US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Vista Outdoor Operations LLC

Alliant Techsystems Inc.

Elbert Caravaca

Linjie Zhu

Costas George Gogos

Ming-Wan Young

Mohamed Elalem

Niloufar Faridi

Fei Shen

Peter Bonnett

Dale Conti

Howard Shimm

Joseph Palk, Jr

William J Worrell

Benjamin R Vaughan

Sandra L Case

Drew Lee Goodlin

Viral Panchal

Richard Quesenberry

Jeffrey Bandel

Jacqueline A Longcore

Chandrark Patel

Mingwan Young

Dylan McHugh

A multi-compartment mortar increment container (MIC) enables burning of two propellants to broaden the pressure-time curve providing additional energy and force behind a mortar shell while maintaining allowable pressures. During the ballistic cycle, the mortar increment container burns allowing the faster propellant to mix with the slower propellant. The slower propellant will burn later in the ballistic cycle generating higher pressure behind the projectile leading to higher velocity.

Multi-compartment mortar increment container

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

An economical, low residue, mortar increment propellant container manufactured of foamed celluloid, which is composed of 50 to 84% nitrocellulose, having a nitrogen content of from about 10.5 to about 13.5%, and about 15 to about 50% camphor. The burn rate of the foamed celluloid can be enhanced by the addition of energetic additives, such as energetic plasticizers.

Foamed celluloid mortar propellant increment containers

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

Budd Lake, NJ, United States of America

Elbert Caravaca