WO2021217222A2

WO2021217222A2 - Ammunition of axial-cumulative initiation

Info

Publication number: WO2021217222A2
Application number: PCT/BG2021/000014
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stancho Petkov PETKOV; Dobrin Ivanov IVANOV
Original assignee: Transarmory Ltd
Priority date: 2020-04-27
Filing date: 2021-04-26
Publication date: 2021-11-04
Also published as: BG113125A; EP4143498A2; WO2021217222A9

Abstract

The invention relates to ammunition with axial-cumulative initiation, which is used in military equipment and especially in the production of ammunition. Ammunition with axial cumulative initiation, subject of the invention are characterized by increased destructive ability, providing significant destruction of a larger target area. They are particularly suitable for use in high-explosive fragmentation projectiles, as they are designed so that small-caliber cumulative elements are located along the axis of the ammunition and are aimed at the main explosive element. Ammunition with axial-cumulative initiation consists of a casing, a frontal fuse device and an explosive charge of the projectile located in the casing, characterized in that behind the frontal fuse device (2) is mounted a fixed transition sleeve (3) with a small-caliber cumulative element (4) located in it, consisting of a cumulative charge (6), a cumulative layer (7) and a screen (8), as the cumulative element (4) is located on the axis of the casing (1) of the projectile and is oriented to the high explosive charge (5).

Description

AMMUNITION WITH AXIAL-CUMULATIVE INITIATION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention refers to ammunitions with axial-cumulative initiation, which finds application in military technique and especially the production of ammunition. It is particularly appropriate in the design of fragmentations ammunitions, high-explosive fragmentation ammunitions, aerial bombs and mines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] They are known ammunitions, such fragmentations and high-explosives used as in the conventional artillery, as well as mortar shots and aerial bomb. The traditional scheme of high-explosive fragmentation ammunitions assumed the usage of a frontal fuse device with a combination of a front location of the initiation point, which significantly facilitates the structural and technological implementation of the ammunition and increases the reliability of the detonation circuit.

[0003] It is typical for the known fragmentation warhead parts that the fuse produces detonation impulse when it encounters a barrier or the Earth surface. The detonation impulse is transmitted to an intermediate detonator and the intermediate detonator activates the blasting explosive. The spreading detonation wave in the blasting explosive most often has a spherical shape and is directed along the axis of the warhead. The speed of the spreading detonation wave is in the range of 5 to 8 km/s, as the direction is from the fuse to the opposite end of the casing of the warhead.

[0004] As the detonation wave spreading from the place of initiation of the detonation impulse to the opposite end of the ammunition, at the place of initial initiation, the casing of the ammunition is under the influence of the formed products of detonation and high pressure, as a result of which it begins to deform and destroy. The non-simultaneous destruction of the casing leads to the release of concentrated energy from the detonation products, which affects the formation of fragments and their own kinetic energy, as well as the explosive effect of ammunition.

[0005] The described non-simultaneous destruction of the casing of the warhead is resulting in fragments of unreasonably large size and irregular shape, which reduces the total number of effective fragments, reduces their kinetic energy and the area of effective destructive action, and also significantly reduces the high- explosive effect of non-simultaneous release of the formed energy from the products of detonation.

[0006] Another disadvantage that follows from the described structural arrangement of the essential elements of the warheads is that the active mass of the explosive involved in the process of formation of fragments is not more than 40-50%, and that some of the fragments uselessly fly in the direction, where there is no target for destruction, which significantly reduces the area of the destruction from fragmentation.

In part, the problem of making more complete usage of the energy of the explosion, and therefore increasing the initial velocity of the fragments, is solved by using a multilayer casing.

[0007] Patent publication US 3960085 is known, which describes a warhead with targeted destroying action. A multilayer fragmentation device is proposed, comprising several sequentially arranged layers of semi-finished fragments and an explosive. As a result of the successive impact load of the explosive on the layers with fragments, through the layer of the fragmentation casing, the detonation of the fragmentation casing takes place at a higher explosive density, which increases the energy of the explosive products and the initial velocity of fragments. It is appropriate to note that the described technical effect is achieved with ammunitions in which explosive mixtures with increased energy capacity are used.

[0008] The analysis of the design features and the resulting useful effect in the use of ammunition directs the search for new technical solutions in the field of improving the efficiency of ammunition for typical purposes such as personnel, combat equipment, light armor, as a possible approach may be associated with the provision of a targeted fragmentation field to hit the targets, as well as the creation of an ammunition structure that has a trajectory in which the ammunition approaches the ground at an angle of 90°.

[0009] A technical approach has been known for organizing of a directed fragmentation field in which the targets are located, in which the ejection of destroying elements from the cylindrical part of the casing is applied by means of the action of an explosive charge, thus the shape and size of the fragmentation field can be controlled to a much greater extent than in ordinary warheads. The researches in this field show that 80% of the destroying elements are spreading at an angle of about 40 - 50 , and at low points of explosion of the warhead there is a high concentration of destroying elements in the central area of the fragmentation field.

[0010] Patent publication US4524696 is known, which describes a high-explosive fragmentation projectile with destroying elements located in the front part of the block, under the casing of the frontal fuse. The described location of the block with destroying elements is not suitable from the point of view of the destroying ability of this fragmentation projectile, which is due to the fact that in front of it is placed a solid steel body - fuse, which limits its deformation and destruction reduces the speed of scattering of the destroying elements, as a result of which there is a distortion of the shape and size of the fragmentation field.

[0011] Patent publication US 4882996 is known, relating to a fragmented projectile with radial-axial action, which has a complex profile of the front part of the casing, made of conical and cylindrical part, as the wall thickness of these mentioned two parts decreases towards the top of the projectile, and no frontal fuse in the front part is planned. The lightweight front part of the ammunition favors the free ejection of destroying elements, whereby axial and radial components of the spreading speed of the destroying elements are formed. Effective distribution of the finished destroying elements by axial and radial cross section of the flow is achieved respectively. Thus, the proposed construction provides widening of the angle of the axial fragmentary flow, which achieves coverage, destroying targets at an explosion height of about 10 m above the ground, while eliminating the "dead" angle between the axial and radial flow of destroying fragments.

[0012] In most cases, it is preferable for such ammunitions to provide all types of actions performed during shooting at field or target, for which purpose the ammunition must be equipped with a frontal fuse and at the same time ensure the integrity of the structure and especially the first stage of explosive charge when penetrating the soil. One such effective technical solution is a warhead part of a projectile with an integral front part, and its streamlined part to act as a diaphragm.

[0013] Patent publication RU2118788C1 is known, in which there is described a fragmentation grenade consisting of a front over-calibrated part containing an explosive and an explosive device and a metal explosive block filled with destroying elements. [0014] A disadvantage of the described front mounted over-caliber cumulative fragmentation warhead part is the insufficient effectiveness of destroying the targets, mainly due to the impossibility to use a large part of the metal mass of the casing as part of the destroying elements. Additionally, when the warhead is detonated before reaching the target of destruction, the destroying elements are scattered in a limited circle range, practically not spreading in the axial direction.

[0015] Patent publication RU2018779 is known, in which there is described the construction of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile, consisting of a casing in which is located the main charge of the explosive, a bottom detonator with detonator and a delayed-action inertial impact mechanism. The front of the casing is conical or curved and filled with low-density material. In the front part of the casing is formed a contact reaction unit connected to the bottom fuse by an electrical connection with an element that provides adjustable delay of detonation of the main charge.

At the front part of the casing a cartridge-case is mounted with destroying elements in it. The cartridge-case has a detonator with blasting explosive. The finished destroying elements preferably are in a shape, which can assure tightly emplacement of them in the cartridge-case. The casing could be designed with a certain prepared fragmentation.

[0016] The described construction of a fragmentation projectile ensures efficient distribution of the destroying elements from the central zone, which excludes the occurrence in it of excessive density of the destroying elements and providing an increase of the angle of scattering of the destroying elements. Despite the high efficiency indicators, it turns out that with a large length of the block with destroying elements and the size of the angle of the conical element at the front end of the explosive charge, the destroying elements are ejected at very low speed and practically do not participate in destroying the targets.

[0017] In many of the well-known projectile designs, the explosive charge is intended with an axial tilt. Such constructive schemes with axial front parts allow us to realize constructions in which the parameters essential for the efficiency of the destruction are similar to the optimal ones. The inconvenience in these cases is that it is not possible to determine in advance the required number of destroying elements, while maintaining the values of the other parameters. For example, it has been found that the rational length of an explosive charge is from 1 to 2.5 calibers, as in the presence of sufficiently large extensions (from 5 to 10 calibers) in the axial front parts, the energy of the explosive charge from the explosive is most rationally used. Increasing the length of the explosive charge or the amount of destroying elements practically does not affect the effectiveness of the warhead part.

[0018] Patent publication RU 2362962 is known, in which there is described a fragment of an over-caliber grenade consisting of a front over-caliber, cumulative fragmentation warhead and an associated caliber part consisting of a jet engine and a stabilizer. The over-caliber cumulative fragmentation of a warhead consists of interconnected front and rear sections. The front section including a destroying block consisting of a casing filled with explosives, in which a fuse equipped with an inertial sensor is placed in the rear of the casing and delaying device. The rear section of the warhead consists of a steel casing in which is located an explosive device and a pyrotechnic charge connected to the detonator. The described construction of the warhead allows many options in which the detonator is a contact or non-contact type. The described grenade is not effective enough due to the limited destroying ability of the round, as long as the entire mass of the cumulative fragmentation warhead is not used, as well as the limited range of the destroying area.

SUMMERY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Considering the mentioned above in the text current situation in that specific field of technology, it is obvious the need to propose an improved design of ammunition, which is characterized by increased efficiency of destroying targets in the area of destruction targets, expressed in achieving targeted action of the destroying elements in the radial direction by correct and uniform fragmentation in the target area, in which the formed fragments are spreading with greater kinetic energy.

[0020] The problem is solved with the ammunition with axial cumulative initiation, which consists of a composite cone-cylindrical casing, with a frontal detonator mounted in it and an explosive material of a blasting explosive placed in the casing.

[0021] According to the invention, behind the frontal fuse device there is mounted a fixed transitional sleeve with a small-caliber cumulative element, which consisting of a cumulative charge, a cumulative overlay and a screen, as the cumulative element is located along the axis of the ammunition casing and it is oriented towards the blasting charge. [0022] In a preferred design, the conical part of the casing is formed with a streamlined shape, smoothly transforming from the caliber cylindrical part to a smaller diameter.

[0023] According to a preferred design of the ammunition, the cumulative overlay is in conical shape and is made of variable wall thickness, progressively increasing from the top to the base.

[0024] Preferably, the screen is spherical, made of inert material and pressed into the explosive of the cumulative element.

[0025] In one of the version of design of the ammunition, small-caliber cumulative element is placed in the frontal fuse device.

[0026] In another version of design of the ammunition, in the casing of the ammunition are placed more than one small-caliber cumulative elements. Small- caliber cumulative elements may be located at the bottom part of the casing of the projectile.

[0027] The high-explosive fragmentation projectile can be made of two small- caliber cumulative elements, located in the front and rear of the projectile.

[0028] According to a preferred design, the frontal fuse device can be designed as a frontal, with inertial action and mechanism for initiation when meeting the target at small angles.

[0029] According another design of the ammunition, the fuse device is designed as frontal-bottom, with immediate action and initiation mechanism when meeting the target at small angles.

[0030] The ammunition with axial cumulative initiation, which is the object of the invention, is characterized by increased destroying ability, providing a significantly destroying larger target area. It is particularly suitable for use in high- explosive fragmentation projectiles, as they are designed so that the small-caliber cumulative elements is located on the axis of the ammunition and is pointed to the main explosive, which leads to immediate detonation on the axis of the explosive charge by blasting explosives, as each point of the axis of the blasting charge is a source of detonation initiation pulse, and the formed products of detonation, support and create conditions for volumetric expansion of the casing and fragmentation in these cuttings. This way of initiation of the detonation in the blasting explosive of the projectile creates conditions for the walls of the ammunition^'s casing to be put to volumetric expansion under the influence of the formed gases from the detonation products.

[0031] Each ammunition designed by this structural scheme ensures the simultaneous start of the fragmentation of the casing along the different cuttings, perpendicular to its axis. Such a scheme of destruction of the casing allows the ability for accumulation of more kinetic energy from the explosive, which released a larger volume of gases from detonation products, necessary both for isochronal fragmentation and for the transfer of greater kinetic energy to the formed destroying elements and for greater blasting effect. This increases the area of effective fragmentation and high explosive action. The small-caliber cumulative element provided in the construction can be used as a fuse in the fuse device, and can be structurally located in the front, in the bottom part of the casing, and in one version of design, there can be two small- caliber cumulative elements. The use of the cumulative element creates conditions for the application of the principle of axial detonation, which allows the use of the proposed design solution in all types of fragmentation, high - explosive projectiles, mines and aerial bombs.

[0032] The high - explosive projectile is designed that when exploding the blasting explosive, the formed elements of detonation impacts on the casing of the ammunition volumetrically. The fragments formed from the fragmentation of the casing are spreading isochronal in the radial direction along the entire perimeter of the affected target area and thus further increase the efficiency and probability of destroying all targets located in the affected target area. The construction of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile is very simplified and at the same time can be easily be implemented in production.

DESCRIPTION OF THE APPLIED DRAWINGS

[0033] The invention is described with following applied figures:

Fig. 1 - general view of high-explosive fragmentation projectile

Fig. 2 - fuse device with detonator - type of a cumulative element

Fig. 3 - general view of high-explosive fragmentation projectile with frontal location of cumulative element, object of the invention

Fig. 4 - transitional sleeve with cumulative charge

Fig. 5 - cross-section drawing of the small-caliber cumulative charge Fig. 6 - general view of high-explosive fragmentation projectile with front and rear disposition of a small-caliber cumulative element, object of the invention

Fig-7 - general view and action of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile with front disposition of the cumulative element encountering a barrier.

PRIMERY EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0034] In the description bellow is presented a model of operation of a high- explosive fragmentation projectile, which demonstrates the idea without being limited especially to this operation. The construction allows the realization of other versions in which elements with equivalent functional impact are used, leading to the realization of the idea of achieving axial detonation of the explosive placed in the casing of the projectile.

[0035] The high-explosive fragmentation projectile according to the invention consists of a casing 1, in front of which there is a frontal fuse 2, behind which a transition sleeve 3 with a small-caliber cumulative element 4 is mounted, whereby the rest of the casing of the projectile 1 is filled with high explosive charge 5. The frontal fuse device 2 and the transition sleeve 3 are firmly fixed in a technically known way, preferably by means of a threaded connection.

[0036] According to a version of the high-explosive fragmentation projectile (fig. 3), the small-caliber cumulative element 4 is located in the frontal explosive device 2.

[0037] In one of the version of the projectile, a small-caliber cumulative element 4 is located simultaneously in the front and rear part of the casing 1 of the ammunition (fig. 6).

[0038] According to a preferred version of the ammunition, the small-caliber cumulative element 4 (Fig. 5) consists of an explosive 6 pressed into a cumulative overlay 7 made of a variable wall thickness progressively increasing from the top to the base. It is preferable to use high explosive 6 with a density of 1.76 to 1.8 g/cm3 and a detonation velocity of not less than 8000 m/s.

[0039] According to a preferred version of the projectile (fig. 5), in the explosive of the cumulative element 4, behind the cumulative overlay 7 is a screen 8 made of inert material and pressed together with the explosive 6 of the cumulative element 4. According to a preferred version of the projectile, the screen 8 can be with a spherical shape, with the possibility of deformation, which essentially functionally represents an energy generator, and its purpose is to change the front of the detonation wave formed during the initiation of the explosive 5. In this case, the formed front of the detonation wave fits along the profile of the outer generator of the. cumulative overlay 7 and dynamically deforms it, favoring the formation of a high-gradient cumulative blast 9 (fig. 7) of the cumulative explosive 6, which ensures the simultaneous initiation of the explosive charge 5 by high explosive simultaneously through its length.

[0040] The high-explosive fragmentation projectile described above operates in the following sequence: when the projectile, object of the invention encounters a barrier, the detonation pulse from the frontal fuse 2 is transmitted to the explosive of the cumulative charge 6 of the small- caliber cumulative charge 4. The explosive of the cumulative charge 6 detonates and formed by this way spherical front of the detonation wave which is spreading through the high explosive charge by sliding to spherical screen 8 consequently modify its shape and parameters.

[0041] The formed new detonation front fits approximately to the profile of the cumulative overlay 7, dynamically deforming it and forming a cumulative blast with a high velocity gradient along its length with a speed of 10 to 12 km/s. The formed high-gradient cumulative blast is spreading along the axis of the explosive charge 5 of the explosive /fig.7/. By passing of the formed high-gradient cumulative blast, a lot of centers of detonation have been created as formed detonation wave are spreading in a radial direction.

[0042] The destruction of the casing 1 is achieved almost simultaneously along its entire length, with maximum use of the energy from the detonation products of the high explosive charge 5 and the cumulative element 4. The formed fragments have a relatively regular shape and effective mass and have significantly higher kinetic energy and destroying ability.

[0043] The invention finds application in all fragmentation, high-explosive and volumetric-vacuum munitions. The proposal is particularly suitable for. use in the construction of large-caliber aerial bombs, where more than 2 small-caliber cumulative elements 4 can be provided, which will simultaneously initiate the high explosive charge 5 mounted in the casing 1. Depending on the length and caliber of the warhead of the ammunition and its purpose, a cumulative element 4, which is mounted in the front part /fig.3/, or in the front fuse device /fig. 2 /, or simultaneously in the front and rear part of the casing 1, performing the function of a detonating initiating device

Claims

1. Ammunition with axial cumulative initiation, consisting of a casing, a frontal fuse device and an explosive charge of the projectile located in the casing, characterized in that behind the frontal fuse device 111 is mounted a fixed transition sleeve 131 with a small- caliber cumulative element 141 located in it, consisting of a cumulative charge /6/, a cumulative overlay 111 and a screen /8/, as the cumulative element 141 it is located on the axis of the casing III of the projectile and is oriented to the high explosive charge 151.

2. Ammunitions according claim 1, characterized in that the cumulative overlay 111 has a conical shape and is made of variable wall thickness, progressively increasing from the top to the base.

3. Ammunition according to claim 1, characterized in that the screen (8) has a spherical shape, made of inert material and is pressed into the explosive of the cumulative charge (4).

4. Ammunition according to claim 1, characterized in that the small-caliber cumulative element (4) is located in the frontal fuse device (2).

5. Ammunition according to claim 1, characterized in that more than one small-caliber cumulative elements (4) are located in the casing (1) of the ammunition.

6. Ammunition according to claim 1, characterized in that the small- caliber cumulative elements (4) are two and they are located in the front and rear part of the casing (1) of the ammunition.

7. Ammunition according to claim 1, characterized in that the fuse device can be designed as a frontal, with inertial action and an initiation mechanism when meeting the target at small angles.

8. Ammunition according to claim 1, characterized in that the fuse device (2) is designed as a frontal-bottom device, with immediate action and an initiation mechanism when meeting the target at small angles.