GB2356444A - Weapon cases - Google Patents

Abstract

A weapon case 1 of a given cross-sectional area is formed from a plurality of individual sections 4,5,6 which are assembled together to form the given cross-sectional area and also to provide internal stiffening rib members for the weapon case. The sections may be filled with explosive, fuel, inert materials, dense materials, air or equipment. The weapon may be an underwater mine, torpedo, depth charge or a guided missile.

Description

2356444 WEAPON CASES This invention relates to weapon cases.

Large cross-section weapon cases, typically of a standard 21 inch diameter, are both difficult to handle and manufacture. Moreover, they are difficult to handle during assembly. These cases, being purpose-built, are not adaptable for use with other weapons. It is also difficult to provide sufficient internal stiffening since the stiffeners, if produced integrally-with the case, make manufacture extremely difficult, for example, it is difficult to cast or pultrude, or if filament-wound difficult or impossible to form. If the stiffeners are produced separately, it is difficult and time consuming to insert them after forming the case.

According to the present invention, there is provided a weapon case of given cross-sectional area having an external wall and internal rib members bracing said wall, the case including a plurality of individual sections which when assembled provide the given cross-sectional area, each section being hollow and having a first wall region arranged to form part of the external wall of the case, and at least one second wall region arranged to form part of one of said rib members, whereby when the plurality of sections are placed with their second wall region or regions adjacent second wall region or regions together thus forming the rib members, the first wall regions together form at least a major part of the external wall of the case.

Using this arrangement, each section is both small enough to be easily formed and handled and may be of constant cross-section so that it can be readily formed by a pultrusion or similar process.

I Conveniently, the sections may be held together by bonding or by utilising end caps and/or tie-rods. The sections may also be interlocked by dovetail joints formed on the faces, or may be banded together.

Advantageously, each section may be filled independently of the others and may be separable in use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is an exploded view of a weapon; Figure 2 is an exploded view of a segment as used in the figure 1 weapon; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a further embodiment of the invention; and Figures 4 to 8 show other possible segment arrangements which may be utilised in a weapon.

The weapon shown in figure 1 is suitable for underwater use and comprises acase 1, a nose portion 2 and a rear portion 3. The case I is constructed from three identical segments 4, 5 and 6 filled with explosive charge which form a cylinder having a central circular hole 7 when they are assembled as shown. The nose portion 2 is shaped so that it fits unto the case 1, parts of the portion 2 are adapted to fit into each component segment of the case 1. The nose portion 2 also has a central circular hole 8 formed in it. The rear portion 3 comprises a container section 9 and a tail section 10. A central circular hole (not shown) is also provided in the rear portion 3. Shaped battery packs 11, 12 and 13 are retained in the container section 9 - the packs are shaped so as to fit into the segments of case 1 when the weapon is assembled. Gaskets 14 and 15 are positioned at each end of the case 1, gasket 14 lying between the nose portion 2 and the case I and gasket 15 between the rear portion 3 and the case 1. When the weapon is assembled, a tie-bar/primer tube 16 passes through the centre of the weapon. The tube 16 has two functions, the first being to hold the parts of the weapon together, and the second being to allow primers and detonators to be inserted into the centre of the weapon. The end of tube 16 which fits into the nose portion 2 is sealed by a bung 17. The container section 8 in the rear portion 3 also carries the sensors for the safety and arming units associated processing equipment (not shown).

A component segment from the case 1 is shown in more detail in f i gure 2. The segment consists of a hollow, elongate member 20 of constant crosssection. The member 20 has shoulders comprising two flat surfaces 21 and 22, in between two curved surfaces 23 and 24, surface 23 forming part of the central circular hole 7 and surface 24 forming part of the surface of the cylinder when the segments are assembled as shown in figure 1. The flat surfaces 21 and 22 lie adjacent corresponding surfaces on other members ie surface 21 adjacent surface 22, in the assembled case 1. Each member 20 is sealed at either end by a bulkhead 25 (only one of which is shown). Each bulkhead 25 has a hole through which the member is filled with explosive charge, the hole being sealed by a bung 26. The member 20 may be made by any convenient process g2 extrusion, pultrusion, or casting.

Each component segment may be filled with one of the following materials: high expl osi ve (to produce charge segments); inert materi a 1 s; aerated concrete; dense materials (to produce sinker segments); and air (to produce buoyant segments). It may al so be possible to flood a segment after launch of the weapon. Naturally, the segments need not be filled with the above-mentioned materials but may carry equipment, for example, instrumentation, and data collecting and varied electronic apparatus.

A further embodiment, suitable for use as an underwater mine, is shown in figure 3. Segment 30 is filled with an inert high density material, segment 31 is air-filled and segment 32 contains high explosive. The segments in this case are separable in use, with segments 31 and 32 fixed together and joined to segment 30 by means of a tether 33. Segment 30 acts as a sinker because of being filled with a high density material, and allows segments 31 and 32 to float at a fixed distance above the sea- bed 34 - segment 31 being buoyant. The distance at which segments 31 and 32 float above the sea-bed is determined by the length of the tether 33.

As seen in figures 4 to 8, other arrangements of segments are possible which incorporate differences in shape and volume of the segments.

The member 20 may be made from glass, kevlar, terylene or carbon fibres impregnated with polyester resins which can be pultruded ie pulled through heated dies. These materials produce a high strength, low weight, corrosion resistant member 20. The member 20 may be coloured by incorporating permanent pigments at the manufacturing C stage. Naturally, it is possible to produce a length of material long enough to make all the members 20 required for one weapon case and then cut the material to the length required ie in this case, three pieces. The member 20 may require to be lined with a layer of terylene if the material from which it is made is not compatible with the explosive charge it contains.

The bulkhead 25 may be-an aluminium alloy precision casting or made from a dough-moulded resin.

The tie-bar/primer tube 16, nose portion 2 and rear portion 3 may be made of aluminium alloy. The rear portion 3 may also be made of a glassreinforced polyester with a fine mesh included in the material.

The cross-sectional profile of a member 20 may be thinned in particular places to give directional characteristics when the explosive charge is detonated. Metallic inclusions are also possible to provide added resistance to small arms fire or shrapnel. Acoustic impedance of the material may also be varied.

The segments of the case 1 may be secured together using resin bonding techniques along their longitudinal interfaces.

Each weapon may be assembled at its delivery point by selecting appropriate segments from a range as each segment can be loaded separately.

If a smooth surface finish is required for the case 1, the segments may be joined using end portions or by resin bonding (mentioned previously). They may also be joined by interlocking dovetail joints formed on the surfaces 21 and 22 of the member 20 during manufacture. If a smooth finish is not required, the segments may be banded together.

Segments may be used for torpedo or depth charge construction but it may also be possible to use segments in the construction of air or surface launched guided missiles.

Because some of the materials provide resistance to corrosion, liquid rocket fuels may be stored in adjacent segments, and inert segments may be arranged in between fuel-filled segments for additional safety.

7

Claims (12)

1. A weapon case of given cross-sectional area having -an external wall and internal rib members bracing said wall, the case including a plurality of individual sections which when assembled provide the given cross-sectional area, each section being hollow and having a first wall region arranged to form part of the external wall of the case, and at least one second wall region arranged to form part of one of said rib members, whereby when the plurality of sections are placed with their second wall region or regions adjacent second wall region or regions together thus forming the rib members, the first wall regions together form at least a major part of the external wall of the case.

2. A weapon case according to claim 1 of elongate form, wherein each section is of constant cross-section and is of the same length as the others.

3. A weapon case according to claim I or 2, wherein each section is of constant cross-section identical to the others whereby forming is faci 1 i tated.

4. A weapon case according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the second wall regions of each section are formed to abut similar wall regions of the other sections.

5. A weapon case according to claim 4, wherein the abutting second wall regions are bonded to one another.

6. A weapon case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein banding means are provided which surround the first wall regions of the individual sections when assembled thereby forming the case.

7. A weapon case according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein dovetail strips are formed on the second wall regions, whereby the sections are interlocked by dovetail joints to form the case.

8. A weapon case according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the sections are held together by end cap members, one at each end of the case, each cap member having means for engaging the plurality of sections.

9. A weapon case according to claim 8, wherein tie rod means, extending from one end cap member to the other, are provided for securing the end cap members in position.

10. A weapon case according to claim 9, wherein each section is so formed that when assembled one to the other a central aperture is provided, and the tie rod means comprises a single tie rod which extends through said central aperture.

11. A weapon case according to claim 10, wherein said tie rod itself is hollow and priming or detonating means are located therein.

12. A weapon substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any of the accompanying drawings.

12. A weapon case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the weapon case is in two separable parts, one arranged to be buoyant, and the other being sufficiently dense to form ballast, tether means being provided to connect the two parts together whereby the buoyant part can be stationed, in use, at a given distance from the seabed.

13. A weapon case substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A partly buoyant weapon substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A weapon, which is an explosive sea mine or other relatively large explosive weapon, designed to explode in a single blast and having a case comprising an external wall and internal rib members bracing said wall, the case including a plurality of individual hollow sections a plurality of which contain explosive material, each section having a first wall region arranged to form part of the external wall of the case and at least one second wall region which is integral with the first wall region and which is arranged to form one of said rib members wherein, in use and up until explosion of the weapon theplurality of sections are arranged around a central axis:.-extending along the length of the weapon case with their second wall region or regions adjacent a second wall region or regions of other sections so that the adjacent second wall regions form the rib members and the first wall regions together form at least a major part of the external wall of the case.

2. A weapon according to Claim 1 of elongate form, wherein each section is of constant cross-section and is of the same length as the others.

3. A weapon according to Claim I or 2, wherein each section is of constant cross-section identical to the others whereby forming is facilitated.

4. A weapon according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the second wall regions of each section are formed to abut similar wall regions of the other sections.

5. A weapon according to Claim 4, wherein the abutting second wall regions are bonded to one another.

X 6. A weapon according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein bonding means are provided which surround the first wall regions of the individual sections when assembled thereby forming the case.

7. A weapon according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein dovetail strips are formed on the second wall regions, whereby the sections are interlocked by dovetail joints to form the case.

8. A weapon according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sections are held together by end cap members, one at each end of the case, each cap member having means for engaging the plurality of sections.

9. A weapon according to claim 8, wherein tie rod means,.: extending from one end cap member to the other, are provided for securing the end cap members in position.

10. A weapon according to claim 9, wherein each section is so formed that when assembled one to the other a central aperture is provided, and the tie rod means comprises a single tie rod which extends through said central aperture.

11. A weapon according to claim 10, wherein said tie rod itself is hollow and priming or detonating means are located therein.