(19)
(11) EP 1 488 189 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
13.07.2005 Bulletin 2005/28

(21) Application number: 02802587.2

(22) Date of filing: 22.11.2002
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7F42B 12/82
(86) International application number:
PCT/UA2002/000063
(87) International publication number:
WO 2003/069261 (21.08.2003 Gazette 2003/34)

(54)

CARTRIDGE

PATRONE

CARTOUCHE


(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE SK TR

(30) Priority: 13.02.2002 UA 02021164

(43) Date of publication of application:
22.12.2004 Bulletin 2004/52

(73) Proprietors:
  • Zozulya, Vladimir Leonidovich
    Kharkov, 61054 (UA)
  • Zozulya, Sergey Leonidovich
    Kharkov, 61018 (UA)
  • Alexandrov, Sergey Nikolaevich
    Kharkov, 61007 (UA)

(72) Inventors:
  • Zozulya, Vladimir Leonidovich
    Kharkov, 61054 (UA)
  • Zozulya, Sergey Leonidovich
    Kharkov, 61018 (UA)
  • Alexandrov, Sergey Nikolaevich
    Kharkov, 61007 (UA)

(74) Representative: Motsch, Andreas 
Patentanwalt St-Anna-Platz 4
80538 München
80538 München (DE)


(56) References cited: : 
EP-A- 0 908 695
US-A- 4 328 750
US-B1- 6 209 459
US-A- 3 097 169
US-A- 4 731 189
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] The invention concerns ammunition and may be used for cartridges of small arms, and other kinds of ammunition, as well as for improvement of characteristics of sniper riffle barrels.

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION



    [0002] US 6 209 459 discloses a cartridge and forms the preamble of claim 1.

    [0003] It is known, that in firearms the smokeless gunpowder charge almost completely turns into the gaseous products at combustion having high elasticity and temperature. The pressure of powder gases, operating on a bottom of a bullet, creates movement of a bullet in the barrel channel. In spite of the fact that the movement in the barrel channel is characterized by short duration (about 0,002 sec), the influence of powder gases is essentially at intensive shooting. The channel of firearm barrel wears out especially essentially. The channel of the automatic weapon wears out the most quickly.

    [0004] The result of firearms barrel wear is loss first of all the close grouping of shooting, reduction of distance of shooting and decrease of destructive power connected to it. Though these characteristics depend on many reasons, however such factors as design of ammunition and preparation of weapon and ammunition for shooting may change the said characteristics essentially in the best or on the contrary in the worse side.

    [0005] The various designs of ammunition are created with the purpose of improvement of the said characteristics, using thus various modem materials. A number of ammunition devices are known to have been reconstructed in order to reach friction and wear reduction. For example, a cartridge of 5,6 millimeters calibre, containing a metal sleeve, a cap, a powder charge and a bullet [see the Specification to the USA patent Nº 5490463, IC. F 42 B 12/82, dated from 13.12.96]. The head part of a bullet has a circular groove and is covered with a synthetic lubricant. Or, for example, a bullet with the metal core made of sintered metal powder with a covering from plastic or metal [see the Specification to the Great Britain patent Nº 2278423, IC. F 42 B 12/74, dated from. 30.11.94]. The covering made of plastic is covered in process of immersing of a heated up bullet in plastic.

    [0006] The ammunition devices mentioned above reduce friction basically in the breech part of a weapon and do not influence its wear or friction in the weapon barrel shooting.

    [0007] It is known that there is an artillery shell with a device that reduces wear of a barrel, and a method of its manufacturing [see the specification of WO 9528612, IC. F 42 B 5/24. dated from 26.10.95]. The shell contains a sleeve which wall tablets made of material reducing barrel wear when shooting, which are fastened to the wall of the sleeve. The tablets contain a paraffin component, which sticks them to the sleeve wall when stiffening. Such way of fastening the protective material tablets may be applied for various calibre shells.

    [0008] However the tablets located on the sleeve walls render very insignificant influence on a riffle barrels whole, and, consequently, on such characteristic as close grouping of shooting. Besides, the technology of using such tablets may be applied only for artillery shells, that is for an ammunition of large calibre.

    [0009] It is known, that there is also a high-speed bullet to shoot from rifled fire-arms [see the Specification to the USA patent Nº 5365853, IC F 42 B 12/34. dated from 02.11.94] which contains a core, that can be deformed, an envelope and details fixing the envelope on the core of a bullet. The details fixing the envelope on the core of a bullet are located in the apertures of the envelope and they serve for reduction of friction between a bullet and barrel channel rifling shooting.

    [0010] Owing to reduction of friction between a bullet and barrel channel rifling the wear of the channel of a rifle barrel decreases also. However, complexity of bullet design reduces application range cartridges.

    [0011] Besides, it is known a bullet which contains an envelope with a leaden shirt and a core [see the Specification to the Russian Federation patent Nº 2034231, IC F 42 B 12/06, dated from 30.06.90.], where the close grouping of shooting is 16-18 % more than the known ones due to the core made of a solid alloy and the specific form of a bottom part of a leaden shirt. The specific form of the leading part of a bullet allows avoiding formation of bulges and envelope separation from the lead shirt at envelopes bending, i.e. promotes increase durability of assembly of bullet elements owing to what additional increase of close grouping shooting takes place.

    [0012] However, when using the ammunition described above, the high parameters of close group shooting are characteristic mainly for the new, that is unworn out rifle arms, and they decrease essentially reduced after short period of usage because of wear of barrels channels.

    [0013] The most similar to the declared decision according to its purpose, technical essence and the application result that must be reached while using the cartridge is a bullet, a powder charge, an ignition cap and a sleeve [see Zug A.B A small arms. - M.: Military Publishing House, 1992. 645 - 648 p.]. The type of a cartridge of the infantry weapon established at the beginning of last century does not undergo basic changes and serves its purpose perfectly.

    [0014] However, as in previous case, when using the ammunition described above, the high parameters of close group shooting are characteristic mainly for the new, that is unworn out rifle arms, and they decrease essentially after short period of usage because of wear of barrel channels. Thus, the problem of increasing the weapon resource and improvement of its characteristics is still actual today.

    SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION



    [0015] Therefore, the purpose of the offered technical decision is reduction of wear of the firearms barrel channel and, as consequence, increase of close group shooting and other characteristics of the weapon.

    [0016] The basis of the invention is defined in claim 1 and therefore, apparently, the improvement of rotation transfer by the barrel channel grooves due the additional covering of a bullet is provided, the nutation corner in flight decreases, its gyroscopic stability in flight increases, and therefore such important characteristic as close grouping of shooting is improved, the adverse conditions of weapon storage render less influence on this characteristic, that indicates the stabilization of barrel channel parameters and increase of weapon survivability.

    [0017] The problem mentioned above is solved by the features of claim 1.

    [0018] According to preferred embodiment of the invention, a film-forming gel on the basis of paraffin is used as an organic carrier for cartridges of calibre 22LR, 5,56 x 45 to 7,62 x 39, the covering being put on the whole bullet surface.

    [0019] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a film-forming polymer is used as an organic carrier for cartridges of calibre 7,62 x 54 and bigger, the covering being applied as a belt having a width h = (0,7 to 1,8) D and at a distance L = (0,5 to 0,7) D from the bullet tip.

    [0020] The values of covering thickness, width of belts and distances from the bullet tip (ammunition) above mentioned are optimum from the point of view of the film filling substance and achievable effect.

    [0021] As it is seen from the description of the technical decision, that is declared, it differs from the prototype and, consequently, it is new.

    [0022] The decision has also an inventive level. The method of manufacturing wear resistant fire-arms barrels is known [see the Description to the Ukrainian patent Nº 35271 A IC 41 A 21/00, published from. 15.03.2001]. It includes its preliminary clearing and treating by ultra disperse powder or a mixture of ultra disperse powder with the technological environment before each shot of a series which includes not less than 3-5 shots, by covering an external surface of each shell and an internal surface of a barrel with ultra disperse powder or a mixture of ultra disperse powder with the technological environment taking into account that ultra disperse powder is produced of natural mineral belonging to layered silicates.

    [0023] It was shown by tests, that usage of the technical decision described above provides increase of survivability of the fire-arms, that can be proved by steady improvement of its ballistic characteristics of the new as well as worn out weapons. In this case fulfillment of the certain conditions can make requirements of weapon storage less strict.

    [0024] However, the method cannot be referred to technological ones, it can't be mechanized and applied for in the adverse conditions.

    [0025] The present technical decision differs essentially from previously suggested one. It allows to prepare cartridges (ammunition) on conditions of the mass mechanized manufacture, with essential reduction of the filling substance and expenses for its manufacturing. The cartridges (ammunition) providing high ballistic properties of the weapon are suitable for transportation and usage on various conditions.

    [0026] There is a composition to treat pairs of friction [see the Ukrainian patent 34768, IC C10M 125/10, published from 15.06.01]. It includes oxides of metals and nonmetals based on the products of dehydration of the hydrates at the temperature of the constitutional water removal and destruction of a crystal lattice in an interval 400 - 900 °C and which in a steady phase contain such oxides as MgO, SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, Fe2O3, K2O, Na2O. The specified composition is used in a mixture with various fluid technological environments for decrease friction and wear.

    [0027] The present technical decision differs essentially from the one suggested previously, because it uses the film-forming materials as a carrier, that provides formation of a steady additional covering on the bullet surface with uniform distribution of the necessary filling substance in the given zone. But the most important factor is that the covering fixation on the bullet surface provides an opportunity to use the necessary cartridges avoiding full wear of arm channels. As it is marked above, such a design of a cartridge is technological and suitable for mass production.

    [0028] It is necessary to note also once again, that at the stable effect of increasing close grouping of shooting such parameter as speed of a bullet during tests might change a little bit both aside increase, and aside decrease or to remain constant. This fact gives the basis for the statement, that the offered decision gives a new technical result, that is improvement of transfer to a bullet of rotation by the channel grooves of a barrel through the additional bullet covering. Thus, probably, in this case, there is a leveling, smoothing of barrel channels, and due to its the corner of bullets nutation decreases in flight, its gyroscopic stability raises in flight.

    [0029] The offered technical decision may find wide application for ammunition manufacture, as well as for operational development of barrel channels of rifle arms up to higher parameters.

    USE OF THE INVENTION



    [0030] On figs 1. A cartridge with a covering made of film-forming gel with filling substance.

    [0031] The cartridge, for example, of a calibre 5,56 x 45 contains a bullet 1, a powder charge 2, a ignition cap 3 and a sleeve 4. The covering 5 made film-forming gel is put on the bullet surface. The cartridge from side of the bullet is protected by cap 6. The protective cap 6 does not used, if the covering film-forming polymers are used for covering. The mixtures of oxides mentioned above are used as filing substance.

    [0032] The prepared compositions of film-forming gels or polymers with filling substances have the common name "REVITALIZANT- XADO".

    [0033] The test results of the various cartridges with an additional covering on a bullet made of various compositions of "REVITALIZANT- XADO" on the basis of the material of filling substance mentioned above are given in the Table. The influence of an additional covering on the weapon ballistic characteristics was estimated according to change of R100 (the radius of a circle with the centre in an average point of the hit, containing 100 % of holes) and r50 (the radius of a circle with the centre in an average point of the hit, containing 50 % of holes), as well as in 3 months after the treatment.
    Table
    The arm, Quantity of shot, Cartridge Thickness of covering, (a belt)
    k *D
    mm
    Width of belt,
    h mm
    Distance From tip, p** D
    mm
    Quantity of filling substance in Revitalizant, grm/ml Quantity of shot, Reducion R100, % *** Reducion r50, % In 3 months after treatment ****
    R100/r50,
    TO399 1000
    22LR
    0,01D The whole bullet up to a sleeve The whole bullet up to a sleeve 0,12-0,15 100 36,0 20,0 0/0
    M16A1 10000
    5,56x45
    0,01D The whole bullet up to a sleeve The whole bullet up to a sleeve 0,12-0,15 100 36,0 20,0 0/0
    CKC New
    7,62x39
    0,02D The whole bullet up to a sleeve The whole bullet up to a sleeve 0,05-0,07 328 23,0 7,1 -
    Tiger 12000
    7,62x54
    0,03D 1,7-1,8 0,5D 0,12-0,15 375 17,8 44,5 -
    KO-38 5000
    7,62x54
    0,03D 0,7-0,9 0,3D 0,12-0,15 375 31,2 8,2 1,8/0
    Tiger 6000
    7,62x54
    0,03D 1,2-1,3 0,7D 0,12-0,15 325 26,8 16,7 0/0
    * k = 0,01 - 0,03;
    ** p = 0,5 - 0,7;
    *** Reduction of the characteristics in % in comparison with initial sizes;
    **** R100/r50 was defined after a series of shots 3x10.


    [0034] It is seen from the table, the application of REVITALIZANT-XADO as an additional covering on a bullet surface, allows fastening the process of leveling, smoothing of barrel channels and to achieve improvement of close grouping of shooting from 30 up to 44,5 % and more, not changing or practically insignificantly reducing (up to 0,8 %) speed of a bullet. At correct, according to the description and the maintenance instruction, a leaving of the arm the regenerative effect may progress and reach 60 % on criterion of closer grouping of shooting both at during storage, and at the further operation.


    Claims

    1. A cartridge containing a bullet (1), a powder charge (2), an ignition cap (3) and a sleeve (4), characterized in that an additional covering (5) having a thickness δ = (0,01 to 0,03) D is located on said bullet (1), where D is the bullet diameter equivalent to the bullet calibre, made on the basis of a film-forming organic carrier containing a filling substance that is the product of dehydration of hydrates containing such oxides as MgO, SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, Fe2O3, K2O, Na2O, said filling substance being concentrated at a concentration of 0,05 to 0,015 g/ml in said film-forming organic carrier.
     
    2. The cartridge of Claim 1, characterized in that a film-forming gel on the basis of paraffin is used as an organic carrier for cartridges of calibre 22LR, 5,56 x 45 to 7,62 x 39, the covering being put on the whole bullet surface.
     
    3. The cartridge of Claim 1, characterized in that a film-forming polymer is used as an organic carrier for cartridges of calibre 7,62 x 54 and bigger, the covering being applied as a belt having a width h = (0,7 to 1,8) D and at a distance L = (0,5 to 0,7) D from the bullet tip.
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Patrone, die eine Kugel (1), eine Pulverladung (2), eine Zündkappe (3) und eine Hülse (4) enthält, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sich eine zusätzliche Abdeckung (5), die eine Dicke von δ = (0,01 bis 0,03) D aufweist, auf der Kugel (1) befindet, wobei D der Kugeldurchmesser ist, der dem Kugelkaliber entspricht, hergestellt auf der Basis eines filmbildenden organischen Tragers, der eine Füllsubstanz, die das Produkt der Dehydratation von Hydraten ist, und Oxide, wie MgO, SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, Fe2O3, K2O, Na2O enthalt, wobei die Füllsubstanz in einer Konzentration von 0,05 bis 0,015 g/ml in dem filmbildenden organischen Träger konzentriert ist.
     
    2. Patrone nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass ein filmbildendes Gel auf der Basis von Paraffin als organischer Träger für Patronen des Kalibers 22LR, 5,56 x 45 bis 7,62 x 39 verwendet wird, wobei die Abdeckung auf der gesamten Kugeloberfläche angebracht ist.
     
    3. Patrone nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass ein filmbildendes Polymer als organischer Träger für Patronen des Kalibers 7,62 x 54 und größer verwendet wird, wobei die Abdeckung als Gürtel angebracht ist, der eine Breite h = (0,7 bis 1,8) D und eine Länge L = (0,5 bis 0,7) D von der Kugelspitze aufweist.
     


    Revendications

    1. Une cartouche contenant une balle (1), une charge de poudre (2), une amorce (3) et un manchon (4), caractérisé en ce qu'un recouvrement supplémentaire (5) ayant une épaisseur de δ = (0 ,01 à 0,03) D est positionné sur ladite balle (1), où D est le diamètre de la balle équivalent au calibre de la balle, ledit recouvrement étant fabriqué sur la base d'une substance de remplissage contant un support organique filmogène, laquelle substance est le produit d'une déshydratation d'hydrates contenant des oxydes tels que MgO, SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, Fe2O3, K2O, Na2O, ladite substance de remplissage étant concentrée à une concentration allant de 0,05 à 0,015 g/ml dans ledit support organique filmogène.
     
    2. La cartouche selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'on utilise un gel filmogène sur la base de paraffine en tant que support organique pour des cartouches du calibre 22LR, 5,56 x 45 x 7,62 x 39, le recouvrement étant placé sur toute la surface de la balle.
     
    3. La cartouche selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'on utilise un polymère filmogène en tant que support organique pour des cartouches du calibre 7,62 x 54 et plus gros, le recouvrement étant appliqué an tant que bande ayant une largeur h = (0,7 x 1,8) D et situé à une distance L = (0,5 à 0,7) D de la pointe de la balle.
     




    Drawing