Smoke payload apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016202031-A1
Application number	US-201414913041-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 18, 2014
Priority date	Aug 20, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a smoke pay load apparatus, particularly a smoke payload ejection apparatus housed within a common carrier payload delivery shell with a frangible safety link.
There is provided a smoke screen munition comprising a shearable tail unit, a main body which comprises a payload cavity for receiving a smoke payload apparatus, a fuze, an ogive element located between said main body and the fuze, and an explosive train operably connected to said fuze, wherein the smoke payload apparatus comprises a plurality of unconfined portions of a smoke generating energetic material, wherein said portions burn on at least two surfaces.

First claim

1 . A smoke screening munition comprising a shearable tail unit, a main body which comprises a payload cavity for receiving a smoke payload apparatus, a fuze, an ogive element located between said main body and the fuze, and an explosive train operably connected to said fuze, wherein the smoke payload apparatus comprises a plurality of unconfined portions of a smoke generating energetic material, wherein said portions burn on at least two surfaces.

2 . A munition according to claim 1 , wherein the portions burn on all of their surfaces.

3 . A munition according to claim 1 , wherein the smoke payload apparatus is tethered to the shearable tail unit.

4 . A munition according to claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises a first threaded portion manufactured from a first material, and the tail unit comprises a second threaded portion manufactured from second material, wherein the second material has a lower hardness value than the first material.

5 . A munition according to claim 4 , wherein the first material is selected from a steel alloy and the second material is selected from aluminium or alloy thereof.

6 . A munition according to claim 1 , wherein the smoke payload apparatus comprises a support shaft, with at least one vertical support and at least one horizontal support to accommodate said unconfined portions of a smoke generating energetic material.

7 . A munition according to claim 6 , wherein the unconfined portions of a smoke generating energetic material abut at least two vertical supports, and provide a flash though hole between said portions and the support shaft.

8 . A munition according to claim 1 , wherein the unconfined portions of a smoke generating energetic material are consolidated pellets.

9 . A munition according to claim 6 , wherein there are a plurality of pellets stacked and separated by said vertical and horizontal supports.

10 . A munition according to claim 8 , wherein said consolidated pellets are separated with a barrier.

11 . A munition according to claim 1 , wherein the ogive element is a frangible ogive element.

12 . A munition according to claim 11 , further comprising a locking ring located between the main body and said frangible ogive element, to retain said smoke payload apparatus within the payload cavity, wherein the payload cavity has substantially parallel walls, which extend from the intersection of the tail unit to the locking ring.

13 . A munition according to claim 1 , wherein the smoke payload apparatus is capable of being dispensed rearwardly from the main body, upon shearing a shearable thread.

14 . A method of dispensing a smoke payload apparatus from a munition according to claim 1 , wherein the explosive train is operatively coupled to an expulsion charge, and said smoke payload apparatus is tethered to the shearable tail unit by a shearable thread, the method comprising causing initiation of the expulsion charge, which causes ignition of said portions of smoke generating energetic materials and shearing of the shearable thread, such that said smoke payload apparatus is caused to be pushed rearwardly from said shell, to disperse said portions of smoke generating energetic materials.

15 . A munition according to claim 1 , further comprising a locking ring located between the main body and said ogive element, to retain said smoke payload apparatus within the payload cavity and prevent movement wherein the payload cavity has substantially parallel walls, which extend from the intersection of the tail unit to the locking ring.

16 . A smoke screening munition comprising:
a shearable tail unit; a main body which comprises a payload cavity for receiving a smoke payload apparatus, wherein the smoke payload apparatus is tethered to the shearable tail unit by a shearable thread, and wherein the smoke payload apparatus comprises a plurality of unconfined portions of a smoke generating energetic material, wherein said portions burn on at least two surfaces; a fuze operatively coupled to an expulsion charge; and an ogive element located between said main body and the fuze; wherein the smoke payload apparatus is capable of being dispensed rearwardly from the main body, upon shearing of the shearable thread in response to the expulsion charge being stimulated.

17 . A munition according to claim 16 , wherein the smoke payload apparatus comprises a support shaft, with at least one vertical support and at least one horizontal support to accommodate said unconfined portions of a smoke generating energetic material, and wherein the unconfined portions of a smoke generating energetic material are consolidated pellets.

18 . A munition according to claim 16 , further comprising a locking ring located between the main body and said ogive element, to retain said smoke payload apparatus within the payload cavity.

19 . A munition according to claim 16 , wherein the ogive element is a frangible ogive element.

20 . A munition according to claim 19 , further comprising a locking ring located between the main body and said ogive element, to retain said smoke payload apparatus within the payload cavity and prevent movement wherein the payload cavity has substantially parallel walls, which extend from the intersection of the tail unit to the locking ring.

Assignees

• Bae Systems Plc

Inventors

• Rumfitt Michael Shaun
• Burn Andy Oden
• Holley David Anthony
• Costin David John

Classifications

• F42B12/64

  the submissiles being of shot- or flechette-type · CPC title

• F42B12/48 Primary

  smoke-producing {, e.g. infrared clouds} · CPC title