AU722637B2

AU722637B2 - A shotgun cartridge

Info

Publication number: AU722637B2
Application number: AU46941/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Alan Griffiths Symonds
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-11-04
Filing date: 1997-10-30
Publication date: 2000-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-30
Also published as: AU4694197A

Description

WO 98/20283 PCT/AU97/00727 1

TITLE

A Shotgun Cartridge TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a shotgun cartridge which has a projectile made from a resilient material. The shotgun cartridge will be described with reference to its use for mustering cattle.

However, it should be appreciated that the shotgun cartridge may be used for other purposes as well.

BACKGROUND ART Large cattle properties have a large area of land available for grazing. Therefore, the usual practice of using horses or motor cycles to muster cattle on properties of this size becomes impractical. Currently, the mustering of cattle on large properties is done by helicopter.

Initially helicopters were very effective. The helicopter would fly at low level behind the cattle that would scare the cattle and force them in the required direction.

However, cattle soon become used to the sound of the helicopter and are no longer scared by the sound of the helicopter blades. Therefore, the effectiveness of the helicopter is greatly reduced.

One way in which farmers combat this is to fire low powered shotgun cartridges from the helicopter at the cattle. When the shotgun projectiles hit the cattle, the cattle move in the required direction. The shotgun projectiles are usually metal pellets. The projectiles often penetrate the hide of the cattle and embed into the flesh.

There are a number of disadvantages with perforation of the hide by the shotgun pellets. Firstly, even though the cattle are only slightly injured, a small open wound makes the cattle more vulnerable to disease. Secondly, when the cattle are slaughtered, the hide has a number of holes through it, reducing the quality and price available for the hide. Lastly, and most importantly, it has been found that pellets that become embedded in the flesh of the animal usually result in the flesh being declared contaminated. The effect of this is to profoundly degrade the quality of the carcass. This has extremely serious consequences particularly when the carcasses are sold to export markets.

WO 98/20283 PCT/AU97/00727 2 Historically, pellet contamination in beef carcasses has been a source of major concern to the beef industry both domestically and in the export trade and the problem has been greatly exacerbated by the move towards quality assurance in the beef industry by which producers will be obliged to take every possible step to ensure the attainment of the highest quality of their beef product and continued maintenance of that quality.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a shotgun cartridge that may overcome the aforementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In one form, the invention resides in a shotgun cartridge for mustering animals, the cartridge having a projectile at least partially formed from a resilient material and which can be adapted to be fired against the hide of an animal but not to penetrate the hide.

The shotgun cartridge typically has a casing, a base portion, primer, a wad and the projectile. The cartridge may be used for mustering cattle.

The projectile may be constructed from various materials.

A suitable material can be rubber or soft plastics. Typically, the projectile has at least one void. The void may enable the projectile to deform more effective when striking the animal's hide. The void may only partially pass through the projectile.

However, normally the void passes entirely through the projectile to achieve more effective deformation. Preferably, the projectile is tubular and constructed from a length of tubing.

The projectile may comprise rubber tubing. The tubing may be cut into discrete lengths to enable efficient production of projectiles. The projectile may be cut in various lengths and may be of various diameters to suit the cartridge and its end use. A typical length for mustering cattle may be 20 mm whilst a typical outer diameter may be 15 mm.

The projectile may fit snugly within the shotgun cartridge.

The projectile may sit entirely within the casing of the cartridge. The projectile may not have any sharp edges located on it. This reduces the likely hood of the projectile causing damage to the hide of the animal. The projectile may be able to WO 98/20283 PCT/AU97/00727 3 be flattened when fired against the hide of the animal. This enables a larger contact of the projectile area on the hide of the animal. This is more likely to cause movement of the animal.

The charge of the shotgun cartridge is usually less than that of a normal shotgun cartridge to prevent injury to the animal. The charged used may be shotgun powder. The amount of shotgun powder is typically between 15 to 20 grams and for cattle the powder loaded into the cartridge is usually between 17 and 18.5 grams.

The wad typically separates the charge and the projectile.

The wad may have a top disc and a bottom disc separated by at least one bridge member. A top surface of the top disc may sit adjacent the projectile. The top surface may be substantially flat.

A bottom surface of the bottom disc may retain the charge within the casing. A skirt may extend downwardly from the bottom disc of the wad. The skirt may allow for easier compaction of the charge.

The bridge member may be substantially perpendicular to the bottom and top discs. The bridge member may have a number of score lines located on its surface. The score lines may enable the bridge member to bend in a predetermined manner upon firing of the cartridge. The bridge member usually has only one score line. The score line may be located adjacent the middle of the bridge member.

There may be two outer bridge members. These outer bridge members may be parallel to each other and spaced apart. The outer bridge members may be located adjacent the edge of the top and bottom discs. The score lines of the outer bridge members may be allow the outer bridge members to bend. The outer bridge members may bend inwardly, toward the centre of discs.

There may be two inner bridge members. The inner bridge members may be located adjacent the centre of the top and bottom discs. The inner bridge members may be parallel to each other and spaced apart. The score lines of the inner bridge members may allow the inner bridge members to bend. The inner bridge members may bend outwardly, toward the edge of the discs. Each inner bridge member may bend in a direction oppose to the other bridge member.

WO 98/20283 PCT/AU9700727 4 There may be both inner and outer bridge members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following figure in which: Figure 1 is a partial front section view of a shotgun cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows a shotgun cartridge 10 having a casing 11, a base 12, a primer 13, a charge 14, a wad 15 and a projectile 16.

The casing 11 is made from plastics and is tubular. The casing 11 is crimped at one end. At the other end of the casing is a base 12. The base 12 comprises a metal disc 17 with an extending skirt 18. The extending skirt 18 is constructed so that it fits over the end of the casing 11, with the casing abutting against the disc 17. The primer is located within the base 12.

The charge 14 is located adjacent the primer 13 and the end of the casing. The charge comprises between 17 to 18.5 grams of gunpowder.

The wad 15 is used to compress the charge 14. The wad is made from plastics and is injection-moulded. The wad 15 has a top disc 19 and bottom disc 20. A pair of outer bridge members 21 and a pair of inner bridge members 22 separate the two discs 19 and The top disc 19 has a top surface 23 that is substantially flat. The top surface 23 abuts against the projectile 16. The bottom disc 20 has a bottom surface 24 that retains the charge 14 within the casing II. A depending skirt 25 extends downwardly from the bottom disc 20. The depending skirt 25 aids in compression of the charge The bridge members 21,22 are all perpendicular to the top and bottom discs. A transverse score line 26 is located adjacent the middle of the each bridge member 21 and 22. This enables bending of the bridge members upon firing of the cartridge.

The outer bridge members 21 are parallel to each other and spaced apart. The outer bridge members are located adjacent the edge of the top and bottom discs. The score lines of the outer bridge members 21 allow the outer bridge members to bend inwardly, toward the centre of the discs.

WO 98/20283 PCT/AU97/00727 The inner bridge members 22 are located adjacent the centre of the top and bottom discs. The inner bridge members 22 are parallel to each other and spaced apart. The score lines of the inner bridge members 22 allow the inner bridge members to bend outwardly, toward the edge of the discs. The inner bridge members bend in opposite directions.

The inner bridge members 22 and the outer bridge members 21 bend in planes that are perpendicular to each other.

The projectile is a piece of rubber tubing. It is approximately 20 mm in length and 15 mm in diameter. The inner bore of the tubing is approximately 5 mm in diameter. The rubber tubing may have some axially extending strengthening means. The projectile has no sharp edges and flattens easily when fired against the hide of an animal. The projectile is entirely enclosed within the casing.

The shotgun cartridge is 12-gauge cartridge. It is envisaged to be accurate for a distance of approximately sixty feet. However, modifications may be made to make it more accurate at greater distances. The shotgun cartridge has been designed for the mustering of cattle by a helicopter.

It should be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein a single projectile is provided which is formed from rubber tube having a length of about 20mm, a diameter of about 15mm and a bore of about
3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the wad is elongate and has a top disc which is adjacent the base of the projectile, a bottom disc which is adjacent the propellant charge, and at least one bridging member which interconnects the top and bottom disc, the said discs being sealingly engaged with the inside wall of the cartridge casing.
4. The cartridge of claim 3, wherein the at least one bridging member bends upon firing of the cartridge. The cartridge of claim 4, wherein the bridging member has a transverse score line about which the bridging member can bend upon firing of the cartridge.
6. The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the wad has at least one outer bridging member and at least one inner bridging member.
7. The cartridge of claim 6, wherein each said bridging member has a said score line.
8. The cartridge of claim 3, wherein the bottom disc has a depending annular skirt which aids in the compression of the propellant charge.
9. The cartridge of claim 3, wherein the propellant charge comprises between 17 18.5 grams of gunpowder. \7 Rlq, JAMENDED SHEET Px IPEA/AU