GB1589641A

GB1589641A - Disposable pyrotechnic magazine

Info

Publication number: GB1589641A
Application number: GB1753678A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Precitronic Gesellschaft fuer Feinmechanik und Electronic mbH
Current assignee: Precitronic Gesellschaft fuer Feinmechanik und Electronic mbH
Priority date: 1978-05-30
Filing date: 1978-05-30
Publication date: 1981-05-20

Description

(54) DISPOSABLE PYROTECHNIC MAGAZINE (71) We, PRECITRONIC GESELLSCHAFT FUR FEINMECHANIK UND ELECTRONIC mbH, a limited liability company organised under the law of the Federal Republic of Germany of Schutzenstrabe 7585, 2000 Hamburg 50, Federal Republich of Germany, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a pyrotechnic magazine. Gunfire simulators may use such magazines.

In a conventional gunfire simulator it is known to mount a plurality of flash cartridges in a unit which is in turn mounted in the simulator. When all the cartridges have been fired, they have to be removed from the unit and replaced by fresh cartridges, the cartridges being disposed of.

The object of the invention is to provide a magazine which may be used as a disposable alternative to the unit charged with cartridges.

A disposable pyrotechnic magazine according to the invention comprises a plurality of pyrotechnic charges irreplaceably arrayed in or on a backing member, a fuse included in each pyrotechnic charge and electric connection means arranged on the magazine, through which means current may be supplied to each fuse for selective firing of each charge, the electric connection means including contacts extending on a surface of the backing member, the magazine being such that when in use all the charges have been fired the magazine is replaced by another such magazine.

Preferably the charges are arrayed as a matrix in a solid block of plastics material. Also in a preferred embodiment the backing member is a printed circuit board having a printed circuit thereon for the electric connection means. Preferably one member of a plug and socket joint which member may consist of the ends of printed circuit strips, is included in the electric connection means. Thus the magazine may take the form of a rectangular solid with contacts extending from one edge. It is however envisaged that the contacts may extend from more than one edge or that a conventional plug and socket arrangement may be used.

Such a magazine is readily storable and also can be readily plugged into control apparatus such as a gunfire stimulator.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood various specific embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front view of a magazine in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line ll-ll of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a rear view of the magazine of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a cross-section similar to Figure 2 of an alternative magazine in accordance with the invention; Figure 5 is a cross-section also similar to Figure 2 of a further alternative magazine in accordance with the invention; Figure 6 is a rear view of a magazine modified from that of Figure 5; and Figure 7 is an end view, partly in section, of the magazine of Figure 6.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, the disposable magazine 1 has a backing board 2 with a plastics block 3 secured thereto. The block has a plurality of bores 4 which are filled with a pyrotechnic mixture forming charges 5. Over each bore there is disposed an individual cover 6 for retaining the charge in the bore. Also within the bore is a fuse 7 fo. setting off the mixture.

On the back of the board are copper printed circuit strips 8. One end of each strip terminates in a contact 9 whilst the other end extends to a free end of a wire from one of the fuses 7. The two wire ends of the fuses are each physically and electrically connected to the said other end of the respective strips 8 by soldered joints 10.

Figure 1 shows a magazine, with fuses, but before filling of the bores with pyrotechnic mixture. The structure of the magazine is particu larly suitable for the bores to be filled over-full at one station in a filling machine with the excess being scraped off at an adjacent station whither the magazine is laterally displaced. Thus complete charging of each bore is ensured withov the necessity to dispense a metered charge into each bore. After filling a cover is fitted to each bore. Alternatively a continuous cover can close all the bores so long as it does not permit tracking whereby an adjacent charge is set off by the firing of one charge. Where the nature of the pyrotechnic is such as to solidify after charging, covering of the bores may be dispensed with.

For use the magazine is plugged into control apparatus such as a gun fire simulator. The simulator applies an electric current via contacts 9 sequentially to the fuses, thereby firing the charges one after the other when required. When all the charges have been let off, the used magazine is discarded and a new magazine is fitted.

In an alternative embodiment, see Figure 4, the charges are contained in individual plastics cartridges 11 which are held onto the printed circuit board 12 by soldered joints 13 between fuse 14 and strips 15, which are similar to the strips 8 in the first embodiment. The cartridges are first charged then fitted to the board with the wire ends of the fuses extending through the board for soldering.

In a third embodiment, see Figure 5, the solid block 3 of the first embodiment is modified to the form of a plurality of upstanding cylinders 16. Each cylinder has a slight internal ridge 1 6a at its mouth to retain a previously charged cartridge 17. Whilst contact strips 18 are used as, in the two other embodiments, sol deredjoints to fuses 19 are replaced by crimp connectors 20 riveted to the board. Alternatively the wires from the fuses can be led straight down the back of the board to form contacts 21, see Figure 6. Figure 7 shows how the wires are led through holes 22 and back on themselves for fixing. As can also be seen, in this alternative, the block and backing board are a single integral plastics moulding 23.

It will be appreciated that all the above described alternative magazines can be readily plugged into control apparatus and discarded when exhausted. Various pyrotechnic mixtures may be used, in particular "flash/smoke" and "bang" mixtures are envisaged. Further varying sizes are envisaged. In a tank warfare simulator, tens of small charges may be provided to simulate the tank's gun whilst a few comparatively large "smokes" may be provided to simulate smoke as of the tank having been hit. In this respect it should be noted that the accompanying drawings are merely diagrammatic, typical physical dimensions for the Figure 1 embodiment are 250 mm long by 150 mm high by 40 mm thick.

Such a magazine would have 60 20 mm diameter "flash/smokes" and 3 "target smokes", a separate arrangement being provided for simultaneous "bangs" to complete simulation of the gun. With this magazine it may be convenient to arrange for the "target/smokes" to be individually fitted as cartridges in large bores in the blocks. They may even have firing wires which are led to sockets in the control apparatus which are separate from the sockets for the contacts e.g. 9. It is however envisaged that a single magazine may incorporate both different sizes and different types of pyrotechnic charge.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiments nor indeed is it intended that the magazines be used only with gunfire simulators. They can be utilized where for other reasons regular or intermittent pyrotechnic discharges are required. Instead of each charge having a pair of contacts, e.g. 9, one wire of each fuse may be connected to a common earth printed circuit strip having a single contact. The other wire would still have a respective strip and contact, thus effectively halving the number of strips and contacts.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine comprising a plurality of pyrotechnic charges irreplaceably arrayed in or on a backing member, a fuse included in each pyrotechnic charge and electric connection means arranged on the magazine, through which means current may be supplied to each fuse for selective firing of each charge, the electric connection means including contacts extending on a surface of the backing member the magazine being such that when in use all the charges have been fired the magazine is replaced by another such magazine.

2. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the charges are arrayed as a matrix in a solid block of plastics material.

3. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the block of plastics material includes upstanding cylinders for the charges.

4. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the backing member is an integral portion of the said block.

5. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the backing member is a board secured to the said block.

6. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the charges are contained in individual cartridges secured to the backing member which is a board.

7. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the individual cartridges are secured to the board by means of wires extending from the fuse in each cartridge.

8. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 5 and in Claim 6 wherein the individual cartridges are clipped into the block of plastics material.

9. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the electric connection means includes one member of a plug and socket joint.

10. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the electric connection means includes a printed circuit on the backing member.

11. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in Claim 10 wherein wires from the fuse in each charge are soldered to the printed circuit.

12. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. tracking whereby an adjacent charge is set off by the firing of one charge. Where the nature of the pyrotechnic is such as to solidify after charging, covering of the bores may be dispensed with. For use the magazine is plugged into control apparatus such as a gun fire simulator. The simulator applies an electric current via contacts 9 sequentially to the fuses, thereby firing the charges one after the other when required. When all the charges have been let off, the used magazine is discarded and a new magazine is fitted. In an alternative embodiment, see Figure 4, the charges are contained in individual plastics cartridges 11 which are held onto the printed circuit board 12 by soldered joints 13 between fuse 14 and strips 15, which are similar to the strips 8 in the first embodiment. The cartridges are first charged then fitted to the board with the wire ends of the fuses extending through the board for soldering. In a third embodiment, see Figure 5, the solid block 3 of the first embodiment is modified to the form of a plurality of upstanding cylinders 16. Each cylinder has a slight internal ridge 1 6a at its mouth to retain a previously charged cartridge 17. Whilst contact strips 18 are used as, in the two other embodiments, sol deredjoints to fuses 19 are replaced by crimp connectors 20 riveted to the board. Alternatively the wires from the fuses can be led straight down the back of the board to form contacts 21, see Figure 6. Figure 7 shows how the wires are led through holes 22 and back on themselves for fixing. As can also be seen, in this alternative, the block and backing board are a single integral plastics moulding 23. It will be appreciated that all the above described alternative magazines can be readily plugged into control apparatus and discarded when exhausted. Various pyrotechnic mixtures may be used, in particular "flash/smoke" and "bang" mixtures are envisaged. Further varying sizes are envisaged. In a tank warfare simulator, tens of small charges may be provided to simulate the tank's gun whilst a few comparatively large "smokes" may be provided to simulate smoke as of the tank having been hit. In this respect it should be noted that the accompanying drawings are merely diagrammatic, typical physical dimensions for the Figure 1 embodiment are 250 mm long by 150 mm high by 40 mm thick. Such a magazine would have 60 20 mm diameter "flash/smokes" and 3 "target smokes", a separate arrangement being provided for simultaneous "bangs" to complete simulation of the gun. With this magazine it may be convenient to arrange for the "target/smokes" to be individually fitted as cartridges in large bores in the blocks. They may even have firing wires which are led to sockets in the control apparatus which are separate from the sockets for the contacts e.g. 9. It is however envisaged that a single magazine may incorporate both different sizes and different types of pyrotechnic charge. The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiments nor indeed is it intended that the magazines be used only with gunfire simulators. They can be utilized where for other reasons regular or intermittent pyrotechnic discharges are required. Instead of each charge having a pair of contacts, e.g. 9, one wire of each fuse may be connected to a common earth printed circuit strip having a single contact. The other wire would still have a respective strip and contact, thus effectively halving the number of strips and contacts. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine comprising a plurality of pyrotechnic charges irreplaceably arrayed in or on a backing member, a fuse included in each pyrotechnic charge and electric connection means arranged on the magazine, through which means current may be supplied to each fuse for selective firing of each charge, the electric connection means including contacts extending on a surface of the backing member the magazine being such that when in use all the charges have been fired the magazine is replaced by another such magazine.

12. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as

claimed in Claim 10 wherein wires from the fuse in each charge are crimped to the printed circuit.

13. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in Claim 9 and in any one of Claims 10 to 12 wherein the said one member of a plug and socket joint consists of contacts formed at one end of printed circuit strips.

14. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the said one member of a plug and socket joint consists of wires from each fuse fixed at an edge of the backing member.

15. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pyrotechnic charges produce a flash and smoke when fired.

16. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in Claim 15 wherein the pyrotechnic charges additionally produce a bang when fired.

17. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine as claimed in Claim 15 or Claim 16 wherein the majority of the charges are relatively small and the magazine is provided with a lesser number of relatively large charges or positions therefor which produce smoke when fired.

18. A disposable pyrotechnic magazine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 or Figure 4 or Figure 5 or Figure 6 and Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.