Disruptor apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a disruptor barrel assembly comprising a barrel (2) and a compensator (3). The compensator is arranged concentrically around the barrel, with the compensator taking the form of an annular chamber fluidly connected to the interior of the barrel by way of one or more holes (7).

Description

[0001] Disruptor Apparatus

[0002] The present invention relates to disruptor apparatus, and in particular disruptor apparatus employed to disrupt explosives, such as improvised explosive devices (lEDs).

[0003] In this connection, a disruptor is in essence a small water canon (1 to 6kg) that fires typically 80-300ml of water, using an explosive cartridge, at high speed into a suspect package that may contain explosives.

[0004] The intention is that the water enters the package and pulls apart all the connections within the package before it has the chance to detonate. The water and explosive charge act to separate the lED’s power supply from the detonator. This renders the IED safe. The objective is to stop the detonator triggering the main charge, this being achieved by primarily disconnecting the detonator from the power source.

[0005] An IED typically consists an amount of explosive which is not very reactive but powerful, a detonator which is very reactive, but very small, a power supply (e.g. a battery), a switch and some kind of container that can fragment or perhaps contains items such as ball bearings / nails. On activation, the switch connects the battery to the detonator, which explodes, triggering the main explosive to detonate. The container then fragments, sending shards of metal, ball bearings or nails at high speed in multiple directions.

[0006] This concept of a disruptor firing water was developed by the British Army in the seventies due to the IRA threat. It is a tried and proven method of over 50 years.

[0007] The first disruptor designs fired water forwards, but the recoiling effect meant the disruptor itself then flew backwards typically 40m. These disruptors are still used today and typically are called 'pigstick’ (a small one) and 'hotrod’ (a bigger more powerful one). In order to prepare such disruptors for use, water is poured in the front, the front is sealed and a cart is attached in the back. They are ready for operation. They are simple and light, but do suffer from recoil.

[0008] Over the years disruptor designs have been developed that are 'recoilless’ such that when fired, the fired disruptor stays where it is, so that one doesn’t have to go hunting for it in potentially dangerous uncertain ground.

[0009] They achieve being recoilless by firing water out the back. By the nature of the design, they are heavier as they effectively have a barrel pointing backwards. This is called a 'compensator’. The compensators are generally an annular design, as the blast from the cartridge passes down the middle of the compensator until it reaches the water in the barrel. You have to fill with water from the front and close off the barrel, and then also fill with water from the back and close off the compensator. That makes it slower to load and more complicated to manufacture, increasing expense and resulting in it being slower to clean afterwards.

[0010] Almost all recoilless disruptors work like this. Some send some of the barrel water backwards and also use a combination of springs and dampers to reduce the recoil. The compensators sit behind the barrel making the disruptor longer as well as heavier. Recoilless disruptors have become fairly standard, but a lot of operators still use disruptors like pigstick and hotrod devices simply because they are lighter and quicker to deploy.

[0011] The present invention seeks to alleviate the problems associates with known recoilless designs.

[0012] According to the present invention there is provided a disruptor barrel assembly comprising: a barrel; and a compensator; wherein the compensator is arranged concentrically around the barrel, the compensator taking the form of an annular chamber fluidly connected to the interior of the barrel by way of one or more holes. Optionally, the one or more holes extend through the barrel wall and are inclined so that they are directed rearwardly.

[0013] Optionally, the compensator comprises a sleeve element that passes over the barrel, the compensator chamber being formed between inner surface of the sleeve element and the outer surface of the barrel.

[0014] Optionally, the barrel has a front and rear end, the rear end having a coupling for attachment to a breech assembly.

[0015] Optionally, the compensator extends towards a rear end of the barrel.

[0016] Optionally, the rear end of the barrel extends beyond the end of the compensator for connection to the breech assembly.

[0017] Optionally, a compensator gate with a seal passes over the rear end of the barrel and seals the compensator chamber at its rear end.

[0018] Optionally, the seal is a foam seal.

[0019] Optionally, the barrel and compensator have a common fluid filing inlet.

[0020] Optionally, the filing inlet is provided at the rear end of the barrel.

[0021] Optionally, the disruptor barrel assembly further comprises a closure cap and seal at the front end of the barrel.

[0022] The disruptor barrel assembly may be selectively coupled to one of a plurality of different breech assemblies, depending on requirements.

[0023] Optionally, each one of the breech assemblies comprises a breech cap and seal. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided disruptor barrel assembly comprising: a barrel; and a compensator; wherein the compensator and barrel have a common filing inlet for filling the barrel and compensator with fluid.

[0024] Optionally, the compensator is formed around the barrel, the compensator having a chamber fluidly connected to the barrel interior by way of one or more holes.

[0025] With the present invention, the compensator sits over the barrel in an annular arrangement, allowing the disruptor to be shorter and lighter.

[0026] At the same time, with a common inlet for fluid, the barrel and compensator can be filled at the same time.

[0027] The breech which holds a cartridge can be simply changed so that different styles of cartridge can be used. As such, the present invention affords a modular arrangement so that the barrel assembly can be used with different breeches.

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: -

[0029] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an assembled disruptor according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the disruptor of Figure 1;

[0031] Figure 3 shows a disassembled view of the disruptor of Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a rear end of the disruptor.

[0032] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a disruptor 1 includes the main components of a barrel 2, a compensator 3 and a breech 4. The compensator 3 slides over a front end of the barrel 2 to create a compensator chamber 5 between the outer surface of the barrel and the inner surface of the compensator 3.

[0033] The interior 6 of the barrel 2 and the compensator chamber 5 are fluidly connected by way of one or more holes 7 that are preferably inclined to extend rearwardly with respect to the front end of the barrel.

[0034] A common fluid inlet 8 on the barrel 2 allows the disruptor, including the barrel and compensator chamber to be filled in a single operation.

[0035] In the assembled state, the barrel 2 extends out from the rear end of the compensator 3 to provide a coupling for attachment to the breech 4. In this regard, different breeches may be connected to the barrel, selected according to the requirements of the operation. The breech is sealed by way of a breech cap 14 and seal 15.

[0036] Attachment of the breech 4 to the barrel 2, closes and seals the rear end of the compensator chamber by way of compensator gate 9 and foam seal 10. The foam seal exits the back of the disruptor when firing. Other disruptors use an HDPE sealing cap, and these can do a lot of damage especially to robots when they fly back. The foam seal of the present invention is cut up when exiting the barrel, and by its very nature has less momentum and power to do damage.

[0037] In advance of full assembly and deployment of the disruptor, fluid (e.g. water) is introduced through inlet 8, which then fills the barrel 2 and compensator chamber 5. The front of the barrel and compensator are sealed by way of the closure cap 11 and compensator o-ring seal 12.

[0038] The disruptor is then ready for use. At the appropriate time, piston 13 is driven forward through activation of the breech to cause a high pressure jet to be expelled at the front end of the barrel 2 toward the EID. Water is also forced through holes into the compensator chamber which has the effect of mitigating recoil.

[0039] It will be understood that the various aspects of the present invention can be practiced alone or in combination with one or more of the other aspects, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant arts. The various aspects of the invention can optionally be provided in combination with one or more of the optional features of the other aspects of the invention. Also, optional features described in relation to one aspect can typically be combined alone or together with other features in different aspects of the invention. Any subject matter described in this specification can be combined with any other subject matter in the specification to form a novel combination.

[0040] Various aspects of the invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the entire description thereof, including the figures, which illustrates a number of exemplary aspects and implementations. The invention is also capable of other and different examples and aspects, and its several details can be modified in various respects, all without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, each example herein should be understood to have broad application, and is meant to illustrate one possible way of carrying out the invention, without intending to suggest that the scope of this disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that example. Furthermore, the terminology and phraseology used herein is solely used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as limiting in scope. In particular, unless otherwise stated, dimensions and numerical values included herein are presented as examples illustrating one possible aspect of the claimed subject matter, without limiting the disclosure to the particular dimensions or values recited. All numerical values in this disclosure are understood as being modified by "about". All singular forms of elements, or any other components described herein are understood to include plural forms thereof and vice versa.

[0041] Language such as "including", "comprising", "having", "containing", or "involving" and variations thereof, is intended to be broad and encompass the subject matter listed thereafter, equivalents, and additional subject matter not recited, and is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. Likewise, the term "comprising" is considered synonymous with the terms "including" or "containing" for applicable legal purposes. Thus, throughout the specification and claims unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise” or variations thereof such as "comprises” or "comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Claims

Claims:-1. A disruptor barrel assembly comprising: a barrel; and a compensator; wherein the compensator is arranged concentrically around the barrel, the compensator taking the form of an annular chamber fluidly connected to the interior of the barrel by way of one or more holes.

2. A disruptor barrel assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more holes extend through the barrel wall and are inclined so that they are directed rearwardly.

3. A disruptor barrel assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the compensator comprises a sleeve element that passes over the barrel, the compensator chamber being formed between inner surface of the sleeve element and the outer surface of the barrel.

4. A disrupter barrel assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrel has a front and rear end, the rear end having a coupling for attachment to a breech assembly.

5. A disruptor barrel assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the compensator extends towards a rear end of the barrel.

6. A disruptor barrel assembly as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the rear end of the barrel extends beyond the end of the compensator for connection to the breech assembly.

7. A disruptor barrel assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a compensator gate with a seal passes over the rear end of the barrel and seals the compensator chamber at its rear end.

8. A disruptor barrel assembly according to claim 7, wherein the seal is a foam seal.

9. A disruptor barrel assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrel and compensator have a common filing inlet.

10. A disruptor barrel assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the filing inlet is provided at the rear end of the barrel.

11. A disruptor barrel assembly as claimed in claim 9 or 10, further comprising a closure cap and seal at the front end of the barrel.

12. A disrupter comprising a barrel assembly as claimed in any preceding claim and a plurality of different breech assemblies for selective attachment thereto, depending on requirements.

13. A disruptor as claimed in claim 12, wherein each one of the breech assemblies has a breech cap and seal.

14. A disruptor barrel assembly comprising: a barrel; and a compensator; wherein the compensator and barrel have a common filing inlet for filling the barrel and compensator with fluid.

15. A disruptor barrel assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein a compensator is formed around the barrel, the compensator having a chamber fluidly connected to the barrel interior by way of one or more holes.

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