Central initiating charge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9714817-B1
Application number	US-201514640159-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 6, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

A central initiating charge according to embodiments of the invention includes a pellet. The pellet has a proximal end and a distal end. A central longitudinal axis spans from the proximal end to the distal end. A void spans longitudinally in said pellet. The void spans parallel to the central longitudinal axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A firing train having a central initiating charge configured for centering a detonation wave on an explosive fill by advantageously using the channeling effect, comprising:
a cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central longitudinal axis spanning from said proximal end to said distal end;
wherein said proximal end is in intimate adjacent contact with an initiator;
wherein said distal end is in intimate adjacent contact with an explosive fill; and
a void centered about said central longitudinal axis and spanning longitudinally from said proximal end to said distal end, said void having a constant width measured perpendicularly to said central longitudinal axis, wherein said void perforates said proximal end and said distal end;
wherein when said cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet is initiated by said initiator, said initiation centering a detonation wave and increasing the detonation velocity of said detonation wave in said void by driving a detonation wave longitudinally through said void along said central longitudinal axis from said proximal end to said distal end.

2. The central initiating charge according to claim 1 , wherein said proximal and said distal ends are substantially-flat surfaces.

3. The central initiating charge according to claim 1 , wherein said detonation wave compresses air in said void, said compression resulting in a local region of higher density explosive around said void, wherein said detonation wave is shaped to centralize itself along said central longitudinal axis.

4. The central initiating charge according to claim 1 , wherein said detonation wave is driven longitudinally from said proximal end to said distal end in said void to increase detonation velocity.

5. A firing train, comprising:
a cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central longitudinal axis spanning from said proximal end to said distal end; and
a void centered about said central longitudinal axis and spanning longitudinally from said proximal end to said distal end, said void having a constant width measured perpendicularly to said central longitudinal axis, wherein said void perforates said proximal end and said distal end;
an initiator having an initiator central longitudinal axis, said initiator positioned in intimate adjacent contact with said proximal end of said cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet;
wherein said distal end of said cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet is positioned in intimate adjacent contact with an explosive fill;
wherein said initiator is configured to initiate said cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet, said initiation driving a detonation wave longitudinally through said void along said central longitudinal axis from said proximal end to said distal end.

6. The firing train according to claim 5 , wherein said proximal and said distal ends are substantially-flat surfaces.

7. The firing train according to claim 5 , wherein said detonation wave compresses air in said void, said compression resulting in a local region of higher density explosive around said void, wherein said detonation wave is shaped to centralize itself along said central longitudinal axis and drive into said explosive fill.

8. The firing train according to claim 5 , wherein said detonation wave is driven longitudinally from said proximal end to said distal end in said void to increase detonation velocity.

9. A method of initiating an explosive fill, comprising:
providing a cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central longitudinal axis spanning from said proximal end to said distal end;
said explosive pellet having a void centered about said central longitudinal axis and spanning longitudinally from said proximal end to said distal end, said void having a constant width measured perpendicularly to said central longitudinal axis, wherein said void perforates said proximal end and said distal end;
positioning an initiator in intimate adjacent contact with said proximal end of said cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet, said initiator having an initiator central longitudinal axis; and
positioning said distal end of said cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet in intimate adjacent contact with an explosive fill; and
initiating said initiator, wherein said initiator initiation initiates said cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet, wherein said cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet initiation drives a detonation wave longitudinally through said void along said central longitudinal axis from said proximal end to said distal end, wherein said detonation wave initiation wave initiates said explosive fill.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said proximal and said distal ends are substantially-flat surfaces.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said initiator central longitudinal axis is aligned with said central longitudinal axis of said cylindrically-shaped explosive pellet.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said initiator central longitudinal axis is off-center of said central longitudinal axis of said pellet.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said driving of said detonation wave task, further comprising compressing air in said void, said compression resulting in a local region of higher density explosive around said void.

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said initiating of said driving of said detonation wave longitudinally from said proximal end to said distal end in said void increases detonation velocity of said detonation wave.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising shaping said detonation wave, said shaping configured to centralize said detonation wave along said central longitudinal axis and drive said shaped detonation wave into said explosive fill.

Assignees

• Us Navy
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Jorgensen Matthew C

Classifications

• F42B3/10 Primary

  Initiators therefor (percussion fuzes F42C7/00; percussion caps F42C19/10; electric primers F42C19/12) · CPC title

• F42B3/08 Primary

  with cavities in the charge, e.g. hollow-charge blasting cartridges · CPC title

• F42C19/0807

  characterised by the particular configuration of the transmission channels from the priming energy source to the charge to be ignited, e.g. multiple channels, nozzles, diaphragms or filters · CPC title

• F42C19/09 Primary

  Primers or detonators containing a hollow charge · CPC title