Hollow bursting charge

Claim 1

An axially symmetrical explosive device with annular ignition comprising: a rear primer, a main explosive charge having conically shaped front and rear recesses disposed in an axially symmetrical manner and pointed toward each other, the rear recess covering only a central portion of the rear of said main charge, the peripheral region of said main explosive charge surrounding said rear recess having a frusto-conical surface tapered in the rearward direction; a conical insert in the front recess of said main explosive charge; a jacket surrounding said main explosive charge and having a conically shaped interior surface pointing rearwardly to said primer; an ignition transmitting explosive within said conically shaped interior surface of said jacket and having the shape of a conical shell with its rear tip adjacent said primer and its front periphery complementary to and receivable on the remaining peripheral region of said main explosive charge; an inert body having oppositely pointed fiRst and second conical exterior surfaces, said first surface being complementary to and received within the conical surface of said ignition transmitting explosive and the second surface complementary to and received within the rear conical recess in the main explosive charge whereby the axes of all said conical surfaces are congruent with the main axis of the device by the provision of exclusively conical contact surfaces on the main explosive charges, the insert, the jacket, the ignition transmitting explosive and the inert body.