Controlled fragmentation of a warhead shell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9255774-B2
Application number	US-45795009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2009
Priority date	Jun 30, 2008
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A series of small explosive charges are used to preferentially crack the casing of a warhead to provide for a controlled fragmentation of the warhead. During detonation of the warhead's explosive fill, the casing will break early in the process along pre-determined lines resulting in very large fragments that are projected towards the ground and away from innocent civilians. A fragmentation control collar which contacts these charges can be fitted on the outside of existing warheads. An annular liner within the warhead aids in the controlled fragmentation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A warhead comprising:
a) a casing;
b) at least one fragmentation control collar, said at least one fragmentation control collar comprising:
i) a plurality of charges, said charges being selected from a variety of geometrically shaped charges to effect different crack shapes in said casing;
ii) a removable collar, said plurality of charges being secured to said collar;
iii) a latch for reversibly securing the collar to and around the outer circumference of the casing;

c) explosives positioned within said casing; and
d) at least one detonator to detonate said charges.

2. The warhead of claim 1 , wherein said at least one set of said plurality of said charges are in a single plane on the collar around and in contact with the outside of the circumference of said casing.

3. The warhead of claim 1 , wherein the charge size and thickness of said at least one set of said plurality of said charges varies with a thickness of the casing.

4. The warhead of claim 1 , wherein there is more than one said fragmentation control collar attached to the outside of the circumference of the warhead.

5. The warhead of claim 1 , wherein said at least one set of a plurality of said charges are directly attached to the outer circumference of the warhead casing.

6. The warhead of claim 5 , wherein the number of said charges positioned around the outside of the shell casing is five.

7. The warhead of claim 1 , wherein the number of said charges positioned around the outer circumference of the warhead casing on the collar may vary from about three to about five said charges.

8. The warhead of claim 1 , wherein the fragmentation control collar further comprises a hinge and said latch to secure the collar to the casing.

9. The warhead of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the at least one charge is selected from the group consisting of diamond, rectangular, triangular, square, spherical and round.

10. The warhead of claim 9 , wherein detonator points are positioned on each end of each of said diamond shaped charges.

11. The warhead of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fragmentation control collar further comprises pockets containing a cavity wherein at least one charge fits into each of said cavity of said pockets.

12. The warhead of claim 11 wherein each said cavity of each said pocket is shaped for a particular shaped charge.

Assignees

• Burky Thomas E
• Leach John R
• Battelle Memorial Institute

Inventors

• Burky Thomas E
• Leach John R

Classifications

• F42B12/208

  characterised by a plurality of charges within a single high explosive warhead · CPC title

• F42C19/095

  Arrangements of a multiplicity of primers or detonators, dispersed around a warhead, one of the primers or detonators being selected for directional detonation effects · CPC title

• F42B12/22 Primary

  with fragmentation-hull construction · CPC title

• F42B12/28 Primary

  the projectile wall being built from annular elements · CPC title

• F42B12/10 Primary

  with shaped or hollow charge (shaped or hollow charges per se F42B1/02 {; mines having hollow charges F42B23/04}) · CPC title