Multi-Shot Discarding Sabot Round

This non-provisional patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/646,448, filed May 13, 2024 and titled “ENHANCED MULTI-SHOT SABOT ROUND”, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

The invention relates generally to ammunition for guns. More particularly, the invention pertains to sabots and saboted ammunition.

The use of weaponized commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), commonly known as “drones,” in modern warfare has risen markedly in recent years. Numerous state actors and militant groups around the world now routinely use small, inexpensive, commercially-available drones loaded with explosives to drop, detonate above, and crash bombs into personnel, vehicles, and critical infrastructure. The use of weaponized drones in military applications is expected to increase even further as drone technology becomes cheaper to manufacture and more readily available.

One reason drone warfare has proliferated so rapidly is because currently available direct fire weapons (i.e., guns) using traditional ammunition are insufficient to neutralize commonly available drones. For example, shotgun firearms using traditional shotshell ammunition have proven ineffective for neutralizing incoming drones due to their limited range, variable shot pattern, and low rate of fire. By contrast, all currently available traditional automatic rifles, belt fed light artillery, and auto-canons have a comparably high rate of fire and longer range, but only fire one projectile at a time. This dramatically limits the probability of hitting and destroying a small and fast-moving drone, and can pose a separate and serious threat to nearby personnel and assets due to projectile over travel and overpenetration.

Accordingly, what is needed are improvements in ammunition for direct fire weapons.

This Brief Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Features of the presently disclosed invention overcome or minimize some or all of the identified deficiencies of the prior art, as will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art after a study of the information presented in this document.

Aspects of the disclosure provide novel sabot assemblies and cartridges containing novel sabot assemblies. The sabot assemblies disclosed herein include a plurality of projectiles uniquely arranged or “nested” inside a novel discarding housing that is configured to separate, fall away, and release the projectiles toward a target after the sabot assembly is fired through a gun barrel and prior to impact of the sabot assembly with the target. The novel housing is designed to prevent the projectiles from deforming when the sabot assembly is subjected to high pressure and velocity as the sabot assembly travels down the barrel when fired. This improves projectile velocity and, in turn, projectile range and accuracy upon release of the projectiles from the housing during flight toward the target. Accordingly, projectiles released from sabot assemblies disclosed herein can fly truer (i.e., straighter) and farther at greater velocity than projectiles of traditional multi-projectile cartridges such as shotshells, flechette rounds, and canister cartridges in similar sizes.

Consequently, sabot assemblies and cartridges containing sabot assemblies disclosed herein are well suited for applications requiring a consistent and even shot pattern at relatively long ranges, such as triggering landmines and shooting down incoming drones, drone swarms, rockets, and missiles from safely outside the blast radius. It is therefore expected that the sabot assemblies disclosed herein, though viable in cartridges of any size, are particularly well suited to these tasks when used in cartridges for larger caliber automatic guns such as belt fed light artillery (e.g., .50 caliber machine guns) and autocannons (e.g., 20 mm to 60 mm autocannons).

Numerous other objects, advantages and features of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art upon a review of the following drawings and description of exemplary embodiments.

The details of one or more embodiments of the disclosure are set forth in this document. Modifications to embodiments described in this document, and other embodiments, will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art after a study of the information provided herein. The information provided in this document, and particularly the specific details of the described exemplary embodiment(s), is provided primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom. In case of conflict, the specification of this document, including definitions, will control.

While the making and using of various embodiments of the disclosure are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the disclosure provides many applicable inventive concepts that are embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize numerous equivalents to the specific apparatus and methods described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.

While the terms used herein are believed to be well understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, a number of terms are defined below to facilitate the understanding of the embodiments described herein. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter disclosed herein belongs. The terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the disclosure. Terms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as set forth in the claims.

As described herein, an “upright” position is considered to be the position of apparatus components while in proper operation or in a natural resting position as described and shown herein, for example, in. The upright firing position of a firearm is a generally level firing position. “Vertical,” “horizontal,” “above,” “below,” “side,” “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” and other orientation terms are described with respect to this upright position during operation, unless otherwise specified, and are used to provide an orientation of embodiments of the invention to allow for proper description of example embodiments. A person of skill in the art will recognize, however, that the apparatus can assume different orientations when in use. The term “longitudinally spaced” can mean axially spaced along a longitudinal axis of a gun.

As used herein, the terms “front” and “forward” means in a direction extending toward the muzzle of the gun. In some cases, the term “forward” can also mean forward beyond the muzzle of the gun. The terms “aft” and “rear” means in a direction extending away from the muzzle of the gun toward a rear end of a gun. In some cases, the term “rearward” can also mean rearward beyond the rear end of the gun.

The term “when” is used to specify orientation for relative positions of components, not as a temporal limitation of the claims or apparatus described and claimed herein unless otherwise specified.

The terms “above”, “below”, “over”, and “under” mean “having an elevation or vertical height greater or lesser than” and are not intended to imply that one object or component is directly over or under another object or component.

The phrase “in one embodiment,” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments.

All measurements should be understood as being modified by the term “about” regardless of whether the word “about” precedes a given measurement.

The terms “significantly”, “substantially”, “approximately”, “about”, “relatively,” or other such similar terms that may be used throughout this disclosure, including the claims, are used to describe and account for small fluctuations, such as due to variations in manufacturing or processing from a reference or parameter, whether the reference or parameter is explicitly specified or is generally considered normal or possible within the limits of applicable industry-accepted manufacturing practices and tolerances. Such small fluctuations include a zero fluctuation from the reference or parameter as well. For example, they can refer to less than or equal to ±10%, such as less than or equal to ±5%, such as less than or equal to ±2%, such as less than or equal to ±1%, such as less than or equal to ±0.5%, such as less than or equal to ±0.2%, such as less than or equal to ±0.1%, such as less than or equal to ±0.05%.

The terms “coupled” and “connected” mean at least either a direct electrical or mechanical connection between the connected items or an indirect connection through one or more passive or active intermediary devices.

The term “gun” as used herein means a device that propels one or more projectiles through a tube (i.e., a barrel) using pressure or explosive force. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “gun” includes pneumatic airguns, firearms, artillery, and cannons.

All references to singular characteristics or limitations of the present disclosure shall include the corresponding plural characteristic(s) or limitation(s) and vice versa, unless otherwise specified or clearly implied to the contrary by the context in which the reference is made.

All combinations of method or process steps as used herein can be performed in any order, unless otherwise specified or clearly implied to the contrary by the context in which the referenced combination is made.

The methods and devices disclosed herein, including components thereof, can comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the essential elements and limitations of the embodiments described herein, as well as any additional or optional components or limitations described herein or otherwise useful.

Referring to, there is shown a cartridgecontaining a novel sabot assemblyconstructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The cartridgeincludes a shell case, a primer, propellant, and the sabot assembly. The sabot assemblyincludes a housingand a plurality of projectilesuniquely arranged inside the housing. The caseincludes a rear end, an open front end, and an interior chamber. The primeris seated in a recess in the rear endof the shell case. The sabot assemblyis seated in the open front endof the shell case. The propellantis contained in the interior chamberbetween the primerand the sabot assembly.

In use, when the cartridge is properly seated in the chamberof a gun barreland fired, an impact upon the primergenerated by the gun (not shown) causes the primerto ignite the propellant. Ignition of the propellantcauses high pressure gases to build up inside the interior chamberand propel the sabot assemblythrough the barrelof the gun and out of the muzzle. Once the sabot assemblyis fired through the barrelin this way, the housingis designed to fall away and release the projectilestoward a target (not shown) prior to impact of the sabot assemblywith the target.

Specifically, the housingis shaped and sized to be propelled through a gun barrel, and defines a longitudinal axis, a base, a nose, and an interior spacein which the projectilesare received. The housingis formed from two longitudinally elongated housing segments,that are designed to separate longitudinally and thereby release the projectilesfrom the interior spaceonce the sabot assemblyis fired through the gun barrelas explained above. A recessis defined in the forwardmost tip of each housing segment,such that when the housing segments,are combined to form the housing, the recessescombine to form a separation aperturein the noseof the housing. The separation apertureis shaped and sized to increase aerodynamic drag against the housing segments,and thereby cause the housingto separate into the housing segments,and release the projectilesafter the sabot assemblyexits the muzzleof the barrelat high speed. In this way, the noseof the housingis configured to cause the housingto separate into the housing segment,once the sabot assemblyexits the muzzleafter being fired through the barrel. In other embodiments, the nosecan include multiple spaced separation apertures, fins, or scoops (not shown) designed to increase aerodynamic drag and cause the housingto separate into the housing segments.

Because accuracy at distance is vital for kinetic ammunition to be effective against drones and land mines, the housingof the sabot assemblyis specifically designed to seat or “nest” each individual projectilein order to prevent deformation of the projectilesunder the high pressures and velocities to which the projectiles are subjected when explosively propelled (i.e., fired) down a gun barrel. Maintaining projectile shape improves projectile velocity and, in turn, projectile range and accuracy upon release of the projectilesfrom the housingduring flight toward the target. By contrast, the projectiles contained in traditional multi-shot cartridges, such as shotshells, flechette rounds, and canister cartridges, deform upon contact with one another during travel through the barrel, which reduces their velocity, range, accuracy and effectiveness.

Accordingly, the interior spaceof the sabot assembly housingis at least partially defined by a plurality of concavitiesthat function like pockets which hold the projectilesin position within the interior space. As such, each concavityis shaped and sized to at least partially seat a respective projectilein the interior space. The plurality of concavitiesis symmetrically spaced about the interior spaceso as to form a symmetrical arrangement of projectilesabout the longitudinal axis, as best shown in. A symmetrical arrangement of projectilesabout the longitudinal axisbenefits velocity, accuracy, and range by balancing the sabot assembly during travel through the barreland ensuring that the projectilesfly toward a target in a predetermined pattern upon release of the projectilesfrom the housing.

In some embodiments, a symmetrical arrangement of projectilesabout the axisincludes a plurality of longitudinally extending rowsof projectilesarranged about the axis. The concavitiesare symmetrically formed in opposing interior surfacesof each elongated housing segment,. Each concavityis configured to maintain each respective projectilein a predetermined position within the interior spaceduring firing and travel of the sabot assemblythrough the gun barrel. In this way, the housingis configured to prevent each projectilefrom deforming as the sabot assemblytravels through the gun barrel. In some embodiments, the plurality of concavitiescan be configured to space each respective projectilefrom each other projectilein the interior space. In some embodiments, the interior spacecan include a central voidto both save on materials costs and reduce the weight of the housing, thereby reducing the amount of aerodynamic drag necessary to separate the housing segments,and release the projectiles.

The housing segments,can be formed from any suitable material, including various natural and synthetic polymeric materials such as plastic, and temporarily coupled together to form the housingusing any suitable method known in the art. For example, in some embodiments, the housing segments,can be held together using a snap fit, a press fit, an adhesive, contact with the shell caseand gun barrel, or a combination of the foregoing. It is to be understood that although the housingdepicted in the drawings is shown as being formed from two housing segments,, in other embodiments, the housingcan be formed from more than two housing segments, including, for example, three, four, or more housing segments (not shown).

The projectilescan be formed from any suitable material, including but not limited to metals such as lead, steel, bismuth, tungsten, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, each projectilecan be shaped and sized to be self-stabilizing during flight toward a target after release from the housing. For example, in some embodiments, each projectile can have a tear drop profile as best shown in. In some embodiments, each projectile can include a spherical headwith a conical tail, as best shown in. In other embodiments not shown, each projectile can have a spherical shape. In still yet other embodiments, the plurality of projectilescan include projectiles with two or more different shapes.

Although various embodiments have been described in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, in other embodiments, the sabot assembliesdisclosed herein can be used alone (i.e., without a propellant-containing cartridge) in pneumatic guns (i.e., airguns).

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

It will be understood that the particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention may be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize numerous equivalents to the specific apparatus and methods described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.

All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein may be made and/or executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of the embodiments included herein, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope, and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Thus, although there have been particular embodiments described herein, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.