PROPELLANT CHARGE CONTAINER

Abstract

The invention relates to a charge container device, said charge container device having a volume suitable to substantially fill a barrel chamber, said charge container device is formed from a substantially rigid and combustible material, wherein said charge container device comprises at least one wall to define a cavity for the retention of at least one cartridge case, said at least one cartridge case comprising an energetic material, wherein said at least one cartridge case is arranged in a stacked formation within said charge container, the charge container device further comprising a base portion and a top portion, wherein the top portion comprises an aperture to allow for expulsion of energy and the base portion comprising an ignition means.

Claims

1. A charge container device, said charge container device having a volume suitable to substantially fill a barrel chamber, said charge container device is constructed from a substantially rigid and combustible material, wherein said charge container device comprises at least one wall to define a cavity for the retention of at least one cartridge case, said at least one cartridge case comprising an energetic material, wherein said at least one cartridge case is arranged in a stacked formation within said charge container device, the charge container device further comprising a base portion and a top portion, wherein the top portion comprises an aperture to allow for expulsion of energy and the base portion comprising an igniter.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the charge container device comprises a first fixed cartridge case at its base portion to ensure the charge container device is capable in use of launching a projectile to a minimum distance and one or more further cartridge cases.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the one or more further cartridge cases are reversibly attached to the wall of the charge container device.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the cartridge cases are reversibly attached to the wall of the charge container device by a reversible hooks and loop arrangement.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the cartridge cases are reversibly attached to the wall of the charge container device by spacers fixed to the internal side of the wall of the charge container device.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the charge container device is constructed from a Nitrocellulose and Kraft mix.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge cases are constructed from a flexible material.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein a gap is formed between the cartridge cases and the internal side of the wall, in order to allow the propagation of a flame front.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the gap formed between the cartridge cases and the internal side of the wall is between 1 mm-10 mm.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of cartridge cases within the charge container device are arranged in a horizontal stack.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of one or more of the cartridge cases is reversibly attached to an adjacent cartridge case.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the igniter is a base pad igniter, located at the base of the charge container device.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the igniter is a central core igniter, located at the respective centre of each one or more cartridge cases.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the energetic material within the cartridge case is a pellet or granule.

15. A method of forming a munition charge using a charge container, said charge container having a volume suitable to substantially fill a barrel chamber, said charge container being constructed from a substantially rigid and combustible material, wherein said charge container comprises at least one wall to define a cavity for the retention of at least one cartridge case, said at least one cartridge case comprising an energetic material, wherein said at least one cartridge case is arranged in a stacked formation within said charge container, the charge container further comprising a base portion and a top portion, wherein the top portion comprises an aperture to allow for expulsion of energy and the base portion comprising an igniter, the method comprising: adding cartridge cases to the charge container; locating one or more cartridge cases to the cavity formed by the at least one wall; and aligning said cartridge cases coaxially.

16. The device according to claim 7, wherein the flexible material includes one or both of cotton and polyester.

17. A charge container device, said charge container device having a volume suitable to substantially fill a barrel chamber, said charge container device is constructed from a substantially rigid and combustible material, wherein said charge container device comprises at least one wall to define a cavity for the retention of at least one cartridge case, said at least one cartridge case comprising an energetic material, wherein said at least one cartridge case is arranged in a stacked formation within said charge container device, the charge container device further comprising a base portion and a top portion, wherein the top portion comprises an aperture to allow for expulsion of energy and the base portion comprising an igniter, and wherein the charge container device comprises a first fixed cartridge case at its base portion to ensure the charge container device is capable in use of launching a projectile to a minimum distance and one or more further cartridge cases, and wherein each of the one or more further cartridge cases is reversibly attached to an adjacent cartridge case.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein one or more of the cartridge cases are reversibly attached to the wall of the charge container device by a reversible hooks and loop arrangement.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein one or more of the cartridge cases are reversibly attached to the wall of the charge container device by spacers fixed to the internal side of the wall of the charge container device.

20. The device according to claim 17, wherein the charge container device is constructed from a Nitrocellulose and Kraft mix, the cartridge cases are constructed from a flexible material, and the energetic material within the cartridge case is a pellet or granule.

Description

[0027] Exemplary embodiments of the device in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0028] FIG. 1a shows a prior art example of a charge bag, where a number of elongate charges have been added to the charge bag.

[0029] FIG. 1b shows a prior art example of the unpacked charge bag of FIG. 1a, with various elongate charges shown.

[0030] FIG. 2a shows an example of a charge container from a side and base view.

[0031] FIG. 2b shows a cross-section of an example charge container including inserted cartridge cases.

[0032] FIG. 3a shows a schematic of an embodiment of the charge container which includes an inbuilt cartridge case as part of the charge container, as well as further removable cartridge cases.

[0033] FIG. 3b shows a schematic of the base of 3a with igniter pad fitted as ignition means.

[0034] FIG. 3c shows an alternative embodiment of the schematic of 3a utilising a central core igniter ignition means with cartridge cases fitted.

[0035] FIG. 3d shows an alternative embodiment of the schematic of 3a utilising cartridge cases with individual base pad igniter ignition means without a fixed cartridge case fitted.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows an example charge container installed in a gun breech.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 1a, a prior art arrangement, there is provided a charge bag 11, with a number of elongate charges 13 inserted therein. The elongate charges 13 are held in position, to reduce movement, by a strap tie 11a. The elongate charges 13 may be easily added to or subtracted from the charge bag 11 by releasing the hold of the strap tie 11a, pulling out one or more elongate charges 13 and optionally adding a different elongate charge 13 to the charge bag and re-securing the strap tie 11a. The amount of charge being selected depending on the distance the projectile is desired to travel. In a calm, well lit scenario it is a simple procedure to group the required energetic elongate charges into the charge bag 11 for use. However the coloured elongate charges 13 are not always clearly visible in a combat scenario and the addition of elongate charges 13 to the charge bag 11 can prove difficult in conditions where movement is restricted.

[0038] In FIG. 1b the same charge bag 11 is shown, with the elongate charges 13 unpacked to show the various sizes of the elongate charges 13. In a stressed environment and lack of movement, the opportunity for human error is high. Inserting the wrong elongate charge 13 into the charge bag 11 may result in an inaccurate or indeed insufficient propellant for the projectile launch.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 2a and 2b there is provided a charge container 20 formed from a substantially rigid, combustible material, having a wall 21 which defines a cavity 24 where one or more cartridge cases 23 of energetic material may be inserted in a horizontal stacked formation and be coaxially aligned. At one end of the charge container there is a top portion 19 comprising an aperture 22 to allow the loading and unloading of one or more cartridge cases 23, and the expulsion of gases formed from the exothermic output from the energetic material. The charge container 20 has a base portion 18, which prevents cartridge cases 23 from passing through the charge container 20 and may also house an ignition means or comprise a second aperture 28 for the insertion of such a means. The first cartridge case is the fixed cartridge case 23a, which is preferably securely affixed, such that it is not removable from the charge container 20. This ensures that there is always a minimum amount of propellant to ensure any projectile is launched a minimum distance. Further the fixed cartridge case 23a in the container 20, may serve as a blank training round, thereby removing the need for a specialist training round.

[0040] The further cartridge cases 23 are held within the cavity of the charge container 20, and may be reversibly linked to one another, by a reversible means 26. Further, the charge container or cartridge cases may comprise spacers 27 attached to create a gap 25 between the wall interior 29 of the charge container 20 and each cartridge case 23. The gap 25 created by the use of the spacers 27 then allows the propagation of a flame front, formed by the explosive chain, to travel up the outside of the fixed 23a and further cartridge cases 23, to allow more uniform ignite all of the further cartridge cases 23, in a more uniform.

[0041] Referring to FIGS. 3a and 3b there is provided an example charge container 30 showing coaxially and horizontally stacked fixed cartridge case 39 and further cartridge cases 33. The charge container 30 comprises a number of spacers 36 to provide a gap between the cartridge cases 33 and the inner wall of the charge container 30 and the integral fixed cartridge case 39. The fixed cartridge case 39 provides a safety charge and minimum launch distance for the projectile to be launched. A base pad 34 is positioned below the fixed cartridge case 39 to initiate the explosive chain. FIGS. 3c and 3d show various combinations of the cartridge cases 33a and ignition means 34. FIG. 3c shows the use of a central core igniter 38, running the length of the charge container 30. The cartridge case 33a is formed with a centrally located void to allow the insertion of the central core igniter 38. FIG. 3d shows an alternative embodiment of the charge container 30 with no fixed cartridge case and with individual base pad igniters 34 integral to each cartridge case 33b. This allows a greater flexibility in cartridge case 33b use and cheaper construction of individual charge container devices.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 4 there is provided a gun barrel chamber 42. The barrel Chamber volume is substantially filled by the charge container 40. The shell 45 sits typically within the rifled part of the barrel with only a small amount protruding into the barrel chamber.

[0043] It is shown that when the breech door 41 is closed the charge container 40 substantially fills the cavity formed by the barrel chamber 42. The charge container 40 has a fixed cartridge container 49 attached towards the base of the charge container 40 in order to ensure the charge container 42 is capable in use of launching the shell 45 to a minimum launch distance. The charge container 42 further comprises a base pad ignitor 44 as its ignition source and two further cartridge containers 48. In use, once the breech door 41 is closed and the gun fired the base pad 44 is struck, which begins the ignition process, wherein the charge containers 48 are ignited and the resulting energy is expelled through the barrel 43 of the gun, forcing the shell 45, which substantially occupies the rifled barrel 42, out of the end of the barrel and towards its target.