Oct.

10, 1967

J. B. QUINLAN ET AL

3,345,945

UNIFORMED DENSITY CASELESS CARTRIDGE

Filed Aug. 5, 1965

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nited States Patent 0

1

3,345,945
Patented Oct. 10, 1967

2
molded caseless cartridge which is more safely and quick

3,345,945

ly fabricated.

UNIFORMED DENSITY CASELESS CARTRIDGE

A further object of the invention is the provision of a

Joseph B. Quinlan, Philadelphia, Pa., and John J. Scanlon,

Jr., Willingboro, N ..l., assignors to the United States

molded caseless cartridge having increased strength.

The above objects as well as others together with the

of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army

benefits and advantages of the invention will be apparent

Filed Aug. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 477,044

upon reference to the detailed description set forth below,

5 Claims. (Cl. 10238)

particularly when taken in conjunction with the drawings

annexed hereto in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional longitudinal view of one
embodiment of the present invention.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A uniformly molded caseless cartridge having separate

FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional longitudinal view of a

ly molded and primed plugs which have at least one primer

pocket isolated from the ?ring pin to allow suf?cient

second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional longitudinal view of a
primer composition to ignite said plug while preventing 15 third embodiment of the present invention.
the exposure of the ?ring pin to an excessive amount of
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a caseless
the primer composition.
cartridge 10 consisting of a tubular molded propellant 12
having at the forward end, a projectile 14, and at the
rearward or base end a combustible primer plug 16. The
primer plug 16 has at its rearward end, a pocket 18 and
The invention described herein may be manufactured
at is forward end, a second pocket 20.
and and used by or for the Government for governmental
In preparation of a 7.62 mm. caseless cartridge, a 1%
purposes without the payment to us of any royalty there

inch cylinder of molded propellant granules is made by

on.

the incremental addition of the granules and collodian

The invention relates to a uniform density molded case
less cartridge and more particularly to a uniformed density 25 (modi?ed) to a mold and then pressing the mixture at

molded caseless cartridge utilizing a separate primer plug.

In the past, caseless cartridges have been made by
molding a single unit of granular propellant and providing
therein an axial cavity for ballistic control. An example
of this type of cartridge is shown in patent application
Ser. No. 343,904, ?led Feb. 10, 1964, now Patent No.
3,212,440, by Joseph B. Quinlan et al. entitled, Caseless
Small Arms Ammunition. In this type of cartridge the
axial cavity did not extend all the way through the molded

about 3500 p.s.i. after the projectile, axial cavity and plug
punches have been inserted. The propellant cylinder is
dried at 120 F. for 8 to 10 hours before it is machined to

the desired geometry and charge weight.

The primed propellant plug is made in the same manner
and when dried primer or ignition pellets or charges are
inserted in the pocket 18 and sealed With a small disc. A

supplemental charge of similar composition is inserted into

pocket 20.

propellant but left a solid portion at the rear thereof. A 35

pocket was provided in this solid portion for the purpose

of providing a primer therein.

'

Because of the irregular density of this cartridge, com

plete decomposition of the molded propellant did not al
ways occur.

Because of the location of the primer mix in the imme

diate area of the ?ring pin, it has been found that solid

decomposition, products have been left on the ?ring pin

accounting for the short life thereof. There has also been
a problem as to the danger of accident when priming be
cause this operation has been done right on the cartridge.

This invention solves all these aforementioned problems

by providing for the separate priming of a propellant plug
which is inserted in the cartridge after priming thereby
eliminating accident problem. The amount of primer mix
in the rear of the plug has been reduced thereby reducing
the amount of solid decomposition products left on the

?ring pin and bolt face. The cartridge itself has been
molded as a single hollow cylinder thereby providing for

uniform density throughout.

The fact that the priming operation is performed in an
area separate from the molding operation not only re

duces the safety hazard but also increases the production

The primed plug and projectile are both cemented to

the tapered and necked propellant cylinder to form a

complete cartridge of primed plug caseless ammunition.

The second embodiment from the present invention is

similar to the above described cartridge and is indicated

4.0 generally by the reference numeral 100. Said cartridge 100
is constructed of a tubular molded propellant 102 having
at the forward end an adhesively secured projectile 104
and at the rearward or base end, an adhesively secured

combustible primer plug 106. Said primer plug 106 con

tains 1/2 of the ignition charge in pocket 108 and serves
as a means of percussion ignition. A supplemental plug
110 of similar composition is located at the neck portion
112 of the tubular propellant 102 acting as a support for

the projectile 104 while reinforcing said neck portion at

the same time. The plug 110 contains the remainder of
the ignition charge in a pocket 114 thereby acting as a

booster charge.
The supplemental plug 110 affords proper seating of
the projectile 104 and increased strength at the neck por
tion 112 and thereby assuring a more accurate ?ring.
The third embodiment shown a similar caseless cartridge
indicated generally by reference numeral 200. Said car
tridge 200 is constructed of a tubular molded propellant
202 having at its forward end an adhesively secured pro

of the cartridge since both operations can now be done

60 jectile 204. A long combustible primer plug 206 extends
at the same time by different people.
for the rearward or base end of the tubular molded pro
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to
pellant 202 to the base of the projectile 204. An axial
provide an improved molded caseless cartridge of uniform

density.

Another object is the provision of a molded caseless

cartridge which has fewer solid decomposition products.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a

cavity 208 for controlling charge weight is provided in

the center upper portion of the long plug 206 formed by
an axial web in the lower portion of said plug. A ?rst

pocket 210 is provided in the base of the plug 206 and a

second pocket 212 is provided in the base of the axial

3,345,945
3

cavity 208. Said ?rst pocket contains a primer composi

tion and said second pocket contains a supplemental ig
nition composition of similar composition as said primer

4. A uniform density molded caseless cartridge com

prising a tubular molded propellant having a tapered ex
ternal neck portion at a forward end and a base portion

compostion.

at a rearward end,

The primer plug 206 being of this construction insures 5

proper seating of the projectile 204 and provides increased
strength along the entire length of the tubular molded

propellant.
Having thus described the invention so that others skilled
in the art may be able to understand and practice the
same, what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is
de?ned in what is claimed.
I claim:
1. A uniform density molded caseless cartridge com
prising a tubular molded propellant having a tapered ex
ternal neck portion at a forward end and a base portion
at a rearward end,
a projectile secured in said cartridge at said neck por

a projectile secured in said cartridge at said end portion,

a combustible primer plug secured within said cartridge
at said base portion, said primer plug having forward
and rearward end portions,

said primer plug extending from said base portion of

0

said tubular molded propellant to the base of said

projectile and having an axial cavity in said forward

end portion thereof,

a pocket in said rearward end portion,
an ignition charge in said pocket,

and a supplemental charge partially ?lling said axial

cavity.
5. A uniform density molded caseless cartridge com
prising a tubular molded propellant having a tapered ex
ternal neck portion at a forward end and a base portion

tion,

a combustible primer plug secured within said cartridge 20 at a rearward end,

a projectile secured in said cartridge at said neck por
at said base portion, said primer plug having end

portions,

tion,

a pocket in each of said end portions,

and a charge in each of said pockets.
2. A uniform density molded caseless cartridge com 25
prising a tubular molded propellant having a tapered eX~
ternal neck portion at a forward end and a base portion
at a rearward end,
a projectile secured in said cartridge at said neck por

tion,

projectile,
30

a combustible primer plug secured Within said cartridge

at said base portion, said primer plug having end

portions,
a ?rst pocket in one of said end portions,

and an ignition charge in said ?rst pocket,

35
a second pocket in the other of said end portions,
and a supplemental charge in said second pocket.
3. A uniform density molded caseless cartridge com
prising a tubular molded propellant having a tapered ex
ternal neck portion at a forward end and a base portion 40
at a rearward end,
a projectile secured in said cartridge at said neck por

tion,

a combustible primer plug secured within said cartridge

and said base portion, said primer plug having end 45

portions,
and a pocket in a rearward portion thereof,

an ignition charge in said pocket,

a supplemental combustible plug secured within said

cartridge at said neck portion, said supplemental plug

having end portions,
a pocket in a rearward portion thereof,
and a supplemental charge in said pocket.

a combustible primer plug secured within said cartridge

and said base portion, said primer plug having for
ward and rearward end portions,
said primer plug extending from said base portion of
said tubular molded propellant to the base of said
an axial web in the rearward end portion of said primer
plug whereby an axial cavity is de?ned between said

plug and said projectile,

a pocket at said rearward end portion,
and an ignition charge in said pocket,
a second pocket in said axial Web,

and a supplemental charge in said second pocket.

References Cited
UNITED STATES PATENTS

400,165
1,353,118
1,856,022
3,008,258
3,114,290
7,193
14,678
455,382

3/1889
9/1920
4/1932
11/1961

Bayliss ____________ __ 102-45

Thompson _______ __ 10238 X
Blacker _________ __ 10238 X
Johnson ________ __ 102-38 X

12/1963

Harvey et al ______ __ 102-38 X

FOREIGN PATENTS
1891 Great Britain.
1889 Great Britain.

1928 Germany.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT F. STAHL, Examiner,