Method and apparatus for producing large-caliber ammunition

US5289776A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Rheinmetall GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Stefan Thiesen · Willich, DE
• Georg Klein · Osterath, DE
• Eckhard Rahnenfuhrer · Dormagen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 30, 1992
• Grant date: Mar 1, 1994
• Expiry date: Apr 30, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F42C19/0826
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

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…