US3416402A - Engine launching device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 17, 1968 JEAN-JACQUES GRlEssEN ENGINE LAUNCHING DEVICE Filed oct.' 14, 1966 Dec. 17, 1968 JEAN-JACQUES GRIESSEN 3,416,402

ENGINE LAUNCHING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Shea?I 2 Filed oct. 14, 196e /fWf/vrae y wry/3374,.,

Dec. 17, 1968 JEAN-JACQUES GRlEssl-:N 3,416,402

ENGINE LAUNCHING DEVICE Filed om. 14, 1966 5 sheets-sheet s Hrrys.

Dec. 17, 1968 JEAN-JACQUES GRlEssEN 3,416,402

ENGINE L AUNCHING DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 yy? vf ENGINE LAUNCHING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 14, 1966 United States Patent O 3,416,402 ENGINE LAUNCHING DEVICE Jean-Jacques Griessen, Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to Transurvey Holding Company Inc., S.A. Filed Oct. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 586,721 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Oct. 22, 1965, 14,628/65 6 Claims. (Cl. 89-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A projectile launcher comprises a fixed percussion device having a cylindrical recess at its forward end and a launcher having a cylindrical outer contour at its rear end which freely but closely slidably ts within the percussion device recess. The launcher has an internal explosion chamber for receiving an explosive charge. A projectile has a cylindrical recess at its rear end that freely but closely slidably tits over the cylindrical forward end of the launcher, so that the side walls of the percussion device recess and the projectile recess between them conne and reinforce at least most of the side walls of the explosion chamber. The explosion chamber has a slidable piston therein so that it is expansible at the same time that it is tightly closed, so that noise and gas do not escape.

The present invention has for its object an engine launching device, such as anti-tank grenades, tear-exciting grenades, bursting grenades, ring grenades, and so on, by means of a launching charge located in an explosion chamber.

There now exist different categories of launching devices of this type which are the following:

(1) The launching devices in which the propulsive charge is fast with the gun-carrier or resting and sighting device. The major drawback of these devices resides in the impossibility to effect rapid ring. In fact, between each ring, one has to load the launching device, which necessitates obviously a loss of time.

(2) The launching devices in which the propulsive charge is fast with the grenade or engine having to be launched. The major drawback of this type of propulsion device is to increase, nearly to double, the weight of the grenade for a same useful charge of it, which causes naturally a great reduction of the range as well as a great increase of the recoil of the launching device for a given propulsive charge.

The two types of launching devices mentioned hereabove may have either a closed explosion chamber, or an explosion chamber communicating with an expansion and escape chamber for the explosion gases. However, the rst solution, with the closed explosion chamber, is generally preferred even though it requires a stronger and thus heavier explosion chamber, since it permits to obtain an operation of the launching device which is perfectly silent.

The present invention has for its object a launching device for a projectile, comprising a gun-carrier provided with a percussion and detent device as well as a launching charge located inside an explosion chamber char- 3,416,402 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 acterized by the fact that this explosion chamber is connected to the projectile and/or to the percussion and detent device by means of a sliding coupling in the axial direction and by the fact that the launching charge is independent as well from the projectile as from the guncarrier and of its percussion and detent device, so that after firing this launching charge is ejected but still not launched with the projectile.

The attached drawing shows schematically and by way of example one embodiment and some variants of the launching device for engines according to the invention.

FIGURE l is a partial longitudinal cross-section of the launching device showing more particularly the launcherin ring position.

FIGURE 2 is a partial longitudinal cross-section of the launcher showing a variant of it.

FIGURE 3 is a partial longitudinal cross-section of the launching device showing more particularly the percussion and detent device at the unloaded stage.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal cross-section of the percussion and detent device during its loading.

FIGURE 5 is a partial longitudinal cross-section of the launching device showing more particularly the launcher immediately after the tiring.

FIGURE 6 is a view on a reduced scale, certain parts eing partially broken away, of the launching device provided with a projectile in firing position.

FIGURE 7 is a partial view on a reduced scale, certain parts being broken away, of the launching device and of the projectile immediately after the firing.

FIGURE 8 is a partial view on a reduced scale of one embodiment of the launching device comprising an orientable gun-carrier.

FIGURE 9 shows a variant of the launching device this one being mounted on a fire-arm.

FIGURE 10 shows a variant of the launching device which comprises a fixed gun-carrier.

FIGURE l1 shows a variant of the launching device on a rifle butt.

FIGURE 12 shows a variant of the launcher in partial longitudinal cross-section.

The launching device, object of the present invention, comprises a gun-carrier or resting and sighting device, a launcher or explosion chamber, provided with its launching charge and a percussion and detent device, xed on the gun-carrier, the whole being provided for the launching of an engine, such as an anti-tank grenade, a tear-exciting grenade, an explosive charge grenade, a firing grenade, or a signalisation grenade and so on.

The gun-carrier A may present different embodiments as illustrated in FIGURES 8 to 11 but it always serves as a support during the firing as well as a sighting device.

In the variant shown in FIGURE 8, the gun-carrier A is constituted by a base plate 1 the lower surface of which comprisesformations 2 intended to enter in contact with the ground and to provide a good support enabling the absorption of recoil. The upper surface of this plate is for example planar and comprises a threaded blind hole intended to receive the threaded lower end of the percussion and detent device B. A sighting member 3 is also xed on the upper surface of the plate 1.

The gun-carrer forms a mobile support which can be orientated. In fact the rifleman lays the base plate 1 on the ground and orientates it in the desired direction. Thanks to theformations 2 of the lower face of this base plate 1, it is able to transmit the recoil of the firing to the ground even if this plate 1 forms with the surface of the ground a pronounced angle.

In the variant shown in FIGURE 10, the gun-carrier A is constituted by a plate 4 the surface of which is adapted to receive the percussion and detent device B as well as the sighting member 3 as in the variant shown at FIG- URE 8. But the lower face of this plate 4 is provided with a point 5 intended to be driven in the ground. This variant constitutes thus a gun-carrier enabling firing several times successively without proceeding to a new sighting operation. In fact the orientation of the plate 4 and thus of the gun-carrier is fixed.

In the variant shown in FIGURE 9, the gun-carrier or resting and sighting device A constituted by the plates 1 and 4 of the variants of the gun-carrier shown at FIG- URES 8 and 10 is replaced by a sleeve 6 on one end of which the percussion and detent device B is threaded whereas its other end presents a blind hole enabling this sleeve to be slid over the free end 7 of a 4gun for example.

Finally, in the variant shown in FIGURE 1l, the sleeve 6 described in reference to FIGURE 9 is fixed by means of fixing members 8 on a butt 9. This butt 9 constituting the gun-carrier A is provided with damping members 10 and 11 of synthetic or natural rubber for example in order to damp the recoil effect during the firing. This last variant of the gun-carrier for the propulsion device is particularly well adapted to short-range firing.

The percussion and detent device B is fastened by its lower threadedend 12 on the gun-carrier A so as to be solid with it but still removable. In this way a same percussion and detent device B may be used according to the needs with anyone of the types of gun-carriers described above or of the existing gun-carriers.

This percussion and detent device comprises asupport 13 the lower threadedextremity 12 of which (FIG- URE 4) is fixed to the gun-carrier A and the upper part of which forms achamber 15 the upper front end of which is open and gives passage to the lower part 16 of a slidingmember 17 of this device B. This lower part 16 of the said slidingmember 17 presents an outside diameter which corresponds to the diameter of thechamber 15 of thesupport 13 and a length which is equal to that of thechamber 15. This slidingmember 17 slides without clearance inside the chamber of thesupport 13. Theupper part 18 of this slidingmember 17 presents a diameter which is greater at its lower part so as to form ashoulder 19 limiting the depth of introduction of the lower part 16 in thechamber 15 of thesupport 13.

Thebottom 20 of the lower part 16 of this sliding member is pierced by ahole 21 opening inside a first housing ofsmall diameter 22 giving access itself to asecond housing 23 of greater diameter and extending inside the greater part of the slidingmember 17. Thissecond housing 23 is limited upwardly by awall 24 driven in the bottom of ahole 25 opening in the upper front face of the slidingmember 17 Thiswall 24 is pierced in its center and gives passage to apercussion pusher 26 thehead 27 of which is located inside thehole 25 and is of greater diameter than the hole in thewall 24 whereas its tail traversing the said wall is provided with apiston 28 the diameter of which corresponds to that of thesecond housing 23 provided inside the slidingmember 17. The length of the tail of thepertcussion pusher 26 is such that this pusher may effect axial displacements along the longitudinal axis of the percussion and detent device of the order of 2 to 7 mm. for example.

Astopping rod 14 fixed rigidly to thesupport 13 and extending axially through thechamber 15 traverses thehole 21 of the slidingmember 17 and extends coaxially inside thehousings 22 and 23 of the lower part of this slidingmember 17. The length of thisstopping rod 14 is approximately equal to the sum of the lengths of thechamber 15 and of the part of thesecond housing 23 located inside the lower part 16 of the slidingmember 17. The upper end of thisstopping rod 14 presents anabutment 29 constituted in the example shown by a nut threaded on the upper threaded end of thisstopping rod 14.

Asleeve 30 slides freely inside thesecond housing 23 and presents a height approximately equal to the length of the part of thishousing 22 located inside the lower part 16 of the slidingmember 17. The outside diameter of thissleeve 30 corresponds to the diameter of thesecond housing 23 whereas the inside surface of saidsleeve 30 comprises anannular stop 31 the upper face of which is intended to cooperate, during the loading of the percussion and detent device, with the lower face of theabutment 29 of the stoppingrod 14 which extends through thissleeve 30. Aspring 32 resting on the bottom 20 of the slidingmember 17 on the one hand and on the lower face of theannular stop 31 of thesleeve 30 on the other hand tends to maintain this sleeve in a position such that itsannular stop 31 is driven against the abutment 29'of the stoppingrod 14.

Finally, the percussion and detent device B comprises further a detent pivoted on the slidingmember 17 and comprising a retainingfinger 33 which, in loaded position, extends into the housing 23a sufiicient distance, defined by adog 34 cooperating with the outside surface of theupper part 18 of the slidingmember 17, in order to be located on the path of thesleeve 30. This detent comprises further acontrol member 35 and is subjected 4to the action of aspring 36 tending to maintain it in loaded position.

It is further to be noted that the outside diameter of thesupoprt 13 is equal to the outside diameter of theupper part 18 of the slidingmember 17 so that when the percussion and detent device is either in loaded or in unloaded position the outside surface of this device B is smooth and does not present any projection other than thedetent 32 itself. This is important for the security of the rifieman, who does not risk in any case being hurt by the recoil of the propulsion device at the time of the firing.

The working of the percussion and detent device is the following:

In unloaded position, illustrated in FIGURE 3, the slidingmember 17 is completely engaged in thechamber 15 of thesupport 13 and thesleeve 30 is maintained by itsreturn spring 32 in a high position that is nearly completely located inside theupper part 18 of the slidingmember 17. Thespring 32 is not compressed in the example shown and theannual abutment 31 does not enter in contact with theabutment 29. However, in a variant thespring 32 could `be pre-compressed and the axial position of thesleeve 30 would be determined by the cooperation of theannular abutment 31 with theabutment 29. In this unloaded position, thefinger 33 of the detent is maintained against the outside surface of thesleeve 30 under the action of thereturn spring 36.

To load the percussion and detent device the user displaces the slidingmember 17 in the direction of the arrow f (FIGURE 4) until theannular abutment 31 of the sleeve enters in contact with theabutment 29 and thespring 32 is sufficiently compressed and the upper edge of the saidsleeve 30 moves under thefinger 33 of the detent. This detent moves immediately angularly under the action of thespring 36 so that thefinger 33 is disposed in the path of the upper edge of thesleeve 30. The angular displacement of the detent is limited by contact of thedog 34 with the outside sur-face of the slidingmember 17. The displacement of the slidingmember 17 in the direction of the arrow f is limited by the cooperation of the lower end of thesleeve 30 with the shoulder separating thefirst housing 22 from thesecond housing 23 of thismember 17. The respective dimensions of therod 14, of thesleeve 30 and of the lower part 16 of themember 17 are such that at the end of the stroke the lower part 16 of themember 17 is still engaged in thechamber 15 of the support on a distance suficient to ensure the guiding.

Then the user displaces the slidingmember 17 in the opposite direction to the arrow j to replace it in the position which it was occupying before, that is, the position shown in FIGURE 3. During this displacement thesleeve 30 is driven through theiinger 33 of the detent against the action of thespring 32 until it reaches its lower position inside thesecond housing 23, which is itself disposed inside the chamber of thesupport 13. From that moment, the percussion and detent device B is loaded and it suices, to cause the firing, to displace thecontrol member 35 of the detent against the action of thespring 36 to lfree thesleeve 30 which displaces itself under the action of thespring 32 and comes in contact with thepiston 28 causing the axial displacement of thepercussion pusher 26 which causes then the firing of the launcher in a manner which will be described later on.

The launching device comprises further a launcher C comprising an expansible explosion chamber, in the example shown, as well as a pushing device cooperating with the engine D to be launched and which may be constituted iby a grenade of any known type.

This engine D comprises ahead 37 housing an explosive charge or a charge of any other nature and atail 38 provided with guidingilyers 39. Thetail 38 is hollowed and presents acylindrical housing 40. It is :to be noted that these engines are of standard dimensions in respect of their tail in any case and thatdifferent heads 37 may be adapted to a same type oftail 38.

It is further to be noted that the diameter of the hole opening on the frontal free face of the percussion and detent device presents a diameter identical to that of thecylindrical housing 40 provided in the tail of the engine to be launched.

The launcher C has :the shape of a cylinder having a circular cross-section and an outside diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of thehole 25 as well as to that of thecylindrical housing 40. In ring position, shown for example in FIGURES l, 3, 6 and 10, the lower end of the launcher C is located inythe hole 25, whereas its upper end is located in thecylindrical housing 40 of the engine D. This launcher C is thus connected on the one hand to the projectile and on the other hand to the percussion and detent device by means of axially sliding couplings. The outside diameter of the launcher C is such that it slides freely, still being strictly guided, inside thehole 25 and thehousing 40.

The lower part of the launcher C comprises aring chamber 41 the diameter of which corresponds lto that of a bullet or blank cartridge of acartridge case 42 containing launching charge. This firingchamber 41 comprises ahole 43 connecting it to the outside of the launcher in traversing the lower bottom of it. The diameter of thishole 43 corresponds to the diameter of thehead 27 of thepercussion pusher 26, which in ring position, is located in the said hole and enters in contact with apercussion mass 44 the diameter of which corresponds to that of thetiring chamber 41. Thispercussion mass 44 presents on its face directed towards lthe cartridge case 42 apercussion projection 45.

The firingchamber 41 intended to receive thecartridge case 42 opens in an explosion cham-ber 46 presenting a diameter greater than that of the firingchamber 41. Thesechambers 41 and 46 are separated by means of a piston 47 :theskirt 48 of which is intended to surround either the bottom of the cartridge case 42 (variant shown in FIGURE l), or thebullet 49 or the summit of a blank cartridge case 42 (variant Shown in FIGURE 3) depending on whether thecartridge case 42 is placed in the firingchamber 41 in one direction or in the other. The lower free .part of thisskirt 48 of thepiston 47 rests on theshoulder 50 separating the firingchamber 41 from theexplosion chamber 46.

The lower surface of thepiston 47, located inside itsskirt 48, is provided with apercussion projection 51, whereas the frontal upper face of thepiston 47 presents a general tapered shape.

According to the position of thecartridge case 42 inside :the firing chamber, bottom upwards or bottom downwards, the percussion is obtained by the introduction of thepercussion projection 51 or 45 in the frontal face of the bottom of thecartridge case 42.

It is to be noted that the distance separating the twopercussion projections 51 and 45, when thepercussion mass 44 rests on the bottom of the firingchamber 41 and the lower edge of theskirt 48 of thepiston 47 rests on theshoulder 50, is ygreater than the length of a blank orbullet cartridge case 42, so that any unwanted displacement of thepiston 47 can in no case cause the percussion and thus the iiring. One should note also that themass 44 being of very light weight and being able to move a very short way only, it can in no case, even under the action of violent shocks to which the launcher C could be subjected, cause the percussion of thecartridge case 42 and the tiring of the launching explosive charge.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, the upper end of the launcher C is o'bturated by means of a threadedplug 52 pierced by ahole 53 coaxial with the launcher C. The diameter of thishole 53 corresponds to the diameter of a pushingrod 54, the lower end of which presents a tapered chamfer intended to receive the upper surface of thepiston 47, whereas the upper end emerges slightly outside the launcher through the plu-g 52 and presents a frontal tapered surface cooperating with the bottom of a blind hole provided in a pushingmember 55 the frontal surface of which rests against the bottom 56 of the tail of the engine D whereas its diameter corresponds to that of thecylindrical housing 40 of this tail. This pushingmember 55 is intended to avoid that the pushingrod 54 penetrate the engine D during the firing.

In the embodiment described, the launcher is reloadable; it suces in fact after the firing to unscrew theplug 52 which is threaded and to replace the charge. However, in other embodiments, theplug 52 could be driven in under heat or not in the body of the launcher which, in that case, could not be reloaded.

In another variant shown in FIGURE 12, theplug 52 is omitted, in this manner the explosive charge, the piston and the rod are ejected out of the launcher during the firing, even so these parts are independent from the projectile to be launched. In this case the launching device is no more silient, the explosion and expansible chamber being no more closed, but on the other hand the reloading of the launcher is extremely rapidly effected. In certain variants the piston could form itself the projectile to be launched.

It is to be noted that in this variant, the cartridge case is completely housed inside the piston. This piston may in a variant be solid with the pushingrod 54 which is then connected through a sliding coupling to the projectile.

In a variant shown in FIGURE 2, thecartirdge case 42 comprises a special bottom 57, which constitutes directly the piston separating theiirinfg chamber 41 from the eX-plosion chamber 46. This bottom 57 comprises a thick wall the diameter of which corresponds to that of theexplosion chamber 46 and the lower part of which cooperates with theshoulder 50 separating thechambers 41 and 46. In this variant, thepercussion projection 51 is carried by the lower frontal face of the pushingrod 54. A washer 58 of a supple material can be interposed between the frontal face of the bottom 57 and thepercussion projection 51 to avoid any unwanted tiring.

The operation of the engines launching device is the following:

When the device is in tiring position, that is to say that the percussion and detent device B is fixed on the guncarrier A, that the launcher C is introduced in thehole 25 of the percussion and detent device and that thetail 38 of the eng-ine D is slid on the upper part of the launcher, the -user proceeds in the above described manner, to the loading of the percussion and detent device B, through a reciprocal movement of the slidingmember 17.

Then, when the sighting is effected and the launching device is placed according to the desired orientation, the user causes the firing by displacing thecontrol member 35 of the detent against the action of thereturn spring 36. This has for effect to withdraw the linger 33 of the detent out of the way of thesleeve 30, which, from then on, displaces itself under the action of itsspring 32 in the direction of thepiston 28 of thepercussion pusher 26. When thissleeve 30, thrown very quickly under the action of thespring 32, reaches thepiston 28, it causes a rapid and vigorous displacement of the percussion pusher -in the direction of the launcher C. Thehead 27 of thepercussion pusher 26, which is engaged in thehole 43 provided in the lower bottom of the launcher, causes an axial displacement of thepercussion mass 44, reducing thus the distance existing between the twopercussion projections 45 and 51. Thecartridge case 42 containing the explosive charge as well as thepiston 47, or, in certain cases, the special bottom 57 of the said cartridge case, are maintained in their location under the action of the weight of the engine D so that the firing can be effected under the action of the axial displacement of thepercussion pusher 26. The explosive charge of thecartridge case 42 is thus tired, which causes an explosion. Gases liberated by this explosion push violently thepiston 47 or the bottom 57 towards the upper extremity of theexplosion chamber 46. This piston `47 drives thus in its displacement the pushingrod 54 as well as the pushingmember 55 and through their intermediary, the engine D.

The explosion is effected in a closed chamber and lis extremely violent and the engine is launched at initial speeds very high, which permits the obtention of great ranges.

It is to be noted that the launching itself of the engine D causes the eject-ion of the launcher C from thehousing 40 of thetail 38 of the engine, due to the ejection of the pushingrod 54 from the launcher.

One obtains thus the launching of the useful charge only, that is to say of the engine D. The only dead weight which is accelerated is that of the pushing device Ipartially housed inside the launcher and formed by the pushingrod 54 and by the pushingmember 55 which, according to the clearance between this pushingmember 55 and thehousing 40 of the engine D, falls down to the bottom or on the contrary is taken with, through suction effect, the engine D a short distance 'before falling. The launcher C itself and thus the launching charge is in no case taken with the engine in its trajectory. This particularity enables to considerably lighten the engines to be launched, by reducing their dead weight, which is very important since it enables to reach tiring distances which have never been reached with this type of arm, and further to reduce the time between consecutive 'launchings For example, one can say that a useful charge, that is an engine D of a weight of 570 grammes, may be launched, by tiring at 45, a distance of 635 meters by means of a launching charge of the order of 1.6 grammes of powder, that is to say with a normal American cartridge No. 223. The same projectile launched conventionally, for example by a gun with the same charge, reaches a distance of 240 meters only by tiring at 45. With the described device, one obtains in the described test an initial speed of the engine D of the order of 90 meters Der second.

Tests have also been made with launching charges of 3.2 grammes of powder, that is with cartridges of the NATO, and, always for a firing at 45 and a grenade of a weight of 570 grammes, a distance of 1100 meters has been reached.

Several other tests have been realized with grenades for cannons of 60 mm. having a weight of 1350 grammes.

The ranges reached are of 600 meters to 1000 meters according to the explosive charge used.

Another advantage of the described device resides in the tiring speed. As a matter of fact, the launcher C being simply placed on the percussion and detent device, it is extremely quickly taken out and replaced or ejected during the tiring, so as to be ready to receive a new charge.

In certain cases, as illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 7, the launcher C is even automatically ejected by the inertia effect of thepiston 47 arriving at the end of its stroke and/or by the suction effect during the ejection of the launcher C from thetail 38 of the engine to be launched. In the tiring tests reported above, the automatic ejection of the launcher C has been obtained consistently. It sufces thus to the rieman, to place a new launcher, onto which an engine has been previously slid, on the percussion and detent device B and to reload it in order to be able to effect a new tiring.

In a variant, the launcher could present an upper opening of a diameter equal to that of theexplosion chamber 46. In this variant, the launcher is used as a conventional gun with the advantage that the launchingcharge 42 is ejected at the firing which enables a rapid and even instantaneous reloading of the launcher C. In this case, the launcher remains on the gun-carrier.

It is further to be noted that the loading of the percussion and detent device B is extremely rapid since it requires only a simple reciprocal movement. On the other hand, when the user is trained, or if a special device is provided to this end, he may release the detent sufficiently rapidly in order to obtain an automatic reloading of the percussion and dentent device B. As a matter of fact, under the effect of the explosion of the launching charge, the percussion pusher is violently rejected backwards, which causes the violent recoil of thesleeve 30 against the action of itsspring 32. If now the detent is released in time, thus subjected to the action of itsreturn spring 36, that is before the sleeve reaches its extreme backward position, it comes to lock itself in loaded position under thenger 33 of the detent. This enables to further accelerate the tiring, which may be of the greatest importance.

It is further to be noted that in the variants shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 5 in which the bottom of thecartridge case 42 is either driven in thepiston 47, or this bottom and this cartridge case constitute themselves the piston, one obtains an extremely good closure of the explosion chamber, even though the launcher C is open at both its ends. As a matter of fact, during the explosion, the lower end of the launcher is hermetically obturated by the pushing of the mass 44 against the lower bottom of the launcher, which closes thehole 43. This obturation is absolutely tight, since during tests, no gas escape has been seen at this extremity of the launcher C. Further, due to the extremely violent push inside thecartridge case 42, it lhas the tendency of dilating and causes a correspondent deformation 'of theskirt 48 of thepiston 47 or of its bottom 57. This radial deformation enables the obtention of a perfect closure o-f the explosion chamber towards the fore end of the launcher, at the same time that it is also open at its fore end. In the variant shown in FIGURE 3 where the bullet or the front part of thecartridge case 42 is placed in thepiston 47, the tightness is slightly less since the skirt of thepiston 47 is not driven with force against the internal wall of theexplosion chamber 46. Tests have however shown that the tightness was good enough in this case too.

The obtention of a good closure is of first importance, since it permits lto realize a silent arm which is not detectable through the escaping gases. In fact, an explosion in the closed chamber is not visible nor audible. This is obviously of great tactical and psychological importance for the use of this arm. Tests made have shown that 24 hours after the firing, the explosion gases were still retained inside the explosion chamber.

In a variant not shown, one can provide for an additional charge in order to increase the range of the engine to be launched.

This additional charge can be placed between the bottom 56 of the engine D and the pushingmember 55, the frontal face of which would present in such a variant a percussion projection. During the firing of the charge contained in the launcher, the axial displacement of the pushingrod 54 and of the pushingmember 55 causes the percussion and the ring of the `additional charge. Thanks to the adjunction of this Iadditional charge, it is possible, without modification of the launching device, to increase itsefficiency 20 to 40%. It is however to be noted that in this case, the arm is no longer absolutely silent, since this additional charge explodes in an open chamber, which is t-hecylindrical housing 40 of thetail 38 of the engine D.

In a variant not illustrated, the pushingrod 54 could be fast with the pushingmember 55 and this assembly could be either taken with the engine D during its launching or maintained with the launcher C.

In another variant, the pushing rod could be realized by a staggering of washers or of parts of low dimensions. In other variants, this rod could be constituted by a tube or even by a liquid column.

In a variant of the launcher where it comprises an upper aperture of a diameter equal to that of theexplosion chamber 46, thepiston 47 could be fast with therod 54. It is even possible to give the lower extremity of this rod -54 a shape enabling to realize the function of thepiston 47.

In another variant, always in the case where the launcher C comprises a top opening of a diameter equal to that of theexplosion chamber 46, the lower end of therod 54 could be made in a manner to constitute the bottom 57 of thecartridge case 42 containing the launching charge. Such a variant enables an instantaneous reloading of the launcher, in fact after the firing, it sufces to introduce in this launcher anew rod 54 the lower end of which contains the launching charge and constitutes simultaneously a piston. This reloading operation can be effected during the setting in place of a new engine to be launched if therod 54 is fixed to this engine. This variant is particularly advantageous, since it permits a greater eiciency due to the fact that the rod, lixed to the engine, is directly or indirectly in contact with the propulsive charge.

However, here also the launching charge is connected to the engine on the one hand and to the gun-carrier on the other hand by means of sliding couplings and the automatic separation of this launching charge from the engine and the gun-carrier is obtained during the firing.

In a non-illustrated variant the percussion and detent device could be diiferently constituted if it permits the firing. Particularly, the percussion could be initiated by the impact of a projectile for example by a gun-bullet in the case where the launching device would be iixed on the end of a gun, the recoil reaction of the launching charge absorbing the kinetic energy of the bullet.

This percussion may also be obtained by the pressure of gases or by an electro-kinetic process or by an electric firing.

In summary, the principal advantages of the launching device described with respect to the existing devices are the following:

(1) Reduction of the dead weight of the engine D to be launched, thus increasing the proportion of the Weight of which corresponds to the usable charge.v

(2) Rapidity of the firing due to the automatic ejectability of the launcher or at least of the launching charge as well as to the automatic reloading of the percussion and detent device which is possible.

(3) Obtention of a silent arm which is not detectable thanks to the fact that the explosion occurs in a tightly closed chamber.

(4) Obtention of a very high efliciency thanks to the very high pressures, of the order of 3000 to 10,000 kg./

cm.2 realized inside the explosion chamber. It is to be noted here that this explosion chamber can support these high pressures only during a very short time interval without deformation. However, at time of the explosion, the launcher is practically completely surrounded by the percussion and detent device, as well as by the tail of the grenade D, which gives an additional security for the user.

(5) Obtention of a relatively low recoil since the part of the recoil due to the ejection of the combustion gases to the atmosphere (for example when a grenade is launched by means of a gun) is suppressed.

(6) It is possible to adapt several different gun-carriers.

(7) Any types of engines, in particular of grendaes, may be launched with this launching device, such as for example anti-hail projectiles, projectiles for under-water fishing, perforating engines, compression engines, pneumatic motors, cannon projectiles and so on.

8) Obtention of a firing distance two or three times greater for a given charge.

I claim:

1. A projectile launching device comprising a percussion device, alauncher having an explosion chamber for receiving an explosive charge, the percussion device having means for exploding a said explosive charge in the launcher, the percussion device having a cylindrical recess in its forward end, the launcher having a cylindrical outer contour at its rear end that freely but closely slidably ts in said cylindrical recess so that the side walls of said cylindrical recess encompass and outwardly confine the side walls of a portion of said explosion chamber, a piston slidable forwardly in said explosion charnber to apply the force of a said explosion to a said projectile, and means for limiting the forward motion of said piston in said chamber and for sealing the chamber against the escape of gases about said piston.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, and a ring member mounted for reciprocation in the rear end of said launcher for detonating a said explosive charge in said chamber upon forward movement of said firing member under the impetus of said exploding means of said percussion device, said firing member having an enlarged forward end that seals the chamber against the escape of gases about the firing member upon rearward movement of the firing member under the impetus of a said exploslon. Y

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, said explosion chamber having a portion of relatively large inside diameter and a portion of relatively small inside diameter, said piston being reciprocable in said portion of relatively large diameter, the side walls of said explosion chamber having a forwardly directed annular abutment shoulder between said portions of the explosion chamber, said abutment shoulder limiting rearward movement of said piston.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, and a push rod extending forwardly from said piston and being slidably mounted in the forward wall of said explosion chamber for applying the force of a said explosion to a said projectile.

5. A projectile launching device comprising a precussion device, a launcher having an explosion chamber for receiving an explosive charge, the percussion device having means for exploding a said explosive charge in the launcher, the'percussion device having a cylindrical recess in its forward end, the launcher having a cylindrical outer contour at its rear end that freely but closely slidably fits in said cylindrical recess so that the side walls of said'cylindrical recess encompass and outwardly confine the side walls of a portion of said explosion chamber, said percussion device having a sleeve mounted for axial sliding movement thereon, a detent carried by said sleeve, means yieldably urging said detent toward a position in which it projects into the interior of the sleeve,

a member slidably disposed within the sleeve, spring means carried by the sleeve for continuously urging said slidable member forwardly, means on said percussion device for drawing said slidable member to the rear against the action of said spring means upon forward movement of said sleeve, to a position in which said detent releasably retains said slidable member in said rearward position thereby to cock the percussion device, and means for selectively withdrawing said detent to permit said sliding member to spring forwardly under the impetus of said spring means to strike and actuate said exploding means.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, said cocking device comprising a stationary rod coaxial with said sleeve, said slida'ble member comprising a second sleeve coaxial with said stationary rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. XR.

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