Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-buhrle Ag

Harald Katzmann

Hanspeter Sigg

David Ammann

Werner Senn

Pierre H Freymond

For the projectile core of a sabot projectile, it is desired to use very brittle material in consideration of the strived for effect in the target. It has been found that a projectile core formed of a brittle material already tends to break while being delivered to the firing weapon. To avoid this danger, the brittle part of the projectile core is prestressed or pre-biased by a tie rod. The projectile core preferably consists of three components, wherein the intermediate component is prestressed and the contact surfaces between these three components are substantially conically structured.

Sabot projectile containing a projectile core and a sabot jacket

The projectiles possess high kinetic energy owing to the high velocity of the projectiles, on the one hand, and the high specific weight of the projectiles, on the other hand. The heretofore normally employed explosive and incendiary charges are replaced by an inert powder serving as the projectile filling or filler and having a density of at least 10 g/cm.sup.3 and whose constituents have a mass of 10.sup.-4 to 10.sup.-2 grams. Certain constructions of the projectiles contain a fragmentation jacket, the filling or filler, a closure body or penetrator and a projectile tip. Another construction of the projectile contains a fragmentation jacket, the filling or filler, an integrated base for the fragmentation jacket and the projectile tip.

Kinetic energy sabot projectile

It is important with a sabot projectile to reliably fasten the projectile core or body in the sabot tail. This should be achieved without the need for circumferential grooves in the projectile core or body for fastening such projectile core or body in the sabot tail. Furthermore, the projectile core or body should be fastened in the sabot tail without the aid of the sabot jacket. This is achieved in that an attachment or fastening sleeve of the sabot tail extends to the substantially conical-shaped tip of the projectile core or body and bears against this substantially conical-shaped tip in order to prevent the projectile core or body from falling out of the sabot tail.

Sabot projectile with a sabot tail to which an attachment sleeve is

Ever greater demands in terms of mechanical strength and gas tightness are being made on the connection between the rear part and the casing of a sabot for a projectile. To improve this connection a circumferential groove is provided in the rear part of the sabot into which protrudes a rotating band of the sabot casing which band contacts the barrel rifling to spin or rotate the projectile. The circumferential groove and the rotating band anchored therein exhibit a dovetailed cross-section which prevents the rotating band from slipping out of the circumferential groove. The rotating band is linked to the casing via a predetermined break point.

Connection between the casing and the rear part of a sabot for projectile

Up to now exceedingly precise manufacturing tolerances had to be observed in securing or mounting a flare composition or incandescent charge sleeve in a blind borehole in the tail portion of a projectile body to ensure reliable sealing against propellant gases. To prevent this disadvantage a bolt member or plug is inserted into the blind borehole of the projectile body until the face or end surface of this bolt member or plug abuts the bottom region or portion of the blind borehole. The bolt member or plug and the projectile body are rotated relative to one another. Due to friction between the end surface of the bolt member or plug and the bottom portion of the blind borehole sufficient heat is generated at the front end of the bolt member or plug such that material of this front end of the bolt member or plug flows into an annular groove of the blind borehole to form a flange member. This flange member securely anchors the bolt member or plug in the blind borehole. Then by appropriately machining the thus anchored bolt member or plug there can be formed the flare composition sleeve.

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Neuenhof, Switzerland

Harald Katzmann