# US 4,398,445 A · Gun muzzle clamp

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- Number: US 4,398,445 A
- Document ID: US4398445A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/296,719
- Filed: 1981-08-27
- Granted: 1983-08-16
- Earliest claimed: 1981-08-27
- Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
- Inventors: George W. Ulrich
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4398445A

## CPC

- F41A 21/325: {Mountings for muzzle attachments}
- F41A 21/08: Barrel junctions
- F41A 21/32: Muzzle attachments or glands (F41A21/26, F41A21/30, F41A21/46 take precedence {; for projectile velocity measurements G01P3/665, G01P3/685})
- F41A: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE

## Abstract

An improved gun muzzle clamp is provided for a Gatling type gun to reduce friction and increase durability in a high temperature, gunfire environment. The clamp assembly surrounds 6 gun barrels and supports the barrels at two independent bearing surfaces. One supporting arrangement consists of a plurality of bearings which rotate around the inner periphery of a blast diffuser and the other supporting arrangement is comprised of an annular ring which holds a piston ring gun gas seal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a Gatling type gun having a plurality of rotatable gun barrels, an improvement comprising,
a stationarily mounted blast diffuser attached to said gun and extending around the forward ends of said gun barrels, said blast diffuser having first and second seal strips spaced apart inside said blast diffuser, and
a barrel clamp secured to each of said plurality of gun barrels and rotatably supported by said blast diffuser, said barrel clamp having first and second supporting elements engaging said seal strips.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

In a Gatling type gun according to claim 1, the improvement wherein:
said first and second supporting elements are attached together.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

In a Gatling type gun according to claim 1, the improvement wherein:
said first supporting element includes a plurality of roller bearings engaging said first seal strip.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

In a Gatling type gun according to claim 1, the improvement wherein:
said second supporting element includes gas sealing means engaging said second seal strip.

### Claim 5

In a Gatling type gun having a plurality of rotatable gun barrels and a stationarily mounted blast diffuser attached to said gun and extending around the forward ends of said gun barrels, a barrel clamp comprising,
a first plate having a plurality of holes for receiving said gun barrels,
a second plate having a plurality of holes for receiving said gun barrels,
means connecting said first and second plates,
a plurality of roller bearings attached to said first plate and engaging said blast diffuser,
gas sealing means attached to said second plate and engaging said blast diffuser, and
means for locking said second plate to at least one of said gun barrels whereby said gun barrels are clamped together and rotatably supported by said blast diffuser.