Primer Cup for a Primer Having Deposited Ignitable Material

Abstract

A cup for a primer facilitates the use of deposited ignitable material, for example, a layered thermite material, within a cup that fits within a standard primer pocket within a firearm cartridge casing or other location designed for a presently available primer. The primer cup includes a tube and a disk. The ignitable material can be deposited on one surface of the disk. The disk can then be inserted within the tube, wherein it is retained within the tube by an inwardly projecting ledge at one end of the tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A primer, comprising:
 a tube having a side wall, the tube defining a first open end, a second open end, a tube interior, and a central axis, the second open end defining a ledge projecting towards the central axis;   a disk having a first surface, a second surface, and an edge, the disk being dimensioned and configured to fit within the interior of the tube with the periphery of the disk abutting the wall, the disk having an ignitable material deposited upon the first surface; and   the ledge being dimensioned and configured to resist passage of the disk therethrough.   
     
     
         2 . The primer according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tube is generally cylindrical, the tube defining an internal diameter; and   the disk is generally circular, the disk having a diameter that substantially matches the internal diameter of the tube.   
     
     
         3 . The primer according to  claim 2 , wherein the ledge extends around substantially the entire wall, the ledge defining the second open end. 
     
     
         4 . The primer according to  claim 3 , wherein the edge of the disk includes a first edge portion adjacent to the first surface, and a second edge portion adjacent to the second surface, the second edge portion having a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the second open end, the disk defining a lip extending between the first edge portion and the second edge portion, the first edge portion defining a first thickness, the second edge portion defining a second thickness, the thickness of the second edge portion being substantially equal to a thickness of the ledge of the tube, the lip of the disk having a width that is substantially equal to the width of the ledge of the tube. 
     
     
         5 . The primer according to  claim 4 , wherein the wall defines a plurality of inwardly extending projections, each of the inwardly extending projections being disposed a distance above the ledge that is substantially equal to the thickness of the first edge portion, whereby the disk is retained between the ledge and the inwardly extending projections. 
     
     
         6 . The primer according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall defines a plurality of inwardly extending projections, each of the inwardly extending projections being disposed a distance above the ledge that is substantially equal to a thickness of a portion of the edge of the disk abutting the wall, whereby the disk is retained between the ledge and the inwardly extending projections. 
     
     
         7 . The primer according to  claim 1 , wherein the ledge extends around substantially the entire wall, the ledge defining the second open end. 
     
     
         8 . The primer according to  claim 7 , wherein the edge of the disk includes a first edge portion adjacent to the first surface, and a second edge portion adjacent to the second surface, the second edge portion being dimensioned and configured to substantially fill the second open end, the disk defining a lip extending between the first edge portion and the second edge portion, the first edge portion defining a first thickness, the second edge portion defining a second thickness, the thickness of the second edge portion being substantially equal to a thickness of the ledge of the tube, the lip of the disk having a width that is substantially equal to the width of the ledge of the tube. 
     
     
         9 . The primer according to  claim 8 , wherein the wall defines a plurality of inwardly extending projections, each of the inwardly extending projections being disposed a distance above the ledge that is substantially equal to the thickness of the first edge portion, whereby the disk is retained between the ledge and the inwardly extending projections. 
     
     
         10 . The primer according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first surface includes a recess defined therein; and   the ignitable material is deposited within the recess.   
     
     
         11 . The primer according to  claim 1 , wherein the ignitable material includes alternating layers of reducing metal and metal oxide. 
     
     
         12 . The primer according to  claim 11 , wherein the ignitable material further has interface layers of reducing metal oxide between the reducing metal layers and metal oxide layers, the reducing metal oxide having a thickness of less than 1 nm. 
     
     
         13 . A cup for a primer, the cup comprising:
 a tube having a side wall, the tube defining a first open end, a second open end, a tube interior, and a central axis, the second open end defining a ledge projecting towards the central axis;   a disk having a first surface, a second surface, and an edge, the disk being dimensioned and configured to fit within the interior of the tube with the periphery of the disk abutting the wall; and   the ledge being dimensioned and configured to resist passage of the disk therethrough.   
     
     
         14 . The cup according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the tube is generally cylindrical, the tube defining an internal diameter; and   the disk is generally circular, the disk having a diameter that substantially matches the internal diameter of the tube.   
     
     
         15 . The cup according to  claim 14 , wherein the ledge extends around substantially the entire wall, the ledge defining the second open end. 
     
     
         16 . The cup according to  claim 15 , wherein the edge of the disk includes a first edge portion adjacent to the first surface, and a second edge portion adjacent to the second surface, the second edge portion having a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the second open end, the disk defining a lip extending between the first edge portion and the second edge portion, the first edge portion defining a first thickness, the second edge portion defining a second thickness, the thickness of the second edge portion being substantially equal to a thickness of the ledge of the tube, the lip of the disk having a width that is substantially equal to the width of the ledge of the tube. 
     
     
         17 . The cup according to  claim 16 , wherein the wall defines a plurality of inwardly extending projections, each of the inwardly extending projections being disposed a distance above the ledge that is substantially equal to the thickness of the first edge portion, whereby the disk is retained between the ledge and the inwardly extending projections. 
     
     
         18 . The cup according to  claim 13 , wherein the wall defines a plurality of inwardly extending projections, each of the inwardly extending projections being disposed a distance above the ledge that is substantially equal to a thickness of a portion of the edge of the disk abutting the wall, whereby the disk is retained between the ledge and the inwardly extending projections. 
     
     
         19 . The cup according to  claim 13 , wherein the ledge extends around substantially the entire wall, the ledge defining the second open end. 
     
     
         20 . The cup according to  claim 19 , wherein the edge of the disk includes a first edge portion adjacent to the first surface, and a second edge portion adjacent to the second surface, the second edge portion being dimensioned and configured to substantially fill the second open end, the disk defining a lip extending between the first edge portion and the second edge portion, the first edge portion defining a first thickness, the second edge portion defining a second thickness, the thickness of the second edge portion being substantially equal to a thickness of the ledge of the tube, the lip of the disk having a width that is substantially equal to the width of the ledge of the tube. 
     
     
         21 . The primer according to  claim 20 , wherein the wall defines a plurality of inwardly extending projections, each of the inwardly extending projections being disposed a distance above the ledge that is substantially equal to the thickness of the first edge portion, whereby the disk is retained between the ledge and the inwardly extending projections.