Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
f~
This in~ention relates to projectiles adapted to be
ballistically implanted into animals.
The art is replete with projectiles or bullets
designed to be fired into animals with a vie~ to disabling or
killing the animal. Typically such projections have a high
average density of about 10 grams per cubic centimeter, and are
designed for deep penetration of animal flesh and for delivering
grea-t shocking power which causes maximum trauma to the animal.
In contrast, the projectile according to the present
invention when propelled at sub-sonic speeds will cleanly enter
the animal without causing significant damage to the animal's
hide or flesh. Also the projectile will come to rest within
the animal's flesh within a relatively short distance from the
point of entry irrespective of the distance from which the
projectile is propelled toward the animal within a range of
from about 1/3 to 18 meters. If the projectile strikes a bone
or semi-rigid member within the animal, it will be stopped or
deflected without significant damage -to the bone or member.
According to the present invention, as herein broadly
claimed, there is provided a projectile having an average den-
sity of no greater than 5 grams per cubic centimeter, an elon-
gated body portion with a central axis and adapted for close
fitting engagement with the inner surface of a barrel from which
the projectile is to be propelled, and a generally conical nose
portion coaxial with and projecting from one end of said body
portion, said nose portion having a base corresponding
generally in cross-sectional area with the adjacent cross-
sectional area of said body portion, an apex angle of greater
than 45 degrees and up to 75 degrees, and having a 0.04 to
30 0.05 cm. radius on its apex whereby said projectile when pro-
pelled nose portion first at sub-sonic speeds will enter and make
limited penetration of an animal with minimum dama~e to the
hide and flesh of th0 animal.
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The pro;ectile according to the present lnventlon
is adapted for safely carrying a medicament (eOgn a vacclne,
antibiotic or worming compound) or a devlce (eOgO such as an
electronic locating or marking device as ls descrlbed ln U~S
Patents 4,087,791 and 4,065,753) into he ~lesh
of an anlmal. The body and nose portions of the pro~ectile
could be entirely formed of a uniform mixture of medicament
and binder. Alternatively the pro~ectile may be formed of
soluble or lnsoluble rlgid low denslty material and deflne
a central cavity communicating with the end of the body
portion opposite the nose portlon in which cavlty a med~ca-
ment or a device may be carrled. Preferably, such a cavity
has a cylindrical portion which is coaxially located within
the body portion of the pro;ectile and has a hemispherical
front portion at its end ad~acent the nose portion. The
- hemispherlcal portion of the cavity smoothly jolns the
cylindrical portion~ thereby eliminatin~ any corners in the
cavity, which, if they were present, could cause stress
concentration psints and resultant shearing between portions
of the pro~ectile upon impact.
The body portion should ha~e a diameter sufficient
to afford a cavity which can contain a dose of medicament
or a device of a significant size, and yet should be as
small as possible to minim~ze the wound that lt causesO
: Body portlons of from 0.45 to 0.76 cmO in diameter are most
suitable with body portions of oO64 cm. in dlameter beln~
preferred~ For some limlted applications Or shallow lm-
plantation, body portlons of up to 1.14 cm. may also be
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suitable.
As aforesaid, ~he projectile is ~oxmed o~ a low
density material having an average density of no greater than
5 grams per cubic centimeter, and pre~erably less than 2 grams
per cubic centimeter, to limit its striking power, such that
with a medicament in the cavity, the average density of the
combined projectile and medicament may be less than 2 grams per
cubic centimeter, and even with an electronic device in the
cavity the average density of the combined projectlle and
device is less than 5 grams per cubic cen~timeter.
When it is used for delivering a medicament to
animals raised for human consumption, the projectile is pre-
ferably formed of a rigid material adapted to be assimilated
into the animai, such as from equal parts by weight of calcium
carbonate and the hydroxypropyl cellulose sold under the trade
designation <~Klucel and available from Hercules, Inc.
It has been found that to afford clean effective
limited penetration into an animal of such a low density pro-
jectile propelled at sub-sonic speed, the nose portion of the
projectile must be conical in shape with an apex angle of over
45 degrees and up to 75 degrees (with an angle of 60 being pre-
ferred), and must have an apex or terminal end sur~ace which is
radiused at a dimension of from 0.04 to 0.05 cm, again as
aforesaid.
Low density projectiles with hemispherical or para-
bolically rounded nose portions tend to punch holes in the hide
of an animal into which they are propelled at sub-sonic
velocities and can thus carry a portion of hide into the wound
which provides a source of infection. Also such projectiles upon
entering the flesh of an animal will cause __ __ _
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substantial trauma and resulting hematoma such that a lar~e
welt can immedlately be seen to rise on the animal after the
pro~ectlle enters. Low denslty pro~ectiles wlth a conlcal
nose portion having an apex angle in the indlcated range,
but with a pointed instead of a radiused apex tend to st~ck
into but not penetrate the hide of an animal when propelled
against tne animal at sub-sonic speeds. Surprisingly, how
ever, pro~ectiles with both the conical nose portion and
the radiused apex of the shapes indicated will easily pene-
trate the hide of an animal and cause only mlnimal damage to
the anlmal flesh. Penetratlon by such a proJectlle causes
only a slit in the hide where it enters. This entry slit
has a shorter length dimension than the diameter of the pro-
jectile, and little if any bleeding occurs through the slitq
The pro;ectile does not carry a portion of the animal's hlde
into the wound. Also such a pro~ectile moves throu~h the
flesh without causing significant trauma and resulting hema-
toma so that only a relatively small welt ~s raised ~n the
area where the pro~ectile enters. Additionally such a pro-
jectile seems to penetrate only a limited distance into the
flesh of the animal (iOe. 5 to 1207 cmO depending on the
age of the animal) irrespective of the distance to the animal
- from which the pro~ectile is propelled in the range of be- tween about l/3 to 18 metersO
Preferably the pro~ectile has a concave surface
at lts end opposite the nose portion which concave surface
may be provided by the body portion or by a medicament or
a device in the cavityO The concave surface produces much
greater accuracy of flight for the proJectile than does a
flat end, presumably because it restricts tipping forces
at the edge of the proJectile due to escaping gas as the
- pro~ectile exits from a barrel, and is particularly use-
ful in obtaining accuracy for uniform mass pro~ectilesO
The present invention will be further described
with reference to the attached drawing illustrating
prPferred embodiments there~f and wherein~
Figure 1 is a side view partially in section of
a first embodiment of a pro~ectile according to the present
invention illustrated with a medicament in a chamber formed
therein;
Figure 2 is an end view o~ the pro~ectile of
Figure l;
~: Figure 3 is a side view of a second embodiment of
.~ - a proJectile according to the present invention illustrated
. 15 with an electronic device secured in a chamber formed
therein; and
Figure 4 is an end view of the pro~ectile of
Figure 3.
Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in
Figures 1 and 2 a pro~ectile according to the present inven-
tlon generally designated by the numeral 10. The pro~ectile
10 comprises an elongate body portlon 12 having a central
axis and a cylindrical outer surface o.64 cm. in diameter~
The body portion 12 is adapted to flt closely into the lnner
surface of a barrel from whlch the pro~ectile is propelled
as by being deformed into rifling in the barrel. Also the
proJectlle includes a conical tip portlon 1l~ coaxi.al wlth
the body portion 12. The base of the tip portion 14 corre-
sponds generally in cross sectional area with the cross
sectlonaI area Or the body portion 12. The conical tip
.
portlon 14 has an apex angle 16 of 60 degrees and has a 0~
cmO radius on its apex or terminal end surface 18, the center
of which radius is on the axis of the tip portion 14.
The pro~ectile 10 has a cavity 20 opening through
the end surface 22 of the pro~ectile 10 opposite the tip
portion 14 which cavity 20 is defined by a cylindrlcal inner
surface 24 smoothly ~oined at its end opposite the end sur-
face 22 with a hemispherical surface 26 so that no stres3
concentration points are provided within the pro~ectile 10.
As illustrated, the caYlty 20 iB filled with a medicament 28
such as in the form of a compacted or freeze dried powder,
which medicament 28 is shaped to provide a concave surface
portion 29 at the end surface 22 of the pro~ectile 10~ The
edge of the concave surface portion 29 is shown at the end
surface 22 of the pro~ectile but could be recessed within
the cavlty 20.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate an alternate embodiment
of a projectile according to the present invention generally
designated by the numeral ,30~ Like the projectile 10 of
Figures 1 and 2, the pro~ectile 30 has a conical tip portlon
31 with a base generally correspondin~ in cross sectional
area with the cross sectional area of an elongate body por-
tion 34, a radiused apex or tip surface 32, and a cavity 33
which are respectively shaped like the tip portion 14, tip
surface 18 and cavity 20 of the pro~ectile 10. The body
portion 34 of the pro~ectile 30, however, is not cylindrical
on its outer surface. Instead it has ten flatted surface
portions 36 of equal width around its periphery, which flatted
surface port,ions 36 are evenly twisted about the ax~s of the
pro~ectile 30. These flatted surface portions 36 are adapted
111~781:~
to fit closely within mating twisted flatted surfaces on the
inner surface of a barrel from which the pro~ectile 30 ls
to be propelled to provide a desired rotation during fllght
of the pro~ectile. Also instead of a medicament, the cavity
33 contains a device 37 secured in place by an epoxy resin
38, which device may be adapted to be electronically activated
to locate an animal carrying the pro~ectile, The resln 18
securing the device in place provides a concave end surface
39 for the pro~ectile 30.
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