Thiokol Corporation

Morton Thiokol Inc.

US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Thoikol Corporation

Frank H Bell

John A Peterson

Clifford E Kristofferson

Donald G Fisher

William O Munson

William F Wagner

Gerald W Rogowski

Michael S McDonald

Ronald L Borcherding

Denzel H Bair

A low vulnerability ammunition (LOVA) propellant is prepared with a polyurethane binder and a mixture of nitramines consisting essentially of RDX and at least 7.5 wt. % HMX (based on combined oxidizer binder matrix weight). Dilution of RDX with HMX enhances precure extrudability of the propellant grain. Polymerization and extrudability is provided without slumping prior to total cure given a NCO:DIOL:TRIOL equivalent ratio of from about 110:15:85.

Method of preparing a non-feathering nitramine propellant

A chisel point striker is retained by a shear pin on the center line of a warhead above an open-ended flash tube packed with a percussion sensitive priming mixture. Impact of the warhead with a resistant target causes the shear pin to shear and the striker to impact the target violently thereby to set off the priming mixture. The resulting blast wave is communicated via two paths in opposite directions to two separate detonation wave acceptors or boosters. Each booster accepts the detonation wave and communicates a detonation reaction to a main explosive charge of the warhead.

Double-path detonation tube inertia igniter

A propellant charge is manufactured by spooling a strand of propellant onto a form member. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the form member is a spool composed of propellant, and the spooled propellant, including the spool, is loaded into a charge housing.

Spooled propellant charge and method of manufacture thereof

A mechanical bond between a solid rocket propellant composition and a substrate such as insulation material is provided by a quantity of molded member portions integral with the substrate and protruding from a substrate surface into the cured propellant composition whereby a linerless rocket motor may be provided. A method of effecting such a bond is also disclosed.

Mechanical bond between a solid rocket propellant composition and a

A solventless method for the preparation and storage of uncured low vulnerability ammunition propellant (LOVA) includes blending from about 60 to 80 weight percent of either HMX or RDX oxidizer having a weight mean diameter from 1.0 to 14 microns with a polyurethane binder. A cure effecting amount of cure catalyst may also be included. These ingredients are blended at a temperature below about 110.degree. F., deaired, and optionally stored at low temperatures at a pre-cured condition, extruded and subsequently cured. The products produced thereby have uniquely low burning rates as well as uniquely low burning rate exponents.

Solvent-free preparation of gun propellant formulations

A multi-path impact type, inertia class, igniter for use with both rotating and non-rotating projectiles or warheads includes two or more stab type 'firing pins' that are arranged in a plane which is at 90.degree. to the center-line of the projectile. The firing pins are equally spaced apart on the plane and each bears directly upon a safety rupture-disc. The rupture-discs bear directly upon stab type primers, there being one primer per disc. Each firing pin has a sloped 'conic' surface forming a cam which is in direct contact with a conic body-of-rotation inertia mass which lies on the projectile center-line. Upon impact, the conic shaped mass moves forward at a high rate forcing the firing pins outward at a much reduced velocity relative to that of impact. The moving firing pins pierce the rupture-discs and enter the stab primers, thereby causing the actuation of the latter.

Impact ignition device for a plurality of stab type primers

A roll calendered sheet propellant features thin sheets of solid propellant which have been consolidated by the calendering operation. After calendering, the sheet propellant is roll-printed or 'coined' with a pattern, which forms propellant flakes after ignition in a gun/cannon system. The printed pattern consists of a designed flake geometry, for example, of contiguous diamond or square shapes providing flame communicating paths therebetween. The formation of propellant flakes depends upon a characteristic of propellants, specifically that they burn faster in zones of high residual stress. By varying the design of the roll printer, the printed pattern, in a two-sided printed sheet configuration, may include a cut in the pattern of the order of 15 to 40% of the propellant sheet uncut web depth. After roll printing, the propellant may be cut to length and rolled for insertion into a shell or cartridge case.

Printed sheet urethane propellant

Conventional cannon and tank cannon frequently incorporate a muzzle brake device in order to reduce weapon recoil. Recently tank cannon have acquired the need to eject and disperse infrared (IR) signature masking aerosols, even when the weapon is muzzle brake equipped. The incorporation of an aerosol dispersal feature into a cannon is accomplished by the addition of metallic vortex generators, comprising blades or teeth that extend into the blast stream, to the muzzle brake.

Muzzle brake for dispersal of an aerosol from a cannon

A cased cartridge ammunition ignition booster includes a film of booster propellant that is case-bonded without insulation or liner to the inside wall and base of an ordinary brass, steel or plastic cartridge case and ignited by a conventional primer. Flame spread occurs from the case wall inward through the non case-bonded propellant bed, that is, the bed of the propelling charge.

Cased cartridge ammunition ignition booster

Low explosive compositions which are more energetic than black powder while at the same time having LOVA characteristics are provided. These compositions contain about 45% to about 66% by weight of a metallic nitrate, the balance being cellulose acetate.

LOVA Type black powder propellant surrogate

A device comprising an infrared signature cloaking round forming part of the ammunition load of a cannon-armed vehicle provides an immediate response to a hostile threat from IR tracked or IR guided weapons by forming, when fired from the cannon, a mist that absorbs, scatters, reflects, refracts, or diffracts the infrared signature of the vehicle.

Gun launched IR cloaking device for vehicles

An inertia type friction initiator for rotating projectiles includes a metallic mass, retained by a shear pin and joined to one end of a metal twisted or braided wire or cable, that is set in motion upon impact of the containing projectile with a resistant media, the target. Friction of the cable with a friction primer mixture sets off the mixture. The mixture activates a booster explosive that, in turn, detonates to produce a blase wave which explodes the main charge of high explosive of the projectile. A keeper-washer/sleeve system connected to the cable prevents premature activation by projectile rotational acceleration on the flight axis. The other end of the cable is embedded in the friction primer mixture at an angle of 90 degrees to the central or flight axis. Minor on-axis impacts that may tend to occur during storage, handling, shipment and loading are precluded from causing initiator actuation by proper selection of the shear pin.

Inertia type friction initiator for rotating projectiles

An external burning tracer-type projectile which is visible from many angular positions and not just the base includes a hardened metallic core that is completely encased in a combustible, self-oxidizing polymer jacket that is loaded with powdered fuels and oxidizers and which is ignited by the heat of the propelling charge of gun powder.

External tracer for gun launched projectiles

An arming fuze for ordnance type munitions having but one movable part comprising a solvent desensitized liquid explosive contained in a ported (ventilated) cavity that is normally sealed by a sleeve. Upon movement of the sleeve and exposure of the liquid explosive within the cavity to the air, the liquid explosive loses a volatile solvent, the desensitizing agent, and becomes progressively more sensitive. A first embodiment is that of an inertia armed nose fuze for a projectile wherein the desensitized liquid explosive is enclosed in the cavity in a porous solid matrix. Upon rapid acceleration, as when the projectile is fired, the sleeve undergoes set-back thereby exposing the porous matrix to a violent slip stream of air and to a strong desiccating action. The liquid explosive rapidly loses solvent to the air, rapidly becoming more sensitive whereby it is impact sensitive by the time impact on the target occurs. A second embodiment is that of a contact fuze for mine munitions wherein the fuze is armed by manually moving the sleeve to uncover the ventilation ports thereby to allow the solvent to leave the explosive liquid. When the explosive liquid has 'dried', it is rendered sensitive to pressure or shock whereby detonation occurs upon striking or crushing the fuze.

Contact fuze for mine munitions

Impact with a resistant media at adequate forward velocity and rate of rotation causes a pivoted sector weight to shear a retaining shear pin and rotate quickly, bringing a firing pin on the sector weight into violent contact with a percussion primer and thereby igniting a fuze train or high explosive booster.

Growing community of inventors

Logan, UT, United States of America

Frank H Bell