Switch for very large DC currents

A projectile launching assembly comprising:

• a first pair of generally parallel electrically conductive rails mounted in spaced parallel relationship in a common plane with a gap therebetween;
• means for generating a DC current connected to one end of said first rails;
• a switch comprising:
• an elongated armature, and
• means for mounting said elongated armature for rectilinear movement in said common plane from a first position in which the armature bridges said gap and is in electrical contact with both of said first pair of rails to conduct between said first pair of rails a current applied to the first pair of rails at one end thereof, and a second position in which electrical contact between at least one of said first pair of rails and said armature is broken to interrupt the flow of current through the armature and to inject into the gap, for travel along the first pair of rails toward the second ends thereof, an arc created as contact between said armature and one of said first pair of rails is broken, wherein the other rail defines a recess in which said armature is mounted with said armature in electrical contact with at least one wall of said recess;
• a second set of parallel launcher rails with a first end of each rail of said second set connected to one of the rails of said first set;
• a projectile placed between and in sliding contact with each of said second pair of rails, said projectile being accelerated toward and ejected from the second ends of said second set of rails when said armature is moved to interrupt the flow of current therethrough;
• and
• wherein said armature is provided on a free end, which makes and breaks contact with said one rail, with an arc horn, and wherein resilient electrical contacts are provided between said one rail of said first pair of rails and said free end of the armature, which break electrical contact between said one rail and said free end of the armature progressively along said free end from a point remote from the arc horn toward the arc horn.

A switch for switching a DC current comprising:

• a pair of electrically conductive rails extending in generally the same direction in a common plane with a gap therebetween;
• an elongated armature;
• means for mounting said elongated armature for movement from a first position in which the armature bridges said gap and is in electrical contact with both rails to conduct between the rails a current applied to the rails at one end thereof, and a second position in which electrical contact between at least one rail and the armature is broken to interrupt the flow of current through the armature and to inject into the gap between the rails, for travel along the rails toward the second ends thereof, an arc created as the flow of current through the armature is interrupted;
• and
• wherein said armature is elongated in a direction in the common plane and wherein said mounting means mounts said elongated armature in the gap between the rails for rotation in said common plane, the armature ends being arcuate and the one rail being provided with a complementary arcuate surface against which the armature rotates with one arcuate end of said armature in sliding electrical contact with said complementary arcuate surface when said armature is rotated to said first position.

A projectile launching assembly comprising:

• a first pair of generally parallel electrically conductive rails mounted in spaced parallel relationship in a common plane with a gap therebetween;
• means for generating a DC current connected to one end of said first rails;
• a switch comprising:
• an elongated armature, and
• means for mounting said elongated armature for movement from a first position in which the armature bridges said gap and is in electrical contact with both said first rails to conduct between the first rails said DC current, and a second position in which electrical contact between at least one said first rails and the armature is broken to interrupt the flow of current through the armature and thereby generate an arc which travels along the first rails toward the second ends thereof, wherein said armature is elongated in a direction in the common plane and wherein said mounting means mounts said elongated armature in the gap between the first pair of rails for rotation in said common plane, the armature ends being arcuate and one of said first pair of rails being provided with a complementary arcuate surface against which the armature rotates with one arcuate end of said armature in sliding electrical contact with said complementary arcuate surface when said armature is rotated to said first position;
• and
• a second set of parallel launcher rails with a first end of each rail of said second set connected to one of said rails of the first set, and a projectile placed between and in sliding contact with each of said second rails, said projectile being accelerated toward and ejected from the second ends of said second set of launcher rails when said armature is rotated to interrupt the flow of current therethrough.