Firing stand for shaped charges

Abstract

A firing stand (30) for mounting a plurality of shaped charges. The firing stand (30) can be configured by a user between a transport configuration in which shaped charges are stored for transport, and at least a first firing configuration from which shaped charges can be deployed. Inter-connected rotating panels (31) may be used to provide user configurability to the firing stand (30), with shaped charges optionally being mounted in panel apertures (36). The firing stand provides for rapid and configurable deployment of multiple shaped charges.

Claims

1. A firing stand of a disruptor system, the firing stand comprising a plurality of apertures configured for mounting a plurality of shaped charges at discretely separate locations, wherein the firing stand is substantially formed from a foam-based ammunition packaging material, the firing stand being user configurable between a transport configuration in which the plurality of apertures hold the plurality of shaped charges during transport and at least a first firing configuration in which the plurality of apertures hold the plurality of shaped charges for orientation towards a target device to be disrupted by the disruptor system.

2. The firing stand of claim 1 wherein the firing stand comprises a plurality of mounting panels.

3. The firing stand of claim 2 wherein each mounting panel comprises a hinging means for attaching a first mounting panel in the plurality of mounting panels to a second mounting panel in the plurality of mounting panels.

4. The firing stand of claim 3 wherein the hinging means comprises a rod and eyelet interface.

5. The firing stand of claim 3 wherein the hinging means comprises a clamping means for fixing a relative orientation of the mounting panels.

6. The firing stand of claim 5 wherein the clamping means is finger adjustable.

7. The tiring stand of claim 2 wherein the mounting panels comprise the plurality of apertures for mounting the plurality of shaped charges.

8. The firing stand of claim 2 further comprising a stand base.

9. The firing stand of claim 8 wherein the stand base comprises panel slots for holding the mounting panels.

10. The firing stand of claim 1, wherein the firing stand is substantially formed from the foam-based ammunition packaging material.

11. The firing stand of claim 1 wherein the foam-based ammunition packaging material is a low density plastazoate foam.

12. The firing stand of claim 1, wherein the firing stand further comprises: a first mounting panel comprising a first subset of the plurality of apertures; a second mounting panel hingedly attached with the first mounting panel and comprising a second subset of the plurality of apertures; and a clamping means for fixing the first mounting panel and the second mounting panel in the first tiring position in a non-parallel relative arrangement in which the first subset of the plurality of apertures and the second subset of the plurality of apertures at least partially face toward one another such that the plurality of shaped charges are oriented towards the target device from different directions.

13. The firing stand of claim 2, wherein the plurality of mounting panels are configurable to be arranged in a substantially circular fashion, thereby directing the plurality of shaped charges inwards towards the target device.

14. The firing stand of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures hold the plurality of shaped charges for orientation substantially perpendicular to a surface of the foam-based ammunition packaging material.

15. The firing stand of claim 1, wherein each shaped charge comprises an outer casing having an internal cavity filled with explosive material and wherein the explosive material comprises a void that is cut into one end of the explosive material and a metallic shaped charge liner.

16. A shaped charge disruptor system comprising the tiring stand of claim 1 and a plurality of shaped charges.

17. The shaped charge disruptor system of claim 16 further comprising a precision initiation system.

18. A method of disrupting an explosive device, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing the shaped charge disruptor system of claim 16; b. arranging the firing stand in the first firing configuration such that the plurality of shaped charges are orientated towards the explosive device; and c. simultaneously initiating the plurality of shaped charges.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of apertures hold the plurality of shaped charges for orientation substantially perpendicular to a surface of the foam-based ammunition packaging material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 provides an illustration of a prior art disruptor system;

(3) FIG. 2 provides an illustration of an embodiment of the disruptor system of the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 provides an illustration of the firing stand in an embodiment of the invention; and

(5) FIG. 4 provides an illustration of a rod and eyelet interface in an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows an illustration of a prior art disruptor system 10 being aimed towards an improvised explosive device 14. The prior art disruptor system comprises a single shaped charge 12, detonator 11 and a firing stand 13. The firing stand 13 is for illustrative purposes only and practically may comprise more legs supporting shaped charge 12. The shaped charge 12 is orientated towards explosive device 14 such that when detonator 11 detonates shaped charge 12, the shaped charge jet (not shown) propagates towards explosive device 14. The shaped charge jet subsequently penetrates explosive device 14 and damages internal components so as to prevent detonation of device 14. This illustration shows the capability of the prior art to only fire a single shaped charge 12. The single shaped charge 12 delivering a disruptive effect to explosive device 14 along the direction of penetration of the respective shaped charge jet. For explosive devices 14 wherein the internal contents, or the internal arrangement of the contents, are unknown, this prior art can result in the disruptive effect being delivered inappropriately, or ineffectively, to the explosive device 14. Furthermore a user of disruptor 10 is required to mount shaped charge 12 to firing stand 13 prior to use, using up valuable time.

(7) FIG. 2 shows an illustration of an embodiment of the disruptor system of the invention 20 comprising three mounting panels 21, a stand base 23 and a plurality of shaped charges 24 comprising shaped charge liners. The mounting panels 21 are substantially planar and comprise a matrix arrangement of apertures 22 into which shaped charges 24 can be held. The shaped charges 24 are held within apertures 22 owing to an interference fit, although other mechanisms may be used in other embodiments. The mounting panels 21 and stand base 23 are in a firing configuration. The mounting panels 21 are illustrated in this embodiment as having different arrangements of apertures 22, but identical matrix arrangements could equally be used. The mounting panels 21 show a grid structure of reduced thickness 25 around which the panel slots of stand base 23 are able to conform, enabling the mounting panels 21 to be attached to stand base 23 in a variety of orientations. The mounting panels 21 are attached to each other using a rod and eyelet interface 26. A lightweight plastazoate foam material is used to form the mounting panels 21 to reduce the fragmentation hazard posed by the firing stand.

(8) Advantageously this foam material is an ammunition packaging material, and thus when the firing stand (comprising panels 21 and stand base 23) is folded (about the interfaces 26), the firing stand becomes the packaging for the shaped charges 24 in transport. The embodiment 20 has been designed such that in the transport configuration, it will fit within an A480 ammunition case. Other embodiments may fit within other cases such as an H83 ammunition case. In an example, the rod and eyelet interface 26 includes a clamping interface 27 that fixes a relative orientation of the panels 21. In some examples, the clamping interface 27 is finger adjustable.

(9) FIG. 3 shows an illustration of the firing stand in an embodiment of the invention 30. The figure shows mounting panel 31, stand base 32 and the panel slot interface 33 between the stand base 32 and panel 31. The panel slot 33 comprises a first protrusion 34 and a second protrusion 35 defining between them a slot into which a region of reduced thickness on mounting panel 31 resides. The panel slot 33 provides an interference fit to the mounting panel 31. The panels 31 comprise apertures 36 for receiving shaped charges.

(10) FIG. 4 shows an illustration of a rod and eyelet interface in an embodiment of the invention 40. The rods 41 are shown as being coplanar with their respective mounting panels 44, and running internally thereto along an edge of their respective panels 44. There is no additional mounting panel attached to rod 42 for illustrative purposes. Each mounting panel 44 has cutaways 45 into which spacers 43 are positioned. Rods 41 and 42 also extend through spacers 43 via eyelets. Each spacer 43 is intended to have two rods (one from each of the panels 44 being connected) running through it. The spacers 43 can rotate about rods 41/42. The panels 44 therefore can therefore be orientated relative to each other. The spacers 43 are formed from a foam material, as per the mounting panels 44. The rods 41/42 are formed from a plastic material.

(11) The embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 4 are shown with apertures sized for receiving shaped charges and retaining them through an interference fit. However the shaped charges themselves may comprise features to further enable attachment to the firing stand. For instance a bayonet or screw threaded end may be present on a shaped charge that can be pushed through a hole in the firing stand and onto which a matching nut can be screwed. The nut preventing the shaped charge being pulled from the aperture within which it is located. Or alternatively, once a shaped charge is mounted in an aperture of the firing stand, a disc element attached to the shaped charge may be rotated outward from an end of the shaped charge, to engage a rear surface of the firing stand, and like the nut, prevent the shaped charge being pulled from its aperture. It would be clear to the skilled person that a number of alternative mechanisms for retaining the shaped charges within respective apertures of the firing stand are possible.