Projectile that marks the strike point

Abstract

A projectile, particularly a practice round, has a projectile body that includes a hollow ogive that bursts upon striking the target into which marking material is inserted. The marking material is released when the projectile strikes the target and the ogive bursts. The marking material is covered by a protective cap that breaks when the projectile bursts on the target.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention is described in greater detail using illustrations, which show:

FIG. 1 a cross-section through a cartridge munition consisting of a cartridge shell and a practice round that contains a marking material within the ogive covered by a protective cap;

FIG. 2 a plate of soft foam inserted between the protective cap and the ogive within the projectile per FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 a cross-section through a second embodiment of a projectile with a combined marking material by means of which the strike point of the projectile on the target is visible day or night.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a practice round 1 that includes a projectile 2 mounted in a cartridge shell. The projectile 2 includes a projectile body 4 with a projectile base 5 facing the cartridge shell 3 and a front ogive 6. Within the cartridge shell 3 a high-pressure propulsion chamber is positioned in which a propulsive charge 8 is provided that combusts upon ignition of an igniter 9. The propulsive gases from the propulsive charge flow via overflow channels 10 into a low-pressure propulsion chamber 7a, where they act on the projectile base. When a certain gas pressure is exceeded within the propulsion chamber, an intentional-break point S between the cartridge shell and the projectile is broken, so that the projectile 2 is propelled out of the cartridge shell 3.

The illustrated practice round is usually fired from a weapon with a drawn barrel with a twist, so an additional twist- or guide-band 11 is provided on the projectile body 4.

Such a practice round consisting of cartridge shell and projectile is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,189.

The ogive 6 rests on an insert 12 within the projectile body that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the projectile body 4. The ogive 6 is, for example, a plastic part, cylindrical in its lower region, which transforms into a vaulted hood with the shape of a universal ball joint. In the hollow inner portion of the ogive 6 a marking material, in this case a red dye powder 13, is provided that is placed into a protective cap 14 that covers it. The protective cap 14 that is made, for example, of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), is completely filled with dye, and has a shape roughly corresponding to that of the ogive 6; that is, it has a lower cylindrical part that rests closely on the inner wall of the cylindrical part of the ogive 6 and an adjacent vaulted hood that extends approximately parallel to the hood. A small intermediate space 15 is provided between the protective cap 14 and the ogive 6 that is filled with a filler material 16 that rests on the protective cap 14 and the inner wall of the ogive 15 in the vaulted portion. This material 16 may be, for example, a plate of soft foamed material, as shown in FIG. 2. When the projectile is manufactured, this foam plate 16 is inserted into the vaulted part of the ogive 6, and then the protective cap 14 filled with dye material 13 and the insert 12 is inserted into the ogive.

As mentioned above, when the vaulted part of the ogive 6 of the projectile 2 is damaged, e.g., by improper handling of the cartridge or by a misalignment with the firing chamber of the weapon being fired, then the space between the ogive and the protective cap ensures that the protective cap remains intact, thus allowing no dye to escape. The foam basically has the function of protecting the protective cap 14 from damage by any splinters from the damaged ogive.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through a projectile 2 with a projectile body 4 and an ogive 6 whereby a dye powder is placed into a protective cap 14 within the ogive 6. As in the projectile in FIG. 1, there is a space 15 left between the protective cap 14 and the ogive into which a plate 16 of soft plastic is inserted.

A container 21 within which an inner container 22 is mounted rests on the insert 12 that forms the base of the ogive 6. A material is inserted into the inner container 22 and into the space between the inner container and the container 21 that reacts with chemoluminescence upon mixing with the other material. As soon as the projectile strikes a target, the ogive 6 bursts and the dye powder 13 is released. Simultaneously, the containers 21 and 22 are broken so that the two chemoluminescent materials react with each other, releasing an illuminating signal within the normal visible spectrum, or perhaps within the infrared region that is visible over long distances.

As described in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,189, the two containers 21 and 22 may be so configured that they burst immediately upon initial acceleration of the projectile and/or by the twisting motion of the projectile immediately after firing, so that the chemoluminescent reaction is initiated. When the light thus created is conducted outward from the projectile body, the trajectory of the projectile may be followed.

There is the option to configure the base of the insert 12 to be transparent at least in a partial region 23 below the two containers 21 and 22 so that the light created by chemoluminescence shines, for example, into a hollow cavity 24 of the projectile body. When one configures the guide- or twist- band 11 to be translucent and the wall of the hollow cavity 24 in a region 25 of the guide-band, then the light may exit from the hollow cavity 24 to the outside, so that the trajectory of the projectile may be followed.

It is possible, of course, to find other passages to the outside for light created by chemoluminescence. For example, the insert 12 itself might be transparent and extend to translucent regions in the wall of the projectile body. so that light is also perceptible from the outside.

Although the above discussion describes advantageous embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to the specialist that alterations and modifications of the embodiments are possible without deviating from the object of the invention.

Claims

1. Projectile, particularly a practice round, with a projectile body that includes a hollow ogive that bursts upon striking the target into which marking material is inserted, whereby the marking material is released when the projectile strikes the target and the ogive bursts, the improvement wherein the marking material is covered by a protective cap that breaks when the projectile bursts on the target.

2. Projectile as in claim 1, wherein an intermediary space is left between the ogive and the protective cap in the area of the projectile tip.

3. Projectile as in claim 2, wherein filler material is positioned in the intermediary space that rests on the ogive and the protective cap.

4. Projectile as in claim 3, wherein the filler material is soft foam.

5. Projectile as in claim 3, wherein the filler material is a plate-shaped piece that is inserted into the intermediary space between protective cap and ogive.

6. Projectile as in claim 1, wherein the marking material comprises chemoluminescent material consisting of several components.

7. Projectile as in claim 6, further comprising a container for the chemoluminescent material which bursts when the projectile strikes the target, whereby the components are mixed and emission of light is triggered.

8. Projectile as in claim 7, wherein the container possesses two compartments in which the components of the chemoluminescent material are located.

9. Projectile as in claim 7, wherein the container for the chemoluminescent material breaks open from at least one of the twist and the initial acceleration of the projectile so that the components of the chemoluminescent material mix together and chemoluminescence is generated, and wherein light paths are provided within the projectile in order to conduct the light created by chemoluminescence outward from the projectile body.

10. Projectile as in claim 1, wherein the marking material comprises a dye powder.

11. Projectile as in claim 6, wherein the marking material comprises a dye powder.