Saboted-projectile, obturator

Claim 1

AMMUNITION OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED COMPRISING AN ELONGATED PROJECTILE OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CROSS-SECTION, THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID PROJECTILE BEING ALIGNED WITH THE AXIS OF A GUN BORE THROUGH WHICH THE PROJECTILE IS ADAPTED TO BE PROPELLED; A SABOT HAVING A CYLINDRICAL FRONT PORTION ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY ENGAGE THE WALLS OF THE BORE, SAID SABOT HAVING A CONSTRICTABLE REAR PORTION ENGAGED AROUND THE PROJECTILE, THE REAR PORTION INCLUDING A TAPERED PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE CYLINDRICAL FRONT PORTION TO THE REAR END OF SAID REAR PORTION WITH SAID REAR END BEING OF A DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THAT OF THE CYLINDRICAL FRONT PORTION; AND A NON-METALLIC OBTURATOR EXHIBITING HYDROSTATIC-VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES HAVING A CYLINDRICAL EXTERIOR PORTION ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY ENGAGE THE WALLS OF THE BORE, SAID OBTURATOR HAVING A TAPERED FRONT PORTION ENGAGED AROUND THE REAR PORTION OF THE SABOT, A CENTRAL PORTION ENGAGED AROUND THE PROJECTILE, AND A REAR PORTION EXPOSED TO PROPELLANT GAS FORCES, WHEREIN THE PRESSURE CAUSED BY THE PROPELLANT GASES FORCES THE OBTURATOR TO GRIP THE PROJECTILE AND SABOT AT THE ENGAGEMENT SURFACES BETWEEN THE OBTURATOR AND EACH OF SAID SABOT AND PROJECTILE CAUSING CONSTRICTING FORCES IN ADDITION TO THOSE NORMALLY PRESENT IN PROJECTILE-SABOT COMBINATIONS AND THEREBY PREVENTING LEAKAGE OF THE PROPELLANT GASES.