Propellant for a projectile

Abstract

An ammunition round comprises a projectile, and a propellant, the propellant comprising both an explosive and a liquid. The explosive and liquid may be provided in two containers in a gun barrel or in two compartments in a casing.

1 . An ammunition round comprising a projectile and a propellant, the propellant comprising an explosive and a liquid. 
     
     
         2 . The ammunition round of  claim 1 , wherein the explosive is a high explosive charge. 
     
     
         3 . The ammunition round of  claim 1 , wherein the high explosive charge is a shaped charge. 
     
     
         4 . The ammunition round of  claim 1 , wherein the explosive charge and the liquid are contained in respective first and second compartments within a casing. 
     
     
         5 . The ammunition round of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second compartments are located one in front of the other along the axis of the casing. 
     
     
         6 . The ammunition round of  claim 5 , comprising a divider between said first and second compartments. 
     
     
         7 . The ammunition round of  claim 6 , wherein said divider has a center and a circumference and is shaped to extend towards a base of said round at said center and towards a tip of said round at said circumference, thereby to accommodate a shaped charge in said first compartment. 
     
     
         8 . The ammunition round of  claim 6  comprising a baffle along said divider between said first and second compartments. 
     
     
         9 . The ammunition round of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is one member of the group comprising water, demineralized water and alcohol. 
     
     
         10 . The ammunition round of  claim 1 , wherein the projectile has a base towards the propellant, the base having a convex shape. 
     
     
         11 . The ammunition round of  claim 1 , wherein the projectile has a base towards the propellant, the base having a concave shape or a flat shape. 
     
     
         12 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of firing a gun to launch a projectile, the method comprising: detonating an explosive charge;
 directing a blast of the detonation into a liquid;   launching the liquid into the projectile to launch the projectile.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising shaping the explosive charge to focus the explosion axially along a casing of the projectile. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising placing a baffle between the explosive charge and the liquid to compress the liquid over an extent of a surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising shaping a base of the head of the projectile into a concave shape to amplify an explosive force. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising shaping a base of the head of the projectile into a convex shape to moderate an explosive force. 
     
     
         19 . An ammunition round comprising a projectile and a casing, the casing having at least two chambers for a propellant. 
     
     
         20 . The ammunition round of  claim 19 , wherein one of said chambers contains explosive and a second of said chambers comprises a fluid. 
     
     
         21 . The ammunition round of  claim 20 , having a base and a tip and an axial direction between said base and said tip, and wherein the one of said chambers containing said explosive is located towards said base in said axial direction and said second of said chambers is axially adjacent said first of said chambers towards said tip. 
     
     
         22 . A gun containing an ammunition round comprising a projectile and a casing, the casing having at least two chambers for a propellant. 
     
     
         23 . The gun of  claim 22 , wherein said at least two chambers comprise a container of explosive and a container of liquid. 
     
     
         24 . The gun of  claim 23 , wherein the container of liquid is located between said ammunition round and said container of explosive, or wherein the container of liquid is located is located between said container of explosive and a rear of said gun. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The gun of  claim 23 , wherein the container of liquid comprises a jacket around said container of explosive, or wherein said container of explosive is shaped to focus explosive energy. 
     
     
         27 . The gun of  claim 23 , wherein the container of liquid comprises a jacket around said container of explosive, said jacket extending over one or both ends of said container of explosive. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled)