of the components. This can be done before assembling or as an assembled projectile. Changing the ductility of one or both of the components provides a change in fracturing characteristics, which in turn provides a predictable performance change in the Mechanically Adaptable Projectile. Also, the predictable performance of this exact configuration can be altered by changing the method of manufacture, thereby increasing the applications of a single mechanical design by the number of alternate manufacturing methods.
In an embodiment where the projectile is machine lathed instead of utilizing injection molding and investment casting, the fit tolerances of the Interchangeable Component (such as 6000 series T6 aluminum with a sharp point and small meplat) can be altered from interference fit to varying degrees of press fit. By increasing the tightness of the fit, the manufacturer can preload stress on the Core Projectile Module. This will reduce the amount of impact needed to cause the Core Projectile Module to fracture, thereby reducing the amount of velocity needed to cause the necessary fracturing for efficient release of ballistic pressure waves into the target object. This in turn enables the use of the projectile in low recoil scenarios and low efficiency barrels. Thus, the inventive projectile enables the use of an identical mechanical design in a greater array of applications while maximizing efficiency. The use of an Ultrasonic Welder will enable the manufacturer to maximize the limits the projectile can be pre-stressed for this application.
In the above description numerous details have been set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be obvious, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced using other equivalent designs.
