Cap-based heat-mitigating nose insert for a projectile and a projectile containing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10119797-B2
Application number	US-201815906440-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2018
Priority date	Feb 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

Techniques and architecture are disclosed for a nose insert for use in a projectile. The nose insert includes a polymer nose element and a metal cap. The polymer nose element includes a rear shank portion and a tapered head portion. Disposed onto the tapered head portion of the polymer nose is the metal cap. The metal includes an outer curved portion that terminates at a forward end in a meplat. In some embodiments, the metal cap prevents deformation of the polymer nose element caused by high stagnation temperatures experienced by the projectile during flight. In some other embodiments, the metal cap includes a locking ridge. The locking ridge is disposed on an inner surface of the metal cap component and interfaces with an outer surface of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nose insert for use in a projectile comprising:
a polymer nose element including a tapered head portion attached to a shank portion, the tapered head portion including a forward tapered portion and a rear tapered portion, the rear tapered portion being between the forward tapered portion and the shank portion, and the shank portion including a diameter smaller than a diameter of the rear tapered portion adjacent to the shank portion; and
a metal cap disposed on the forward tapered portion of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element, the metal cap terminates at a forward end in a meplat.

2. The nose insert of claim 1 , wherein the metal cap prevents deformation of the polymer nose element during flight of the projectile at temperatures of between 1,200 degrees F. and 2,700 degrees F.

3. The nose insert of claim 1 , wherein the metal cap includes a wall thickness ranging from 0.005 of an inch to 0.020 of an inch.

4. The nose insert of claim 1 , wherein the metal cap includes a wall thickness that varies along a length of the metal cap so that a forward portion of the metal cap has increased wall thickness compared to a rear portion of the metal cap.

5. The nose insert of claim 1 , wherein a first curved portion of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element is in contact with an inner surface of the metal cap when the metal cap is disposed on the polymer nose element.

6. The nose insert of claim 1 , wherein the metal cap includes a locking ridge, the locking ridge is disposed on an inner surface of the metal cap and interfaces with an outer surface of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element.

7. The nose insert of claim 6 , wherein the locking ridge is disposed along a circumference of an interior wall of the metal cap and extends from the interior wall inwardly towards a central axis of the nose insert.

8. The nose insert of claim 1 , wherein the meplat of the metal cap is flat and has a diameter between 0.001 and 0.100 of an inch.

9. The nose insert of claim 1 , wherein the meplat of the metal cap defines a radius having a width between 0.001 and 0.100 of an inch.

10. The nose insert of claim 1 , wherein the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element and an outer surface of the metal cap have a common ogive radius.

11. The nose insert of claim 1 , wherein the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element includes a first curved portion, a second curved portion, and a shoulder, the first curved portion extending from a forward end of the tapered head portion to the second curved portion, and the shoulder defines a sloping angle between the first curved portion and the second curved portion.

12. The nose insert of claim 11 , wherein the sloping angle between the first curved portion and the second curved portion is less than 90 degrees from a central axis of the nose insert.

13. The nose insert of claim 11 , wherein an outer surface of the first curved portion of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element is recessed below an outer surface of the second curved portion of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element, such that an outer surface of the metal cap and the second curved portion have a common ogive radius.

14. The nose insert of claim 11 , wherein the second curved portion of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element and a tapered outer curvature of the metal cap include a common radius.

15. A projectile comprising:
a unitary body, including a forward end opposite a rear end and an intermediate cylindrical portion positioned between the rear end and the forward end, the unitary body further including a cavity within the forward end;
a nose insert disposed in the unitary body, the nose insert comprising
a polymer nose element received within the cavity of the unitary body and including a tapered head portion attached to a shank portion, the tapered head portion including a forward tapered portion and a rear tapered portion, the rear tapered portion being between the forward tapered portion and the shank portion, and the shank portion including a diameter smaller than a diameter of the rear tapered portion adjacent to the shank portion; and
a metal cap disposed on the forward tapered portion of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element, the metal cap terminates at a forward end in a meplat.

16. The projectile of claim 15 , further comprising an ogive radius for each of an outer surface profile of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element and an outer surface profile of a jacket of the projectile, wherein the ogive radius is the same for each of the outer surface profile of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element and the outer surface profile of a jacket of the projectile.

17. The projectile of claim 15 , further comprising an ogive radius for each of an outer surface profile of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element and an outer surface profile of an outer curved portion of the metal cap, wherein the ogive radius is the same for each of the outer surface profile of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element and the outer surface profile of the outer curved portion of the metal cap.

18. The projectile of claim 15 , further comprising an ogive radius for each of an outer surface profile of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element, an outer surface profile of an outer curved portion of the metal cap, and an outer surface profile of a jacket of the projectile, wherein the ogive radius is the same for each of the outer surface profile of the tapered head portion of the polymer nose element, the outer surface profile of the outer curved portion of the metal cap, and the outer surface profile of a jacket of the projectile.

19. The projectile of claim 15 , wherein the nose insert is disposed within the unitary body, such that a rear surface of the shank portion of the polymer nose element is not in contact with a bottom surface of the cavity of the unitary body.

20. The projectile of claim 19 , wherein in response to impact of the projectile with a target, the nose insert is configured to move rearward within the cavity of the unitary body to expand the projectile.

Assignees

• Sig Sauer Inc

Inventors

• Burczynski Thomas J

Classifications

• F42B12/34

  expanding before or on impact, i.e. of dumdum or mushroom type · CPC title

• F42B12/78

  of jackets for smallarm bullets {; Jacketed bullets or projectiles} · CPC title

• F42B10/38 Primary

  Range-increasing arrangements (F42B10/34, F42B14/06 {and F42B15/105} take precedence) · CPC title