The present disclosure relates generally to ejectors. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to ejectors having multiple bays and various components present to facilitate ejection therefrom.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of assembling an ejector device is provided, the method including the steps of: obtaining an ejector housing having a payload therein and having an ignition source receiving bore; placing an ignition source within the ignition source receiving bore, the ignition source having an orientation adapter receiving bore therein; electrically coupling an orientation adapter to voltage source circuitry; and placing the orientation adapter within the orientation adapter receiving bore such that the ignition source is electrically coupled to the voltage source circuitry via the orientation adapter.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an ejector device is provided, the device including: a housing having a payload therein and an ignition source receiving bore, an ignition source disposed within the ignition source receiving bore, the ignition source having an orientation adapter receiving bore therein; and a first orientation adapter electrically coupled to voltage source circuitry, the orientation adapter located within the orientation adapter receiving bore such that the ignition source is electrically coupled to the voltage source circuitry via the orientation adapter.
Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the presently perceived best mode of carrying out the disclosure.
The detailed description of the drawings particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
Projectile device 10 includes housing 16 and end caps 18. Housing 16 is illustratively metallic (such as aluminum), substantially cylindrical, and includes propellant end 20 and ejection end 22, (step 400).
Propellant end 20 includes cartridge retainer 23 having bore 24 sized and shaped to receive impulse cartridge 14 therein. Bore 24 is defined within propellant end 20 as a multi-diametered bore having base wall 26 and side wall 28. Base wall 26 is formed having pockets 25 that receive portions of impulse cartridge 14 therein. Pockets 25 contain areas of reduced wall thickness 27 relative to other wall portions such that it forms shear disks 29 that are discussed in more detail below.
Ejection end 22 is opposite propellant end 20 and illustratively includes payload bores 30 having a depth that takes up substantially all the length of housing 16 (excluding that portion of the length used to define bore 24 in propellant end 20, see
As shown most clearly in
Pistons 36 approximate pieces having a compressible perimeter slightly larger than the inner dimensions of payload bores 30. In this manner, pistons 36 separate payload bore 30 into fore chamber 44 and rear chamber 46. Furthermore, pistons 36 serve as a surface upon which pressure generated in rear chamber 46 can act, as discussed below. Projectile 38 is located in fore chamber 44. Pistons 36 may also include bores 41,
Impulse cartridge (I/C) 14,
Circuitry 70,
To allow impulse cartridge 14 to be HERO (Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance) safe, various features were also incorporated into the design to reduce its sensitivity to outside electromagnetic radiation: housing 64 is constructed of an aluminum that is nickel plated; a flexible EMI absorption ferrite shield (not shown) is applied to the backside of impulse cartridge 14 between the post contact 66, annular contact 68 and the housing 64, and capacitors 84 are applied across bridge wires 86 of each squib 72.
Squibs 72 each include squib cups 73 that contain ignition mix 71 and expellant charge 77, steps 208, 210. Expellant charge 77 is illustratively smokeless powder and ignition mix 71 is a titanium and potassium perchlorate based blend. Ignition mix 71 is ignitable by an electric signal transmitted from circuitry 70 to bridge wire 86. Expellant charge 77 is ignitable by activated ignition mix 71. Squib cups 73 are constructed from soft aluminum, coupled to housing 64 (step 212), and sized to be a slip fit into cavity 25. When internally pressurized, the soft aluminum of each squib cup 73 is able to swell and expand outward and seal against the walls of cavity 25 and shown in
Orientation adapter 13 includes body 76, contact pins 78 (step 300), and spring contacts 80 (Step 302). Body 76 is sized to seat within connection bore 65. Body 76 is constructed from an electrical insulator such as plastic. Contact pins 78 extend from body 76. Contact pins 78 are further sized and spaced to be received in contact sockets (not shown) in breech plate 15. Contact pins 78 are electrically coupled to spring contacts 80 and the connection extends through body 76, step 304. Spring contacts 80 are illustratively copper beryllium leaf springs which have been copper, silver, and gold plated to interface with post contact 66 and annular contact 68. Post contact 66 and annular contact 58 are fabricated from brass and also copper, silver, and gold plated. The beryllium copper based spring contacts with aforementioned plating maintain continuity with post contact 66 and annular contact 68 in an operational environment. Spring contacts 80 are positioned such that when located within connection bore 65 of cartridge retainer 23 one spring contact 80 engages post contact 66 and one spring contact engages annular contact 68. As noted with respect to circuitry 70, it is irrelevant which of contact pins 78 is electrically coupled to each of spring contacts 80 and eventually post contact 66 and annular contact 68. Furthermore, circuitry 70 renders irrelevant which contact pin 78 engages which receiving bore (not shown) in breech plate 15. It should be appreciated that one spring contact 80 engages post contact 66 and one spring contact 80 engages annular contact 68 regardless of the angular orientation that the orientation adapter 13 assumes relative to I/C 14. Indeed, orientation adapter 13 can be rotated relative to I/C 14 when seated within connection bore 65 while maintaining electrical contact between orientation adapter 13 and I/C 14.
Once projectile device 10 is assembled, step 100,
Once projectile devices 10 with impulse cartridges 14 are placed in block 12 and orientation adapters 13 are coupled to breech plate 15, the plurality of orientation adapters 13 are placed within respective bores 24 to complete assembly, step 106. The assembled block 12 and breech plate 15 is then ready to be loaded into a receiver (not shown) and ready to be coupled to an ignition source (not shown).
However, it should be appreciated that un-activated impulse cartridge 14 can readily be separated from housing 16 without harming any of the components and maintaining a hermetic seal of device 10. Notably, when a magazine block 12 is removed from its receiver and projectile devices 10 are removed from the magazine block, impulse cartridges 14 are removed from bore 24 to allow independent storage of projectile device 10 having a decreased likelihood of unintentional activation. Accordingly, in an unpressurized (or ambiently pressurized) state, housing 16 provides a slip fit with impulse cartridge 14 that imparts a first coefficient of friction between housing 16 and housing 64 that is very low and only slightly discourages I/C 14 from falling out of bore 24. The first coefficient of friction can be easily overcome by an individual or automated process pulling I/C 14 from bore 24 or by gravity when inverting an assembled projectile device 10 while holding housing 16.
In use, when properly positioned, end cap 18 is aimed and contact pins 78 are coupled to controller 90 which includes a voltage source. When directed, controller 90 imparts a voltage to pair of contact pins 78. In the provided example, a first voltage (low voltage) imparted to contact pins 78 activates a first charge in squib 72 which contains ignition mix 71 and expellant charge 77. Activation of contain ignition mix 71 and expellant charge 77 causes a rapid gas expansion or pressure to be applied to sides 74 and bottom 75 of first squib cup 73. The outward expansion of sides 74 against bore 25 obstructs gases from flowing in a negative direction between squib cup 73 and bore 25. Eventually, bottom 75 predictably fails and allows gas to fill the innermost portion of bore 25. The gas is effectively trapped within squib cups 73 and bore 25. The seal formed by explosively forming the side 74 of the soft aluminum squib cups 73 to the wall of bore 25 prevents soot from coming into contact with the electronic elements that impart voltage to contact pins 78 and also provides for improved ballistic consistency of payload 34 by minimizing gases by-passing around impulse cartridge 14 and out the propellant end 20 of projectile device 10. When the pressure reaches a third level, portions of reduced wall thickness 27 in pressurized pocket 25 fracture and release shear disk 29. The pressurized gas and hot particulate is then able to expand into rear chamber 46 of payload bore 30. A firing of an projectile device 10 is expected to generate between 1400-2000 psi within rear chamber 46 and bore 24.
As gas and hot particulate accumulates in rear chamber 46 of payload bore 30, piston 36 is urged away from propellant end 20 and towards ejection end 22. This urging results in expelling/deployment of end cap 18 and payload 34 from payload bore 30. If needed, the hot particulate from squib 72 can be sufficient to provide ignition transfer to payload 34.
Although the disclosure has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as described and defined in the following claims.
This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/726,850 filed Mar. 18, 2010, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. This application further claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/289,242, filed Dec. 22, 2009, the disclosure of which is also expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention described herein includes contributions by one or more employees of the Department of the Navy made in performance of official duties and may be manufactured, used, licensed by, or for the United States Government without payment of any royalties thereon.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61289242 | Dec 2009 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 12726850 | Mar 2010 | US |
Child | 12892521 | US |