GB2520810A - A countermeasure payload container - Google Patents

Abstract

A countermeasure payload container comprises a metallic body, which in use, is insertable into a countermeasure cartridge; wherein said body is of a tubular shape which is closed at a first end and open at second end.

Description

The nventron rthtes to ar cunterrnea,w cartndges end rn partcular to en nsertaMe cowflemleare payload container.

A known ount measure artddge comprhes a c unternie we payload mteSl, whith s paS lnto a pellet pzlor to being located witNn an ahiminium payload container, Or Mtetnatntely the pressed countermeasure payload rnatenS s wrapped rn a protecbve aluminium foil The common disadvantage of these known counte neesure catidge conflgunfl)n h that the fonmng of the cotmtem,easure payloea pellets reqwres addtlonal handhng and toobng stege% before the pellet Is loSs n to the contamer, or wrappS In an alumlnum tbi which makes the r ufacturing of the cotnter paybat both complicated and expnswe Another ksown counte measure cartndge comprises a countermeasure payload metenat whch L subseqientLy conpressS utto a platc COritener The dsadvantage of the known counterireasue cartndge s that the Inner surface of the plastic contaIner is smooth, which is required for Its subsequent release in the moulding process and therefore does not provde an adequate swface for the compressed payload pellet to attach itself to the container, This prnblem is known to occur when the paytoad container comprising the compressed countermeasure pellet is exposed to an increased thermal anaonment, whkh causes the payload container to expand arid the retSned comprsed countermeasure p&tet to detach itsdf from the payload cont&ner, ft en objectwe of the rivetton to s&ve at kan some of these thsadvantage.

fri a first broad Lndependent aspect, the invention provides a cotrntermeaswe PaYbS co1taner compriong a metalüc body, whcn ri uses Is nwrtaMe rto a countermeasure catndge, wherem sad body s of a tubular shape which s dosed a a inst end arid opens at second end, Tha configuration provdes an mpreed payload contuner. whch allows a compresswe rem devke (So known as a drift) to be inserted into the open end of the tubular container, to facilftete in the simpLe and efficient compression of a cotneaaore matenal agamst the closed end of the payload conterner The methhc body augments the payload contamer body so that t can So functon as a mould toril or supporting the contained countermeasure matenal, and therefore able to wthnand the Large compessve forces applied to a contained countermeasure payload material during the compression cyc'e, wahout deformrng the configuration of the payload contannr tself Therefore, preventing the deformation of the payload cont&ner is critical because the loaded payload contamer wll be assembled mto a vS wthm riterneasure cartndge case. whch conforms to high tolerances and precise dfrneSorts.

A further advantage of ths conhgurator c that the support provided to the powdered cournrmeasure mateS, from the meteUc body enables the marwtacturmg of longer countermeasure payloads pellet Therefore the whole countermeasure payload within the payload contewier s formed from one Increment (e g one compresson cycle), wthout comprtsing the conhgumton ot the payloc contener, or pmvld!ng loose payload pellets which result From an madequate rompresson of the pcrwdered payload materiel Preferably, saud body a of a arcutar tubuLar shape The advantage of this configurnon s that a enables the countermeasure contamer to be nserted wrthln a cgudar counter meastre cartndge

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Preferthy, saM boØy k formS from &urnkthm based mateSt The advaraage of thLs configuraflon S that t provides a contakw that s both durable, ight weight and therefn does not compromS the deployment and flight characteS& of the countermeasure pioad. ?urtherrnon the auntem,easure payload consumes the alumidkm payload dunn ts bun, cycle, whereby the bumrng akimmwm contnbutes to the nfraqed output of the activated cournrrneasure payload.

Preferth&, a courtermea5ure payload container further romprSes a counter measure payload Ths configuration protides a cowflermeasure payload, wkuch ran be ea$y and quickly insertS in to a countermeasure carthdge.

Preferably, said countanneasin payload is formed from a cornpresble ntnat. This conflgwdtlon pmvides a counterrrieasure payload which can be easdy anc efhciently formS wthin a count cneasure payload container Preferably, said compreSbie matedal S a powder. This configumtion enables a cnrnpresble countermeasure payload materlet to be pouS into the payload cot na, wh3ch is then subsequently compressed to form a solid payload.

Preferably, said compressible material further comprsing a magnesium mateñaL tetlori mateS and viton materials, This configuration provides a countermeasure payload that burns in excess of 1000 degrees Celsius, and therefore provides the heat source for the countr measure payload Agure I shows a crosssectonal vew of a loaded countermeasure payload contaner Agure 2 shows a croassecton& view of an assembleo countern easure cartndge, whtch comprises a loaded countenneasure payload container, Agure I hnws a cross$ectlonal view of a loaded ntermeuure paylos contamer generally Jndtated by 1, whkh incorporates a countermeasure payload materiaL 2. The payload container I hirther incorporates a closed end 3 and an open end 4 which incorporates a void 5 between the open end 4 of the container 1 and the coterrneasure peylos rnflerial 2.

The co termeastm payload matenal 2 s mitlally n a powder form, poor to beng poured into the contaloerl. The payload material 2 1r then subsequenty compressed by a compression ram means or drift (not shown) which is Inserted Into the open end 4 of the payload container 1 and mpresses the cauntermeazure material to form a countermeasure payload pellet The tod 5 s formed by the cornpresson of the counterneasure payload rnatenal, whcn S caused by the suSquent reductan of the volume of the payload material powder when compressed in to a stiid peLlet form, The payload container is configured into a ylindrtat can type configuration, whkh S formed from an aluminium alloy. The container comprises a Z4mililmstre (mm) ontslde diameter, a wall comp1sing a 06mm and the length of the container is 70mm. These drmnensans are nomnal thmensnns and t Is intended that the uwentc2n e not hmlted to these thmensions or4y.

The countermeasure pay;oed contarner s ntally filled wrth the powder countermeasure matenad uni the powder ts eaher flush or sub flush with the open end of the countermeasure container.

Agure 2 shows a cros.sectonel view of an assembled countermeasure carlndge generally nthcated by 10 The cartndge 10 has an alurnwnum outer case 11 and an alurmrnurn counten'neasure payload contamer t So known as a pe[et tube The outer case I S of a substantially cwcular conhgurnon which s closed at one end 12 An end cap element 13 5 located within the open end 14 of the outer case 11 and S typcal[y ratamad by the means of a fncton hr The outer eongeted side surface of the payload contaIner 1 abuts the inner ebngated side surface of the outer ace 11, thereby preventrng any axS movement of the counter measure payload wntaner1 reatlve to the outer case 11 of the cartndge B) The closed end 12 of the outer case 11 comprtes a centrally bcated squth actnathn device 15 which extends from the outer surface of the bottom portion 12, to en hner payload chamber of the outer case 11. A bottom CY ring sealng element 16 s Located between the open end of the payload contaIner 1 and the dosed end 12 of the outer case 11 The bottom t'rIng seahng element 16 Is located about the squth acthnon devce 15. A second top 40 ing sealing eLement 17 is Located between the closed end 3 of the payload contarner 1 and the end cap 13 of the cartndge 10 3oth top and bottom toLrlng sealing elements 16 and 17 are formed from a defbrmable material which is comprassible to enable each of them to provide a good seal.

The open eno 4 of the payload conterner I rncorporates a void 1t whch s located between the activation sqifib device 15 and the countermeasure payLoad meterial2 contained wfthin the payload container 1. This void comprises a ragged surface, which provides an increased surface area for catching the initiating flame from the activated sq&b device 15.

In use, the aLL3rnrnum payiod contarner s Med wrth a powded countermeasure meteriaI which is then 5ubsequently compressed by a single compression ram (or drift member) that rs subsequently inserted mto the open end of the payload container arirj compresses the powdered payload reMenal nto a sSd pellet However, prior to the compression, a burnable material, Le. a pyrotechnic composition (or the like), is pours onto the composition of countermeasure powder material This has the effect of providing a quicker manufacturing process for forming the countermeasure pellet, which does not require any manual priming subsecuently to the pellet being pressed. The payload material Js typkally a powdered compound that comprises Magnesium, Teflon and Viton (MW) materials, The metallic payload container provides a robust construction, which comprises en outer waLl and/or outer diameter that does not deform due to the compresswe forces berog exerted onto the dosed end of the payload container This is Important d..e to the reqwred tolerances wthrn the d!mensons of the payload container and the outer case of the cartfldge. which enables the payload container to be nerted nta the cartridge, whereby no voids exists between the payload container and outer case of the cartridge.

This prevents any axial movement of the payload contaIner, relative to the outer case of the cartridge. The support previded to the countermeasure payload material by the metallic payload container, enables lighter compresson loads to be applied for forming an adequate codntermeesure p&wt. if an madequtte compresson force s appted to the countermeasure material It woold result In a loose pellet being formed and may break up upon the irfitiS ejethon from the cartridge case, The rnetaWc payload cont&ner is typIcally formed from a ghtweight aluminium material The adequate compression of the countermeasure payload enables the countermeasure payload pellet to be formS from inaement (tg. one compression operation operation).

ths may result m the countermeasure payload meterS bemg poorly ccnsohdated at the bottom of the tate, however the does not cause a problem wrth regards to the cS med Fhermore, the support provided by the metal payload container tadiitaes the manufacture of long countepineasure payloads, whereby each payload comprise a length I: that is greater than the diameter of the payload, without compromising the corguratk*n of the payload container along its length, The metallic payoad conthner provdes en nner suthce that s swtable for the powdered countermeasure matenal to key too durmg the compreason cycle When the compressed payload pellet and mcorporated the payload contamer are t<posed to an mcreased thermal envronrnent the keyed surface of the payload contaner prevents the compressed payload pallet from becoming detached from the payload container due to any subsequent epanson of the payload contamer reIatre to the compressed payload pellet Imually bottom porbon of the outer case of the cartmige wW mcoroorate tre squth acvaton devce, whereby the sqnb terms a seal when t s pressed nto the bottom portwn of the outer case A bottom Orhig seahng eLement s then hiserted nto the bottDm of the outer cese of the certndge whch surrouids the sqth ctwatlan device The bottom nng seelrng element functons a a defwrnthle supportuig element, whch ft the vo3d between the open end of the payload container and the closed end of the outer case of the cartidge.

loth top end bottom trings thereby support the countermeasure payloed container when lncopomted wthin the cartrdgt When the end cap Is located rnto the opened end oF outer case, a seals and compresses the top o nng sealing Sement agams the dosed end of tne payload contamer and prevents the ngress of monn at the end cap Typc&ly, both top end bottom 8(y are of an identicaL Large section configuration. which can cater Fur a large tolerance on the length of the pressed countermeasure pellet. The typicS working tolerances are in the range of 2.5 to 3 mIllimetres on the length of the pressed countermeasure pellet. It is essenthl that the countermeasure payload container is adequatey supported by top and bottom CYrinp, which prevents any movement of the countermeasure payload container relative to the outer case of the c&utrklge. Such movement may cause hiction, which could generate heat and could ubsequenty nrnate the countermeasure cartndge unIntentionally.

When acth'ated, the compressed payload material, which has been compressed into a payload countermeasure pellet will burn In a cigarette Vke fashion, once it has been gnaed by the sqwb actwaton device The burrung of the countenneasure payload peIet will begin with the ragged end faced that faces the squib activation device and will burn along the entire length of the squib pellet unth all the countermeasure material has been consumed end s &trngthshed by the closed end bce of the payload conWrier The constant Length and diameter of the pressed countermeasure pellet provides a predeterrruned bum sate fur countermeasure pellet, so the trne duraton of the actnce barn cycle of a countenneaure payload can be accurately deterrnmS When activated, the burning payload pellet will also consume the countermeasure payload container (starting at the burning face which is the face that faces the sqLdb activation device), whereby the consuming of the aluminium container contributes to the infrared output of the countermeasure payload pellet This provides the increased advantage f being seen by a missile threat within the infra-red band of the heat seeker spectrum.

The pre ng dfrectty hflo the aluminhim payload container subflantithy ieduces the time required to manufacture the loaded payload contalner when compared to more conwndona[ construction methot. The use of only one compresive ram or &ift pmvides a srnpLe 5oLflon to ths manufacturmg method In an aLternative embothn'era of the wtventlon a groove configuraton may be incorporated Into the ragged exposed end face of the countermeasure payload pe4let hi another afternatve embothment, zinc stearate matenat may be used to tubncate the presng operaton of the count measure payload materIal wahn the ptoad contarner The assembLy of the countermeasure cartridge will comprise of the foiiowing process steps * Lsading an a tivation squib within the bottom portion of the outer case of the certsidge; * insertirg a first TV ring seaUng element hito the bottom of the outer case of the cartridge.

* Inserting a countermeasure payload container on top of the first aCY ring sealing element; lnserbng a second TV ring seabng element on top of the countermeasure contarner located within the cartridge; and * lnserdng an end cap mm the open end of the cartndge outer case, whereby the closure of the cartridge compresses the first and seccnd TV rings dames rnnalied wthln the cartridge.

The assembly of the countermeasure payload compMes the folkwng process steps * Pouring a powders countermeasure material into a payload container * Insernng a compresson tarn (or dnft) nto the open end of the paybad contaner Compressing the powder countermeasure niaterkit within the payload container until the powder countemleasure material forms a pelLet; and Removing the compression rem (or drift) from the payload container after compresson