Multistage electromagnetic accelerator

An electromagnetic accelerator comprising generally parallel conductive rails having separate rail segments along their length;

• a DC power source;
• a plurality of induction coils having a primary and secondary portion, said primary portion being connected in series with said power source and the secondary portion being connected to serial segments of the conductive rails;
• circuit breaker means comprising a circuit breaker means connected in series with the power supply and the primary portion of the induction coils, and circuit breaker means connected across a portion of at least one of the induction coils;
• means for conducting current between said rails;
• sensing means responding to the approach of the means for conducting current between the rails to actuate the circuit breaking means connected across a portion of at least one of the induction coils;
• and
• said power source and said circuit breaker means cooperating with said induction coils to supply current to serial segments of the rails as said means for conducting current between said rails is accelerated and traverses from one end of said rails to the other.

An electromagnetic accelerator comprising generally parallel conductive rails;

• a plurality of DC power sources;
• a plurality of induction coils having a primary portion and a secondary portion;
• circuit breaking means comprising a plurality of circuit breaking means;
• each power source having one of the circuit breaker means and one of the primary portions of the induction coil connected in series therewith and forming a closed circuit;
• a plurality of rectifying means
• each secondary portion of the induction coils having one of the rectifying means connected in series there th;
• and
• the secondary portion of each induction coil and rectifying means being connected to the conductive rails at a plurality of locations therealong;
• means for conducting current between said rails;
• and
• said power sources, said rectifying means, and said circuit breaker means cooperating with said induction coils to supply current to serial locations along the rails as said means for conducting current between said rails is accelerated and traverses from one end of said rails to the other.

An electromagnetic accelerator comprising generally parallel conductive rails;

• a DC power source;
• a plurality of induction coils;
• circuit breaker means comprising a plurality of circuit breakers;
• and
• a plurality of rectifying means;
• each power source having an induction coil and one of the circuit breakers, connected in series therewith and forming a closed circuit;
• and
• leads connected across each circuit breaker means connecting each side of the circuit breaker means to a conductive rail, the various circuit breaking means being connected to serial locations along the rail rails, one of the rectifier means being disposed in a lead connecting the circuit breaker means to the rails;
• means for conducting current between said rails;
• and
• said power source, said rectifying means and said circuit breaker means cooperating with said induction coils to supply current to serial locations along the rails as said means for conducting current between said rails is accelerated and traverses from one end of said rails to the other.

An electromagnetic accelerator comprising:

• a plurality of parallel conductive rails arranged in pairs;
• means for conducting current between the rails in each pair;
• a DC current source;
• circuit breaker means;
• and
• a plurality of inductive coils having a primary and a secondary portion, the primary portions being connected to the DC source and the circuit breaker means and a secondary portion being connected to each pair of conductive rails;
• said current source and said circuit breaker means cooperating with said induction coils to supply current to said rails to accelerate said means for conducting current between each pair of rails from one end of each pair of rails to the other.