AU2015205869B2

AU2015205869B2 - Spin-stabilized projectile

Info

Publication number: AU2015205869B2
Application number: AU2015205869A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Georg Abeln; Michael Schwenzer
Original assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH
Current assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH
Priority date: 2010-01-28
Filing date: 2015-07-22
Publication date: 2016-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 2031-01-07
Also published as: AU2015205869A1

Abstract

A spin-stabilized projectile with a guide band, comprising at least two annular sub-guide bands 5 arranged axially one after the other, whereby each of the sub-guide bands is arranged in a separate groove of the projectile, wherein in said groove is a dovetail groove and the axial separation of the adjacent grooves and/or the mutually facing regions of the sub-guide 10 bands are selected so that the sub-guide bands are directly joined together, and having a separation at least in the upper region.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Spin-Stabilized Projectile

The present application is a divisional application from Australian Patent Application No. 2011209093, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference .

The invention relates to a spin-stabilized projectile with a guide band. A reference herein to a patent document or other matter 'which is given as prior art is not to be taken as an admission that that document or matter was known or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims .

Spin-stabilized projectiles are used in particular for artillery ammunition with a guide band arranged at the rear that is pressed into a corresponding dovetail groove of the projectile. The guide band can be made of one or more parts, whereby in the event of a multiple part guide band, the axially adjacent annular sub-guide bands are also located within the dovetail groove of the proj ectile. The sub-guide bands can consist of different materials (e.g. of brass and soft iron) (DE 198 18 411 Al).

It has proven disadvantageous that with modern artillery projectiles, as a result of the high revolution rate and the resulting high centrifugal force produced, and the relatively large width of the guide bands of approximately 85 to 4 0 mm with these projectiles, durability of the shape-locking connection between the respective guide band and the projectile body is frequently not achieved. Rather, lifting or tearing of the respective guide band can occur as a result of the high centrifugal force acting on the guide band, which adversely affects the ballistics of the projectile.

It is therefore desirable to disclose a spin stabilized projectile of the above-mentioned type, whereby the durability of the connection between a multi-part guide band and the corresponding projectile body is ensured if centrifugal forces act on the guide band such as those that occur with artillery projectiles.

According to the present invention there is provided a spin-stabilized projectile with a guide band, comprising at least two annular sub-guide bands arranged axially one after the other, whereby each of the sub-guide bands is arranged in a separate groove of the projectile, wherein each said groove is a dovetail groove and the axial separation of the adjacent grooves and/or the mutually facing regions of the sub-guide bands are selected so that the sub-guide bands are directly joined together.

According to the present invention there is also provided a spin-stabilized projectile with a guide band, comprising at least two annular sub-guide bands arranged axially one after the other, whereby each of the sub-guide bands is arranged in a separate groove of the projectile, wherein each said groove is a dovetail groove and the axial separation of the adjacent grooves and/or the mutually facing regions of the sub-guide bands are selected so that the sub-guide bands are directly joined together, having a separation at least in the upper region.

The invention essentially depends on the idea that each of the sub-guide bands is arranged in a separate groove of the projectile. A guide band is known from US 2,809,587 A, which comprises a plurality of thin ribs that are spaced apart and that are filled with a filler material forming the guide band, but the technical implementation is very costly. In addition, this can also lead to tearing of the sub-guide bands.

It has proven advantageous when the axial separation of adjacent dovetail grooves and/or the respective mutually facing areas of the sub-guide bands are selected in such a way that the sub-guide bands are directly adjacent to each other. However, the sub-guide bands can be designed so as to allow "flowing" of the material during the passage through the pipe when necessary.

By replacing a single, relatively long (dovetail) groove with several shorter (dovetail) grooves, the centrifugal forces that occur can be distributed better. By selecting suitable materials for the subguide bands, both the durability of the connection of the sub-guide bands to the projectile body can be guaranteed and guide band wear can be reduced.

The sub-guide bands can consist of the same material or of different materials, in order, for example, to ensure both high wear resistance and good slip capability. Thus, for example, the first sub-guide band looking in the firing direction can consist of brass and the second sub-guide band can consist of soft iron.

It is also possible for at least one sub-guide band of the projectile to use a material that closes {repairs} defective areas of the inner surface of the corresponding weapon barrel when the projectile is fired.

Thus in order to achieve guaranteed durability of the connection between the multi-part guide band and the corresponding projectile body, even wnen hxgh centrifugal forces are acting· on the guide band., as occurs with artillery projectiles, it is now proposed to arrange each sub-guide band in a. separate groove, preferably of dovetail form, of the projeccile.

Further particulars and advantages of the invention arise from the following example explained with the use of drawings ,

Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section through the rear region of a spin-stabilized explosive projectile 1. Here the projectile casing and the explosive charge of the projectile 1 are identified by reference numerals 2 and 3 respectively.

The projectile 1 comprises a guide band 4 that consists of preferably two annular sub-guide bands 5,6 arranged axially one alter the other. Here, looking rn the direction of firing, the first (leading) sub-guide band 5 can consist of brass and the second (rearmost) subguide band 6 can consist of soft iron.

According to the invention it is now provided that each of the (two; sub-guide bands 5, 6 is arranged, m a separate groove 7, 8 of the projectile casing 2 on the projectile body side, and this so that the axial separation of the (two) dovetail grooves 7, 8 and/or L“e mutually facing regions 9, 10 of the sub-guide oands 5, 6 are selected so that the sub-guide bands 5, 6 are directly joined to each other.

Fig. 2 shows another variant of the bonding of the sub-guide bands 5, 6, which here have a distance 11 between mem, at least in the upper region. This arrangement allows the bands to flow during the passage of the projectile 1 through the pipe.

Naturally, the invention is not restricted to the embodiment, described above. On the contrary, more than two sub-guide bands can be arranged in more than two adjoining dovetail grooves. The sub-guide bands in the individual dovetail grooves can also consist of the same material if this is appropriate (e.g. when using a certain ammunition or a suitable 'weapon barrel) .

Where the terms "comprise", "comprises", "comprised" or "comprising" are used in this specification (includinn -he claims; they are 1.0 be -Liii-erpi-eted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components, but not precluding the presence of one or Wore other features, integers, steps or components, or Of roup thereto.

List of Reference Characters 1 projectile, explosive projectile 2 projectile casing 3 explosive charge 2 guide band 5 (firsu sab-guide band 6 (second) sub-guide band 7, 8 dovetail grooves 9j 10 regions 11 separation distance

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A spin-stabilized projectile with a guide band, comprising at least two annular sub-guide bands arranged axially one after the other, whereby each of the sub-guide bands is arranged in a separate groove of the projectile, wherein each said groove is a dovetail groove and the axial separation of the adjacent grooves and/or the mutually facing regions of the sub-guide bands are selected so that the sub-guide bands are directly joined together.
2. A spin-stabilized projectile with a guide band, comprising at least two annular sub-guide bands arranged axially one after the other, whereby each of the sub-guide bands is arranged in a separate groove of the projectile, wherein each said groove is a dovetail groove and the axial separation of the adjacent grooves and/or the mutually facing regions of the sub-guide bands are selected so that the sub-guide bands are directly joined together, having a separation at least in the upper region.
3. The spin-stabilized projectile according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sub-guide bands are formed of different materials.
4. The spin-stabilized projectile as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in the case of a guide band consisting of at least two sub-guide bands, when looking in the firing direction the first sub-guide band is formed of brass and the second, rear sub-guide band is formed of soft iron.
5. The spin-stabilized projectile according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sub-guide bands consist of the same material.