Gun and projectile for shooting fluids

Claim 2

In an apparatus for propelling a fluid payload of a given weight toward a target, the combination of: a barrel having a breech for receiving a cartridge; a cartridge insertable into said breech, the cartridge including a sabot adapted to discharge from the barrel, the sabot being comprised of a plurality of segments releasably mounted together to define an internal cavity; an envelope enclosing said payload, said envelope comprising an enclosing wall of a flexible material adapted to burst under hydraulic pressure from said payload impacting with said target, the envelope being contained within said sabot cavity; expansion chamber means formed in said breech in communication with said cartridge; gas generating means to direct gas under pressure into said expansion chamber means to act against said cartridge; and means to hold the sabot against displacement with respect to the cartridge, said last mentioned means being adapted to release the sabot when the gas pressure exceeds a predetermined value for propelling the sabot from the barrel.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said flexible material comprises a synthetic polymer fOrmed into a film to define said enclosing wall.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1 wherein the payload comprises a liquid, and the envelope comprises a flexible film sealingly enclosing said liquid, said envelope being adapted to burst upon impact with said target for releasing the liquid.

Claim 5

In an apparatus for propelling a fragile payload toward a target, the combination of: a barrel having a breech for receiving a cartridge; a cartridge insertable into said breech, the cartridge including a sabot adapted to discharge from the barrel, the sabot including a plurality of releasable segments normally positioned together in said cartridge to define an internal cavity, an envelope enclosing said payload, said sabot holding said envelope and payload within said cavity for movement within the barrel, and aperture means at the forward end of said sabot to communicate dynamic air pressure to within the cavity to separate said segments from the envelope and payload and allow the latter to continue on a trajectory towards said target, said plurality of segments including a rear plate, a nose plate axially spaced from the rear plate, at least three side plates each defining a segment of a cylinder, and means releasably holding said side plates with the rear and nose plates to define said cavity, said means communicating the air pressure into the cavity comprising at least one forwardly opening aperture in the nose plate; means carried by the cartridge to generate expanding gases; expansion chamber means positioned to receive the gases from the cartridge; and means to hold the sabot against displacement with respect to the cartridge, said last mentioned means being adapted to release the sabot when the gas pressure exceeds a predetermined value for propelling the sabot from the barrel.

Claim 6

In an apparatus for propelling a fragile payload toward a target, the combination of: a barrel having a breech for receiving a cartridge; a cartridge insertable into said breech, the cartridge including a sabot adapted to discharge from the barrel, the sabot including a plurality of releasable segments normally positioned together in said cartridge to define an internal cavity, an envelope enclosing said payload, said sabot holding said envelope and payload within said cavity for movement within the barrel, and aperture means at the forward end of said sabot to communicate dynamic air pressure to within the cavity to separate said segments from the envelope and payload and allow the latter to continue on a trajectory towards said target, said plurality of segments including a rear plate, a nose plate axially spaced from the rear plate, at least three side plates each defining a segment of a cylinder, and means releasably holding said side plates with the rear and nose plates to define said cavity, said means communicating the air pressure into the cavity comprising at least one forwardly opening aperture in the nose plate; means carried by the cartridge to generate expanding gases; expansion chamber means positioned to receive the gases from the cartridge; and means to hold the sabot against displacement with respect to the cartridge, said last mentioned means being adapted to release the sabot when the gas pressure exceeds a predetermined value for propelling the sabot from the barrel.

Claim 7

In an apparatus for propelling a fragile payload toward a target, the combination of: a barrel having a breech for receiving a cartridge; a cartridge insertable into said breech and having a base adapted to seat in said breech, the cartridge including a sabot adapted to discharge from the barrel, the sabot defining an internal cavity and including rear plate means spaced from the cartridge base to define a pressure chamber; an envelope enclosing said payload, the envelope being contained within said sabot cavity; means carried by the cartridge to generate expanding gases including a deflagrating charge mounted in the cartridge, and firing means adapted to ignite said charge; expansion chamber means positioned to receive the gases from the cartridge; means to hold the sabot against displacement with respect to the cartridge, said last mentioned means being adapted to release the sabot when the gas pressure exceeds a predetermined value for propelling the sabot from the barrel; said cartridge base including port means to provide communication between the pressure chamber and expansion chamber means following initial forward displacement of the sabot.

Claim 8

In an apparatus for propelling a fragile payload toward a target, the combination of: a barrel having a breech for receiving a cartridge; a cartridge insertable into said breech and having a base adapted to seat in said breech, the cartridge including a sabot adapted to discharge from the barrel, the sabot defining an internal cavity and including rear plate means spaced from the cartridge base to define a pressure chamber; an envelope enclosing said payload, the envelope being contained within said sabot cavity; means carried by the cartridge to generate expanding gases including a deflagrating charge mounted in the cartridge, and firing means adapted to ignite said charge; expansion chamber means positioned to receive the gases from the cartridge; means to hold the sabot against displacement with respect to the cartridge, said last mentioned means being adapted to release the sabot when the gas pressure exceeds a predetermined value for propelling the sabot from the barrel; said cartridge base including port means to provide communication between the pressure chamber and expansion chamber means following initial forward displacement of the sabot.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 5 wherein the rear plate means includes centrally disposed cylindrical means releasably mounted within said port means, said cylindrical means defining a central cavity, and the deflagrating charge being positioned within the central cavity to direct said expanding gases therefrom through the port means and into the expansion chamber means.

Claim 10

In an apparatus for propelling a fragile payload toward a target, the combination of: a barrel having a breech for receiving a cartridge; a cartridge insertable into said breech, the cartridge including a sabot adapted to discharge from the barrel, the sabot defining an internal cavity, said cartridge including a cartridge base adapted to seat within said breech, said sabot including a rear plate adapted for displacement along said barrel; an envelope enclosing said payload, the envelope being contained within said sabot cavity; means carried by the cartridge to generate expanding gases; expansion chamber means positioned to receive the gases from the cartridge; and means to hold the sabot against displacement with respect to the cartridge, said last mentioned means including frangible means locking said sabot rear plate with respect to the cartridge base and adapted to break and release the sabot under influence of the resultant force against the rear plate and cartridge base developed by gas pressure within said expansion chamber means exceeding a predetermined value for propelling the sabot from the barrel.

Claim 11

In an apparatus for propelling a fragile payload toward a target, the combination of: a barrel having a breech for receiving a cartridge; a cartridge insertable into said breech, the cartridge including a sabot adapted to discharge from the barrel, the sabot defining an internal cavity, said cartridge including a cartridge base adapted to seat within said breech, said sabot including a rear plate adapted for displacement along said barrel; an envelope enclosing said payload, the envelope being contained within said sabot cavity; means carried by the cartridge to generate expanding gases; expansion chamber means positioned to receive the gases from the cartridge; and means to hold the sabot against displacement with respect to the cartridge, said last mentioned means including frangible means locking said sabot rear plate with respect to the cartridge base and adapted to break and release the sabot under influence of the resultant force against the rear plate and cartridge base developed by gas pressure within said expansion chamber means exceeding a predetermined value for propelling the sabot from the barrel.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 7 wherein the sabot rear plate includes a centrally disposed annular element, and said frangible means includes a frangible rim formed on the annular element and projecting outwardly into locking engagement with said cartridge base whereby said resultant force is effective to shear said rim from said annular element.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 8 wherein said annular element defines a charge-containing cavity, and said means to generate the gases includes a deflagrating charge positioned within said cavity, and including a plurality of apertures in said annular element providing communication between said cavity and said expansion chamber means.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 8 and further including seal ring means mounted in the apparatus for axial sliding movement, and means yieldably urging said ring means into sealing contact with the cartridge portion adjacent said breech to prevent escape of gases therebetween.

Claim 15

In an apparatus for propelling a fragile payload toward a target, the combination of: a barrel having a breech for receiving a cartridge; a cartridge insertable into said breech, the cartridge including a sabot adapted to discharge from the barrel, the sabot defining an internal cavity, the cartridge including a cartridge base being formed with a central port, said sabot including a rear seal plate adapted for movement along said barrel, said rear seal plate including a rearwardly extending cylindrical segment adapted for sliding contact with said cartridge base port, a cap element mounted within said cylindrical segment and defining a charge cavity therewith, said cap element including a base segment provided with a primer cavity; means carried by the cartridge to generate expanding gases and including a deflagrating charge contained within said charge cavity and a primer charge contained within said primer cavity, and firing means in said apparatus to ignite said primer charge; expansion chamber means positioned to receive the gases from the cartridge; said cap element base segment being formed with a plurality of passageways to provide communication between said charge cavity and said expansion chamber means; and means to hold the sabot against displacement with respect to the cartridge, said last mentioned means being adapted to release the sabot when the gas pressure exceeds a predetermined value for propelling the sabot from the barrel.

Claim 16

In an apparatus for propelling a fragile payload toward a target, the combination of: a barrel having a breech for receiving a cartridge; a cartridge insertable into said breech, the cartridge including a sabot adapted to discharge from the barrel, the sabot defining an internal cavity, the cartridge including a cartridge base being formed with a central port, said sabot including a rear seal plate adapted for movement along said barrel, said rear seal plate including a rearwardly extending cylindrical segment adapted for sliding contact with said cartridge base port, a cap element mounted within said cylindrical segment and defining a charge cavity therewith, said cap element including a base segment provided with a primer cavity; means carried by the cartridge to generate expanding gases and including a deflagrating charge contained within said charge cavity and a primer charge contained within said primer cavity, and firing means in said apparatus to ignite said primer charge; expansion chamber means positioned to receive the gases from the cartridge; said cap element base segment being formed with a plurality of passageways to provide communication between said charge cavity and said expansion chamber means; and means to hold the sabot against displacement with respect to the cartridge, said last mentioned means being adapted to release the sabot when the gas pressure exceeds a predetermined value for propelling the sabot from the barrel.

Claim 17

In a method for suppressing personnel without lethal injury thereto, the steps of propelling a projectile comprising a fluid having a weight within the range of 6 to 15 oz. contained within a flexible, burstable envelope enclosed within a protective sabot at a velocity to yield from 200 to 400 ft. lbs. of energy upon impact, releasing said sabot from said envelope, impacting only said envelope upon said personnel, and bursting said envelope against said personnel to release said fluid therefrom.

Claim 18

In a method for suppressing personnel without lethal injury thereto, the steps of propelling a projectile comprising a fluid having a weight within the range of 6 to 15 oz. contained within a flexible, burstable envelope enclosed within a protective sabot at a velocity to yield from 200 to 400 ft. lbs. of energy upon impact, releasing said sabot from said envelope, impacting only said envelope upon said personnel, and bursting said envelope against said personnel to release said fluid therefrom.

Claim 19

A method as in claim 12 wherein said sabot comprises a plurality of releasable segments, the method characterized in that the step of propelling the projectile includes directing a propelling force against the sabot and contained envelope and thereafter moving the sabot segments from the envelope whereby only the envelope and fluid traject toward said target.