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US 10,724,823 B2Granted
Projectile accelerator with heatable barrel
AssigneeScience Applications International Corporation
InventorGary David Warren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods, and apparatuses are described for accelerating projectiles at high velocity. A barrel may include one or more heaters configured to heat a bore of the barrel prior to launch of a projectile. The barrel bore may be formed in a tungsten sleeve and may be heated to high temperatures. Heat from the barrel bore may be transferred to expanding propellant behind a projectile as it travels through the barrel bore.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a barrel comprising a bore extending from a barrel entrance to a barrel exit positioned forward of the barrel entrance, and further comprising a heater configured to heat at least a surface of the bore;
- a shutter, positioned proximate to the barrel exit, having an open configuration exposing the bore and a closed configuration preventing passage of gas into or out of the bore;
- a breach chamber positioned behind the barrel entrance;
- a sealable compression chamber positioned behind the breach chamber;
- and
- a gas supply coupled to the compression chamber via a valve openable to allow delivery of gas into the compression chamber and closeable to prevent release, via the valve, of gas in the compression chamber.
3 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a barrel comprising a bore extending from a barrel entrance to a barrel exit positioned forward of the barrel entrance, and further comprising a plurality of individually-controllable heaters, distributed along at least a portion of a length of the barrel, configured to heat at least a surface of the bore;
- a breach chamber positioned behind the barrel entrance;
- a sealable compression chamber positioned behind the breach chamber;
- and
- a gas supply coupled to the compression chamber via a valve openable to allow delivery of gas into the compression chamber and closeable to prevent release, via the valve, of gas in the compression chamber.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- heating, using one or more heaters positioned external to a bore of a barrel, a surface of the bore, wherein the barrel comprises a barrel entrance and a barrel exit positioned forward of the barrel entrance, and wherein the bore extends from the barrel entrance to the barrel exit;
- placing a projectile in a breach chamber positioned behind the barrel entrance;
- pressurizing, in a compression chamber, a propellant gas;
- and
- accelerating, by release of the pressurized propellant gas from the compression chamber into the breach chamber, and while the surface of the bore is heated using the one or more heaters, the projectile from the breach chamber and through the bore.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.