Projectile-launching device
AssigneeState of Israel, Ministry of Defence Rafael-Armamend Development Authority
InventorGideon Rosenberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for accelerating a projectile to an extremely high velocity includes a launch tube having electrodes engageable with the projectile assembly for applying a large electrical voltage to it, the projectile assembly includes a pair of travelling electrodes fixed to the rear end of the projectile and engageable with the launch tube electrodes during the travel of the projectile assembly through the launch tube. The travelling electrodes define a spark gap which, under the high voltage applied from the launch tube electrodes, forms a high-temperature, high-pressure plasma arc travelling with the projectile and effective to increase its acceleration.
Claims15
A device for accelerating a projectile to an extremely high velocity comprising:
- a cylindrical launch tube, and a projectile assembly within said launch tube;
- said launch tube including a pair of launch tube electrodes engageable with said projectile assembly for applying a high electrical voltage thereto;
- said projectile assembly including the projectile to be accelerated, and a pair of travelling electrodes fixed to the rear end of the projectile and engageable with said a pair of launch tube electrodes during the travel of the projectile assembly through the launch tube;
- said travelling electrodes being spaced circumferentially of the projectile assembly by insulating spacers, such as to be in sliding contact with said launch tube electrodes and to define a spark gap extending radially of the projectile assembly;
- at least one of said pair of electrodes extending axially of said launch tube;
- said projectile assembly further including a solid dielectric propellant in said spark gap which, by an electrical arc generated by the high voltage applied from said launch tube electrodes to said travelling electrodes, is quickly vaporized to form high-temperature, high-pressure gases travelling with the projectile and effective to increase its acceleration.
A device for accelerating a projectile to an extremely high velocity comprising:
- a launch tube, and a projectile assembly within said launch tube;
- said launch tube including means for initially accelerating said projectile assembly, and launch tube electrodes including a pair of circumferentially-spaced contact-pin electrodes located at an intermediate portion of the launch tube, and engageable with said projectile assembly for applying a high electrical voltage thereto;
- said projectile assembly including the projectile to be accelerated, and a pair of travelling electrodes fixed to the rear end of the projectile and engageable with said launch tube electrodes during the travel of the projectile assembly through the launch tube;
- said travelling electrodes extending axially of the projectile assembly and being spaced circumferentially of the projectile assembly by insulating spacers, such as to be in sliding contact with said launch tube electrodes and to define a spark gap extending radially of the projectile assembly;
- said projectile assembly further including a solid dielectric propellant in said spark gap which, by an electrical arc generated by the high voltage applied from said launch tube electrodes to said travelling electrodes, is quickly vaporized to form high-temperature, high-pressure gases travelling with the projectile and effective to increase its acceleration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.