Recoilless projectile launcher
US5357841A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 19, 1993 |
| Grant date | Oct 25, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 19, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF41A1/08
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A projectile launcher and in particular a mass/countermass projectile launcher in which the piston intercept(s) comprises a braking collar (8) made of a material which exhibits constrained progressive crushing. When a projectile (18) is fired the launching piston (10) impacts upon the braking collar (8) at the muzzle of the launcher and initiates constrained progressive crushing in the collar (8). The crushing of the collar (8) absorbs the kinetic energy of the piston (10) thus arresting the axial motion of the piston (10). The projectile launcher according to the present invention can be less massive than similar launchers that use conventional metal piston intercepts which is an advantage if the launcher is designed to be shoulder-launched by a human operator. The type of collar material preferably used is made of a solid filler embedded in a plastics matrix and in particular the solid filler is made of reinforcing fibers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.