Projectiles for ammunition and methods of making and using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9841260-B2
Application number	US-201415023477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2014
Priority date	Sep 24, 2013
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A projectile 1 for ammunition is disclosed, said projectile 1 comprising an outer profile geometry on an ogive-shaped impact end portion 5 thereof, said outer profile geometry comprising two or more notches 2 extending in at least one of (i) an axial, (ii) parallel or (iii) slightly inclined orientation relative to a dissecting axis 3 extending longitudinally through said impact end portion 5 of said projectile 1 , wherein each notch 2 (a) comprises notch surface portions 4,7 so as to increase (i) an overall outer surface area of said ogive end portion 5 of projectile 1 , and (ii) a given length of an outer surface periphery Sp extending along a line within a plane normal to said dissecting axis 3 , and (b) is surrounded by an outer side surface 51 of said ogive-shaped impact end portion 5 of said projectile 1 . In other words, the presence of the two or more notches 2 increases a length of an outer surface periphery Sp extending along a line within a plane normal to said dissecting axis 3 relative to the same outer surface periphery Sp extending within the same plane normal to said dissecting axis 3 when a notch is not present.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A projectile ( 1 ) for ammunition, said projectile ( 1 ) comprising an outer profile geometry on an ogive-shaped impact end portion ( 5 ) thereof, said outer profile geometry comprising three notches ( 2 ) equally spaced from one another and extending in (i) an axial, and (ii) parallel orientation relative to a dissecting axis ( 3 ) extending longitudinally through said ogive-shaped impact end portion ( 5 ) of said projectile ( 1 ), wherein each of said three notches ( 2 ) (a) comprises notch surface portions ( 4 , 7 ) so as to increase (i) an overall outer surface area of said ogive-shaped impact end portion ( 5 ) of projectile ( 1 ), and (ii) a given length of an outer surface periphery (S p ) extending along a line within a plane normal to said dissecting axis ( 3 ), (b) is surrounded by an outer side surface ( 51 ) of said ogive-shaped impact end portion ( 5 ) of said projectile ( 1 ), (c) is oriented at an angle (A) of greater than zero up to about 45° relative to said dissecting axis ( 3 ), (d) has a notch depth dissecting line (L dd ) extending axially through and being located along a path that represents a largest depth within said notch ( 2 ), and (e) extends a length substantially equal to a distance along said dissecting axis ( 3 ) from a projectile tip end ( 18 ) of said projectile ( 1 ) to a transition periphery ( 52 ) along said projectile ( 1 ), said transition periphery ( 52 ) separating said ogive-shaped impact end portion ( 5 ) of said projectile ( 1 ) from a cylindrical portion ( 6 ) extending from said transition periphery ( 52 ) to an opposite end ( 61 ) of said projectile ( 1 ),
wherein said ogive-shaped impact end portion ( 5 ) comprises a polymeric matrix material filled with metal particles of a metal, wherein said metal is selected from brass, silver, lead, lead alloy, copper plated lead alloy, copper, or stainless steel.

2. The projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein each of said three notches ( 2 ) comprises:
a notch dissecting line (L nd ) extending axially through and being centrally located within said notch ( 2 ),
notch outer periphery points (P L ,P R ) along an outer notch perimeter ( 21 ) on opposite sides of said notch dissecting line (L nd ), and
right and left-hand line portions ( 22 L , 22 R ) of a normal line extending from said notch dissecting line (L nd ) to each notch outer periphery point (P L ,P R ), wherein each of said right and left-hand line portions ( 22 L , 22 R ) (i) increases in length along at least a first portion of said notch dissecting line (L nd ) and subsequently (ii) decreases in length along at least a second portion of said notch dissecting line (L nd ) extending between an uppermost periphery portion ( 23 ) of said notch ( 2 ) and a lowermost periphery portion ( 24 ) of said notch ( 2 ).

3. The projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein each of said three notches ( 2 ) comprises:
notch outer periphery points (P L ,P R ) along an outer notch perimeter ( 21 ) on opposite sides of said notch depth dissecting line (L dd ), and
right and left-hand line portions ( 25 L , 25 R ) of a normal line extending from said notch depth dissecting line (L dd ) to each notch outer periphery point (P L ,P R ), wherein each of said right and left-hand line portions ( 25 L , 25 R ) (i) increases in length along at least a first portion of said notch depth dissecting line (L dd ) and subsequently (ii) decreases in length along at least a second portion of said notch depth dissecting line (L dd ) extending between an uppermost periphery portion ( 23 ) of said notch ( 2 ) and a lowermost periphery portion ( 24 ) of said notch ( 2 ).

4. The projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein each of said three notches ( 2 ) has a slightly inclined orientation relative to said dissecting axis ( 3 ), with each of said three notches ( 2 ) being oriented at an angle (A) of from about 15° to about 30° relative to said dissecting axis ( 3 ).

5. The projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein said notch depth dissecting line (L dd ) curves as said notch depth dissecting line (L dd ) moves from said uppermost periphery portion ( 23 ) of said notch ( 2 ) to said lowermost periphery portion ( 24 ) of said notch ( 2 ).

6. The projectile of claim 5 , wherein said notch depth dissecting line has a J-shape or reverse J-shape as said notch depth dissecting line moves from an uppermost periphery portion of said notch to a lowermost periphery portion of said notch.

7. The projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein each of said three notches ( 2 ) has (i) a first notch surface area ( 35 ) and a first depth grade ( 37 ) on one side of said notch depth dissecting line (L dd ), and (ii) a second notch surface area ( 36 ) and a second depth grade ( 38 ) on an opposite side of said notch depth dissecting line (L dd ), said first notch surface area ( 35 ) being smaller than said second notch surface area ( 36 ) and said first depth grade ( 37 ) being greater than said second depth grade ( 38 ).

8. The projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein said notch surface portions ( 4 , 7 ) comprise one or more cylindrically-shaped notch surface portions ( 4 , 7 ).

9. The projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein an opposite end ( 61 ) of said projectile ( 1 ) has a truncated cone shape or a reduced diameter cylindrical shape.

10. A composite or polymer casing comprising the projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 mounted therein.

11. A metal casing comprising the projectile of claim 1 mounted therein.

12. A box of composite casings comprising:
one or more composite or polymer or metal casings in combination with the projectile of claim 1 ;
a cartridge-holding device; and
an outer box sized to contain said cartridge-holding device with the one or more composite or polymer or metal casings in combination with the projectile of claim 1 positioned therein.

13. A method of making the projectile of claim 1 , said method comprising:
injection molding a plastic material filled with metal particles to form the projectile.

14. A method of using the projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , said method comprising:
positioning a composite or polymer or metal casing comprising the projectile ( 1 ) in a chamber of a projectile-firing weapon; and
firing the weapon.

15. A method of using the projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , said method comprising:
positioning the projectile ( 1 ) in a chamber of a projectile-firing compressed air weapon; and
firing the weapon.

16. The projectile ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein said polymeric matrix material comprises a polyamide, and said metal comprises copper.

17. A projectile ( 1 ) for ammunition, said projectile ( 1 ) comprising an outer profile geometry on an ogive-shaped impact end portion ( 5 ) thereof, said outer profile geometry comprising two to four notches ( 2 ) equally spaced from one another and extending in (i) an axial, and (ii) parallel orientation relative to a dissecting axis ( 3 ) extending longitudinally through said ogive-shaped impact end portion ( 5 ) of said projectile ( 1 ), wherein each of said two to four notches ( 2 ) (a) comprises notch surface portions ( 4 , 7 ) so as to increase (i) an overall outer surface area of said ogive-shaped impact end portion ( 5 ) of projectile ( 1 ), and (ii) a given length of an outer surface periphery (S p ) extending along a line within a plane normal to said dissecting axis ( 3 ), (b) is surrounded by an outer side surface ( 51 ) of said ogive-shaped impact end portion ( 5 ) of said projectile ( 1 ), (c) is oriented at an angle (A) of greater than zero up to about 45° relative to said dissecting axis ( 3 ), (d) h

Assignees

• Polycase Ammunition Llc
• Polyone Corp

Inventors

• Lemke Paul
• Marin Juan Carlos
• Johnson Steven Eric

Classifications

• F42B12/74

  of the core or solid body · CPC title

• F42B6/10

  Air gun pellets {; Ammunition for air guns, e.g. propellant-gas containers} · CPC title

• F42B12/76

  of the casing · CPC title

• F42B10/24 Primary

  with inclined grooves · CPC title