Methods and devices metering and compacting explosive powders

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859958-B2
Application number	US-202217994379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2022
Priority date	Mar 19, 2019
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A powder compaction device is disclosed. The device has a drive motor operable connected to a compaction rod that moves through a loading platform to a cartridge holding platform. A powder loading station is positioned below the loading platform and above the cartridge holding platform. The compaction rod moves through the powder loading station, which loads a predetermined volume of propellant powder into one or more reliefs defined in the compaction rod. The cartridge holding platform has a removable cartridge fixture designed to receive an ammunition cartridge to be loaded and compacted with propellant powder. The propellant powder is released into the cartridge fixture from the reliefs as the compaction rod passes a funnel defined at an upper end of the fixture. After releasing the powder, the compaction rod continues into an interior chamber of the fixture to compact the powder contained therein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A powder compaction device, comprising:
a drive motor operably connected to a compaction rod, the compaction rod being movable through a loading platform to a cartridge holding platform;
a powder loading station configured to hold a predetermined volume of propellant powder and positioned below the loading platform and above the cartridge holding platform, wherein the compaction rod is movable through the powder loading station and configured to receive the predetermined volume of propellant powder into one or more reliefs defined in the compaction rod as the compaction rod moves through the powder loading station to the cartridge holding platform;
the cartridge holding platform removably holding a cartridge fixture having a hollow interior chamber configured to receive an ammunition cartridge and a funnel defined at an upper portion of the cartridge fixture, the funnel opening into the hollow interior chamber;
wherein the one or more reliefs releases the loaded propellant powder into the funnel to be funneled into the hollow interior chamber after the compaction rod passes through the powder loading station; and
wherein the compaction rod is configured to compact the propellant powder in the hollow interior chamber of the cartridge fixture.

2. The powder compaction device of claim 1 , wherein the powder loading station has a funnel defined at an upper surface of the powder loading station.

3. The powder compaction device of claim 1 , further comprising a remote powder reservoir connected to the powder loading station by a transport conduit.

4. The powder compaction device of claim 3 , wherein the remote powder reservoir further comprises a powder gate positioned between the powder reservoir and the transport conduit, wherein the powder gate controls the flow of powder from the powder reservoir through the transport conduit to the powder loading station.

5. The powder compaction device of claim 4 , further comprising a controller operably connected to the powder gate, the controller being configured to control the amount of powder released from the powder reservoir to be delivered through the transport conduit to the powder loading station by opening and closing the powder gate.

6. The powder compaction device of claim 5 , further comprising one or more sensors in the powder loading station and operably connected to the controller, the one or more sensors being configured to sense a critical volume of propellant powder, which is greater than the predetermined volume of propellant powder, in the powder loading station and to maintain the critical volume of propellant powder by sending a signal to the controller to open the powder gate when a threshold volume is sensed, the threshold volume being less than the predetermined volume of propellant powder.

7. The powder compaction device of claim 1 , further comprising a controller operably connected to the drive motor and configured to control the vertical movement of the compaction rod.

8. The powder compaction device of claim 7 , further comprising one or more sensors on the compaction rod and in communication with the controller, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to sense the vertical distance of movement of the compaction rod and communicate the distance sensed to the controller.

9. The powder compaction device of claim 7 , further comprising one or more sensors on the compaction rod and in communication with the controller, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to control force of the downward pressure exerted by the compaction rod.

10. The powder compaction device of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to control the degree of compaction of powder in the ammunition cartridge by controlling the vertical distance the compaction rod moves and the downward force exerted by the compaction rod during movement.

11. The powder compaction device of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge holding platform further comprises a lower groove configured to slidingly receive a corresponding lower tongue on the cartridge fixture.

12. The powder compaction device of claim 1 , wherein the compaction rod further comprises a compaction rod tip.

13. The powder compaction device of claim 12 , wherein the compaction rod tip is removable.

14. The powder compaction device of claim 12 , wherein the shape of the compaction rod tip is selected from a group consisting of: concave, convex, and flat.

15. The powder compaction device of claim 1 , wherein the interior hollow chamber of the cartridge fixture is configured to substantially match the outer dimensions of the ammunition cartridge.

16. The powder compaction device of claim 15 , wherein the interior hollow chamber of the cartridge fixture is configured to receive a standard dimensioned ammunition cartridge selected from a group of ammunition cartridge calibers consisting of .223, .243, .245, .25-06, .270, .277, .300, .308, .338, .30-30, .30-06, .45-70 or .50-90, 50 caliber, 45 caliber, 380 caliber or 38 caliber, 5.56 mm, 6 mm, 6.5 mm, 6.8 mm, 7 mm, 7.62 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, 12.7 mm, 14.5 mm, 14.7 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 57 mm, 60 mm, 75 mm, 76 mm, 81 mm, 90 mm, 100 mm, 105 mm, 106 mm, 115 mm, 120 mm, 122 mm, 125 mm, 130 mm, 152 mm, 155 mm, 165 mm, 175 mm, 203 mm or 460 mm, 4.2 inch and 8 inch ammunition cartridge.

17. The powder compaction device of claim 1 , wherein the compaction rod has a diameter substantially equal to the standard diameter of a projectile aperture in the ammunition cartridge, wherein the ammunition cartridge has standard dimensions for the specific caliber of ammunition.

18. The powder compaction device of claim 1 , wherein the loading platform, the powder loading station and the cartridge holding platform are concentrically aligned about a longitudinal axis of the compaction rod such that the cartridge fixture receives the compaction rod substantially through a center point of the funnel opening into the hollow interior chamber.

19. A powder compaction device, comprising:
a controller in communication with a drive motor operably connected to a compaction rod, the compaction rod being movable through a loading platform to a cartridge holding platform positioned below the loading platform, wherein the controller is configured to control the vertical movement and downward force exerted by the compaction rod;
a powder loading station positioned below the loading platform and above the cartridge holding platform, wherein the controller moves the compaction rod through the powder loading station which holds a predetermined volume of propellant powder, the powder loading station being configured to load the predetermined volume of propellant powder into one or more reliefs defined in the compaction rod as the compaction rod moves through the powder loading station;
the cartridge holding platform removably holding a cartridge fixture having a hollow interior chamber configured to receive an ammunition cartridge, the cartridge fixture having a funnel defined at an upper portion of the cartridge fixture and opening into the hollow interior chamber;
wherein the propellant powder loaded into the one or more reliefs of the compaction rod is released into the funnel to be funneled into the hollow interior chamber after the compaction rod passes through the powder loading station;
wherein the compaction rod is configured to compact the propellant powder in the hollow interior chamber of the cartridge fixture.

20. The powder compaction device of claim 19 , further comprising a powd

Assignees

• True Velocity Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Overton Kenneth J
• Adkins Peter
• Siuts Tucker

Classifications

• F42B33/025 Primary

  by compacting (F42B33/004 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F42B3/00

  Blasting cartridges, i.e. case and explosive (fuse cords, e.g. detonating fuse cords C06C5/00; chemical aspects of detonators, blasting caps or primers C06C7/00) · CPC title

• F42B33/001

  Devices or processes for assembling ammunition, cartridges or cartridge elements from parts · CPC title

• F42B33/002

  Orienting or guiding means for cartridges or cartridge parts during the manufacturing or packaging process; Feeding cartridge elements to automatic machines · CPC title

• F42B33/0207

  Processes for loading or filling propulsive or explosive charges in containers · CPC title