Refill interface

Abstract

An explosive detonating system comprises connectable components to connect/disconnect a pathway that ignites an explosion. A firing actuator activates primers (percussion caps). An adapter connects the firing actuator to shock tube and channels the ignition force into the shock tube. A cap box houses blasting caps coupled to the end of the shock tube. A priming well is coupled to the cap box/blasting caps and the detonating cord. When the firing actuator is initiated, the percussion caps ignite, sending an explosive wave into the adapter, which channels the wave into the shock tube and ignites the shock tube. The explosive wave travels through the shock tube and activates the blasting caps, which activate the detonating cord in the priming well. The explosive is placed in a location to provide a desired explosive effect. For example, the system may be employed as a system to breach structures or other applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system to detonate an explosive, comprising:
 at least one blasting cap;   a shock tube adapter;   a shock tube having one end connected to the at least one blasting cap and another end connected to the shock tube adapter;   at least one percussion cap inserted into the shock tube adapter;   detonating cord;   a priming well configured to receive the at least one blasting cap and a section of the detonating cord such that insertion of the at least one blasting cap into the priming well and insertion of the section of the detonating cord into the priming well places the inserted at least one blasting cap in proximity to the inserted section of the detonating cord such that initiation of the at least one blasting cap will initiate detonation of the detonating cord; and   a firing device that receives the shock tube adapter and comprising a firing pin that when fired is configured to initiate the percussion cap inserted into the shock tube adapter that is inserted into the firing device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cap box, wherein the at least one blasting cap is inserted into the cap box, and wherein the cap box is inserted into the priming well to insert the at least one blasting cap into the priming well. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , the cap box and the priming well comprising corresponding retention mechanisms that retain that cap box in the priming well. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a main explosive connected to the detonating cord. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , the priming well comprising:
 a first aperture that receives the section of the detonating cord; and   a second aperture that receives the blasting cap.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second apertures of the priming well are configured to dispose the section of the detonating cord and the at least one blasting cap in proximity to each other such that initiation of the at least one blasting cap will initiate detonation of the detonating cord. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second apertures of the priming well are open to each other inside the priming well. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first aperture of the priming well slopes toward the second aperture of the priming well internal to the priming well, wherein the sloping of the first aperture forces the section of the detonating cord inserted into the first aperture of the priming well toward the at least one blasting cap inserted into the second aperture of the priming well. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the priming well comprises two components that snap together to form the priming well. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the two components of the priming well are the same. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , the shock tube adapter comprising:
 a first pair of apertures that receive the another end of the shock tube that is connected to the shock tube adapter; and   a second pair of apertures that receive the at least one percussion cap inserted into the shock tube adapter.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the second pair of apertures of the shock tube adapter is connected directly to a corresponding one of the first pair of apertures of the shock tube adapter. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the second pair of apertures of the shock tube adapter is connected to both of the first pair of apertures of the shock tube adapter. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , the shock tube adapter further comprising an expansion chamber disposed between the first and second pairs of apertures of the shock tube adapter, each of the first pair of apertures opening into the expansion chamber, and each of the second pair of apertures opening into the expansion chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , the shock tube adapter comprising a shock tube casing and a percussion cap casing, the first pair of apertures being disposed in the shock tube casing, the second pair of apertures being disposed in the percussion cap casing, and the shock tube casing and the percussion cap casing comprising a retention mechanism that connects the shock tube casing to the percussion cap casing. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , the percussion cap casing comprising an expansion chamber, the second pair of apertures opening into the expansion chamber, and the first pair of apertures opening into the expansion chamber when the shock tube case is connected to the percussion cap case. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , the shock tube adapter and the firing device comprising corresponding retention mechanisms that retain that shock tube adapter in the firing device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the percussion cap is a primer. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the priming well places at least one inserted blasting cap in proximity to the inserted section of the detonating cord based on contact between the inserted at least one blasting cap and the inserted section of the detonating cord. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , the firing device comprising an actuator and a remote signaling device, the remote signaling device configured to communicate a signal to the actuator to cause the actuator to move a firing pin to initiate the at least one percussion cap. 
     
     
         21 . A priming well to couple blasting caps to detonating cord, comprising:
 a housing;   a first aperture extending into the housing and configured to receive detonating cord; and   a second aperture extending into the housing and configured to receive a blasting cap.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , the first and second apertures overlapping inside the housing to dispose detonating cord inserted into the priming well in proximity to a blasting cap inserted into the priming well such that initiation of the blasting cap will initiate detonation of the detonating cord. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , the first and second apertures being open to each other at an overlapping portion of the first and second apertures inside the housing. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , the first aperture sloping toward the second aperture internal to the housing such that insertion of detonating cord into the first aperture forces the detonating cord toward a blasting cap inserted into the second aperture. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , the first aperture sloping toward the second aperture internal to the housing such that insertion of detonating cord into the first aperture forces the detonating cord into contact with a blasting cap inserted into the second aperture. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , the housing comprising two components that snap together to form the housing. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the two components of the housing are the same. 
     
     
         28 . A shock tube adapter to connect shock tube to a firing device, comprising:
 a housing;   a first pair of apertures extending into the housing and each configured to receive an end of shock tube that is inserted into the housing; and   a second pair of apertures extending into the housing and each configured to receive a percussion cap inserted into the housing, the second pair of apertures connecting to the first pair of apertures.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein each of the second pair of apertures is connected directly to a corresponding one of the first pair of apertures. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein each of the second pair of apertures is connected to both of the first pair of apertures. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising an expansion chamber disposed in the housing and that connects the second pair of apertures to the first pair of apertures, each of the first pair of apertures opening into the expansion chamber, and each of the second pair of apertures opening into the expansion chamber. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , the housing comprising a shock tube casing and a percussion cap casing, the first pair of apertures being disposed in the shock tube casing, the second pair of apertures being disposed in the percussion cap casing, and the shock tube casing and the percussion cap casing comprising a retention mechanism that connects the shock tube casing to the percussion cap casing. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , the percussion cap casing comprising an expansion chamber, the second pair of apertures opening into the expansion chamber, and the first pair of apertures opening into the expansion chamber when the shock tube case is connected to the percussion cap case. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising a retention mechanism disposed on the housing and configured to couple the housing to a firing device. 
     
     
         35 . A method to detonate an explosive, comprising:
 connecting an end of at least one section of shock tube to at least one blasting cap;   inserting the at least one blasting cap into a cap box;   connecting another end of the at least one section of shock tube to a shock tube adapter;   inserting at least one percussion cap into the shock tube adapter;   inserting a section of detonating cord into a priming well;   inserting the cap box into the priming well, thereby inserting the at least one blasting cap into the priming well, wherein insertion of the at least one blasting cap into the priming well places the blasting cap in proximity to the inserted section of detonating cord such that initiation of the blasting cap will initiation detonation of the detonation cord; and   connecting the shock tube adapter to a firing device, the firing device being configured to strike the at least one percussion cap in the shock tube adaptor such that striking the percussion cap initiates the percussion cap to send an explosive wave to the shock tube, which initiates the shock tube causing initiation of the blasting cap, which causes initiation of the detonating cord.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising actuating the firing device to cause one or more firing pins to strike at least one of the at least one percussion cap to initiate at least one of the at least one percussion cap. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising transporting each of the unconnected components to a desired location for an explosion and assembling the components together at the desired location.