Base ejecting projectile

Claim 1

A base ejecting projectile including: a casing defining a cavity therein, said casing having an opening at one end and an opening at the opposite end; fuse means mounted in and closing said opening at said one end of said casing, said fuse means including an ignition device; end cap means mounted in and closing said opening at said other end of said casing, said end cap means being ejectable from said opening in response to the exertion of force thereon from within said cavity; piston means disposed within said cavity and slidable between a forward position and an after position therein, said piston means for dividing said cavity into an expelling charge chamber and a cargo chamber, said piston being slidable from said forward position to said after position in response to the generation of pressure within said expelling charge chamber; expelling charge means disposed within said expelling charge chamber, said expelling charge means being actuable in response to actuation of said ignition device to generate pressurized gas within said expelling charge chamber; means for sealing said expelling charge chamber to preclude rapid escape of said pressurized gas therefrom which includes; means disposed in said cavity of said casing for defining a passage for communicating said ignition device and said expelling charge means which includes; a plug having a longitudinally axial bore extending therethrough, said plug being slidable within said cavity from an after position to a forward position in response to the generation of said pressurized gas; and means for covering said passage to preclude the escape of said pressurized gas therethrough.