Abstract
A light weight shoulder fired projectile weapon is shown which could be used against multiple target sets. The accurate and consistent muzzle velocity needed for these multiple purposes is accomplished through accurate and consistent gun chamber pressure. A shot start feature integrated with sabot sections on the projectile consistently holds the projectile in place in its launch tube until the consistent chamber pressure is reached.
Claims
1. A weapon system having a gun tube (108), a projectile (100) which is functionally connected to a discarding, single item sabot integrated with a unitary shot start (103) in a grooved region (106), and wherein said unitary shot start with sabot with projectile are subjected to gas pressure (118) to initiate a launch of said projectile, and wherein said unitary shot start with sabot has a unitary shot start tab (107) feature jutting out from said unitary shot start with sabot, and wherein said gun tube has a mating recessed area (112) to snugly receive said shot start tab when said projectile with unitary shot start with sabot are loaded into said gun tube, and wherein said shot start tab (107) has a distal section (105) connected to said unitary shot start with sabot through a cross-sectionally narrower section (109) of said tab, and wherein said narrower section thereby functions as a shear groove which allows the tab to shear off during initiation of a launch at a predetermined gas pressure acting on said unitary shot start with sabot and projectile, which predetermined pressure is sufficiently robust to effect a successful launch of said projectile, and wherein said tab inserted into said gun tube prevents a launch of said projectile before such predetermined gas pressure is exceeded.
2. The weapon system as in claim 1 wherein the sabot is comprised of a plurality of symmetrical circumferential sections.
3. The weapon system as in claim 1 wherein the shot start uses a shot start ring.
4. The weapon system as in claim 1 wherein said recessed area (112) is in an inner tube area of said gun tube (108).
5. The weapon system as in claim 1 wherein the shot start uses crimping.
6. The weapon system as in claim 1 wherein the shot start uses a shot start rod.
7. The weapon system as in claim 1 wherein the unitary shot start tab sabot has a unitary circumferential ring arrangement and there is provided a mating channel for the ring within the inside of the tube.
8. The weapon system as in claim 7 wherein a circumferential shear groove is added to the ring.
9. The weapon system as in claim 8 wherein the projectile is a MOUT 75 mm round.
Description
LIST OF DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 shows a conceptual weapon system having a gun tube containing a MOUT type projectile with a sabot, the sabot having an integral shot start tab jutting out from the sabot, and with gun tube having a mating recessed area to receive the tab, according to this invention.
(2) FIG. 2 shows a MOUT round 200 which may be launched from a shoulder borne launch tube which has a shot start tab 201 included when the round is insetted/loaded into the tube, according to this invention.
(3) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of shot start tab 201 according to this invention.
(4) FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a shot start tab 401 including a built in weak spot 402, which helps the shot start tab to break off at the time of launching of the round, according to this invention.
(5) FIG. 5 shows an outside view of a one third section 500 of the sabot.
(6) FIG. 6 shows the round 600, enclosed by three symmetrical sectioned sabot parts which join to form sabot 605, all placed inside a launching tube 601.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(7) In FIG. 1, there is shown a conceptual weapon system having a gun tube 108 containing a MOUT type projectile 100. The projectile has a nose 101 and an aft section. The projectile is functionally connected to a discarding sabot 103 in a grooved region 106. The projectile is completely surrounded axially by the sabot in the location where the projectile is fitted into the tube, so that the sabot would ordinarily block gas pressures such as 118 from escaping around the projectile round through the tube. The projectile and sabots are subjected to launch forces and/or gas pressures 118 to initiate a launch of said projectile. The projectile's sabot has an integral shot start tab 107 jutting out from the sabot, and the gun tube has a mating recessed area 112 to snugly receive the shot start tab when the projectile with sabot are loaded into the gun tube. In this conceptual arrangement, the unitary sabot/shot start has a tab with a distal section 105 connected to the sabot through a cross-sectionally narrower section 109 of said tab. The narrower section functions as a kind of shear groove which allows the tab to shear off during initiation of a launch at a predetermined launch force or gas pressure acting on the projectile with sabot. The predetermined forces/pressure would be sufficiently robust to effect a successful launch of said projectile. The tab first inserted into the gun tube prevents a launch of the projectile before such predetermined necessary forces/gas pressure is exceeded. FIG. 2 shows a MOUT round 200, which may be launched from a shoulder borne launch tube which may/may not be enclosed at its rear (tube not shown here). Regions such as 204 and 205 on the round may be on the plastic sabot sections to help mount the round within its tube and to contain gas pressures surrounding the round, within a launching tube. Region 206 having buttress grooves would correspond to region 106 shown in FIG. 1, for joining the round to its enclosing sabot. A shot start 201 (shown in more detail in FIG. 3), is lodged into the side wall of the tube, when the round is inserted/loaded into the tube. Shot starts may be formed on the sabot sections in multiple possible shapes/sizes, cross sectional shapes, so long as there are mating areas on the inside of the launching tube to receive them, and where the shot start is weak enough to break when the sufficient select launch force is applied to the round. Additionally, there are multiple ways to create weakened locations on the shot start(s) to enable them to shear at the desired launch force/chamber pressure conditions. For example, the shot starts may be circumferential rings around all/upon select locations around the sabot sections, or just one tab, at one spot on the sabot, (or multiple tabs), or rod(s), for example. FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a shot start 401, but here including a built in circumferential weak spot 402, which helps the shot start 401 to break off at the time that sufficient launch forces/gas pressure has built in the tube, to launch the round. FIG. 5 shows an outside view of a one third section 500 of the sabot. The sabot is comprised of three symmetrical such sabot sections, which enclose the round 200, and holding it within the launch tube. Area 501 on the sabot section would represent the shot start feature; these areas have mating indented areas on the inside surface of their launching tube. FIG. 6 shows the round 600, enclosed by three symmetrical sectioned sabot parts which join to form sabot 605, all placed inside a launching tube 601, which may be a shoulder borne launch tube, and which may/may not be enclosed at its rear. A shot start is represented by caption 603 there.
(8) While the invention may have been described with reference to certain embodiments, numerous changes, alterations and modifications to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, and equivalents thereof.
