Tracer insert and tracer shell incorporating same

Abstract

A tracer insert has an upper cavity for retaining shot and a lower cavity for retaining a tracer powder compound. The tracer insert is configured for placement within the shot-pocket of a wad within a shotgun shell. The shot is placed in and around the tracer insert within the shot pocket and some shot is retained within the upper cavity of the tracer insert. A bottom exhaust port in the lower cavity allows the release of the tracer powder compound upon firing of the tracer shell. A cavity separator separates the upper and lower cavities and a flow channel may extend down from the top of the tracer insert into the lower cavity to allow a flow of air to aid in the release of the tracer powder compound. Side exhaust ports may be configured around the lower cavity to provide additional release area for the tracer powder compound.

Claims

1. A tracer insert comprising: a) an insert body comprising: i) a length from a top to a bottom; ii) a length axis extending from the top to the bottom of the tracer insert body; iii) an upper cavity extending down from the top of the insert body and comprising an upper cavity opening in the top of the insert body; iv) a deflector centrally located within the upper cavity; wherein the upper cavity extends around said centrally located deflector; v) a lower cavity located below to the upper cavity of the insert body; b) tracer powder compound within the lower cavity; c) a side exhaust port that extends through an outer wall of the tracer insert body into the lower cavity to allow the tracer powder compound to be expelled through the side exhaust port upon firing the tracer insert; and whereby the tracer powder is configured for release from the tracer insert through the side exhaust port.

2. The tracer insert of claim 1, wherein the upper cavity is ring-shaped.

3. The tracer insert of claim 2, wherein the upper cavity has a width that tapers from an upper cavity opening width to a bottom of the upper cavity.

4. The tracer insert of claim 1, further comprising a bottom exhaust port in the bottom of the insert body to allow the tracer powder compound within the lower cavity to be expelled through the bottom exhaust port upon firing.

5. The tracer insert of claim 1, further comprising a separator that extends between the upper cavity and the lower cavity and wherein the separator comprises a flow channel to allow air to flow through the flow separator into the lower cavity to force the tracer compound out of the lower cavity.

6. The tracer insert of claim 1, comprising a plurality of side exhaust ports.

7. The tracer insert of claim 1, wherein the side exhaust port is elongated, having a length that is at least three times greater than a width.

8. The tracer insert of claim 1, further comprising a cap that is a separate from the lower cavity and attached over an opening in the lower cavity.

9. The tracer insert of claim, wherein the cap comprises a bottom exhaust port to allow the tracer powder compound to be expelled through the bottom exhaust port upon firing the tracer insert.

10. The tracer insert of claim 8, wherein the cap comprises a cap retainer comprising a retainer protrusion that deflects inward for attachment to the lower cavity.

11. The tracer insert of claim 8, wherein the insert body further comprises a retainer recess, and wherein the cap comprises a cap retainer comprising a retainer protrusion that is configured to fit within said retainer aperture to secure the cap to the tracer insert.

12. The tracer insert of claim 1, further comprising a spiral outside surface.

13. The tracer insert of claim 12, wherein the spiral outside surface comprises a plurality of spiral planes.

14. The tracer insert of claim 13, comprising four or more spiral planes.

15. The tracer insert of claim 12, wherein the spiral outside surface comprises a plurality of spiral edges.

16. The tracer insert of claim 15, wherein each of plurality of spiral edges extend a spiral angle of 5 degrees to no more than 60 degrees.

17. A tracer insert comprising: a) an insert body comprising: i) a length from a top to a bottom; ii) a length axis extending from the top to the bottom of the tracer insert body; iii) an upper cavity extending down from the top of the insert body and comprising an, upper cavity opening in the top of the insert body; iv) a deflector centrally located within the upper cavity; wherein the upper cavity extends around said centrally located deflector; v) a lower cavity located below to the upper cavity of the insert body; b) tracer powder compound within the lower cavity; c) a side exhaust port that extends through an outer wall of the tracer insert body into the lower cavity to allow the tracer powder compound to be expelled through the side exhaust port upon firing the tracer insert; whereby the tracer powder s configured for release from the tracer insert through the side exhaust port d) a cap that is separate from the lower cavity and attached over a bottom opening in the lower cavity; and e) a spiral outside surface.

18. The tracer insert of claim 17, further comprising a bottom exhaust port in the bottom of the insert body; further comprising a separator that extends between the upper cavity and the lower cavity and wherein the separator comprises a flow channel to allow air to flow through the flow separator into the lower cavity to force the tracer compound out of the lower cavity upon firing; wherein the tracer insert comprises a plurality of side exhaust ports and wherein each of said plurality of side exhaust ports is elongated having a length that is at least three times greater than a width.

19. The tracer insert of claim 17, wherein the spiral outside surface comprises a plurality of spiral edges and wherein each of plurality of spiral edges extend a spiral angle of 5 degrees to no more than 60 degrees.

20. The tracer insert of claim 1, comprising a plurality of side exhaust ports, wherein each of said plurality of side exhaust ports is elongated, having a length that is at least three times greater than a width.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a target shooter firing a shell having an exemplary tracer insert.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a shotgun shell.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an exemplary tracer shell having a tracer insert configured therein.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an exemplary tracer insert having an upper cavity for receiving shot and a lower cavity containing tracer powder.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary tracer insert.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary tracer insert that has been fired and tracer powder trailing from the tracer insert from the bottom exhaust port as well as from two side exhaust ports.

(8) FIG. 7 shows a top view of an exemplary tracer insert having a upper cavity for receiving shot.

(9) FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of an exemplary tracer insert having an upper cavity for receiving shot, a lower cavity for containing tracer powder and a spiral outside surface.

(10) FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of an exemplary tracer insert having an upper cavity for receiving shot, a lower cavity containing tracer powder, a spiral outside surface and a cap configured over the bottom of the lower cavity.

(11) FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of an exemplary tracer insert having an upper cavity for receiving shot, a lower cavity for containing tracer powder and a spiral outside surface.

(12) FIG. 11 shows a bottom perspective view of an exemplary tracer insert with the cap remove to show struts extending across the lower cavity.

(13) FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of an exemplary cap having a plurality of cap retainers.

(14) FIG. 13 shows a side view n exemplary cap having a plurality of cap retainers.

(15) FIG. 14 shows a portion of the tracer insert that is configured to receive the cap and cap retainer shown in FIG. 15.

(16) FIG. 15 shows a cap having a cap retainer with two cap protrusions configured to extend through the cap retainer apertures shown in FIG. 14 to retain the cap to the tracer insert.

(17) Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, as some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to, be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

(18) As used herein, the terms comprises, comprising, includes, including, has, having or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, use of a or an are employed to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.

(19) Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications, improvements are within the scope of the present invention.

(20) As shown in FIG. 1, a target shooter is firing a tracer shell from a gun 19 at a clay skeet target 15. The tracer powder 16 from the tracer insert 12 is being released to produce a tracer trail 18. The shooter has fired above the target and the tracer trail will help the shooter make the appropriate corrections and become a more accurate shooter.

(21) As shown in FIG. 2, a standard shotgun shell 70 has a length 73 from the top 72 to the bottom 74 of the shell. The shell has a hull 80 and a head 90. The head is typically made of metal and contains the powder charge 98 that ignites to propel the wad 89 and shot 86. The head has a length 93 from the top of the head 92 to the bottom of the head 94. A primer 96 is configured in the bottom of the head to initiate ignition of the powder charge. The hull has a length 83 from the top of the hull portion 82 to the bottom of the hull portion 84. The wad 89, configured within the hull portion of the shell has a wad head 88 and a shot-pocket 90 for receiving and retaining shot. The shot 86 is contained within the shot-pocket of the wad. The hull has a crimp 81 over the top of the hull portion that opens upon firing to release the shot. The diameter 77 of the shell is shown.

(22) As shown in FIG. 3, an exemplary tracer shell 17 has a tracer insert 12 configured therein. The tracer insert is configured within the shot-pocket 90 of the wad 89, and when the tracer shell is fired, some of the shot 86 will enter into the upper cavity of the tracer insert to help propel the tracer insert. Tracer powder compound 16 is configured within a lower cavity and in an exemplary embodiment is released from side exhaust ports and from a bottom exhaust port.

(23) Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, an exemplary tracer insert 12 has an insert body 20 having an upper cavity 30 for receiving shot upon firing and a lower cavity 40 containing tracer powder compound. The upper cavity has an opening 36 that has an opening width 37 that is larger than the shot diameter. An upper cavity deflector 31 is configured to deflect shot into the upper cavity opening where it propels the tracer insert upon firing. The upper cavity has a tapering width from the upper cavity opening to the bottom 34 of the upper cavity. This truncating width of the upper cavity allows shot to be trapped within the upper cavity upon firing, as the shot is lodged and trapped dimensionally in the upper cavity. The upper cavity is ring-shaped with the deflector having a cone shape centrally located within the upper portion of the tracer insert or upper cavity. The upper cavity has a length from the top 32 of the upper cavity to the bottom 34 of the upper cavity or the top of the separator 39, that separates the upper and lower cavities. A flow channel 38 extends from the top of the tracer insert body down through the upper cavity and through the cavity separator 39 to the lower cavity 40. The flow channel provides a flow of air to aid in the release of the tracer powder compound.

(24) The lower cavity has a length 43 from the top 42 of the upper cavity to the bottom 44 of the lower cavity, or to the top surface of the cap 45. Tracer powder is retained within the lower cavity and is expelled from the lower cavity upon firing. In an exemplary embodiment, a bottom exhaust port 60 is configured in the closure 45 and is centrally located within the closure. The closure shown in a cap 46. The width or diameter 67 of the bottom exhaust port may be selected for a desired rate of tracer powder exhaust. Optionally, a tracer insert may have one or more side exhaust ports 50, that are in the outer wall 26 of the tracer insert and allow tracer powder to be expelled therethrough upon firing. The side exhaust ports 50 has a length 53 and a width 57. Side exhaust ports may be configured around the perimeter of the lower cavity such as being located every 90 degrees around the perimeter of the tracer insert. A tracer insert body may comprise one, two, three or more, or four or more side exhaust ports. The side exhaust ports may extend down to the bottom of the lower cavity. The diameter of the lower cavity 47 is shown.

(25) As shown in FIG. 6, an exemplary tracer insert 12 has been fired and tracer powder 16 is trailing from the tracer insert from the bottom exhaust port 60 as well as from two side exhaust ports 50. Air flows through the flow channel 38 to aid in the release of tracer powder compound. The tracer powder flows through the bottom exhaust port in the closure 45 and through the side exhaust ports 50 in the outer wall 26 of the tracer insert body 20. The closure is a cap 46 that is attached to the tracer insert body. Shot 86 having a shot diameter 87 is wedged and trapped within the upper cavity 30. The shot was forced into the upper cavity through the upper cavity opening 36. The diameter 27 of the tracer insert 12 is shown.

(26) As shown in FIG. 7, an exemplary tracer insert has an upper cavity 30 for receiving shot. The upper cavity opening width 37 is larger than the shot diameter. The deflector 31 deflects shot into the upper cavity opening 36. The tracer insert has a diameter 27 and an outer wall 26 having a wall thickness 28. The wall thickness is from the outer surface 25 to the upper cavity 30. An exemplary flow channel 38 is centrally located in the deflector 31 to aid in the release of tracer powder compound.

(27) Referring now to FIGS. 8 to 10, an exemplary tracer insert 12 has an upper cavity 20 for receiving shot, a lower cavity 40 for containing tracer powder and a spiral outside surface 120. The spiral outside surface 120 causes the tracer insert to spin in flight. This spinning action provides a straighter trajectory and also aids in the release of the tracer powder from the side exhaust ports. The spiral outside surface comprises a plurality of spiral planes 125 having spiral edges 122. The exemplary spiral outside surface extends from the top 22, to the bottom 24 of the tracer insert and extends from the cap 46 to the top of the upper cavity 20. The spiral planes and spiral edges may extend a portion of the length of the tracer insert however, such as along the lower cavity only, or along the lower and upper cavity but not along the cap. As shown in FIG. 9, a cap 46 is coupled to the bottom of the lower cavity 44 and has a bottom exhaust port 60 for the release of the tracer powder compound 16. The spiral angle 128 of the spiral plan and edge is shown. A spiral edge, or edge is a location around the circumference of the tracer insert that has an inflection point in a line drawn tangent to the surface and the edge extends along the length of the outside surface of the tracer insert. A spiral edge may be located between spiral plane.

(28) As shown in FIG. 11, a plurality of struts 142, 142 extend across the lower cavity to provide structural support of the lower cavity. The two struts shown intersect each other to from a T-shape strut support.

(29) Referring now to FIGS. 11 to 13, an exemplary tracer insert 12 is configured with a cap for the closure of the bottom of the lower cavity. The opening 41 in the bottom of the lower cavity is configured to receive a cap 46, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The bottom of the lower cavity may comprise a cap retainer recess 146 to receive the cap retainer 49, or the cap retainer may extend over a lip or edge in the lower cavity. The cap 46, shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 comprises a cap retainer 48 in the shape of a ring having a plurality of gaps 143 to enable the retainer protrusion 49 to deflect for insertion into the lower cavity opening 41, shown in FIG. 11. The cap may be detachably attached to the opening in the lower cavity by simply aligning the cap and pressing the cap into the opening. The cap retainers will deflect inward and the retainer protrusions will seat into a recess or over a lip of the lower cavity to secure the cap to the tracer insert.

(30) Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, a cap 46 may be retained to the tracer insert 12 by a cap retainer 48 engaged with a retainer lock 150. The cap retainer has a pair of cap protrusions 159, 159 that are configured to extend through the cap retainer apertures 152, 152 of the retainer lock 150 and then twist to secure the cap to the bottom of the tracer insert. The cap protrusion will be pulled upward when twisted as they will move along the ramps 154, 154. This locking mechanism ensures that the cap is tightly secured to the tracer insert. A bottom exhaust port 60 extends through the cap retainer 48 and, cap 46 to allow the tracer material to flow out upon firing of the shell and tracer insert. The retainer lock has an exhaust port 156. The retainer lock may be the bottom of the tracer insert or the base of the lower cavity.

(31) It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and/or combined in any suitable manner. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention, provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Example 1

(32) The lower cavity of an exemplary tracer insert, as described herein, was loaded with a tracer insert compound. The compound was made by mixing three parts of calcium carbonate, having an orange color, with one part plaster of parts and isopropyl alcohol to form a paste. The paste was inserted into the lower cavity and dried to form a solid tracer powder compound, within the lower cavity. The insert was then placed into the shot-pocket of a wad, in a 12-gauge shotgun shell. Approximately ounces of number 8 shot was poured in and around the tracer insert and some of the shot was retained, in the upper cavity of the tracer insert. The hull was closed to produce a tracer shell. The tracer shell was fired from a shotgun at a firing range and the tracer trail extended approximately 30 meters from the shotgun.

Example 2

(33) A 12-gauge shotgun shell was produced with an exemplary tracer insert as described herein and as generally depicted in FIGS. 8 to 13. The tracer insert had a spiraled outer surface with eight spiral planes and spiral edges extending, substantially along the length of the tracer insert. The spiral angle was about 45 degrees. The tracer insert had an octagonal shaped cross-section along the length. The tracer insert had a cap with a cap retainer comprising a discontinuous ring that was, configured to flex inward as the cap was pressed, into the body of the tracer insert, or into the opening in the bottom of the lower cavity. The tracer insert has elongated side exhaust ports having a length of 10 mm and a width of 1.5 mm. The tracer insert had a length 17.3 mm and a diameter of 11 mm. The tracer insert was printed using SUNLU Printer Filament PLA Plus plastic, 1.75 mm, dimensional accuracy +/0.002 mm.

(34) Over 1000 shotgun shells with these tracer inserts where fired from shotgun and the tracer trail was observed. The shotguns used included a Browning Citori 725 sporting 12-gauge shotgun and a Winchester Model 101 sporting 12-gauge shotgun. A DeWalt chalk, carpenters chalk, was used as the tracer powder. Light colored, violet, tracer powder was used for clear days with blue skies and dark colored, blue, tracer powder was used for overcast cloudy days. The tracer trail was clearly visible indicating the trajectory of shot.