Method and launcher for launching a projectile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10928147-B2
Application number	US-201716469299-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2016
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for launching a projectile and a launcher comprising a barrel ( 1 ) accommodating a. a projectile ( 2 ); b. a rocket motor ( 13 ) at the rear end of the projectile ( 2 ) comprising a first compartment containing a first propellant; c. a countermass ( 3 ) at the rear end of the barrel ( 1 ); and d. a second compartment between the rocket motor ( 13 ) and the countermass ( 3 ) containing a second propellant, wherein said first and second compartments form a high pressure chamber ( 6 ) subsequent to firing of the projectile ( 2 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Method for launching a projectile ( 2 ) from a barrel ( 3 ) accommodating
a. a projectile ( 2 );
b. a rocket motor ( 13 ) at the rear end of the projectile ( 2 ) comprising a first compartment ( 6 ″) containing a first propellant ( 10 );
c. a countermass ( 3 ) at the rear end of the barrel ( 1 ); and
d. a second compartment ( 6 ′) between the rocket motor ( 13 ) and the countermass ( 3 ) containing a second propellant ( 11 ), wherein said first and second compartments ( 6 ″, 6 ′) form a high pressure chamber ( 6 ) subsequent to firing of the projectile ( 2 );
i) wherein combustion gases originating from propellants contained in said first and second compartments ( 6 ″, 6 ′) in said high pressure chamber ( 6 ) accelerate the projectile ( 2 ) in the firing direction and the countermass ( 3 ) in the opposite direction towards a breech; and
ii) wherein the pressure in the high pressure chamber ( 6 ) falls in the second compartment to a level below the pressure in the first compartment when the countermass ( 3 ) leaves the barrel ( 1 ); and
iii) wherein said first compartment upholds substantially the originally formed pressure by means of an opening of said first compartment delimiting the exhaust of gases from the first compartment to the second compartment, thus enabling continued acceleration of the projectile ( 2 ) after the countermass ( 3 ) has exited the barrel ( 1 ).

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the countermass ( 3 ) is a metal grit.

3. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the opening is a nozzle.

4. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the opening is a ring nozzle.

5. Method according to claim 1 , wherein a cartridge case ( 8 ) radially encloses components a) to d) according to claim 1 .

6. Method according to claim 1 , wherein a pressure sealing is provided between the cartridge case ( 8 ) and the barrel ( 1 ) at the rearmost part of the cartridge case ( 8 ).

7. Method according to claim 1 , wherein a flight motor ( 14 ) is integrated in the projectile ( 2 ) in front of the rocket motor ( 13 ).

8. Launcher comprising a barrel ( 1 ) accommodating
a. a projectile ( 2 );
b. a rocket motor ( 13 ) at the rear end of the projectile ( 2 ) comprising a first compartment containing a first propellant;
c. a countermass ( 3 ) at the rear end of the barrel ( 1 ); and
d. a second compartment between the rocket motor ( 13 ) and the countermass ( 3 ) containing a second propellant, wherein said first and second compartments form a high pressure chamber ( 6 ) subsequent to firing of the projectile ( 2 );
wherein a cartridge case ( 8 ) is arranged inside the barrel ( 1 ) extending from the rear end of the projectile ( 2 ) to the rear part of the countermass ( 3 ).

9. Launcher according to claim 8 , wherein a driving band ( 5 ) is positioned between the rearmost part of the countermass ( 3 ) and the barrel ( 1 ).

10. Launcher according to claim 8 , wherein means ( 7 ) for affixing the countermass ( 3 ) and the cartridge case ( 8 ) to the barrel ( 1 ) is arranged at the rearmost section of the countermass ( 3 ).

11. Launcher according to claim 8 , wherein at least three compartments for propellants are arranged between the rear end of the projectile ( 2 ) and the countermass ( 3 ).

12. A recoilless weapon according to claim 8 , wherein the weapon is a hand-held, platform mounted or a free-standing weapon.

Assignees

• Saab Ab

Inventors

• Lindstroem Mathias

Classifications

• F42B5/105

  propelled by two propulsive charges, the rearwardly situated one being separated from the rest of the projectile during flight or in the barrel; Projectiles with self-ejecting cartridge cases · CPC title

• F41A1/10 Primary

  a counter projectile being used to balance recoil · CPC title

• F42B5/05

  for recoilless guns (recoilless guns using a counter-projectile to balance recoil F41A1/10) · CPC title