Elastic puller sabot for small caliber flechette

Abstract

An elastic puller sabot for use with a small caliber flechette to be laund from a bore of a launcher. The sabot comprises at least two portions, which, when placed together, have an interior surface conforming to the shape of the flechette, and an exterior surface conforming to the shape of the bore. The sabot preferably comprises a material which is capable of deforming elastically inward about the flechette, to grip it securely during launch, and outward toward the interior of the bore, to improve the sealing of the flechette in the bore, without the need for a retaining member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An elastic puller sabot for use in launching a flechette from a launcher having a bore, comprising: at least two sabot portions;   said at-least-two sabot portions together forming said sabot, and together having an interior surface and an exterior surface;   said interior surface having a generally identical shape to that of an exterior of said flechette;   said exterior surface having a generally identical shape to that of an interior of said bore, said exterior surface further having a diameter no smaller than that of said interior of said bore;   each of said at-least-two sabot portions being comprised of an elastic material.   
     
     
       2. An elastic puller sabot according to claim 1, wherein said elastic material is a polycarbonate. 
     
     
       3. An elastic puller sabot according to claim 1, further comprising means for urging said exterior surface of said sabot against said interior surface of said bore, and also for urging said interior surface of said sabot against said exterior surface of said flechette in response to a propulsive force, whereby said sabot and said flechette are propelled from said bore with a dissipation of a minimum of said propulsive force. 
     
     
       4. An elastic puller sabot according to claim 1, wherein said elastic material is a thermal plastic polymer resin having a fiberglass reinforcement of about ten percent. 
     
     
       5. An elastic puller sabot according to claim 1, wherein said elastic material is a liquid crystal polymer. 
     
     
       6. An elastic puller sabot according to claim 5, wherein said liquid crystal polymer is unreinforced. 
     
     
       7. An elastic puller sabot according to claim 5, wherein said liquid crystal polymer has a fiberglass reinforcement of no more than thirty percent. 
     
     
       8. An elastic puller sabot according to claim 5, wherein said liquid crystal polymer has a mineral fill reinforcement of no more than fifteen percent. 
     
     
       9. An elastic puller sabot according to claim 1, wherein said at-least-two sabot portions together define a rear surface of said sabot, and said rear surface is generally perpendicular to the exterior surface of said flechette.