Sabot

Abstract

The invention relates to a sabot (2) for a subcaliber projectile (4), comprising a plurality of sabot segments (8), which adjoin each other in a circumferential direction (6) and which each have a front part (12) with respect to a firing direction (10), as a push part, and a rear part (14) with respect to the firing direction (10), as a pull part, between which a pressure flange (16) is located, wherein the front part (12) and also the rear part (14) of the sabot segments (8) have recesses (24) which are open radially outward, said recesses being arranged consecutively in the circumferential direction (6) and being delimited by struts (26, 28) extending in the firing direction (10). According to the invention, a front terminal strut region (30) of each of the struts (26) in the front part (12) of the sabot segments (8) runs radially outward and integrally transitions into an externally cylindrical ring element segment (32) and holds and supports said ring element segment (32), and the ring element segments (32) adjoin each other in the circumferential direction (6) and form a ring element (34), and the ring element (34) has through-openings (36), which extend in the firing direction (10) and are located between the struts (26) with respect to the circumferential direction (6).

Description

[0001] Applicant:

[0002] Rheinmetall Waf fe Munition GmbH Heinrich-Ehrhardt-Straße 2 29345 Südheide

[0003] Title: Sabot

[0004] Description

[0005] The invention relates to a sabot for a sub-caliber projectile, in particular for a kinetic energy projectile, comprising a plurality of sabot segments which adjoin one another in a circumferential direction and which each have a front part in a firing direction as a push part and a rear part in the firing direction as a pull part, between which a pressure flange is located, wherein the sabot and the sabot segments have a front end region in the firing direction and a rear end region in the firing direction, wherein the front part and also the rear part of the sabot segments have recesses which are open radially outwards and which are arranged successively in the circumferential direction and are delimited by struts extending in the firing direction, wherein the struts extend between the front end region in the firing direction and the pressure flange and between the rear end region in the firing direction and the pressure flange.

[0006] A sabot for a sub-caliber projectile should fulfill several functions satisfactorily. Firstly, it must seal the annular gap remaining between the projectile (often referred to as the penetrator in the case of kinetic energy projectiles) and the barrel wall so that the propellant gases can be used effectively to propel the projectile in the gun barrel. Furthermore, the sabot guides the projectile in the gun barrel so that it precisely follows the bore axis of the gun barrel without lateral deflection or deviation. In the case of very sub-caliber projectiles, the sabot must also support and stabilize the projectile during acceleration in the gun barrel. The force introduced into the projectile via the sabot should, if possible, be distributed over a larger section of the projectile's longitudinal extension.If the force applied to the projectile is too concentrated—as is often the case with sabot projectiles with a rear or front sabot—the projectile risks collapsing and rupturing under the influence of inertial forces. After passing through the muzzle of sabot projectiles, the sabot and projectile separate. The terminal ballistic effect of the projectile is thus achieved solely by the projectile itself impacting the target structure. The kinetic energy stored in the sabot is thus lost in terms of terminal ballistic effect.

[0007] This gives rise to a first conflict of objectives in the design of modern sabots or sabot projectiles. On the one hand, the sabot must be robust and expansive in order to absorb the propellant pressure caused by the explosion of the propellant charge and to transfer it to the projectile in a largely uniform manner and over a significant portion of its length, accelerating it in the weapon barrel.

[0008] On the other hand, the sabot should be designed with the lowest possible mass to minimize the terminal ballistic unavailable kinetic energy.

[0009] From DE 10 2020 115 703 A1, a sabot of the type mentioned above is known, which is designed to be weight-optimized by providing recesses in the sabot segments. According to the teaching of this publication, the wall thickness in the rear end region of the sabot segments should be thin so that low flexural rigidity is achieved there, in order to enable the propellant segments to fold down after passing through the muzzle without abruptly introducing transverse forces into the projectile. However, the recesses formed in the sabot segments and the associated increasingly filigree design of the sabot result in a deterioration in the guiding and supporting function of the sabot for the projectile.

[0010] DE 10 2008 029 395 Al shows a sabot projectile, however not of the push-pull type with a central pressure flange, but with a double-shell hollow cylindrical guide cage, which is designed as an extruded profile with cavities.

[0011] US 5,196,650 shows a sabot projectile, also not of the generic type, with a sabot with a sabot positioned at the end, i.e., the rear. The sabot and its sabot segments are solid and rotationally symmetrical except for slot-shaped recesses formed in the interior. The recesses serve to accommodate temperature-sensitive memory metal plates between each two sabot segments, which are intended to assist the separation of the sabot segments from one another at the intended time.

[0012] DE 39 04 626 A1 shows a non-generic sabot projectile with a sabot with a front sabot and a cylindrical guide segment in the rear part.

[0013] DE 10 2004 017 675 A1 shows a push-pull-type sabot projectile with solid propellant segments, at the front ends of which are attached webs made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, which support an annular support and guide body with predetermined breaking points. DE 10 2004 017 674 A1 shows a similar sabot projectile, in which a front annular support and guide body, also with predetermined breaking points, with radial struts and an inner casing body, is inserted axially from the front into the assembled propellant segments by means of the inner casing body.

[0014] The object of the present invention is to provide a sabot in which, on the one hand, a high muzzle velocity of the propellant projectile is achieved and the kinetic energy not available for terminal ballistics is minimized and, on the other hand, the guiding and supporting function of the sabot is not significantly impaired and no impact-like transverse forces are introduced onto the projectile.

[0015] This object is achieved by a sabot having the features of claim 1.

[0016] Starting from a sabot of the type mentioned at the outset, it is therefore proposed according to the invention that the struts in the front part of the sabot segments run radially outwards with a respective front end strut region and in doing so merge integrally into an outer cylindrical ring body segment and hold and support this ring body segment, and that the ring body segments adjoin one another in the circumferential direction and form a ring body, and that the ring body has through openings extending in the axial direction, which are arranged in the circumferential direction between the struts.

[0017] The struts in the front part of the sabot segments absorb and transfer essentially the entire compressive forces from the pressure flange forwards and towards the projectile. This results in a locally concentrated introduction of force onto the projectile, specifically in the area of ​​each respective strut. Because the struts also run radially outwards in their respective front end strut areas and merge integrally into the outer cylindrical ring body segment, they are supported radially from the outside by the inside of the weapon barrel and guided through the weapon barrel. This prevents or at least reduces the occurrence of uncontrolled vibrations in the area of ​​the front struts and thus a shock-like application of force and force transfer from the front struts to the projectile.It was recognized according to the invention that this enables a weight-optimized design of the sabot without the sabot segments being subjected to jerky fluttering movements, which have an undesirable and detrimental effect on the projectile during acceleration in the weapon barrel and also on the subsequent flight stability of the projectile. Because the ring body has through openings which extend further in the axial direction and which are each arranged in the circumferential direction between the struts or open there, forces on the ring body segments caused by air resistance can be reduced, which in turn has a stabilizing effect on the struts supporting the ring body segments. Furthermore, the struts in the front end strut area which runs radially outwards are also stabilized by the high air pressure flanking them in the area of ​​the through openings.In addition, the recesses have the advantage that the pressure flange can be designed with pocket-shaped recesses on its front side and that these pocket-shaped recesses can be effectively flowed through the through openings after the sabot projectile has passed through the muzzle, so that the sabot segments can detach from the projectile.

[0018] In a further embodiment of the invention, it proves advantageous if the respective front end strut region extending radially outward has a greater wall thickness in the circumferential direction concentric with the longitudinal direction than in an adjoining and rearward region of the same strut. This makes the strut in question even more stable in the particularly stressed front end region.

[0019] Overall, it proves advantageous if the front or rear struts, and preferably the front and rear struts, are designed such that their wall thickness increases in a circumferential direction concentric with the longitudinal direction toward the thrust flange, i.e., from the front and rear toward the thrust flange. This also allows improved torsional stability of the sabot to be achieved.

[0020] It is also advantageous if the sabot is designed such that, in the front part of the sabot segments, exactly one strut is provided for each sabot segment, extending in the firing direction, so that the annular body segment of each sabot segment is held and supported by exactly one strut. In this way, a particularly weight-optimized design of the sabot segments can be realized in the area in front of the pressure flange, i.e., at the front in the firing direction.

[0021] Furthermore, it proves advantageous if a through-opening is formed and defined by ring segments of two adjacent sabot segments. This design supports the detachment of the sabot segments from the projectile after passing through the muzzle.

[0022] As already mentioned, it is advantageous if, in the front part of the sabot segments in the area of ​​the pressure flange, curved pocket-shaped recesses are formed which run counter to the direction of fire and are circumferentially delimited by the struts in the front part of the sabot segments. This measure can assist in optimising the weight and the detachment behaviour of the propellant segments from the projectile after passing through the muzzle. It is also advantageous if the through openings, viewed in the direction of fire, are aligned with the pocket-shaped recesses in the area of ​​the pressure flange. This allows effective airflow to the pocket-shaped recesses to be achieved.

[0023] With regard to a stable design of the propellant body, it has proven advantageous if the struts of the sabot segments, viewed in a longitudinal center plane including the firing direction, are inclined from the pressure flange towards the firing direction and slope inwards along their extension to the rear and to the front, or in other words, the struts rise radially outwards from the front and rear in the direction of the pressure flange. The radially outer boundary line of the struts therefore runs at an angle to the firing direction or tube core axis. This also has a beneficial effect on the torsional rigidity and stability of the sabot.In addition, the forces exerted by the propellant charge pressure on the rear part of the three body segments and in particular on the pressure flange can be transmitted radially inwards to the projectile via a larger strut cross-section of the rear struts as tensile forces and the front struts as compressive forces.

[0024] It has also proven advantageous if the struts in the rear part of the sabot segments have a rear end strut area with a constant radial wall thickness. In a further development of this idea, it is proposed that the sabot segments are surrounded in their rear end area by an annular holding element with break points, which only detaches from the projectile at an advanced stage of the sabot segments folding out and by means of which the rear end of the sabot segments can initially be held in contact and positively supported in the direction of fire against the projectile, so that the sabot segments can fold out at the front of the projectile after passing through the muzzle, but initially remain held together with their rear end and are supported against the projectile, the annular holding element being finally broken open to allow the sabot segments to be detached.

[0025] It proves advantageous if the retaining element is cylindrical and sleeve-shaped. It can be pushed onto the end area of ​​the sabot from behind, particularly after the sabot segments have been mounted on the projectile, or it can be molded directly onto the sabot.

[0026] In a further embodiment, the holding element can have weakening lines extending essentially in the longitudinal direction, which form the predetermined breaking points.

[0027] In a further embodiment of the sabot according to the invention, it proves advantageous if an annular, closed guide band is applied radially outward to the pressure flange. This guide band is first manufactured separately from the sabot and is then pushed from behind onto the sabot already accommodating the projectile until it reaches a designated mounting position radially outward on the pressure flange under radial expansion and springback. In this way, improved sealing and thus more effective use of the propellant charge pressure for accelerating the sabot projectile can be achieved by suitable selection of the material for the guide band, in particular from a material that is softer than the material of the sabot.

[0028] It is advantageous if the guide band's intended mounting position is positively positioned radially on the outside of the thrust flange. This prevents unintentional displacement of the guide band during the acceleration process of the sabot projectile in the weapon barrel.

[0029] It is also advantageous if the pressure flange has sawtooth-like or wedge-shaped surface sections on the outer circumference that are aligned and run in relation to one another and that are complementary to corresponding surface sections on the radial inside of the guide band.

[0030] The invention also relates to a sabot projectile comprising a projectile and a sabot connected to the projectile in a firing direction in a form-fitting and detachable manner according to the present invention.

[0031] The invention relates to ammunition comprising such a sabot projectile and a propellant charge. Further features, details, and advantages of the invention emerge from the appended claims and from the drawings and the following description of a preferred embodiment of the sabot according to the invention. The drawing shows:

[0032] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sabot according to the invention;

[0033] Figure 2 is a view of the sabot according to Figure 1 with a projectile in the form of a dart projectile accommodated therein;

[0034] Figure 3 is a perspective detailed view of a guide band for pulling onto the pressure flange of the sabot according to the invention;

[0035] Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 with a holding element with predetermined breaking points in a rear end region of the sabot.

[0036] Figures 1 and 2 show a sabot 2 according to the invention for a sub-caliber projectile 4, which is indicated in Figure 2. The projectile 4 can be a so-called kinetic energy projectile, in particular a dart projectile, as is typically used for armor-piercing ammunition. It is also frequently referred to as a penetrator. The sabot 2 comprises, by way of example and preferably, three sabot segments 8 which are adjacent to one another in a circumferential direction 6 and which each comprise a segment of 120°. The sabot 2 or the three sabot segments 8 comprise a front part 12 in a firing direction 10 or longitudinal direction, which is referred to as the push part for reasons to be explained below, and a rear part 14 in the firing direction 10 or longitudinal direction, which is referred to as the pull part.Between the front part 12 and the rear part 14 there is arranged a pressure flange 16 by means of which the sabot 2 lies directly or indirectly in sealing contact with the inner wall of the gun barrel so that the propellant pressure arising during the combustion of the propellant charge of the ammunition can accelerate the sabot 2 and with it the projectile 4 in the gun barrel in a manner known per se.

[0037] The sabot 2 or its sabot segments 8 delimit radially inwardly a continuous tube section which is formed by means of a groove structure 18 or thread structure or by means of other form-fitting means in order to form, in turn, in a known manner in the firing direction 10, a form-fitting connection to the inner projectile 4.

[0038] The sabot 2 or the sabot segments 8 further comprise a rear end region 20 in the firing direction 10 and a front end region 22 in the firing direction 10.

[0039] The sabot segments 8 are not solid and rotationally symmetrical to the firing direction 10 or the longitudinal direction, but the front part 12 and also the rear part 14 have recesses 24 which are open radially outwards and which are arranged one after the other in the circumferential direction 6 and are elongated in the firing direction 10 or the longitudinal direction or the axial direction. They are each laterally delimited by struts 26 extending in the firing direction 10 in the front part 12 and struts 28 in the rear part 14. This makes it possible to achieve a mass reduction of the sabot 2, which, however, at least in principle also entails a weakening of the sabot 2, which, however, as will be explained below, is acceptable and can be compensated for by further design.

[0040] The struts 26 extend in the front part 12 between the aforementioned front end region 22 and the pressure flange 16, and the struts 28 extend in the rear part 14 between the rear end region 20 and the pressure flange 16. In the exemplary and preferred case shown, the radial height of the struts 26 and 28 increases in the direction of the pressure flange 16. This enables a stable introduction and dissipation of tensile forces and compressive forces emanating from the pressure flange 16 to the struts 26, 28 and the remaining sabot material. If the rear part 14 of the sabot 2 is subjected to the entire propellant charge pressure, this rear part 14 is subjected to tensile stress radially on the inside as a whole due to the positive coupling with the projectile, which is why it is referred to as the pull part.Starting from the pressure flange 16, however, compressive or shear forces are exerted and introduced into the front part 12, which is why this front part 12 is referred to as the "push part". In the material-reduced design of the sabot 2 in question here, the introduction and transmission of the tensile forces into the rear part 14 and the compressive forces into the front part 12 occurs predominantly via the elongated struts 28 and 26, respectively, and from there further radially inward via the positive support of the sabot segments 8 against the projectile 4. According to the invention, the struts 26 in the front part 12 of the sabot segments 8 extend radially outwards with a respective front end strut region 30, preferably rounded, and thereby merge integrally into an outer cylindrical ring body segment 32, wherein the struts 26 with their radially outwardly running strut region 30 hold and support the ring body segments 32.The annular body segments 32 adjoin one another in the circumferential direction 6 and thus form a closed annular body 34. This annular body 34 is designed radially outwardly such that it can be placed against the inside of the weapon barrel in a sealing and supporting manner. In this way, a radially inwardly directed supporting and stabilizing function is exerted on the elongated struts 26 via the annular body 34 and its annular body segments 32. This prevents the sabot segments 8 from fluttering up, and the high thrust load in the front struts 26 is dissipated evenly over the circumference into the projectile 4.

[0041] The said front end strut area 30 is in

[0042] Circumferential direction 6 preferably also with a larger

[0043] Wall thickness d is formed as an adjacent region of the respective strut 26, which is clearly visible in Figure 1. This wall thickness d increases radially outward in the transition to the respective annular body segment 32 in order to enable stable support of the annular body 34.

[0044] The annular body 34 further comprises through openings 36 which extend in the firing direction 10 and are arranged in the circumferential direction 6 between the struts 26. These through openings 36 firstly reduce the air resistance of the annular body 34 and secondly they are aligned with pocket-shaped recesses 38 which are curved counter to the firing direction 10 and which are formed into the pressure flange 16 starting from a front side of the pressure flange 16. This in turn reduces mass. Secondly, the formation of the pocket-shaped recesses 38 exerts a radially outward-directed tilting force acting on the three sabot segments 8 after the muzzle passage of the sabot projectile, as a result of which the sabot segments 8 fold away from the projectile and detach.

[0045] As already indicated, the struts 26, 28 of the sabot segments 8 are viewed transversely to the firing direction 10 and, viewed in a longitudinal center plane including the firing direction, are inclined to the firing direction. Starting from the pressure flange 16, they slope radially inwards to the rear and forward, or in other words, their radially outer boundary line rises from the rear and front towards the pressure flange 16. Their wall thickness in the circumferential direction also increases towards the pressure flange 16. This also supports the dissipation of tensile forces and compressive forces, which are mainly generated from the pressure flange 16, and increases the torsional rigidity of the sabot 2 as a whole.

[0046] Figure 2 shows the sabot 2 mounted on a projectile 4 .

[0047] It may further be provided that the struts in the rear part 14 of the sabot segments 8 have a rear end strut region with a constant radial wall thickness. It would also be conceivable for the rear end region 20 of the sabot segments to be externally cylindrical, particularly over a length of a few centimeters, approximately up to 8 cm, so that no struts are formed there.

[0048] Independently of this, an annular holding element 44 with predetermined breaking points 46 running in the longitudinal direction could be applied in the rear end region 20, which only detaches from the projectile 4 when the sabot segments 8 have advanced in their folding process, as described above (this is shown in Figure 4). In the simplest case, the holding element 44 could be of sleeve-shaped, cylindrical design and have weakening lines extending essentially in the firing direction or longitudinal direction as predetermined breaking points 46. Figure 3 shows a sectional partial view of a ring-shaped, closed guide band 50.The ring-shaped, closed guide band 50 can be manufactured separately from the sabot segments 8 and then pushed from behind onto the sabot 2, which already receives and surrounds the projectile 4, until it reaches a designated mounting position radially outside on the pressure flange 16 under radial expansion and springback. As can be seen from the sectional view in Figure 3, the guide band 50 has wedge-shaped and aligned surface sections 52, which run and are designed to be complementary to corresponding surface sections 54 radially outside on the pressure flange 16.

Claims

Patent claims Sabot (2) for a sub-caliber projectile (4), in particular a kinetic energy projectile, comprising a plurality of sabot segments (8) adjoining one another in a circumferential direction (6), each having a front part (12) in a firing direction (10) as a push part and a rear part (14) in the firing direction (10) as a pull part, between which a pressure flange (16) is located, wherein the sabot (2) and the sabot segments (8) have a front end region (22) in the firing direction (10) and a rear end region (20) in the firing direction (10), wherein the front part (12) and also the rear part (14) of the sabot segments (8) have recesses (24) open radially outwards, which are arranged successively in the circumferential direction (6) and are delimited by struts (26, 28) extending in the firing direction (10), wherein the Striving (26,28) extend between the front end region (22) in the firing direction (10) and the pressure flange (16) and between the rear end region (20) in the firing direction (10) and the pressure flange (16), characterized in that the struts (26) in the front part (12) of the sabot segments (8) extend radially outwards with a respective front end strut region (30) and thereby merge integrally into a, externally cylindrical annular body segment (32) and hold and support this annular body segment (32), and that the annular body segments (32) adjoin one another in the circumferential direction (6) and form an annular body (34), and that the annular body (34) has through openings (36) extending in the firing direction (10) and arranged in the circumferential direction (6) between the struts (26). Sabot according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective front end strut region (30) extending radially outward has a greater wall thickness in the circumferential direction (6) running concentrically to the longitudinal direction than in an adjoining and rearward region of the same strut.Sabot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front or rear struts (26, 28), and preferably the front and rear struts (26, 28), are designed such that their wall thickness increases in the circumferential direction (6) running concentrically to the longitudinal direction in the direction of the pressure flange (16). Sabot according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that in the front part (12) of the sabot segments (26), exactly one strut (26) extending in the firing direction (10) is provided for each sabot segment (8), so that the annular body segment (32). each sabot segment (8) is held and supported by exactly one strut (26). Sabot (2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a through-opening (36) is formed and delimited by annular body segments (32) of two adjacent sabot segments (8). Sabot (2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the front part (12) of the sabot segments (8), in the region of the pressure flange (16), curved, pocket-shaped recesses (38) are formed counter to the firing direction (10), which are delimited in the circumferential direction (6) by the struts (26) in the front part (12) of the sabot segments (8). Sabot according to claim 6, characterized in that the through openings (36) are aligned with the pocket-shaped recesses (38) in the region of the pressure flange (16) when viewed in the firing direction (10).Sabot (2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the struts (26, 28) of the sabot segments (8) are inclined, starting from the pressure flange (16), towards the firing direction (10) and along a longitudinal center plane enclosing the firing direction (10). their extension to the rear and to the front, each sloping inward. Sabot (2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the struts (28) in the rear part (14) of the sabot segments (8) have a rear end strut region (20) with a constant radial wall thickness.Sabot according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sabot segments (8) are surrounded in their rear end region (20) by an annular holding element (44) with predetermined breaking points (46), which only detaches as the sabot segments (8) fold away from the projectile (4) at an advanced stage and by means of which the rear end of the sabot segments (8) can initially be held in contact and positively supported against the projectile (4) in the firing direction (10), so that the sabot segments (8) can fold away from the projectile (4) at the front after passing through the muzzle, but initially remain held together with their rear end and are supported against the projectile (4), wherein the annular holding element (44) is finally broken open to allow the sabot segments (8) to be detaches. Sabot (2) according to claim 10, characterized in that the holding element (44) is of sleeve-shaped, cylindrical design. Sabot (2) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the holding element (44) has weakening lines extending substantially in the firing direction (10). Sabot (2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that an annularly closed guide band (50) is applied radially outwardly to the pressure flange (16), which is first manufactured separately from the sabot (2) and subsequently pushed from behind onto the sabot (2) already receiving the projectile (4), until it is under radial Expansion and springback into a proper mounting position radially outside on the pressure flange (16). Sabot (2) according to claim 13, characterized in that the proper mounting position of the guide band (50) radially outside on the pressure flange (16) is formed in a form-fitting manner. Sabot (2) according to claim 14, characterized in that the pressure flange (16) has on the outer circumference sawtooth-like or wedge-shaped surface sections (54) extending and aligned with one another, which are complementary to corresponding Surface sections (52) radially inside the guide band (50). Sabot projectile comprising a projectile (4) and a sabot (2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, which is positively and releasably connected to the projectile (4) in a firing direction. Ammunition comprising a sabot projectile according to claim 16 and a propellant charge.

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