Cluster bomb projectile

Claim 1

An improved cluster bomb projectile for transporting a plurality of useful loads having a cylindrically shaped housing, said loads being adapted to be expelled from said housing at a predetermined point of the flight path of the projectile, the improvement comprising in combination: said cylindrically shaped housing being formed by a plurality of detachable segments which jointly form a cylindrical housing surface; each two adjoining segments have a pair of adjoining longitudinally extending side edges and each segment has an inner suface, a plurality of hook-shaped members projecting from the inner surface of each segment at an adjoining side edge interiorly of the housing and past the longitudinally extending side edge of the next adjoining segment, said longitudinally extending side edges of adjoining segments abutting against each other, each pair of hook-shaped members of adjoining segments being disposed one immediately above the other and defining an opening therebetween, said openings defined by pairs of hook-shaped members along confronting side edges of adjoining segments being axially aligned with respect to each other; a rod is provided for connecting each pair of adjoining segments, which rod extends through all of said aligned openings defined by pairs of hook-shaped members along confronting side edges parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cluster bomb projectile; said rod being essentially cylindrical in shape and including at least one projection in the region of each pair of hook-shaped members, which projection biasingly abuts against at least one hook-shaped member such that when said rod is moved in a predetermined manner relative to said adjoining segments the pair of adjoining segments are prestressed; and each rod is axially slidably mounted in said aligned openings of said pairs of hook-shaped members.