Projectile munition having a shell and a fragmentation hammer block

Abstract

A munition in the form of a projectile contains a shell engaged in a ferrule constituting a hammer block. The assembly is accommodated in a cylindrical plastic casing having the diameter of the barrel of a weapon for which the munition is intended. The shell has a body portion and a tip at its front end. The body portion has a diameter which does not decrease from the rear toward the front end, and a zone having a locally increased cross-section close to the shell front end. A recess in the hammer block has a shape complementary to the shape of the shell body and constitutes a bearing support for the shell. The region of the hammer block occupied by the shell zone of locally increased cross-section has a cross-section smaller than that of the latter. Defined rupture initiators starting at the front edge of the hammer block cause rupture of the hammer block into pieces of defined number and dimension at the moment the projectile penetrates a target and the hammer block passes over the shell zone of locally increased cross-section.

1 . A munition comprising a projectile comprising: 
 an assembly comprising a shell engaged in a ferrule constituting a hammer block, said assembly being accommodated in a cylindrical casing made from a plastic material, said casing made having the diameter of the barrel of a weapon for which the munition is intended, wherein 
 the shell comprises a body and a tip at its front end, the shell body having a diameter which does not decrease from the rear toward the front end, and a zone having a locally increased cross-section close to the shell front end,  
 the hammer block engages the shell along a recess in the hammer block having a shape complementary to the shape of the shell body, which recess constitutes a bearing support for the shell in the direction of the hammer block facing toward the shell,  
 the cross-section of the hammer block at the part occupied by the shell zone of locally increased cross-section being smaller than the cross-section of said shell zone, the hammer block comprising defined rupture initiators starting at the front edge thereof and adapted to cause rupture of the hammer block into pieces of defined number and dimension at the moment the projectile penetrates a target and the hammer block passes over the shell zone of locally increased cross-section.  
   
     
     
         2 . The munition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shell zone of locally increased cross-section comprises an annular bead, and the hammer block has an annular recess at its front edge which is open toward the front and receives the annular bead.  
     
     
         3 . The munition as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the shell annular bead is preceded by a conical sector forward of the annular bead.  
     
     
         4 . The munition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shell zone of locally increased cross-section has a conical shape flared in the direction of the shell tip.