Barrel assembly with over-pressure relief
AssigneeMetal Storm Limited
InventorJames Michael O'Dwyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A barrel assembly (70) comprising a plurality of projectiles (75) axially disposed within a barrel (71) and associated with discrete selectively ignitable propellant charges (74) for propelling the projectiles from the barrel. The essence of the invention is the provision of a pressure relief valve, for example comprised by a port (73) and plug (76), associated with a chamber in which a propellant charge (74) is ignited. The pressure relief valve (73, 76) is designed to prevent catastrophic failure of the barrel (71) by exhausting via a chamber (72) in the event that the barrel is blocked by a projectile and detonation of one or more propellant charges (74) occurs.
Claims20
A barrel assembly for a weapon or firearm, said barrel assembly comprising a plurality of projectiles axially disposed within a barrel and associated with discrete selectively ignitable propellant charges for propelling the projectiles from the barrel wherein said barrel includes at least one pressure relief valve associated with a chamber in which a propellant charge is ignited.
The barrel assembly as claimed in claim I wherein the pressure relief valve vents into a bypass passage that exhausts in the direction of fire of the barrel assembly.
The barrel assembly as claimed in claim I wherein the pressure relief valve is in the form of a plug or bung fixed into the barrel such that said plug or bung is ejected from the aperture when the barrel pressure reaches a selected limit.
A handgun assembly comprising:
- a barrel assembly including a cluster of barrels, each barrel including:
- a longitudinal arrangement of aerodynamically shaped, directional projectiles and interposed propellant charges whereby the barrel assembly has longitudinal arrays or layers of projectiles and interposed propellant charges, and
- at least one pressure relief valve associated with a chamber wherein a propellant charge is detonated;
- and
- ignition means for simultaneously igniting the propellant charges in a respective layer of propellant charges.
A handgun assembly comprising:
- a cluster of small bore barrels of the type described, each barrel including:
- a longitudinal arrangement of aerodynamically shaped, directional projectiles and interposed propellant charges whereby the barrel assembly has longitudinal arrays or layers of projectiles and interposed propellant charges arranged in longitudinally spaced relationship in their respective barrels, and
- at least one pressure relief valve associated with a chamber wherein a
- propellant charge is ignited;
- and ignition means for simultaneously igniting the propellant charges in a respective layer of propellant charges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.