Castable Frangible Projectile for Rifled Barrel Breaching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional breaching rounds are limited to shotgun platforms, unable to be scaled to smaller projectiles or used in higher velocity, rifled-barrel platforms, and often produce undesirable fire and smoke due to binder materials in reactive material projectiles.
Innovation Solution
A castable frangible projectile with a reactive material charge, composed of a eutectic mixture like bismuth, tin, and lead, configured to break into fragments upon impact, incorporating a cavity filled with an oxidizer and fuel pellet to enhance breaching capabilities without binders, allowing use in various platforms and sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional reactive material projectiles use binder materials, then the projectile structure is easier to manufacture, but fire and smoke are produced that are undesirable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes binder materials from the reactive material projectile formulation. The reactive material is formed without organic binders that would produce fire and smoke upon detonation, thereby eliminating the harmful effects while maintaining structural integrity through alternative formulation methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the reactive material by eliminating binder substances. This parameter change transforms the material from a binder-dependent formulation to a binder-free formulation that produces minimal smoke and fire, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and harmful emissions
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional breaching rounds use pressed or sintered powders, then the projectile can be manufactured, but it is limited to shotgun platforms and cannot be scaled to smaller projectiles or rifled-barrel platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a universal reactive material formulation that can be used across multiple firearm platforms including shotguns, rifles, and pistols. The castable frangible projectile design with controlled fragmentation characteristics allows the same basic design to function effectively in smoothbore and rifled barrels, as well as in various calibers, achieving multi-platform adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material formulations combining reactive materials with frangible matrix materials that can be cast into unified structures. This composite approach allows the projectile to maintain integrity during rifling engagement while fragmenting controllably upon impact, enabling use in both rifled and smoothbore platforms
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a frangible projectile is designed to break into fragments, then collateral damage from overpenetration is reduced, but the projectile may not have sufficient force to physically destroy locking mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two breaching mechanisms into a single projectile: the mechanical fragmentation effect that reduces overpenetration damage and the explosive reactive material effect that provides breaching force. The frangible projectile contains reactive material that detonates upon impact, combining the benefits of controlled fragmentation with explosive breaching capability to simultaneously achieve reduced collateral damage and sufficient breaching force
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective breaching across different caliber platforms, including rifled barrels, with reduced collateral damage and minimal smoke, as the castable frangible projectile fragments and the reactive material charge detonates upon impact, effectively disrupting locking mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
The body is formed of a castable eutectic mixture, the castable eutectic mixture configured to be melted and cast
Implementation Method 2
the reactive material charge detonates upon impact, effectively disrupting locking mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
An enhanced breaching round and techniques for manufacturing such are provided. A breaching round includes a case defining a volume, a propellant disposed in the volume of the case, and a projectile coupled to the case. The projectile may include a body disposed at least partially within the case and configured to enclose the propellant within the volume of the case. The body may be formed of a castable eutectic mixture configured to be melted and cast, wherein the body is configured to break into a plurality of fragments upon impact with a target. A cavity may be disposed between the proximal end and the distal end of the body, and a reactive material disposed in the cavity, the reactive material comprising at least one oxidizer and at least one fuel.