Shell cartridges

Claim 2

Shell cartridge, comprising a cartridge case containing a principal propellant charge; a shell arranged at the front of said case, the base of said shell defining an axial cavity rearwardly open and occupied, at least in part, by a solid additional propellant charge forming a body with said base and constituted by a powder which body is of substantially smaller volume and of greater calorific power than that of said principal propellant charge, the said rearward opening of said cavity being at least as large in cross-section as the maximum cross-section of the said cavity and delay means for delaying the firing of said additional propellant charge of the order of around a millsecond to a fraction of a millisecond with respect to the firing of the principal propellant charge such that the major portion at least of the useful additional energy due to the combustion of the said additional propellant charge takes effect in the barrel of the launching weapon from a moment when the pressure generated by the principal propellant charge starts to decrease, so enabling benefit to be derived from said application of energy and from the improvement which thereby results in the performance of the shell, without reaching in the barrel of the launching weapon excessive pressures dangerous to the mechanical firmness of said barrel.

Claim 3

Cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the cavity is a pre-existing cavity fashioned for ballistic considerations.

Claim 4

Cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the cavity is especially formed to receive the additional propellant charge.

Claim 5

Cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the additional propellant charge is constituted by a solid powder having a calorific power of at least 900 cal/g.

Claim 6

Cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the said solid powder is tetryl (2, 4, 6-trinitrophenylnitramine).

Claim 7

Cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said delay means are constituted by a delay-relay constructed in the form of a pastille of a powder of lower calorific power then the constituent powder of the abovesaid additional propellant charge, said pastille rearwardly masking said additional propellant charge.

Claim 8

Cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said shell is a conventional shell, in which all of the elements participate in the flight towards the target, the cavity being formed at the rear of said shell.

Claim 9

Shell cartridge comprising a cartridge case containing a principal propellant charge, a shell arranged at the front of said case, the base of said shell defining an axial cavity rearwardly open and occupied, at least in part, by a solid additional propellant charge forming a body with said base and constituted by a powder which body is of substantially smaller volume and of greater calorific power than that of said principal propellant charge, the said rearward opening of said cavity being at least as large in cross-section as the maximum cross-section of the said cavity and delay means for delaying the firing of said additional propellant charge of the order of around a millsecond to a fraction of a millisecond with respect to the firing of the principal propellant charge such that the major portion at least of the useful energy due to the combustion of the said additional propellant charge takes effect in the barrel of the launching weapon from a moment when the pressure generated by the principal propellant charge starts to decrease, so enabling benefit to be derived from said application of energy and froM the improvement which thereby results in the performance of the shell, without reaching in the barrel of the launching weapon excessive pressures dangerous to the mechanical firmness of said barrel, wherein said shell is a sub-caliber core shell, comprising essentially a sub-caliber core, a base situated behind said core and adapted to accompany said shell at the beginning of the trajectory of the latter and to then separate therefrom, and an envelope externally surrounding the sub-caliber core, said envelope being arranged so as to be eliminated on firing, a very short distance from the launching weapon, thus liberating the sub-caliber core which pursues its flight alone in the direction of the sighted target, the cavity intended to receive the additional propellant charge being formed in the above said base.

Claim 10

Shell cartridge comprising a cartridge case containing a principal propellant charge, a shell arranged at the front of said case, the base of said shell defining an axial cavity rearwardly open and occupied, at least in part, by a solid additional propellant charge forming a body with said base and constituted by a powder which body is of substantially smaller volume and of greater calorific power than that of said principal propellant charge, the said rearward opening of said cavity being at least as large in cross-section as the maximum cross-section of the said cavity and delay means for delaying the firing of said additional propellant charge of the order of around a millsecond to a fraction of a millisecond with respect to the firing of the principal propellant charge such that the major portion at least of the useful energy due to the combustion of the said additional propellant charge takes effect in the barrel of the launching weapon from a moment when the pressure generated by the principal propellant charge starts to decrease, so enabling benefit to be derived from said application of energy and froM the improvement which thereby results in the performance of the shell, without reaching in the barrel of the launching weapon excessive pressures dangerous to the mechanical firmness of said barrel, wherein said shell is a sub-caliber core shell, comprising essentially a sub-caliber core, a base situated behind said core and adapted to accompany said shell at the beginning of the trajectory of the latter and to then separate therefrom, and an envelope externally surrounding the sub-caliber core, said envelope being arranged so as to be eliminated on firing, a very short distance from the launching weapon, thus liberating the sub-caliber core which pursues its flight alone in the direction of the sighted target, the cavity intended to receive the additional propellant charge being formed in the above said base.

Claim 11

Cartridge according to claim 4, wherein said additional propellant is a one-piece solid.

Claim 12

Cartridge according to claim 4, wherein said additional propellant is a compressed powder.