US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Vista Outdoor Operations LLC

Alliant Techsystems Inc.

Dale Conti

Ming-Wan Young

Costas George Gogos

Mohamed Elalem

Linjie Zhu

Fei Shen

Elbert Caravaca

Niloufar Faridi

Peter Bonnett

Joseph Palk, Jr

Howard Shimm

William J Worrell

Benjamin R Vaughan

Sandra L Case

Drew Lee Goodlin

Viral Panchal

Richard Quesenberry

Jeffrey Bandel

Chong Peng

Tianyi Huang

The present invention is directed to a process for making combustible foam celluloid munition parts having high aspect ratios, different densities or having an insert embedded into the foam celluloid munition part. The process for making such foam celluloid munition part requires pre-soaking dry particles of celluloid, placing the celluloid particles into a munition part mold, exposing the celluloid particles to high heat and pressure until the celluloid particles expand and fuse into the shape of the mold. Varying the density or the size of the celluloid particles used in the process produces munition parts having different densities. In addition, the placement of inserts into the particles prior to exposure to high heat and pressure produces munition parts having inserts that are useful for identification and tracking of such parts.

Process for preparing foam celluloid parts

A muzzle loaded ammunition round having a bullet and a consumable cartridge case. The cartridge case is hollow and is filled with at least one propellant composition, the cartridge case being constructed from a consumable material, such as foamed celluloid. The bullet is commonly engaged to the propellant composition at least via the cartridge case, the propellant composition having a charge weight.

Advanced muzzle loader ammunition

An encapsulated propellant charge comprised a sealed combustible container comprised of a consumable material and having a substantially cylindrical shape. The sealed combustible container comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall therebetween. The top wall, the bottom wall and the side wall define a chamber; which contains a propellant composition.

Muzzle loader powder increment using celluloid combustible container

A method of manufacture of foamed celluloid molded products, involving three steps for the manufacture of higher density (0.7 to 1.25 gm/cc) foamed celluloid products or simple geometry lower density (0.2 to 0.7 gm/cc) foamed celluloid products, and four steps for the manufacture of lower density foamed celluloid products of any geometry. The three step process involving: (1) providing small, uniform, pieces of celluloid; (2) presoaking the pieces in a physical blowing agent (PBA) under pressure; and (3) foaming at raised temperature a controlled quantity of the presoaked pieces in a mold&#x2014;to obtain the desired shape and density. For a lower density foamed celluloid product, of any moldable geometry, the steps are to: (1) small pieces of celluloid, that (2) have been presoaked in a PBA, are (3) pre-expanded to an intermediate density, and then (4) foam the desired lower density foamed product in a mold at raised temperature.

Foamed celluloid process using expandable beads

By using generally known chemically, physically, or a combination thereof, means to foam celluloid, a foamed celluloid material is invented with a density of less than about 1.25 gm/cm, which material is relatively low cost, very fast burning, very low residue, easily moldable, and which material exhibits good mechanical strength, and provides a good water barrier. These characteristics make this foamed celluloid a preferred choice for military artillery propellant charge bags, military mortar and civilian fireworks increment charges, combustible cartridges, flare housings, igniter tubes, as well as, closure disks, combustible enclosures and components thereof, among other applications.

Foamed celluloid combustible material

Growing community of inventors

Flanders, NJ, United States of America

Dale Conti