Launch canister to simulate personal and anti-personnel armaments

Abstract

A launch canister for non-lethal pellets may be used to simulate the use of both personal and anti-personnel weapons. The canister features at least two components, an inner core and outer shell, that are nested and both featuring a plurality of launch bores. Gaskets ring the outside surface of the components, but have slight interface with the internal bores. The gaskets then hold a stack of pellets within each bore until the canister is placed in a launch device and the payload released.

Claims

1. A launch canister for a simulated armament, the canister containing a plurality of non-lethal pellets and comprising: a. a hollow cylindrical outer canister shell with a length and both outer and inner circumferences, said outer canister shell having a first plurality of cylindrical bores extending through its length and located proximate its outer circumference; b. a cylindrical inner core with a length, said inner core having an outer circumference and fitting within the hollow canister shell's inner circumference and having a second plurality of cylindrical bores extending through its length and located proximate its outer circumference; c. means for joining the outer canister shell and the inner core; wherein, each bore of the pluralities of cylindrical bores has a diameter sufficient to accommodate and hold the non-lethal pellets.

2. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the outer canister shell, said grooves intersecting the first plurality of cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

3. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the inner core, said grooves intersecting the second plurality of cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

4. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the inner core, said grooves intersecting the second plurality of cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

5. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 1, the means for joining the outer canister shell and the inner core being a threaded interface at an end of the launch canister.

6. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the outer canister shell, said grooves intersecting the first plurality of cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

7. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the inner core, said grooves intersecting the second plurality of cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

8. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the inner core, said grooves intersecting the second plurality of cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

9. A simulated anti-personnel armament comprising: a. an armament receiver with a barrel; b. a gas supply in fluid communication with the receiver barrel; c. a launch canister for containing non-lethal ammunition for the simulated anti-personnel armament, the launch canister fitting within the barrel of the armament receiver and further comprising: i. a hollow cylindrical outer canister shell with a length, said outer canister shell having a first plurality of cylindrical bores extending through its length and located proximate its outer circumference; ii. a cylindrical inner core with a length, said inner core fitting within the hollow canister shell and having a second plurality of cylindrical bores extending through its length and located proximate its outer circumference; iii. means for joining the outer canister shell and the inner core; iv. the outer canister shell fitting within an interior of the receiver barrel but leaving a space between a bottom of the receiver barrel and a bottom of the outer canister shell into which the gas supply empties; wherein, each bore of the pluralities of cylindrical bores has a diameter sufficient to accommodate and hold the non-lethal ammunition and the launch canister seals the barrel of the armament so as to allow a build-up of gas pressure which will launch the non-lethal ammunition from the canister.

10. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the outer canister shell, said grooves intersecting the circumferential cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that the gaskets seal the launch canister against the barrel and at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

11. The launch canister or simulated armament of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the inner core, said grooves intersecting the cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

12. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the inner core, said grooves intersecting the cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

13. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 9, the means for joining the outer canister shell and the inner core being a threaded interface at an end of the launch canister.

14. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the outer canister shell, said grooves intersecting the cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that the gaskets seal the launch canister against the barrel and at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

15. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the inner core, said grooves intersecting the cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

16. The launch canister for simulated armament of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of parallel grooves running the outer circumference of the inner core, said grooves intersecting the cylindrical bores; and a plurality of gaskets, one residing in each groove such that at least one portion of each gasket impinges into the cylindrical bores.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a launch canister.

(2) FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the launch canister of FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the launch canister of FIG. 1, prior to loading in a launch device.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the launch canister of FIG. 3, loaded in the launch device.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an assembly comprising the launch canister, the launch device, and a gas supply/control.

(6) FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(7) With reference now to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the launch vehicle is herein described. It should be noted that the articles a, an, and the, as used in this specification, include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

(8) With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the launch canister 10 may be manufactured with two main components: an inner core 20 and an outer shell 30. Both inner core 20 and outer shell 30 are depicted in the figures as round cylinders; however, the use of any prismatic polyhedron would also be conceivable so the terms cylinder and cylindrical should be broadly interpreted to include suitable polyhedrons. The inner core 20 nests within the outer shell 30 and may be secured with a threading interface 22. Each component may then feature a plurality of bores 24, 34 extending longitudinally therethrough. Each bore 24, 34 being parallel to a longitudinal axis which corresponds to a similar axis in the launch device 40 and a general direction of fire. Ideally, two circumferential troughs 26, 36 are positioned towards a front and a rear of each component. These troughs 26, 36 should just barely interface with each bore 24, 34. Gaskets 28, 38 may then be positioned in each trough in a manner that a portion, or stop section, of each gasket may pass into each bore 29, 39 though the interface each bore 24, 34 has with the troughs 26, 36.

(9) Pellets 50 may be loaded into each bore 24, 34 as shown in FIG. 6. The number of pellets 50 contained will vary with the size of the canister. The stop sections of gasket 29, 39 keep the pellets 50 in position in the bores 24, 34. In so doing, the pellets 50 are maintained in parallel stacks until sufficient pressure is provided to force the pellets 50 past the stop sections 29, 39 of each gasket. Gaskets 28, 38 also serve to provide an airtight seal between components of the launch canister 10 and the launch device 40.

(10) A launch device 40 of any design may be provided, FIGS. 3-5. An ideal launch device 40 will have a chamber 42 with a geometry sufficient to receive the launch canister 10. To this end, various flanges 31 and ridges 33 may be provided the outer shell 30 to achieve this purpose. Pressurized gas may then be applied to the chamber 42. Ideally, there should be a set-off between the launch canister 10 and the gas supply/control 44 so gas pressure may equalize behind all the bores 24, 34. Interfacing geometry of the device 40 should be employed to secure the launch canister 10 inside the chamber at all times. Once sufficient pressure is attained the gas pressure will push the pellets 50 out of the bores 24, 34, through barrel 48 and launching them into a target area.

(11) Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be made and still the result will come within the scope of the invention. No limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. It should be noted that the described embodiment is sufficient to create a launch canister with two rings of parallel bores and the construction may be modified readily to create three or more rings of bores by adding intermediate shell bodies to the construction. Likewise, any known or later developed weapon system may be simulated in look, feel, and approximate lethality by judicious attention to the physical details of the weapon and the up or downscaling of the launch canister to approximate the damage the real weapon would cause.