Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
MAGNETIC AMMUNITION FOR AIR GUNS AND BIODEGRADABLE MAGNETIC
AMMUNITION FOR AIRGUNS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001]
This invention relates generally to ammunition and projectiles, such as are
found in class 102 of US Classification Index, and more specifically to
ammunition for
air guns having magnetic chambering of rounds.
BACKGROUND
[0002]
Simplicity in the mechanical action of a weapon is extremely important,
and so it is frequently true that a weapon is considered an advance over
previous
models because it simplifies the action.
[0003] In
addition, air guns present some notable advantages over gunpowder
weapons, however, air guns also tend to suffer from the problem of overly
complex
actions. For example, a typical low end lever-action air gun might generate a
muzzle
velocity of only 275 FPS (85 m/s), and require half a minute to pump up, even
though it
has numerous moving parts such as a piston, the lever, the lever arm, block,
and so on.
[0004]
Various weapons have used magnetic forces in their actions in various
manners. However, these weapons all have more or less traditional actions,
which use
magnetism merely as an adjunct to some form of mechanical action.
[0005] An
air gun has been invented, in the parent application to this application,
which has as few moving parts as possible in the action, preferably none at
all. It has
the ability to fire at full automatic, and yet generate, in embodiments,
muzzle velocities
similar to those of gunpowder weapons.
[0006] It
is possible to design ammunition specifically tailored to this unique new
type of weapon.
1
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[0007] Such ammunition would not be similar to that for a rail gun (a gun
using
magnetic forces to accelerate the rounds). Such weapons are enormous, heavy,
expensive, and in fact not yet working in any practical manner outside of the
laboratory.
The enormous muzzle velocities generated by rail guns render the ammunition
they use
automatically fatal, the enormous recuperation energy required between shots
renders
them extremely slow to fire.
[0008] The air gun of the parent application on the other hand develops
more or
less normal muzzle velocities comparable to a low-power gunpowder weapon and
fires
more rounds per minute than any known air gun. The motive force is provided by
a
large reservoir of compressed air, not magnetism. Magnetic forces are used in
place of
a breech block.
[0009] Thus appropriate ammunition for the weapon will be small, light,
inexpensive,
ferrous (meaning magnetically responsive, not necessarily iron based), and
since the
magnetically chambered action of the air gun does not handle rounds
individually, it will
also be spherical.
[00010] Cost of ammunition is a growing issue and for a gun, such as that gun
of the
parent application which fires a simply enormous amount of ammunition,
ammunition
cost is an extremely significant expense. While the material for a single
round of
ammunition may be bought at pennies in bulk, a gun which fires (as taught by
the
parent application) at a cyclic rate of 10,000 RPM or higher will rapidly run
up the cost of
even inexpensive ammunition due to sheer quantity. Thus it would be preferable
to
provide an inexpensive material for ammunition for air guns, especially for
magnetically
chambered airguns.
[00011] Spent ammunition is further becoming an issue. For example, depleted
uranium core ammunition (prized for armor piercing rounds due the very high
density of
uranium) is only mostly depleted: the uranium remains slightly radioactive.
Worse,
uranium is itself a poison in the non-radiation sense. When such rounds are
fired, an
2
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
environmental issue can be created. Similar issues apply to other types of
ammunition,
even lead in old style small arms ammunition, which is a well-known
environmental
contaminent and so on and so forth. It would be preferable to provide
materials for
ammunition which are less prone to contaminating the environment.
[00012] It would further be preferable if the ammunition provided a ready
means for
customization close to the end user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[00013] The present invention teaches a spherical round of ammunition for an
air gun
which uses a magnetic chambering system instead of a block. The round is
therefore
magnetic in whole or in part. In general, the round may be a single material,
however a
layered construction is preferred in the presently preferred embodiment and
best mode
now contemplated for carrying out the invention: in general, either a shell or
mantle is
disposed over either a core or a hollow void able to receive the user's choice
of
materials.
[00014] In embodiments, the invention may have a core which has over it a
mantle.
The core may be a magnetically influenced / magnetically responsive material
such as a
ferrous metal, while the mantle may be a foam or the like which provides a
better
degree of protection and impact absorption compared to traditional "rubber
bullets".
Thus, a non-lethal round may be provided, the effect of which is accentuated
by the
extremely high rate of fire of the magnetically chambered air gun (up to
10,000 rounds
per minute cyclic rate has been achieved in testing) and yet is not deadly due
to the rate
of fire and muzzle velocity being adjustable anywhere from extremely low up to
extremely high.
[00015] In other embodiments the mantle or shell may be made of plastic,
infused
with numerous small particles of a magnetically influenced material, for
example iron
filings or the like.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[00016] In other embodiments the actual caliber of the round may be varied
greatly.
Smaller rounds such as the traditional caliber of approximately .177 or the
like may be
used, however, the present invention and the gun which fires it is
advantageous in that
it can handle rounds up to the size of normal pistol rounds (40 caliber, 45
caliber) or in
fact may handle rounds having calibers of 1 inch or more.
[00017] In embodiments, the device may have a hollow shell which is shipped
for
military or mobile use with nothing inside. The shell may be made of multiple
parts,
shipped nested but separated, so that they can be filled as needed. For
example, a
round of 1 inch caliber can easy be used with sand, even gravel, small
explosives,
propaganda materials, and so on and so forth. These "snap over anything"
shells may
have tabs, grooves, fasteners with matching detents and so on allowing the
shell to
actually fasten together by snapping into place. The hollow shell may be made
of a
ferrous material or other magnetically responsive material, or it may be a non-
ferrous
material, for example, iron versus plastic: both could be used in different
embodiments.
[00018] In
embodiments, the hollow shell may have a fill nipple and an internal
bladder. The user may select a liquid to put into the bladder. In such
embodiments,
the device of the invention may have serrations in the shell (grooves such as
an old
fashioned "pineapple" grenade has) to allow easy fragmentation. The liquid
used may
itself be magnetically influenced or it may have something such as iron
filings in the
liquid.
[00019] In other embodiments the core may be a material such as iron filings,
within
a mantle or outer shell made of any non-magnetic material.
[00020] In yet other embodiments, the core may be itself a magnet as well,
such as a
rare earth magnet of neodymium or the like. In combination embodiments, a core
of
iron filings may have a rare earth magnet embedded within the iron filings.
4
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[00021] In other embodiments (such as liquid casings) the magnetic influence
may
be on the outer shell / mantle rather than the inner material or core. Thus
the round
may be "outer influenced" or "inner influenced".
[00022] In one "outer influence round", the thick mantle may be of a polymer
material
or the like, which may be infused with iron filings or other ferrous materials
or
magnetically responsive materials so that the mantle, rather than the core, is
magnetic.
[00023] In yet further embodiments both the core and the shell may be
magnetically
influenced.
[00024] These, and other, embodiments of the invention will be better
appreciated
and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description
and the
accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following
description, while indicating various embodiments of the invention and
numerous
specific details thereof, is given by way of illustration and not of
limitation. Many
substitutions, modifications, additions and/or rearrangements may be made
within the
scope of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the
invention
includes all such substitutions, modifications, additions and/or
rearrangements.
[00025] In other embodiments, the invention may be made of a biodegradable,
recycled or refuse material. For example, the invention may be made of a paper
mantle, with an iron core for magnetic influence. The invention may also be
made of a
paper mantle with an infusion of a magnetically responsive material such as
iron fillings,
iron waste particles, and so on. In other embodiments the core cavity may be
coated
with a thin liquid impermeable layer so as to prevent a liquid core (such as a
paint or
tear gas) from soaking into the paper mantle.
[00026] In yet other embodiments the mantle may be made of a powder, deeply
compressed so as to maintain its structural integrity for a period of time
prior to and
during firing.
After use, the powder mantle may disintegrate (for example, due to
impact, due to weathering, water, etc) and the round may thus degrade away.
Like
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
many paper types, the powder of the mantle may be "true" biodegradable, that
is,
degraded by biological activity. Again, a magnetically influenced core may be
used, or
the core cavity may be coated with a liquid impermeable layer, and the
magnetic
responsiveness may be created by infusing into the powder mantle a material
(such as
iron filings) which is quickly degradable (uncoated iron breaks down rapidly
when
exposed to typical atmospheric conditions of humidity and temperature).
[00027] In yet other embodiments, the ammunition may be made of compressed
refuse, such as compressed plastic, paper, etc. In particular, one common
stage of
recycling is the grinding or shredding of plastic or paper or the like into
streamers or
granules. Such partially recycled materials may advantageously be compressed
into a
mantle shape. If the mantle includes an infusion / component of magnetically
responsive materials (ferrous or non-ferrous) then the interior may again be a
cavity
suitable for liquids. Note that if the mantle material is a non-absorbent
material such as
plastic, no interior coating may be necessary. In
alternative embodiments, the
compressed refuse core may be non-magnetically responsive but the core may be
magnetically responsive, including either a ball of material such as iron, or
a ball made
of compressed magnetic refuse, that is, partially ground / or partially
shredded metals of
a ferrous or magnetic nature.
SUMMARY IN REFERENCE TO THE CLAIMS
[00028] It is therefore a first aspect, objective, embodiment and advantage of
the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition comprising: a spherical
body, the
body comprising at least two parts; the first body part being a core;
[00029] the second body part surrounding the core and being a mantle about the
core, the second body part having an interior void into which the core may be
disposed;
[00030] the second body part being made of two constituent materials, a first
structural material which is non-magnetic and a second magnetically responsive
material dispersed within the first structural material.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[00031] It is therefore a second aspect, objective, embodiment and advantage
of the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition, wherein the first
structural material
further comprising: a polymer.
[00032] It is therefore another aspect, objective, embodiment and advantage of
the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition, wherein the first
structural material
polymer further comprising: a shock absorbing polymer.
[00033] It is therefore another aspect, objective, embodiment and advantage of
the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition, wherein the second
magnetically
responsive material further comprises: particles of metal.
[00034] It is therefore another aspect, objective, embodiment and advantage of
the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition, wherein the particles of
metal
further comprise: iron filings.
[00035] It is therefore another aspect, objective, embodiment and advantage of
the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition, the core further
comprises: a gas.
[00036] It is therefore another aspect, objective, embodiment and advantage of
the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition, the core further
comprises: a metal.
[00037] It is therefore an objective, embodiment, aspect and advantage of the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition manufactured by a
manufacturing
facility but for filling, loading and firing by an end user at a location
other than such
manufacturing facility, the round comprising: a spherical body, the body
comprising at
least two parts;
[00038] the first body part being a core loaded by such user;
[00039] the second body part surrounding the core and being a shell about the
core,
the second body part having an interior void into which the core may be
disposed;
[00040] the second body part being made of a magnetically responsive material;
7
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[00041] the second body part being comprised of a plurality of sections, the
sections
having fastening means by which the sections may be fastened to together about
the
core by such user.
[00042] It is therefore an objective, embodiment, aspect and advantage of the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition wherein the fastening means
further
comprising: on a first one of the sections, a plurality of tabs, each tab
having thereon at
least one catch,
[00043] on a second one of the sections, at least one detent, the detent
dimensioned
and configured to accept the catch into mechanical engagement, whereby the two
sections are fastened together.
[00044] It is therefore an objective, embodiment, aspect and advantage of the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition further comprising: a
bladder
disposed within the interior void;
[00045] a filling nipple passing through one of the sections in liquid
communication
with the bladder.
[00046] It is therefore an objective, embodiment, aspect and advantage of the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition further comprising: a non-
magnetic
liquid within the bladder.
[00047] It is therefore an objective, embodiment, aspect and advantage of the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition further comprising: a gas
within the
bladder.
[00048] It is therefore an objective, embodiment, aspect and advantage of the
present invention to provide a round of ammunition further comprising: a
plurality of
fragmentation grooves whereby the shell may more easily fragment upon impact;
8
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[00049] and further whereby the shell may absorb energy by means of
fragmenting
upon impact.
[00050] It is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage of
the present invention to provide a round of ammunition comprising: a spherical
body,
the body comprising at least two parts;
[00051] the first body part being a core;
[00052] the second body part surrounding the core and being a mantle about the
core, the second body part having an interior void into which the core may be
disposed;
[00053] the second body part being made of a structural material which is non-
magnetic;
[00054] the second body part being made of a material which is magnetically
responsive.
[00055] It is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage of
the present invention to provide a round of ammunition further comprising: a
magnet
disposed within the material of the second body part.
[00056] It is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage of
the present invention to provide a round of ammunition wherein the magnet
further
comprising: a rare earth magnet.
[00057] It is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage of
the present invention to provide a round of ammunition wherein the rare earth
further
comprises: Neodymium.
[00058] It is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage of
the present invention to provide a round of ammunition wherein the material of
the
second body part further comprises: iron filings.
9
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[00059] And it is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage
of the present invention to provide a round of biodegradable ammunition
comprising:
[00060] a spherical body, the body comprising at least two parts;
[00061] the first body part being a core;
[00062] the second body part surrounding the core and being a mantle about the
core, the second body part having an interior void into which the core may be
disposed;
[00063] the second body part being made of a first structural material which
is
biodegradable;
[00064] one part of the body being magnetically responsive.
[00065] And it is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage
of the present invention to provide a round of biodegradable ammunition the
first
structural material further comprising one member selected from the group
consisting
of: paper, cellulose, wood fiber, saw dust, powder, polymer, recycled
material,
cornpressed materials, and combinations thereof.
[00066] And it is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage
of the present invention to provide a round of biodegradable ammunition
further
comprising: a second magnetically responsive material dispersed within the
first
structural material, the second magnetically responsive material comprising
one
member selected from the group consisting of: iron filings, metal particles,
recycled
material, compressed materials, and combinations thereof.
[00067] And it is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage
of the present invention to provide a round of biodegradable ammunition
wherein the
second part further comprises: a liquid impermeable barrier between the first
and
second parts.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[00068] And it is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage
of the present invention to provide a round of biodegradable ammunition
wherein the
first part further comprises: iron filings, a metal sphere, metal particles,
recycled
material, compressed materials, and combinations thereof.
[00069] And it is therefore yet another embodiment, aspect, objective, and
advantage
of the present invention to provide a round of biodegradable ammunition
wherein the
first part further comprises: a liquid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00070] The following drawings form part of the present specification and are
included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present invention. The
invention
may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in
combination
with the detailed description of specific embodiments presented herein.
[00071] Figure 1 is an oblique elevated orthogonal exterior view of a first
embodiment of the invention.
[00072] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the
invention.
[00073] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the
invention,
showing a different caliber but with the same shell thickness as the previous
embodiment.
[00074] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the
invention
showing a different shell thickness and construction.
[00075]
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the invention, a
non-lethal version with a foam outer casing.
11
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[00076] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the
invention with
an iron-filing core or the like, and including an actual magnet rather than
just
incorporating a magnetically responsive material.
[00077] Figure 7 is an elevated exploded view of a hollow round, showing
details of
fastenings suitable for use in the field and thus allowing field filling.
[00078] Figure 8 is an elevated exploded view of a hollow round, showing
details of
fragmentation grooves.
[00079] Figure 9 is an elevated exploded view of a hollow round showing an
empty
bladder therein.
[00080] Figure 10 is an elevated exploded view of a hollow round, for clarity
disassembled half way through the act of filling the bladder.
[00081] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a compressed paper round, with
a
magnetically infused mantle and a hollow core. The round has a liquid
impermeable
coating on the interior cavity.
[00082] Figure 12 is an exterior view of the compressed paper round, with a
magnetically infused mantle and a hollow core, showing the sealable fill ports
thereof.
[00083] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a compressed powder round with
an
iron core.
[00084] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a compressed powder round with
a
magnetically infused mantle and a payload cavity / core suitable for liquid.
[00085] Figure 15 is a refuse round made with an iron core or a a core of
compressed magnetically responsive refuse and a compressed refuse mantle which
may or may not be magnetically responsive.
12
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[00086] Figure 16 is a refuse round made with a compressed refuse mantle
containing magnetically responsive materials in the mantle and a cavity
suitable for
liquid.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[00087] GLOSSARY
[00088]
For purposes of this application, "magnetic materials" refers to materials
having a magnetic retentivity sufficient to allow it to generate, at least
temporarily, a
magnetic field, also called "magnetic flux". Magnets are themselves made of
magnetic
materials. "Magnetically responsive" materials, on the other hand, will
respond when in
a magnetic field, thus, steel ball bearings are an example of a magnetically
responsive
material. "Ferrous", on the other hand, refers to the presence of iron
materials (since
iron is the most common magnetic and magnetically responsive material), and
the while
the term is often used as a synonym for "magnetic materials" or "magnetically
responsive materials", in this application it refers to the presence of iron.
There are
non-ferrous magnetic materials, for example, rare-earths and electromagnets
can both
be free of iron and yet magnetic.
[00089] The word "shell" as used herein, particularly in regard to the claims,
does
NOT refer to a "cannon shell" (a cannon projectile). The word "shell" means a
mantle,
covering, exterior integument or the like, thus a clam has a shell as used
herein. The
words "round" or "projectile" or the like will be used as needed and the word
shell will
not be herein used nor taken to indicate or refer to a projectile.
[00090] The word "biodegradable" in this application may mean either "true"
biodegradability, that is, something which is degraded by actual biological
action such
as digestion, enzymatic action, etc, or the word may refer to the broader
concept of
something which degrades under natural conditions. Such degradation may be
erosion
(for example, a mantle of compressed powder may erode away much like adobe
erodes
in time) or due to solar radiation (many polymers decay under radiation) or
due to the
13
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
presence of oxygen (ditto), hydration (for example, paper products) and so on
and so
forth. The term "recycled" as used herein as the ordinary meaning that
something
which was already used in a product may be reused with a variable degree of
processing. In
the present application, the term "recycled" may specifically include
something being shredded, split, shaved, drawn into streamers, reduced,
dissolved,
pulverized, ground up, granulated or otherwise reduced to small component
pieces or
particles which may then be used, especially when compressed together.
"Compressed" particles / streamers, etc may refer to simple mechanical
compression
until mechanical co-adhesion of the particles is achieved or it may refer to a
sintering
process or the like.
[00091] The term "refuse" as used herein may refer to actual waste / garbage
or it
may simply refer to industrially un-economical products or byproducts of other
processes. For example, "flashing" from injection molding may be present in
large
quantities and may be contaminated by passing through the first manufacturing
process
so that it has no economical use. On the other hand, actual garbage may be
used.
"Recycled" materials (see previous paragraph) are desirable as the shredding
or other
partial processing of the materials will usually render them more suitable for
compression and reuse as structural material for a bullet mantle.
[00092] In particular, wood products, paper products, and plastic products are
anticipated to be good matches for mantle material (the first part of the
round) while
metal materials are anticipated to be useful as the magnetically responsive
part of the
round of ammunition, either in the core of the round or in the mantle as an
infusion.
[00093] The word infusion as used herein may refer to an actual chemical
infusion or
it may simply refer to having pieces of something spread throughout something
else: the
word "dispersed" is used as a synonym.
[00094] END GLOSSARY
14
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[00095] Figure 1 is an oblique elevated orthogonal exterior view of a first
embodiment of the invention. This embodiment of the round 100 features a
hollow shell
having fragmentation grooves 102 which are designed to break upon impact. This
not
only absorbs more energy ¨ which is desirable in nonlethal applications ¨ it
also allows
the round to disperse a liquid or gas interior, such as tear gas or the like.
[00096] Liquid fill nipple 104 may be recessed, as shown. One advantage of the
present invention, discussed later, is the ability for the user to fill the
round themselves,
using the fill nipple 104.
[00097] Since the round is fired from an air gun, the shell need not be as
strong as
the thick walls of a typical gunpowder round. This is due to a sometimes lower
muzzle
velocity but more due to the gentle nature of the acceleration in the gun
design (see the
parent patent incorporated herein by earlier reference) which does not use any
breech
block of any type.
[00098] Since the block-less action relies on magnetism, it is necessary that
the
round has at least one magnetically responsive component, either the shell /
mantle or
the core within. In
this embodiment, the shell may be plastic if the liquid within is
magnetically responsive or has magnetically responsive particles suspended
therein.
The shell may be metallic and magnetically responsive, such as ferrous metal,
in which
case the core need not be.
[00099] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the
invention.
Magnetic round 200 has a thin shell 206 which as noted earlier may be magnetic
or not.
Core 208 will contain almost anything from air, to metallic spheres, the
explosive
charges, nonlethal gas or liquid and so on. (Liquid is one of the possible
ways to deliver
tear gas and the like.)
[000100] Caliber / diameter 210 may be rather surprising, as the gun of the
invention
has been tested up to quite large calibers and may be susceptible to even
larger ones.
Based on testing, calibers of 100 (1 inch) are easily possible and larger
calibers as well.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
For a user in the field filing the round up, this large size means that even
materials like
gravel, shot, sand, paint, defoliants and so on may be used with ease, not to
mention
propaganda, electronics for C3 and intel / recon roles and so on.
[000101] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the
invention,
showing a different caliber but with the same shell thickness as the previous
embodiment. Magnetic round 300 has a shell of the same thickness (see shell
306) as
shell 206, but the overall outer diameter / caliber 310 is smaller. Testing
confirms that
rounds very small can be used. Core 308 loses a great deal of volume for the
payload
compared to larger calibers
[000102] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the
invention
showing a different shell thickness and construction.
[000103] Magnetic round 400 has a mantle / shell 406 which has a structural
material
component selected for strength, or desirable impact / energy absorption
qualities (for
example to reduce lethality) or the like. This may be any polymer, such as
plastic,
rubber, foamed plastic or rubber, and so on. Core 408 may be seen to be
smaller than
core 208 despite the same caliber 410 / 210. Thus core diameter 412 is
smaller, and
the distance from outer diameter 410 to core diameter 412 allows the shell /
mantle to
be thicker. Magnetically responsive material 414 may be any magnetically
responsive
material of choice, one obvious choice is a ferrous metal particle such as
iron filings.
[000104] This is one major distinction between the invention and a typical
rail gun
round is this lack of a huge percentage of magnetically responsive material
for magnets
to grab and accelerate. A rail gun typically generates an enormous G force on
a
projectile as it accelerates it using magnetic forces. This projectile does
not need large
amounts of magnetically responsive material as it is not accelerated
magnetically at all,
it is merely chambered into line with the air pressure by action of a magnet
and then is
accelerated by air pressure.
16
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[000105] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the
invention, a
non-lethal version with a foam outer casing. Magnetic round 500 has a mantle /
shell
506 which may be a foamed material, such as closed cell or open cell polymer,
or
another similar material.
[000106] Core 508 is in this embodiment the magnetically "grab-able" part of
the
round, that is the part subject to the influence of magnetic forces.
[000107] This round is distinctly different from a "rubber bullet". Most
rubber bullets
are in fact normal metal bullets made slightly smaller than caliber and then
coated with
a very thin layer of extremely hard polymer. They feel more like steel than
like rubber
and have in fact been found to easily be lethal. The present invention on the
other hand
teaches that an air gun may accelerate a round which has a great deal less
mass and a
great deal more impact padding, in this case in the form of a thick mantle.
The present
invention is capable of inexpensively firing enormous numbers of rounds when
compared to most infantry weapons firing "rubber bullets": as mentioned
previously
10,000 RPM is achievable. The round gets its effectiveness not from nearly
killing the
target but rather from sheer overwhelming volume of fire.
[000108] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the
invention with
an iron-filing core or the like, and including an actual magnet rather than
just
incorporating a magnetically responsive material.
[000109] Magnetic round 600 may have a polymer shell 606 as the material of
core
608 may be a magnetically responsive powder such as iron filings. In addition,
a rare-
earth magnet 615, for example a neodymium magnet, may be placed in the core as
well.
[000110] Figure 7 is an elevated exploded view of a hollow round, showing
details of
fastenings suitable for use in the field and thus allowing field filling.
17
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[000111] Magnetic round 700 has shell half 716a and shell half 716b which
combine
to form the complete shell when assembled. Interior 718 may be used to hold
the
desired core. This may be left empty if the shell is magnetically responsive,
or if the
shell is polymer or a non-ferrous metal, the core may provide the magnetic
grip to the
magnet in the gun's breech.
[000112] Tabs 720 may each bear at least one catch 722 which may be guided by
race 724 to seat in mechanical engagement into dimples / detents / holes 726,
thus
securing the halves together. Again, this construction would probably fail in
a
gunpowder weapon of normal strength or a rail gun, due to the extreme
accelerations of
a gunpowder explosion right behind the round versus the onset of pressure in
an open
breech air gun.
[000113] In embodiments, each half might have one or more tabs and one or more
detents, so that the halves may in fact be identical. By rotating one in
relation to the
other by a set number of degrees (90 degrees or the like) the two identical
shell halves
might then fit together.
[000114] The shell may be composed of more than two pieces, etc. Note that
this
particular round is designed for applications not requiring fragmentation
grooves,
perhaps solid cores, or the shell may be a very frangible polymer, etc.
[000115] Figure 8 is an elevated exploded view of a hollow round, showing
details of
fragmentation grooves. Magnetic round 800 has both exterior fragmentation
groove
802 and interior fragmentation groove 804, on respective outer and inner
surfaces of the
shell. These grooves allow the round to fragment, absorb energy, and release
whatever
the user has placed therein.
[000116] While the fragmentation grooves shown on inside and outside match in
this
case, there is no reason the invention is so limited. Also fragmentation
grooves may be
present only on the inner or outer surface instead of both (for example see
Figure 1) so
18
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
as to reduce manufacturing cost. It
is anticipated that rounds with fragmentation
grooves will be used for liquid core applications, but it is not so limited.
[000117] Figure 9 is an elevated exploded view of a hollow round showing an
empty
bladder therein. Interior 918 has an empty bladder 928, shown dangling out for
clarity
but unlikely to actually do so in reality. The size of the fill nipple has
been increased
also for clarity, though it is unlikely to be that large.
[000118] It will be appreciated that the round may be shipped at very low cost
to the
end users or to intermediate fillers.
[000119] Figure 10 is an elevated exploded view of a hollow round, for clarity
disassembled half way through the act of filling the bladder.
[000120] Magnetic round 1000 is shown with bladder 1028 half full, as in the
process
of filling, or if the user does not need to entirely fill the bladder. The
bladder may
contain gas or liquid, as desired. Note that the user could also leave the
bladder empty
and put a solid or particulate substance in the interior space, since the
empty bladder
takes up very little space.
[000121] Note that the round might be shipped assembled, or in embodiments not
have two portions, and have the bladder already in place so the user could
fill it without
having to assemble it as well. Such embodiment would require more space for
shipping.
[000122] The invention is also susceptible to a method embodiment in which a
round
is made unassembled, for example in two shell halves, and shipped empty and
nested
together. The user then fills the round with solid core material and then
snaps it
together, or snaps it together and fills it with liquid materials. The user
then loads the
round into a gun and fires it. By these steps the user can control the payload
of the
round.
19
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[000123] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a compressed paper round, with
a
magnetically infused mantle and a hollow core. The round has a liquid
impermeable
coating on the interior cavity.
[000124] Paper round 1100 is again generally spherical. However, the magnetic
chambering of the present invention allows, or in embodiments even relies
upon, a
greater degree of play between the ammunition and the various parts of the
interior of
the weapon. This in turn means that the ammunition need not be entirely round.
In this
context note that many types of conventional ammunition rely upon lands or
other
projections from the round the mechanically engage to grooves or even larger
structures within the barrel of a weapon, thus gaining spin. The present
invention
merely uses this to provide a degree of manufacturing ease: the ammunition of
the
invention need not be perfect. This is helpful given that in certain
embodiments the
ammunition may be filled or assembled onsite (shell embodiments discussed
previously), or even manufactured on site from recycled materials.
[000125] Magnetically attracted compressed paper mantle 1106 may be seen to be
made of paper, for example, cardboard, carbon fiber, wood fiber, sawdust,
carbon
strands, woody stalk material from certain plants famous for woody stalks, and
so on.
The mantle may be magnetic due to the infusion / dispersion therein of
magnetically
responsive materials such as iron filings or the like.
[000126] Since the mantle may be magnetically responsive, no metallic core is
necessary, which in turn means the device may be loaded with liquids
(including in that
term gases) such as tear gas, paint, dye, or the like.
[000127] Liquid proof interior coating 1104 may be a thin polymer, a lacquer
previously applied, metallic, foil, etc etc. This interior coating may even be
considered
to be similar to the bladder previously discussed.
[000128] Interior (liquid payload) 1102 may be any of the substances
previously
discussed, including gases, gels, aerosols, and so on.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[000129] Figure 12 is an exterior view of the compressed paper round, with a
magnetically infused mantle and a hollow core, showing the sealable fill ports
thereof.
As noted previously, the invention may be customizable at the scene of use,
such as
merchant ship or military outpost, by local choice of filling.
[000130] Self-sealing fill ports 1202 may be a simpler type than those of the
first
embodiment, instead the ports may simply be sealable. This can be a separate
operation or the ports may be self-sealing, for example, by being made of a
material
which automatically compresses sideways into any small puncture and thus
blocks it.
One example of this is the compressed rubber of old style self-sealing fuel
tanks, but
other mechanisms may be used.
[000131] By means of the ports, the user may insert / inject a filling into
the core with
ease. A simple machine may be provided into which ammunition and liquid /
gaseous
filler is fed and from which filled ammunition rounds are ejected.
[000132] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a compressed powder round with
an
iron core.
[000133] Compressed powder mantle 1302 may derive its structural integrity
from
compression only or the mantle may incorporate an agent which aids in binding,
for
example, an adhesive, a binder, or simply anything which causes a slight
degree of
melting followed by resolidifying of the constituent material or powder.
[000134] Iron /filing core 1304 of this embodiment provides the magnetic
responsiveness to allow the "zero moving parts" chambering of rounds taught in
the
parent application hereto.
[000135] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a compressed powder round with
a
magnetically infused mantle and a payload cavity / core suitable for liquid.
[000136] In this embodiment, it is possible to have both a powder mantle for
extremely
quick degradability and also to have a liquid core (first part) rather than a
metallic core.
21
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[000137] The benefit of certain powders is that they may degrade under
conditions of
low biotic activity. For example, in extremely cold areas it is common for
normally
biodegradable matter to survive almost indefinitely, in fact, even food stuffs
can be
found edible after extremely long periods of time. The same may apply in other
biotically inert areas such as extreme deserts or the like. Powder however may
degrade or at least fall apart back into particles ("biodegrade" under the
broad definition
of the Glossary) merely from the influence of solar radiation, wind, water,
weather or the
like.
[000138] Compressed powder round 1400 has a hollow interior / cavity which may
contain non-lethal liquid / fluid 1402 such as tear gas or paint, or markers
or the like.
Obviously a liquid impermeable coating may be used as shown in a previous
embodiment, or a bladder may be used as shown in other embodiments previously,
fill
ports or sealable ports and so on also being usable.
[000139] The round remains magnetically chamberable due to the compressed
powder with a magnetic infusion used to make the mantle 1404. The magnetic
infusion
may be any of the materials previously discussed, such as iron (particles /
filings) 1406.
Once again, a certain small degree of deviation from the true round is
permissible due
to the flexible and simple design of the weapon which uses the ammunition.
[000140] Figure 15 is a refuse round made with an iron core or a core of
compressed
magnetically responsive refuse and a compressed refuse mantle which may or may
not
be magnetically responsive.
[000141] Iron core / compressed magnetically responsive refuse core 1502 may
provide the magnetic responsiveness needed for operation of the air gun. It
may be
"found" refuse materials such as scrap metal of a ferrous nature.
[000142] Compressed refuse mantle 1504 may provide the cushioning, if desired,
to
non-lethal levels of impact, or may simply provide the desired caliber, weight
or other
factor to the round.
22
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[000143] Since refuse as defined previously includes actual garbage and left
over
material from industrial processes, the invention may once again be
susceptible to on
the spot ammunition creation with fairly small and portable machinery.
[000144] Figure 16 is a refuse round made with a compressed refuse mantle
containing magnetically responsive materials in the mantle and a cavity
suitable for
liquid.
[000145] Compressed refuse iron infused round 1600 has an interior cavity in
alternative embodiments but need not, as shown.
Compressed refuse mantle 1604 has iron infusion 1606 as discussed previously:
iron
filings or other useable magnetically responsive materials.
[000146] Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above,
other
embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed
within
this specification. The specification describes specific examples to
accomplish a more
general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is
intended to
be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or
alternative
which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art.
INDEX TO THE REFERENCE NUMERALS
[000147] Magnetic round 100
[000148] Fragmentation groove 102
[000149] Liquid fill nipple 104
[000150] Magnetic round 200
[000151] Shell 206
23
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[000152] Core 208
[000153] Caliber / diameter 210
[000154] Magnetic round 300
[000155] Shell 306
[000156] Core 308
[000157] Caliber/ diameter 310
[000158] Magnetic round 400
[000159] Shell 406
[000160] Core 408
[000161] Outer diameter 410
[000162] Core diameter 412
[000163] Magnetically responsive material 414
[000164] Magnetic round 500
[000165] Shell 506
[000166] Core 508
[000167] Magnetic round 600
[000168] Shell 606
[000169] Core 608
[000170] Rare-earth magnet 615
24
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[000171] Magnetic round 700
[000172] Shell half 716a
[000173] Shell half 716b
[000174] Interior 718
[000175] Tabs 720
[000176] Catch 722
[000177] Race 724
[000178] Detent 726
[000179] Magnetic round 800
[000180] Exterior fragmentation groove 802
[000181] Interior fragmentation groove 804
[000182] Interior 918
[000183] Bladder (empty) 928
[000184] Magnetic round 1000
[000185] Bladder (half full) 1028
[000186] Paper round 1100
[000187] Magnetically attracted compressed
[000188] paper mantle 1106
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[000189] Liquid proof interior coating 1104
[000190] Interior (liquid payload) 1102
[000191] Self-sealing fill ports 1202
[000192] Compressed powder mantle 1302
[000193] Iron / filing core 1304
[000194] Compressed powder round 1400
[000195] Interior / cavity / liquid 1402
[000196] Compressed powder with
[000197] Iron infusion mantle 1404
[000198] Iron (particle / filing) 1406
[000199] Compressed refuse round 1500
[000200] Iron core / compressed magnetically
[000201] responsive refuse core 1502
[000202] Compressed refuse mantle 1504
[000203] Compressed refuse iron infused
[000204] round 1600
[000205] Compressed refuse mantle 1604
[000206] Iron infusion 1606
26
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
[000207] Having illustrated and described the principles of the invention in
exemplary
embodiments, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the
described
examples are illustrative embodiments and can be modified in arrangement and
detail
without departing from such principles. Techniques from any of the examples
can be
incorporated into one or more of any of the other examples. It is intended
that the
specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope
and
spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
27
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-30
