SHAPED CHARGE WARHEAD AND A METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAID WARHEAD

Abstract

Described is a shaped charge warhead comprising an axially symmetric fragmentation casing designed to define a containment space and having in a base portion a casting hole for the explosive, a detonator housed in the casting hole and a conical liner of the shaped charge positioned inside the containment space.

The casing and the conical or hemispherical liner, with a variable thickness, if necessary, are made in a single piece.

The casing extends along a respective axis of extension in such a way as to also define a standoff of the charged warhead.

Claims

1. A shaped charge warhead comprising: an axially symmetric casing designed to define a containment space and having in a base portion a casting hole for the explosive; a detonator housed in said casting hole; a conical or hemispherical shaped charge liner positioned inside the containment space; characterised in that said casing and said conical liner are made in a single body, said casing extending along a respective axis of extension in such a way as to also define a standoff of the shaped charge warhead.

2. The shaped charge warhead according to claim 1, wherein said cylindrical casing and said conical or hemispherical liner are made by additive manufacturing.

3. The shaped charge warhead according to claim 1, wherein said conical or hemispherical liner has a variable thickness.

4. The shaped charge warhead according to claim 1, wherein said conical or hemispherical liner has a structure with cellular partitions, each cellular partition containing non-sintered powder.

5. The shaped charge warhead according to claim 1, wherein said conical or hemispherical liner is connected to the cylindrical casing by a continuous connection made with non-sintered spaces.

6. The shaped charge warhead according to claim 1, wherein said warhead is made of additive manufacturing powders of copper, aluminium alloys, tungsten, bismuth or zirconium alloys.

7. The shaped charge warhead according to claim 1, wherein a base portion of said cylindrical casing has geometrical defects in the form of volumes of powder which are non-sintered and/or geometrical discontinuities in the thickness.

8. A method for producing a shaped charge warhead according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: making a casing and a conical liner defining a single body using an additive manufacturing technique; introducing explosive through said casting hole of the cylindrical casing in a space formed between said casing and said conical liner; closing said casting hole housing a detonator in said casting hole.

9. The production method according to claim 8, wherein said cylindrical casing and said conical liner are made by additive manufacturing by powder bed fusion.

10. The production method according to claim 8, also comprising a step of performing a thermal treatment after the step of making the single body and a step of surface finishing following a removal of forging supports.

Description

[0026] The description is set out below with reference to the accompanying drawings which are provided solely for purposes of illustration without restricting the scope of the invention and in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the shaped charge warhead according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 1A is a schematic representation of a detail of the warhead of FIG. 1.

[0029] With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety a shaped charge warhead which, for simplicity of description, will hereafter be referred to as warhead 1.

[0030] The warhead 1 comprises an axially symmetric casing 2 designed to define a containment space V and having in a base portion 2a a casting hole 3 for the explosive.

[0031] According to a preferred embodiment the casing 2 has a cylindrical shape but other configurations can be made.

[0032] Preferably, the base portion 2a of the casing 2 has geometrical defects in the form of volumes of powders which are non-sintered and/or the presence of shaping in the thickness. In other words, the base portion 2a has geometrical defects and/or geometrical discontinuities in the thickness.

[0033] The warhead 1 also comprises a detonator (not illustrated) housed in the casting hole 3.

[0034] The warhead 1 also comprises a conical or hemispherical shaped charge liner 4 positioned inside the containment space V. For simplicity of description, reference will be made solely to the conical liner 4 but, what is stated below, is also applicable to a hemispherical liner.

[0035] Preferably, the conical liner 4 has a variable thickness. In this way, the variable thickness of the conical liner 4 allows the distribution of the masses participating in the formation of the slug to be optimised.

[0036] Preferably, the conical liner 4 has a structure with cellular partitions. Each cellular partition contains non-sintered powder which contributes to the formation of the slug.

[0037] The casing 2 and the conical liner 4 are made in a single body by means of an additive manufacturing technique. In other words, the casing 2 and the conical liner 4 are made in a single part without interruption.

[0038] Preferably, the casing 2 and the conical liner 4 are made by means of additive manufacturing by powder bed fusion.

[0039] The casing 2 extends along a respective axis of extension X in such a way as to also define a standoff 5 of the warhead 1.

[0040] The conical liner 4 is connected to the casing 2 by a continuous connection 6 made with non-sintered spaces. In particular, the continuous connection 6 is made by means of two connecting bodies 6a. The use of non-sintered spaces advantageously allows the controlled detachment of the conical liner 4 at the moment of the arrival of the detonation wave.

[0041] Preferably, the warhead 1 is made by means of powders for additive manufacturing.

[0042] Preferably, the warhead 1 is made of powders of metal alloys which include copper alloys, aluminium alloys, tungsten, bismuth or zirconium alloys. The warhead 1 may also be made with other types of metallic powder not described here.

[0043] Advantageously, the above-mentioned warhead 1 has a high constructional simplicity.

[0044] Advantageously, the particular structure of the conical liner 4 guarantees a greater effectiveness of the warhead 1. In other words, the warhead 1 has a greater penetrative capacity which guarantees better performance in the various fields of use of the warhead 1.

[0045] Advantageously, the warhead 1 can be made from materials which could not otherwise be used.

[0046] The invention also relates to a method for producing the shaped charge warhead 1 as described above. For this reason, the warhead 1 can be obtained with the method according to the invention.

[0047] The method comprises a first step of making a casing 2 and a conical liner 4 defining a single body using an additive manufacturing technique. The ideal solution for defining the single body has been found by means of numerical simulation with structural, qualified and certified software used in the reference sector.

[0048] The dimensions of the single body may be scaled up with the only limit of the maximum dimensions of the pressing space of the machine used.

[0049] Preferably, the casing 2 and the conical liner 4 are made by means of additive manufacturing by powder bed fusion.

[0050] For this reason, the warhead 1 is made by means of powders for additive manufacturing. Preferably, the warhead 1 is made of powders of copper, aluminium alloys, tungsten, bismuth or zirconium alloys.

[0051] The method also comprises introducing explosive device through the casting hole 3 of the casing 2. In particular, the explosive device is introduced into a space V1 defined between the casing 2 and the conical liner 4.

[0052] Lastly, the method comprises closing the casting hole 3 (that is, said space V1) housing a detonator in the casting hole 3.

[0053] Preferably, the method also comprises a step of performing a thermal treatment after the step of making the single body and a step of surface finishing following a removal of forging supports.

[0054] In other words, where necessary, the method comprises processing the warhead 1 to remove possible imperfections due to the additive manufacturing technique used.

[0055] Advantageously, the invention is able to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0056] Advantageously, the invention allows the assembly operations to be eliminated.

[0057] Advantageously, the invention allows a liner to be made with variable thickness and materials to be used which cannot normally be used with traditional processing techniques.

[0058] Advantageously, the invention allows, with the introduction of geometrical defects inside the thickness of the casing, the dimensions of the fragments caused by the detonation to be controlled.

[0059] In other words, the invention is characterised by a high level of constructional simplicity and greater effectiveness of the liner.