Electrically ignitable caseless propellant charge, the production and use thereof

Abstract

Electrically ignitable caseless propellant charge in the form of a caseless propellant tablet ( 5 ), characterised in that it is obtainable by mixing together of at least one current-conductive material in dissolved or dispersed form or powder form and graphite in powder form, together with nitrocellulose, with or without addition of further additives, and subsequent compaction to form a propellant tablet, the production and use thereof, and related subject matter of the invention. Uses include: use of the propellant charge in a bolt-driving tool for installing bolts, as an explosive charge in a warning shot device, as a gas-generating element in airbags, for driving cutting devices, for driving pressing devices (for example for squeezing tong-like elements together) or as a propellant charge in small calibre rifles for sporting purposes, or for captive bolt devices for animal slaughtering.

1 . An electrically ignitable caseless propellant charge in the form of a caseless propellant tablet or a tablet-like ignition charge, comprising a mixture of at least one current-conductive material in dissolved or dispersed form or powder form and additionally graphite in powder form, together with nitrocellulose, with or without addition of further additives, and compacted to form a propellant tablet. 
     
     
         2 . The propellant charge according to  claim 1 , wherein carbon is used as current-conductive material. 
     
     
         3 . The propellant charge according to  claim 1 , wherein it further comprises one or more oxygen generators in a proportion by weight of from 12 to 50% by weight. 
     
     
         4 . The propellant charge according to  claim 3 , wherein as oxygen generator there are provided zinc peroxide, potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate or mixtures of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The propellant charge according to  claim 1 , wherein it further comprises a catalytically active metal oxide, in a proportion of from 0.6 to 6.3% by weight and/or iron (III) oxide in a proportion of up to 1.3% by weight. 
     
     
         6 . The propellant charge according to  claim 1 , wherein it further comprises a fuel source, or a binder in the form of a thermoplastic plastics material containing exclusively carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms, or mixtures of the fuel source and the binder. 
     
     
         7 . The propellant charge according to  claim 1 , obtainable in a process in which a hydrocarbon that is liquid at room temperature a solvent that is liquid at room temperature or a mixture of two or more thereof is added and partially or fully removed by drying. 
     
     
         8 . The propellant charge according to  claim 1 , comprising in the mixture of all constituents used that are employed in the production:
 an oxygen generator, especially zinc peroxide, potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate or a mixture of two or more thereof, in a proportion of from 12 to 50, preferably from 50 to 38% by weight, especially of 28.486% by weight;   a catalytically active metal oxide, especially manganese (IV) oxide, in a proportion of from 0.6 to 6.3, especially of 2.848% by weight;   iron (III) oxide in a proportion of from 0.000 to 1.3% by weight, especially of 0.373% by weight;   a fuel source, especially aluminium powder, in a proportion of from 0.000 to 12.5% by weight; especially of 3.731% by weight;   carbon, especially alder buckthorn charcoal and/or carbon fibres, in a proportion of from 2.4 to 12.5% by weight, especially of 7.961% by weight;   a binder in the form of a thermoplastic plastics material containing exclusively carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms, especially methacrylic and/or acrylic granules, in a proportion of from 1.2 to 7.5% by weight, especially of 3.731% by weight;   nitrocellulose, especially having a nitrogen content of from 10.7 to 12.5%, with solvent—the latter especially in a proportion of from 10 to 50, for example 35% by weight, based on the nitrocellulose component with solvent—especially ethanol, in a proportion of from 18 to 50% by weight, especially of 30.725% by weight;   a hydrocarbon that is liquid at room temperature or a hydrocarbon mixture that is liquid at room temperature, such as isooctane in a proportion of from 1.2 to 15% by weight, for example from 9 to 15 or from 1.2 to 6.3% by weight, especially of 3.483% by weight;   a further solvent, especially acetone, in a proportion of from 3.7 to 37.4% by weight, preferably from 9 to 16% by weight, especially of 13.683% by weight;   
       graphite powder in a proportion of from 1.2 to 24.9% by weight, especially of 4.975% by weight; and
 optionally but especially a preferably hydrophobic or hydrophobised silicic acid in a proportion of from 0.2 to 3% by weight. 
 
     
     
         9 . A process for the production of a propellant charge according to  claim 1  in the form of a caseless propellant tablet, which process is comprised of mixing together of at least one current-conductive material in dissolved or dispersed form or in powder form and graphite in powder form, together with nitrocellulose, with or without addition of further additives, and subsequent compaction to form a propellant tablet. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the current-conductive material in dissolved or dispersed form or in powder form is mixed with nitrocellulose with or without addition of further additives, wherein granules of the obtainable mixture are produced, and those granules are used as the obtainable mixture, and graphite in powder form is added to such a largely dry obtainable mixture and mixed therewith, and then the mixture is compacted to form propellant tablets. 
     
     
         11 . A method of using a conductive material in dissolved or dispersed form or in powder form to produce the electrically ignitable propellant charge, in accordance with the process according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising using a propellant charge according to  claim 1  in a bolt-driving tool for installing bolts, as an explosive charge in a warning shot device, as a gas-generating element in airbags, for driving cutting devices, for driving pressing devices, as a propellant charge in small calibre rifles for sporting purposes, or for captive bolt devices for animal slaughtering. 
     
     
         13 . The propellant charge according to  claim 2 , wherein the carbon is used as current-conductive material in a proportion by weight of from 2.4 to 12.5% by weight. 
     
     
         14 . The propellant charge according to  claim 5 , wherein the catalytically active metal oxide is manganese (IV) oxide. 
     
     
         15 . The propellant charge according to  claim 6 , comprising the fuel source of magnesium, fine iron or aluminium. 
     
     
         16 . The propellant charge according to  claim 15 , comprising the fuel source in an amount of up to 12.5% by weight.