Mechanically adaptable projectile and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A mechanically adaptable projectile includes, in one example embodiment, a projectile body, the body including structure adapted to secure thereto one of multiple projectile components, and multiple projectile components each sized to be releasably secured to the projectile body, each of the multiple projectile components structurally dissimilar from all others of the multiple projectile components.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a projectile, comprising:
 providing a projectile body, said body including an aperture adapted to receive therein one of multiple projectile components;   inserting a projectile component into said aperture of said projectile body; and   releasably securing said component to said body.   
     
     
         2 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein said body has a specific gravity at least equal to a specific gravity of water and less than 270% greater than a specific gravity of water. 
     
     
         3 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein said body has a tensile strength of at least 10,000 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         4 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein said body has a compressive strength of at least 10,000 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         5 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein said body has a coefficient of friction of no more than 0.3. 
     
     
         6 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein said projectile body includes an exterior bearing surface and a base region and wherein said projectile component includes a nose and defines a meplat. 
     
     
         7 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein said projectile body includes a nose and defines a meplat and wherein said projectile component includes a base region. 
     
     
         8 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein projectile body includes an exterior bearing surface and wherein said projectile component includes a base, a nose and defines a meplat. 
     
     
         9 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein said projectile component includes a hollow interior region. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said projectile component is chosen to have a specific gravity that is equal to a specific gravity of a medium into which the projectile will be fired. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said projectile component is chosen to have a specific gravity that will maximize a ballistic pressure waves created by said projectile upon impact with a medium into which the projectile will be fired. 
     
     
         12 . A mechanically adaptable projectile set, comprising:
 a projectile body, said body including an aperture adapted to receive therein one of multiple projectile components;   multiple projectile components each sized to be releasably received within said aperture of said projectile body, each of said multiple projectile components structurally dissimilar from all others of said multiple projectile components.   
     
     
         13 . The projectile set of  claim 12  wherein said multiple projectile components include a first projectile component including a solid elongate body having a projectile nose, a second projectile component including a hollow elongate body having a projectile nose, and a third projectile component including an elongate body having a projectile base. 
     
     
         14 . The projectile set of  claim 12  wherein said first, second a third projectile components each have a unique specific gravity. 
     
     
         15 . The projectile set of  claim 12  wherein each of said multiple projectile components may be positioned within and removed from said projectile body aperture prior to filing of said projectile body from a projectile launcher. 
     
     
         16 . The projectile set of  claim 12   claim 1  wherein said body has a specific gravity at least equal to a specific gravity of water and less than 270% greater than a specific gravity of water, wherein said body has a tensile strength of at least 10,000 pounds per square inch, wherein said body has a compressive strength of at least 10,000 pounds per square inch, and wherein said body has a coefficient of friction of no more than 0.3. 
     
     
         17 . A mechanically adaptable projectile set, comprising:
 a projectile body, said body including structure adapted to secure thereto one of multiple projectile components;   multiple projectile components each sized to be releasably secured to said projectile body, each of said multiple projectile components structurally dissimilar from all others of said multiple projectile components.   
     
     
         18 . The projectile set of  claim 17  wherein said multiple projectile components include a first projectile component including a solid elongate body having a projectile nose, a second projectile component including a hollow elongate body having a projectile nose, a third projectile component including an elongate body having a nose region and an external diameter equal to an external diameter of said projectile body, and a fourth projectile component including an elongate body having an external diameter larger than an external diameter of said projectile body. 
     
     
         19 . The projectile set of  claim 17  wherein one of said projectile components is secured to said projectile body by ultrasonic welding. 
     
     
         20 . The projectile set of  claim 17  wherein one of said projectile components includes at least one of a metal nose, a polymer nose, a hollow point nose, a boat tail, a flat base, and a bearing surface.