Rheinmetall Gmbh

Georg Klein

Stefan Thiesen

Eckhard Rahnenfuhrer

Eckhard Rahnenfuehrer

A method and an apparatus for producing a large-caliber ammunition unit including a combustible or partially combustible propelling charge casing and compacted or partially compacted propelling charge powder, to increase internal ballistic performance. It is known to partially or completely compact or compress the propelling charge powder in a cartridge casing. However, such methods generally cannot be employed for ammunition including a combustible or at least partially combustible propelling charge casing because of the lower strength of the relatively thin-walled combustible casing material, as this would lead to deformation and/or to reduced loadability of such cartridges. The present invention permits the compaction or partial compaction of the propelling charge powder of an ammunition unit including a combustible propelling charge casing in that a pressing mold or matrix is employed which directly encloses the propelling charge casing, with an appropriate annular gap being left free between the inner surface of the propelling charge casing and the outer surface of the press die in dependence on the grain dimension of the propelling charge powder grains to be compacted so that the propelling charge powder can be compacted almost without shear forces with respect to the inner surface of the propelling charge casing.

Large-caliber two part ammunition unit

Method and apparatus for producing large-caliber ammunition

A propellant charge and method of manufacture thereof by which the increase in maximum gas pressure within the upper use temperature range which occurs upon firing can be influenced until eliminated. The propellant charge is manufactured by compacting a first portion of the propellant charge which corresponds to between 50-80% of the total mass of the propellant charge, and then adding the balance of the propellant charge as loose powder on top of the first portion.

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Meerbusch, Germany

Georg Klein