Dec. 16, 1947. C. R. OLSEN 2,432,539 LAUNCHING TUBE AND AUXLARY THEREFOR Filed April 9, 1944

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Clarles Rohert Olse Tl Patented Dec. 16, 1947 2,432,539 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

GRENA DE LAUNCH ING TUBE AND AUXL ARY CARTRIDGETHEREFOR Charles Robert Olsen, Philadelphia, Pa. Application April 19, 1944, Serial No. 531,840 2 Claims. (C. 42-1) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 1. 2 The invention described herein may be manu which may be used to fire any of the conventional factured and used by or for the Government for , or ground signals, chemical containers, governmental purposes without the payment to or rocket-propelled devices meant to be fired from me of any royalty thereon. a projector, , or carbine. The invention relates to means for launching Where a prior carbine, grenade-launching car grenades and other projectiles from , car tridge, launcher, and grenade are employed, a bines, projectors, and the like, and has for an velocity of 145 feet per second just beyond the object to provide means for increasing the prac muzzle has been the Optimum, but my invention ticable range of these projectiles without risk of has produced velocities of 220 feet per second injury to the rifles or their mechanism, and with 10 without exceeding the safe pressure limits of the Out increased risk to personnel beyond that to arm. The range attained With the mentioned be expected in use of projecting devices generally prior matériel, approximates 202 yards, more or for Such purposes. less, when the carbine is given an elevation of It is a special purpose of the invention to pro 45 degrees; while with my invention a range of vide an auxiliary propellent charge which will 15 390 yards has been shown, using the same car become effective immediately succeeding and con bine, grenade launching cartridge, launcher, and tinuing the initial pressure peak in the barrel grenade, and at the same elevation but with my resulting from the firing of the conventional gre auxiliary cartridge device included, as will be nade launching ammunition round or the like. described. The invention is thus particularly im The latter has been designed to produce a peak 20 portant for use With the carbine, making this of pressure in the barrel of the rifle and the light weight weapon of service in a much wider launcher attached, well below the safety limit scope, and particularly in grenade launching, of the rifle and tail tube of the grenade, and as where it has heretofore been of restricted value. an excess of such pressure at any time involves Improvement in range with the rifles such as the risk of bursting or other injury to the weapon, Garand, Springfield and Enfield are also simi Or... tail tube and personnel, it has not been found 25 larly manifest, and in the launching of rockets practicable to merely increase the charge of pro Similar advantages are obtained. In the rifles, pellant in the gun so as to obtain greater range, While the standard grenade launching cartridges for the reason that the resultant effect would be for rifles produce higher velocities than the car -a pressure peak far beyond a safe limit for the 30 bine ammunition, I am still able to use my aux : proper use of the rifle. It has therefore been a iliary without change, using the same quantity guiding motive in the invention to preserve the of propellant component, with higher velocities benefit of the use of a reasonably fast burning and increased range, although not in the same powder in the cartridge, so relative proportion as With the carbine. The in that a peak pressure will be developed promptly 35 creased ranges With the rifle equal those With during the initial movement of the grenade and the carbines, however, and are all that are at to implement this by an immediately following present required for the improved utility of gre ignition of an which will add to the nade firing. While a special rifle auxiliary car gases already acting against the grenade, in suf tridge with a larger charge similarly proportion ficient quantity to continue or produce a renewed 40 ate to the rifle grenade launching cartridge con and relatively flat pressure peak well before the tent may be made, it is not considered necessary grenade leaves the launcher. or desirable in view of the ranges actually ob . . . A further, aim is to present a novel means for tained with the single device, which simplifies obtaining the augmentation of propulsion in such manufacturing and supply procedure, and also 45 avoids possibilities of mistake or confusion, such devices. as might involve use of a heavy charge rifle aux An important desideratum in the invention is iliary cartridge in the carbine launcher. the formation of a novel auxiliary cartridge for It is a specific aim of the invention to evolve producing the effects and functions desired. a novel means for effecting ignition of an auxiliary A very important object in view is to enable the 50 propellant charge element, as Well as to enable use of standard matériel (including rifles and the ready incorporation thereof in a conventional Carbines, launchers, and grenades) already in grenade and grenade launcher in a simple Way. hand and use, for launching grenades, signals, Additional objects, advantages, and features of rockets and other projectiles, without change, ex invention reside in the construction, arrangement cept to the extent of the simple addition of an and combination of parts involved in the em auxiliary cartridge which may be a unitary ele bodiment of the invention, and in the method ment of the grenade, or may be manually placed of practice thereof, as will be more clearly ap in loading. parent from the following description and accom A further important object of the invention is panying drawings wherein: to provide an improvement as indicated above 60 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the muzzle of a 2,432,539 3 4. rifle on which a conventional grenade launcher of a tail piece tube 26, this tube being smoothly is shown, with my auxiliary cartridge and a gre slidable upon the body or piston if 5 of the nade tailpiece in position for loading. launcher, and extending hearly to the rearmost Fig. 2 is a full size longitudinal section of the wide land 20, the next forward wide land being launcher with my auxiliary cartridge and grenade 5 within the tube and supporting the same in con loaded. centric relation to the launcher body. The tube Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. has at its rear end the usual tail fins 27. Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the For use with the launcher and grenade with auxiliary cartridge. tail piece as above described, I have formed an Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a preferred 30 auxiliary cartridge 28, somewhat resembling an form of the auxiliary cartridge. ordinary shotgun shell, and loaded with an aux Fig. 6 is a representation of a fictitious set of iliary charge of explosive. This cartridge in the curves representing at A, maximum-strength of present instance comprises a case 29 of cylindrical barrel; B, Safety pressure allowance; C, conven form, adapted to fit slidingly in the forward end tional ball cartridge pressure curve; D, pressures 15 of the bore 2 of the launcher piston tube 5. produced by the Small charge carbine size regular It may fit loosely in the launcher so as to most grenade launcher cartridge M6, and G, pressure "certainly assure its free withdrawal with the gre increment of my auxiliary M7; as well as at H a made at the propertime. In the present instance general indication of the resultant of the two last the case 29 is formed with a head 30 having a named preSSures during launching of a grenade. peripheral flange 3 with a conical outer face Fig. 7 is a fictitious graph similar to Fig. 6 20 arranged to fit the bevelled Seat 22 or mouth of showing what is believed to be substantially the the tubular piston, and the head 25 is completely pressures in the grenade launcher tube during (received in the bevelled seat clear from the ex the firing operation. tremity of the body 25. This auxiliary cartridge Fig. 8 is a view of a primary propellant car Case may be formed 'of any low cost water proof tridge. 25 expendible material, including paper, plastics, Reference is also made to the patents to W. T. and metal; and in use, thus far, has been made Moore, No. 2,335,299, and J. C. Garand, No. of braSS to expedite production. The case may 1,892,141, for details of the arm, attachment, and be of such length as required to accommodate conventional practice with cartridges of pro 30 thereWithin the auxiliary charge of explosive de pellant for use in launching grenades. termined on. For rifles this may be varied in Referring nore particularly to the drawings, -quantity betWeen twenty to thirty grains or more there is illustrated one well known form of gre of a powder produced by the E. I. du Pont de nade launcher fi attachable to and detachable Nenours Company, of Wilmington, Delaware, and from a rifle f l or the like; the illustration show 35 known as EX4809-6, of Somewhat finer grain but ing only the muzzle end 2 of the rifle barrel, the of values, similar to those of the standard powder forward extremity 3 of the stock, and part of used in the grenade firing cartridge, now standard the gas cylinder f4 of a well known automatic for use in rifles. This latter standard cartridge or semi-automatic rifle. The launcher () is of ‘Ordinarily employs about forty grains of Smoke a well known Construction. With means to Secure 40 leSS or "pro' powder, plus about five grains of it detachably to the barrel with the tubular body FFFG. black powder. or piston element fs of the launcher ailined and iFor the carbine this known grenade firing car in gas receiving relation with the bore of the tridge may be varied somewhat, but the charge barrel. As is well known the launcher for the in my auxiliary cartridge used in the U.S. carbine, automatic rifle also includes means to cause 45 caliber 30, M1, has consisted of from twenty to Venting of gases from the attached rifle otherwise thirty grains of the powder EX4809-6 with satis than through the end of the barrel. None of factory results, the larger amount giving a range these particular features of known structure 'of 390 yards. With the carbine. Set. With its butt other than the body of the piston are illustrated agailast a. stationary Support and elevated to an or described in detail herein, comprising no novel 50 angle of forty-five degrees, which is the standard part of my invention. Construction of the gre angle for firing grenades fron such weapons. nade or other projectile to be launched also may The charge is retained in the case 29 by means remain unchanged as heretofore constructed, of a waid 33 which has heretofore been made of and details other than the tail-piece -fi and im thin fast-burning cardboard, covered with a mediately connected part of a grenade body fi 55 standard red lacquer 32. In one form the Wad are not illustrated. The tubular launcher piston has been imperforate, as at 33 in Fig. 4, but pref 5 shown full size in Fig. 2, has the usual closely erably, for maximum range with a given charge, spaced narrow land rings 8 at the forward end, and to attain greater uniformity of performance, more widely Spaced narrow intermediate land the wad is formed as at 34 in Fig. 5, with one or more relatively large perforations 35 covered rings 9, and rearmost wide lands 20. The in 60 With a filamentary sheet or septum 36 of water terior also is the usual smooth-bored cylindrical proof quick-burlaing material. This has been chamber 2 much larger in diameter than the Inade of tissue paper coated with shellac, and bore of the rifle on which the launcher is applied, may also consist of such paper coated or satu and Opening flush through the forward end of the rated with a cellulose compound or an NH pow piston ordinarily but in this instance shown as 65 er Solution. The single hole 35 shown has been flared or interiorly bevelled as at 22, at the mouth made approximately two fifths, the diameter of of the muzzle, affording a conical seat. the interior of the case. While I have hereto The grenade it may conform to approved prac fore used as the initial propellant a standard tice for rifle greaades or may be varied to accord 70 cartridge with a usual "pyro' powder, this may With improved practice, as may be. found desir be modified if desired, by the use of a double base able. It has an interiorly threaded nipple 23 at powder to attain a quicker peak pressure, and its rear extremity coaxial with the center of earlier action of the products of its combustion gravity of the grenade, and into this there is and to assure prompt ignition of the auxiliary Screwed a corresponding tenon 24- of the head 25 75 charge. The burning and volumetric values and

2,432,539 5 6 characteristics of the auxiliary charge may also offers no material impedance to the discharge of be modified With a View to obtaining pressure gases from the shell 29 when fired and a high if curve values and resultant composite curve cor not maximum expansion-pressure value is imme responding to the effects represented as an objec diately derived from the second propellant charge tive of the invention in Fig. 7. When fired, substantially as described above. In the practice of my invention, manufactur With the foregoing and the accompaniment of ing and shipping practices as heretofore followed the falling pressure curve of the first gases a more are carried out, with those additional involved in gradual rise of the pressure accretion is effected, producing the auxiliary cartridge. No Special approximately as at G, With a resultant aggre shipping cases, handling, or Space Will be re 0. gated effect approximated by the curve H. The quired. fall of the latter curve will then parallel the Thus, as is known, grenades are shipped in kits curves of the first and second charges, maintain with a grenade-firing cartridge for a particular ing a comparatively high pressure even in its de Weapon packed in the tail tube of each grenade, Scending part. This descending part of the curve and there is ample room for my auxiliary car 15 of aggregate pressures will coincide with the final tridge also in each tail tube. Other shipping movement of the tail sleeve from the piston or practices are also possible. body of the launcher. In consequence of the In firing, usual practices may be followed as effects noted, the pressure curves in the tube 26 heretofore, in setting the gun and loading after Will vary from those in the chamber of the fire applying the launcher, and the grenade may alsc 20 al be launched by firing the gun from the shoulder. The case 29 is carried away with the grenade The latter practice requires a knack of “leaning in the operation described although no material to the gun' for satisfactory results and may be rocket effect is manifest in the performance of carried out by men of moderate weight, as has the grenade. The case falls near the gun. been demonstrated. Owing to the coordinated 25 The body of air in the rifle or carbine barrel timing of the explosion of my auxiliary charge, and in the launcher chamber 2 is a material fac the force of the “kick' of the gun is not increased tor in delaying and determining the coordination beyond that experienced when using the usual of the explosion of the auxiliary cartridge, and grenade-launching cartridge, but the recoil is the septum materials 33 and 36 serve as ignition longer Sustained requiring the Shoulder to be held 30 propagating means as well as protective and firmly against the butt of the stock but yielding slight delay means. Without the marksman becoming unbalanced I claim: rearward. 1. In combination, a grenade-launching tube My auxiliary cartridge with a charge of twenty constructed and arranged to be carried by its grains has been fired from the shoulder With good 35 rear end, On the muzzle end of a firearm barrel, results. an auxiliary Cartridge held in the forward end The gun with launcher being ready, the auxil of Said tube, the end of said cartridge facing the iary charge is set in place as shown and described, rear of the tube being adapted for ignition by after which the tail tube of the grenade is slipped propellant gases in the tube and the other end of Over the body of the launcher. A single grenade 40 Said cartridge being closed, and a grenade having firing cartridge 38 is then introduced into the a tube portion slidably fitted on the launching chamber of the gun accompanied by usual cock tube, said auxiliary cartridge being rearward of ing of the Weapon. The gun being properly em and a separate entity from the grenade whereby placed or pointed, the trigger is operated to fire the said cartridge may be applied separately from the first cartridge. The gases thus evolved move 45 and prior to mounting of the grenade. rapidly through the gun barrel and chamber of 2. In the combination of claim 1, an annular the piston with only moderate or relatively grad shoulder on the forward end of said launching ual rise of pressure, substantially as at D in Fig. tube and a complementary annular portion on 6, until Opposed by the inertia of the grenade, the cartridge whereby the motion of the cartridge when there will be a prompt rise to the peak of 50 into the tube is limited. the pressure curve approximately as at E. Move CHARLES ROBERT OSEN. ment of the grenade and cooling will then quickly tend to cause a drop in the pressure curve. In REFERENCES CITED the meantime, however, the covering of the aux The following references are of record in the iliary charge will have been burned, and the aux 55 file of this patent: iliary charge ignited, producing an explosion act ing in a direction counter to the preceding move UNITED STATES PATENTS ment of the products of combustion of the first Number Name Date charge accompanied by high momentum in the 502,713 Gathmann ------Aug. 8, 1893 newly evolved gases as well as added pressure, 60 1,336,656 Rogozea. ------Apr. 13, 1920 and, due to the relief of pressure which is then 1,463,993 Burt ------Aug. 7, 1923 progressively occurring in the products of the 1602,037 Mixsell ------Oct. 5, 1926 first charge by cooling and expansive chamber 1917,998 Snelling ------July 11, 1933 action, the tendency of the second charge to build 2005,168 Blacker ------Sept. 22, 1936 a maximum peak of its pressure while confined 65 by the grenade on a curve such as at E, is first FOREIGN PATENTs cushioned and somewhat relieved in the tube by Number Country Date a momentary further compression of the gases in 78,758 Austria ------Oct. 25, 1919 the chamber 2 and gun barrel. It may be noted 80,003 Austria ------Feb. 10, 1920 that the nature of the wad 33 is such that it 70 271,390 Great Britain ------May 26, 1927