Explosive breaching tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026085917-A1
Application number	US-202418892790-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2024
Priority date	Sep 23, 2024
Publication date	Mar 26, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

One or more embodiments relates to an explosive breaching tool for steel bar grating including a flexible polymer casing comprising a plurality of explosive charge mountings in a zipper configuration and a plurality of explosive charges positioned in the explosive charge mountings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An explosive breaching tool for steel bar grating comprising:
a flexible polymer casing comprising a plurality of explosive charge mountings in a zipper configuration, and plurality of explosive charges positioned in the explosive charge mountings.

2 . The explosive breaching tool of claim 1 , wherein the zipper configuration positions the explosive charge mountings between flats of the steel bar grating with adjacent explosive charge mountings on opposite sides of a respective flat.

3 . The explosive breaching tool of claim 2 , wherein the zipper configuration positions adjacent explosive charge mountings displaced from each other in a direction along the respective flat.

4 . The explosive breaching tool of claim 1 , wherein the explosive charge mountings and the explosive charges have outer sides angled toward an inward direction of the casing.

5 . The explosive breeching tool of claim 1 , wherein each explosive charge mounting comprises a sleeve having a D-shaped cross-section.

6 . The explosive breeching tool of claim 1 , wherein each explosive charge comprises RDX-based explosives or HMX-based explosives.

7 . The explosive breeching tool of claim 1 , wherein each explosive charge mounting has a 1-inch square opening for receiving a respective one of the explosive charges.

8 . The explosive breeching tool of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of explosive charge mountings comprises at least six explosive charge mountings.

9 . A casing for an explosive device comprising:
a plate having a plurality of openings; and a plurality of sleeves stacked in a first direction extending from the plurality of openings, adjacent sleeves of the plurality of sleeves belonging to a different one of a first line of sleeves and a second line of sleeves that are displaced from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

10 . The casing of claim 9 , wherein the sleeves are spaced apart from each other to sandwich a respective steel bar grating flat therebetween.

11 . The casing of claim 10 , wherein the first and second line of sleeves are displaced from each other in the second direction such that explosive charges positioned in adjacent sleeves create explosive shear across the respective steel bar grating flat.

12 . The casing of claim 11 , wherein each sleeve comprises:
first and second opposing surfaces extending perpendicular from the plate, and third and fourth opposing surfaces each connecting the first and second opposing surfaces, the third surface extending from the plate at an inclined angle.

13 . The casing of claim 9 further comprising an explosive charge inserted in each of the sleeves, the explosive charges having a geometry matching the respective sleeve.

14 . The casing of claim 13 , wherein each explosive charge comprises C4, C3, or PBXN-9.

15 . The casing of claim 9 , wherein the casing comprises a flexible thermoplastic polyurethane or silicon molded casing.

16 . The casing of claim 9 , wherein the sleeves are approximately 1.75 inches long extending from an open end at the plate to a closed end having a 0.5 inch radius.

17 . A method of breaching steel bar grating comprising:
forming an explosive breaching tool for steel bar grating via additive manufacturing, the explosive breaching tool comprising a flexible polymer casing comprising a plurality of explosive charge mountings in a zipper configuration; positioning a plurality of explosive charges in the explosive charge mountings; affixing the explosive breaching tool on the steel bar grating by placing the explosive charges between flats of the steel bar grating with adjacent explosive charges on opposite sides of a respective flat; and initiating the explosive charges to create explosive shear across the flats.

18 . The method of breaching steel bar grating of claim 17 , wherein positioning the plurality of explosive charges in the explosive charge mountings comprises:
placing a C4, C3, or PBX explosive charge in each of the explosive charge mountings; covering the explosive charges with a sheet explosive; and operatively connecting the sheet explosive to a remotely operated detonator.

19 . The method of breaching steel bar grating of claim 17 , wherein forming the explosive breaching tool for steel bar grating via additive manufacturing comprises:
forming a thermoplastic plate having a plurality of openings spaced apart according to thickness of the flats, and forming the plurality of explosive charge mountings as a plurality of thermoplastic sleeves stacked in a first direction and extending from the plurality of openings, adjacent thermoplastic sleeves of the plurality of thermoplastic sleeves belonging to a different one of a first line of sleeves and a second line of sleeves that are displaced in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

20 . The explosive breaching tool of claim 3 , wherein the each of the explosive charge mountings comprises an inner side positioned on a side thereof toward an inward direction of the flexible polymer casing, the zipper configuration positioning adjacent explosive charge mountings along the flats such that the respective inner sides face opposing directions; and
wherein the inner sides of each of the explosive charge mountings are substantially planar.

Assignees

• Us Energy

Inventors

• Lake Michael A
• Garcia Gonzalez Felipe A

Classifications

• F42B3/02 Primary

  adapted to be united into assemblies · CPC title