GB1143967A - Projectile assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

1,143,967. Sabot projectiles. OERLIKONBœHRLE HOLDING A.G. 25 March, 1966 [1 April, 1965], No. 13326/66. Heading F3A. A rotary discarding sabot projectile assembly comprises a sabot 10 and a projectile 11 which is supported at its rear face by a first abutment 107 and is secured by a locking member, e.g. a split ring 15, which engages a surface 114 in a recess in the projectile and the surface 171 of a screw-threaded second abutment 17 which is axially movable in the sabot to adjust its clamping action but which is normally locked against rotation by a screw 20, the first abutment 107 being deformable axially by the rear face of the projectile 11 when the assembly is fired to permit the projectile to move rearwardly, under inertia, with respect to the sabot, to disengage the locking member from the surface 171 and to bring the rear face of the projectile into operative engagement with the sabot, whereby the rotary motion of the sabot is transmitted to the projectile 11 and locking member 15, which, under the action of centrifugal force, expands radially outwardly to free the projectile. Faces 112 provided at the rear of the projectile increase its grip in the sabot on axial displacement. A threaded, projectileguiding member 14 at the front end of the sabot permits air to enter the body of the sabot, whereby the rate of separation of the projectile and sabot after firing is increased. Rotation is transmitted to the assembly by driving bands 12 and 13. In a modification (Fig. 7, not shown), the locking member comprises a sleeve (15d) divided into a plurality of fingers (28) which bend outwardly under centrifugal force. In another embodiment the first abutment (23, Fig. 4, not shown) is screw-threaded into the rear of the sabot and the second abutment (173a) is a fixture in the sabot. In further embodiments the first abutment comprises a resilient spring (107c, Fig. 6, not shown) which also assists in the separation of the sabot and projectile, or an upsettable element (107b, Fig. 5, not shown).