US2682834A - Apparatus for utilizing shaped charges - Google Patents

Description

July 6, 1954 J. H. CHURCH ET L K APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING SHAPED CHARGES 2 vSheets-Sheet l Filed May 4, 1950 Iliff!!! l grWQ/wl'OZ/S dchseph H. Church Eregcmy T T- Keaaem'ch ggg //l v J. H. CHURCH ET AL APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING SHAPED CHARGES July 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1950 Patented July 6, 11954 APPARATUS FQE UTILIZING vSHAPED VCHARGES vJoseph H. Church, Austin, Minn., and G'rregory al. Kessenich, Madison, Wis.

Appla'tnMy 4, 1950, Serial No. 159,914

(Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952"),

SBC. 266:)

'8 'Claims'.

The vinvention described .herein and claimed mayfbe manufactured andi-leed by or for the AGovernment for governmental ALpurposes without vthe payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to an apparatus espeei-ally adaptedior use in chamber-ing and positioning shaped charges in-.proper relative positien with respect to a target, more ,particularly a ,target submergedin a .liquid medium.

A princi-pal- Yobject yof` .our invention is to provide a simple. compact apparatus comprised of interchangeable ele-ments which may be Ainfalli- 4bly assembledwith .comparative simplicity and assu-rance ofproper chambering of the shaped (2l-largesY carried thereby.

Other objects will Abecome apparent from 'the followingA description when .considered with the appended drawings in which: v

Fig. l is a longitudinal'v sectional View through `apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention; v

Figs-2 isa 4tragment'ary elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.. l;

Fig. 3- is Aa perspective view of a sealing element usedinV the apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a cage used' in the .apparatus of' this invention;

Fig. 5 vis a plan View' of one type of shaped charge adapted for use with our apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a sectional" view taken upon' line 6 6 oflrig. 5; and,

Fig. is a plan view or" another type of shaped charge adapted forl use with our apparams.

.Asshownin Fig. l our' apparatus is generally indicated at l and' is comprised essentially of a base element similar intermediate members 3Q, sealing elements 43 cages 5l!" and a cap element 60'..

The .intermediate members or discs are .hollow -generally cylindrical members symmetric about their central axes and are provided intermediate the upper and"lowe`rsurfac'es 3l, 32 with radially outward'extendingV 'anges 33, We have shown surfaces 31,32V to be opposed flat surfaces but we contemplate making' these ksurfaces opposed convex, concave, convex-concave, or con- Vex-flat; etc., as more clearly disclosedrhere'inafter in connection with the charge shown in Fig'. 7^. The' members 30' are formed v'vithl axialbores 34 and are arrangedl in superposed coaxial relationas shown.

'The adjacentpairs' ofintermediate members 33 are joined 'by the circularv sealing elements "4B as indicated in Fig. 1'` 'in fluidv'sealed relation.

2 Each lsealing element 40 extends between an adjacent pair fof members 350 between the adjacent lia-nges 33 thereof and'is for-med With-a plurality ofpretuberant portions -or segments YH here sho-Wn in Figs. l and 3 to be of generallyrectangular configuration but which may beef any -desiredshape The protiilberancesV extend radially Vcfr-itward to substantially the" cylindrical surfaces 35 ci members 39. Sealing! elements 1W may `be madev of any appropriate Imetall'i'c' or non-metallicmaterialfthat will withstandtl'ie' pressures which may' be externally imposed thereupon through subi-ne-igencefof the apparatus in' aid medium and which may be easily attacked; by the jets emanating from the' shaped charge encompassed by lthe feller-nent.A

'Each adjacent pair rinemlei'siSll are rigidly interconnected by split ar cage'sprcvi'ded Witl--exnbrasure's cantor g'A in i ternal don- -guration Vto the extern-alf c iigfuratien 4of 'protuberances 4i as clearly' slotvnn Fig. 1. 'The cages '5U may'. be@ cireumferenti-ally tightened about' the sealing elements `Hl by any suitable mear-1s aiflixed'` to inernlcners'3 by stud bolts or similar tasteners- 53'. The external diameters of cages 59 are such that the OuteIf'suraces of thef-cgeswillnot proi'ebt outwardly of thefcylindfricalsurface containing the :cuter surfaces 35 o'f il-anges 33, and` gaskets 54 may painter-.posed between the cages? 5l): and' sealing elementsk;

The hollow base yel'ern'ent 26E of desired external configuration, shown asgenerally' herrn-spherical=, is attached: to` v thev lower-most member 33 `below its .flang`e`33l A'sfs'h'own, this element forms a smooth joint with the contiguous surface 35 ofi iiange' '33 *and Ais attached to the' member by screwslzll. Gasket Z2 assures a lluid--tigfhtjoint Element VV21)' forms a chamber v-2'5; in yconjunction with thecwermost surface' 3'2 of themember.

Cap element 63 is convenientl-yafduplic'ate'of base element 49 `andE isl attached to=t'he"contlguous surfaceof member 'by screwsl to formtherewith' a :closed chamber 53.

The'apparatus is adapted tobesuspendedfrom a--cabl'e orsimilar device 6d :byzmeans ofwthe jam nutif interconnecting cap til and cable 54 l'by-a nipple '65u' as' kshown in Fig. l.

Each chamber 36" defined by :adjacent surfaces of adjacent members 3fland'sealing elements 4D iis a'daritei` to chamber a shaped=charge if'o'f the type showin in' Fig; 5; The charge l-'comprises `afgene'i'ally circular' charge' formed with' a pluvr'ality` of' radially outwardly-facing cav-ities 'il arrangedi symmetrically abbut'- the" central .axis of? the vch'arige tb gire a* plurality of' shaped charge effects simultaneously in the direction of the respective radial lines of symmetry 12 of the cavities 1I when detonated centrally at 13. Each cavity 'Il is provided with a complemental liner 14 of suitable metallic or non-metallic material.

As will be understood the charges 'lll are arranged in the chambers 36 so that the protuberances 4I and cavities will be radially aligned in order to assure proper space for formation of the jets and it will be noted from Figure 2 that the cavities 1I of one charge 10 may be staggered with respect to the cavities of the next adjacent charge I above or below a given charge '16.

If it is desired to attack the target at an angle above or below normal a charge 80 of the form shown in Fig. 7 may be employed by making the surfaces 3| and 32 of members 30 conform thereto. As will be apparent from Fig. 7 charge 86 may be centrally detonated at 8l and be provided with suitable liners 82 for each of the cavities 83 which may be arranged similarly to cavities ll of charge 16. Charge B6 may be employed in the position shown in Fig. '7 or inverted.

Charges T0 can be simultaneously detonated by a primacord 66 extended through bores 34 of members 30 and bores 'I3 of charges 10. The primacord can be detonated by the initiator 61 energizable through the leads 68 carried by cable 64 and extended through cap element 60 in fluid tight relation. The primacord may also be utilized to retain charges 10 properly centered in chambers 36.

Chambers 23 and 63 are in communication with chambers 36 through bores 34 and may serve as fluid pressure chambers to equalize pressures within the apparatus.

The sealing elements 40 may be replaceable and the elements 30, elements 50, 60 and 20 made so as to be interchangeable.

It will be observed that charges 10 and 80 are merely shown as types of charges that may be chambered in our apparatus but that we may with equal facility use any other types of circular charges.

We may also use any other system of detonating charges 10 such as individual detonators for each charge either individually or separately energizable as is well understood in the art. In use of the latter system of detonation the control means passing through bores 34, 'I3 to the individual charge detonators would serve to retain the charges 10 in proper position in chambers 36.

It will be noted that members 36 are shown as being hollow. They may be placed in communication with chambers 23 and 63 if desired. It is contemplated that members 30 may be made as solid elements.

We may also, if desired, fabricate elements 40 as distensible elements and expand them after placement of the apparatus as by Afluid. generated under pressure in chambers 23 and/or 63 suitably conducted to the cavities 'Il as by the means shown in our copending application Serial Number 152,438, led March 28, 1950, now Patent No. 2,667,836, dated February 2, 1954.

The spacing between adjacent charges 10 or 86 may be varied by fabricating some or all of the members 30 in two parts symmetrical about a medium plane through flange 33 thereof and placing an insert between the two parts of each member thus split to vary the thickness of the member 30 from surface 3l to surface 32, where- 4 by the charges will be vertically spaced in the apparatus accordingly.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for chambering shaped charges to be positioned for use against a target comprising in combination, a plurality of circular charge supporting members each provided with intermediate outwardly extending radial flanges arranged in spaced superposed coaxial relation, said charge supporting members each being provided with an axial bore, a circular sealing element formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced protuberances extending radially outward to substantially the plane containing the outer surfacesV of said flanges encompassing the adjacent edge portions of each adjacent pair of members intermediate each adjacent pair of flanges in fluid sealed relation, and a circular cage provided with an embrasure receiving each of said protuberances extending between each adjacent pair of flanges rigidly interconnecting each adjacent pair of circular members interiorly of the plane containing the outer surfaces of said anges.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with cap and base elements respectively affixed to the uppermost and lowermost circular members interiorly of a plane containing the outer surfaces of said flanges and cooperating therewith to dene upper and lower chambers.

3. In an explosive unit built up from a plurality of alternate rst and second elements, each of said rst elements comprising a hollow cylinder, each of said second elements comprising a cylindrical band having a diameter substantially equal to said rst elements, there being a plurality of circumferentially-spaced generally rectangular protuberances struck out- 'wardly in the wall of said band, a cylindrical cage element having openings in its wall into each of which a respective protuberance extends and fits, said band and cage having substantially the same axial dimension, and means securing the end edges of each band and its cage in overlapping relation with the surfaces of contiguous ones of said first elements, said rst elements having integral equatorial projections filling the space between contiguous cages, to form a fair cylindrical outer surface.

4. An explosive unit as recited in claim 3, each said band forming with contiguous rst elements a sealed cylindrical chamber, a star shaped explosive charge lling said chamber and having arms corresponding in number with said protuberances, the cavity defined by each contiguous pair of arms being radially aligned with a respective protuberance.

5. An explosive unit as recited in claim 4, said unit comprising at least three of said rst elements and at least two of said second elements, the protuberances of one of said second elements being circumferentially oiset from those of the other of said second elements.

6. An explosive unit as recited in claim 4, there being a central axial passage extending through all said elements, and a single length of explosive cord extending through said passage.

7. An explosive unit as recited in claim 4, first and second hollow hemispherical end caps, means securing one said cap to the lowermost one of said first elements and means securing the other said cap to the uppermost one of said first elements to form an exteriorly smooth cylinder with hemispherical ends.

8. In a shaped charge unit built up from a plurality of alternate rlrst and second elements, said rst elements each comprising a hollow disc, said second elements each comprising a cylindrical band having equiangularly spaced hollow, generally rectangular protuberances, a generally star-shaped solid explosive charge having arms corresponding in number and angular spacing with said protuberances and positioned within said band with the space between contiguous arms radially aligned with a respective protuberance, means securing all said layers together to form a cylindrical unit, said means comprising cylindrical open-ended cage means having an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of said hollow discs, there being a plurality of openings in the peripheral wall of said cage means into each of which a respective protuberance extends and ts, the upper and lower edges of said cage means receiving and being secured to respective contiguous ones 0I said hollow discs `to secure the same together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,169,559 Halliburton Aug. 15, 1939 2,169,671 Walker Aug. l5, 1939 2,494,256 Muskat Jan. 10, 1950 2,587,244 Sweetman Feb. 26, 1952 2,590,366 Atwood Mar. 25, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 146,615 Austria July 25, 1936

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