Fired cartridge examination method and imaging apparatus

Abstract

The apparatus has a fired cartridge mounting device for holding the cartridge substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis with a primer surface of the cartridge substantially perpendicular to the axis, a cartridge microscope mounted with its optical axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, a focusing mechanism for focusing the microscope to image a breech face impression on the primer surface and a firing pin impression surface in the primer surface, and an axisymmetric light source mounted to project axially symmetric light onto the breech face impression and the firing pin impression surface about the longitudinal axis. Images of the breech face and the firing pin impressions can be used for comparative analysis independently of an angular orientation of the cartridge held by the mounting device. During this analysis, a first image from a test cartridge and a second image from a computer data bank are rotated relative to one another, and a maximum correlation value for the rotated first and second images is obtained.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A fired cartridge examination imaging apparatus comprising: 
       a fired cartridge mounting device for holding said cartridge substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis, a primer surface of said cartridge being substantially perpendicular to said axis;  
       a cartridge microscope having an optical axis and mounted with said optical axis substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis;  
       focusing means for focusing said microscope to image a breech face impression on said primer surface and a firing pin impression surface in said primer surface; and  
       a ring lamp mounted to project axially symmetric light onto said breech face impression and said firing pin impression surface about said longitudinal axis, whereby images of said breech face and said firing pin impressions can be used for comparative analysis independently of an angular orientation of said cartridge held by said mounting device.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus as claimed in claim  1 , wherein said microscope has a magnification adjustable between a first setting suitable to view said breech face impression and a second setting suitable to view said firing pin impression. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus as claimed in claim  2 , further comprising means for automatically adjusting said focusing means to place into focus said firing pin impression and said breech face impression. 
     
     
       4. A fired cartridge examination imaging apparatus comprising: 
       a fired cartridge mounting device for holding said cartridge substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis, a primer surface of said cartridge being substantially perpendicular to said axis;  
       a cartridge microscope having an optical axis and mounted with said optical axis substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, said cartridge microscope being attached to a complimentary microscope, said cartridge mounting device being attached to a stage of said complimentary microscope;  
       focusing means being operated for both said cartridge microscope and said complimentary microscope for focusing said cartridge microscope to image a breech face impression on said primer surface and a firing pin impression surface in said primer surface; and  
       an axisymmetric light source mounted to project axially symmetric light onto said breech face impression and said firing pin impression surface about said longitudinal axis, whereby images of said breech face and said firing pin impressions can be used for comparative analysis independently of an angular orientation of said cartridge held by said mounting device.  
     
     
       5. The apparatus as claimed in claim  4 , wherein said light source is a ring lamp. 
     
     
       6. A fired cartridge examination imaging apparatus comprising: 
       a fired cartridge mounting device for holding said cartridge substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis, a primer surface of said cartridge being substantially perpendicular to said axis wherein said mounting device comprise a pair of opposed vertical plates resiliently biased toward one another, one of said plates being provided with a V-shaped groove having a vertical lengthwise extent parallel to said longitudinal axis, one of said vertical plates including a horizontal edge member mounted to a top surface of said one of said vertical plates for engaging an upper edge of a base of said cartridge, said cartridge being held in a fixed vertical position with said base abutting said horizontal edge member, said cartridge being received by said groove and held between said plates;  
       a cartridge microscope having an optical axis and mounted with said optical axis substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, said cartridge microscope being attached to a complimentary microscope, said cartridge mounting device being attached to a stage of said complimentary microscope;  
       focusing means being operated for both said cartridge microscope and said complimentary microscope for focusing said cartridge microscope to image a breech face impression on said primer surface and a firing pin impression surface in said primer surface; and  
       an axisymmetric light source mounted to project axially symmetric light onto said breech face impression and said firing pin impression surface about said longitudinal axis,  
       whereby images of said breech face and said firing pin impressions can be used for comparative analysis independently of an angular orientation of said cartridge held by said mounting device.  
     
     
       7. A method of comparing fired cartridges from firearms comprising the steps of: 
       illuminating a base of a first fired cartridge from a first firearm using axially symmetric light;  
       obtaining using a microscope a first image of a breech face impression on a primer of said first base with said breech face impression in focus;  
       illuminating a base of a second fired cartridge from a second firearm using axially symmetric light;  
       obtaining using a microscope a second image of a breech face impression on a primer of said second base with said breech face impression in focus;  
       rotating said first and said second images relative to one another; and  
       obtaining a maximum correlation value for said rotated first and second images.  
     
     
       8. The method as claimed in claim  7 , further comprising steps of: 
       adjusting a focus and magnification of said microscope to obtain a first image of a firing pin impression on said first primer with said firing pin impression in focus;  
       adjusting a focus and magnification of said microscope to obtain a second image of a firing pin impression on said second primer with said firing pin impression in focus;  
       rotating said first and said second firing pin images relative to one another; and  
       obtaining a maximum correlation value for said rotated first and second firing pin images.  
     
     
       9. The method as claimed in claim  8 , further comprising steps of: 
       obtaining a first and second firing pin contour of said firing pin impression from said first and second cartridge primers, respectively;  
       rotating said first and said second firing pin contours relative to one another; and  
       obtaining a maximum correlation value for said rotated first and second firing pin contours.  
     
     
       10. The method as claimed in claim  8 , further comprising a step of obtaining a combined correlation value based on said maximum correlation value for said breech face impression images and said maximum correlation value for said first and second firing pin impression images, as well as a relative rotation orientation of said first and second breech face impression images with respect to said first and second firing pin impression images. 
     
     
       11. The method as claimed in claim  9 , further comprising a step of obtaining a combined correlation value based on said maximum correlation value for said breech face impression images, said maximum correlation value for said first and second firing pin impression images, and said maximum correlation value for said first and second firing pin impression contours, as well as a relative rotation orientation of said first and second contours, said first and second breech face impression images, and said first and second firing pin impression images with respect to one another. 
     
     
       12. The method as claimed in claim  7 , further comprising steps of: 
       analyzing said first image to determine whether sufficient or excessive illumination is present; and if necessary adjusting a level of said axially symmetric light before repeating said step of obtaining said first image.  
     
     
       13. The method as claimed in claim  8 , further comprising steps of: 
       analyzing said first image of said firing pin impression to determine whether sufficient or excessive illumination is present; and if necessary adjusting a level of said axially symmetric light before repeating said step of obtaining said first image of said firing pin impression.  
     
     
       14. The method as claimed in claim  9 , further comprising steps of: 
       analyzing said first image of said breech face impression to determine whether sufficient or excessive illumination is present; and if necessary adjusting a level of said axially symmetric light before repeating said step of obtaining said first image of said breech face impression.  
     
     
       15. A method of comparing fired cartridges from firearms comprising the steps of: 
       illuminating a base of a first fired cartridge from a first firearm using axially symmetric light;  
       obtaining using a microscope a first image of a firing pin impression on a primer of said first base with said firing pin impression in focus;  
       illuminating a base of a second fired cartridge from a second firearm using axially symmetric light;  
       obtaining using a microscope a second image of a firing pin impression on a primer of said second base with said firing pin impression in focus;  
       rotating said first and said second images relative to one another: and  
       obtaining a maximum correlation value for said rotated first and second images.  
     
     
       16. A fired cartridge examination imaging apparatus comprising: 
       
         a fired cartridge mounting device for holding said cartridge substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis,  
       
       
         a primer surface of said cartridge being substantially perpendicular to said axis;  
       
       
         a cartridge microscope having an optical axis and mounted with said optical axis substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis;  
       
       
         a focus adjustment mechanism for focusing said microscope on a breech face impression on said primer surface and/or a firing pin impression on said primer surface;  
       
       
         a light mounted to project axially symmetric light onto said breech face impression and/or said firing pin impression about said longitudinal axis, a camera operably connected to said microscope for obtaining an image of said breech face impression and/or said firing pin impression; and  
       
       
         a computer for storing said image of said breech face impression and/or said firing pin impression, whereby said images of said breech face and/or said firing pin impressions can be used for comparative analysis independently of an angular orientation of said cartridge held by said mounting device. 
       
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim  16 , wherein said computer is capable of storing multiple images of breech face impressions and/or firing pin impressions and comparing said stored images for likenesses. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim  17 , wherein said light comprises a ring light. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim  16 , wherein said microscope has a magnification adjustable between a first setting suitable to view said breech face impression and a second setting suitable to view said firing pin impression. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim  18 , wherein said microscope has a magnification adjustable between a first setting suitable to view said breech face impression and a second setting suitable to view said firing pin impression. 
     
     
       21. A method of comparing fired cartridges from firearms comprising the steps of: 
       
         illuminating a base of a first fired cartridge using axially symmetric light;  
       
       
         obtaining using a microscope a first image of a firing pin impression on a primer of said base of said first fired cartridge with said firing pin impression in focus;  
       
       
         illuminating a base of a second fired cartridge using axially symmetric light;  
       
       
         obtaining using a microscope a second image of a firing pin impression on a primer of said base of said second fired cartridge with said firing pin impression in focus;  
       
       
         storing said first and second images in a computer; and  
       
       
         comparing said first and second stored images for likenesses. 
       
     
     
       22. The method of claim  21 , wherein said comparing includes correlating likenesses of said images in a computer. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim  22 , wherein said illuminating comprises illuminating said bases with axially symmetric light from a ring light. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim  23 , wherein said correlating comprises: 
       
         rotating said first and second images of said firing pin impressions relative to one another; and  
       
       
         obtaining a maximum correlation value for said rotated first and second images of said firing pin impressions. 
       
     
     
       25. The method of claim  21 , further comprising: 
       
         obtaining using a microscope a first image of a breech face impression on said primer of said base of said first fired cartridge with said breech face impression in focus;  
       
       
         obtaining using a microscope a second image of a breech face impression on said primer of said base of said second fired cartridge with said breech face impression in focus;  
       
       
         storing said first image of a breech face impression and said second image of a breech face impression in a computer; and  
       
       
         comparing said first image of a breech face impression and said second image of a breech face impression for likenesses. 
       
     
     
       26. The method of claim  25 , wherein said comparing includes correlating likenesses of said images using a computer. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim  26 , wherein said illuminating comprises illuminating said bases with axially symmetric light from a ring light.  
     
     
       28. The method of claim  27 , wherein said correlation comprises: 
       
         rotating said first and second images of said breech face impressions relative to one another; and  
       
       
         obtaining a maximum correlation value for said rotated images. 
       
     
     
       29. A method of comparing fired cartridges from firearms comprising the steps of: 
       
         illuminating a base of a first fired cartridge using axially symmetric light;  
       
       
         obtaining using a microscope a first image of a breech face impression on a primer of said base of said first fired cartridge with said breech face impression in focus;  
       
       
         illuminating a base of a second fired cartridge using axially symmetric light;  
       
       
         obtaining using a microscope a second image of a breech face impression on a primer of said base of said second fired cartridge with said breech face impression in focus;  
       
       
         storing said first and second images in a computer; and  
       
       
         comparing said first and second stored images for likenesses. 
       
     
     
       30. The method of claim  29 , wherein said comparing includes correlating likenesses of said images using a computer. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim  30 , wherein said illuminating comprises illuminating said bases with axially symmetric light from a ring light. 
     
     
       32. The method of claim  31 , wherein said comparing comprises: 
       
         rotating said first and second images of breech face impressions relative to one another; and  
       
       
         obtaining a maximum correlation value for said rotated first and second images of breech face impressions. 
       
     
     
       33. The method of claim  29 , further comprising: 
       
         obtaining using a microscope a first image of a firing pin impression on said primer of said base of said first fired cartridge with said firing pin impression in focus;  
       
       
         obtaining using a microscope a second image of a firing pin impression on said primer of said base of said second fired cartridge with said firing pin impression in focus;  
       
       
         storing said first image of a firing pin impression and said second image of a firing pin impression images in a computer; and  
       
       
         comparing said first image of a firing pin impression and said second image of a firing pin impression for likenesses. 
       
     
     
       34. The method of claim  33 , wherein said comparing includes correlating likenesses of said first image of a firing pin impression and said second image of a firing pin impression using a computer. 
     
     
       35. The method of claim  34 , wherein said illuminating comprises illuminating said bases with axially symmetric light from a ring light. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim  35 , wherein said correlation comprises: 
       
         rotating said first and second images of firing pin impressions relative to one another; and  
       
       
         obtaining a maximum correlation value for said rotated first and second images of firing pin impressions. 
       
     
     
       37. In a method of comparing fired cartridges, the method of building a database of images of fired cartridges comprising: 
       
         a. positioning a fired cartridge for imaging;  
       
       
         b. illuminating with axially symmetric lighting the cartridge for imaging;  
       
       
         c. obtaining an image of the cartridge; and  
       
       
         d. storing the image acquired of the cartridge in a computer cartridge image database. 
       
     
     
       38. The method of building a database of claim  37  wherein the steps a, b, c and d are repeated to build said database containing data relating to a large number of cartridges. 
     
     
       39. The method of building a database of claim  37  wherein the image acquired is the image of a breech face impression of the cartridge case. 
     
     
       40. The method of building a database of claim  37  wherein the image acquired is the image of a firing pin impression of the cartridge case.