Weapon system
AssigneeBAE SYSTEMS plc
InventorMichael J. Webb
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A weapon system comprising a barrel for accommodating a projectile in a breech end portion, a muzzle end portion and a breech. The weapon system further comprises means for purging the barrel comprising a coanda slot, a coanda profile provided downstream of the coanda slot, and a source of pressurized gas, a duct which connects the source of pressurized gas to the coanda slot so that pressurized gas can be selectively supplied to the coanda slot and along the coanda profile, thereby entraining air in the barrel and exhausting debris and/or fumes through the muzzle end portion after firing of a projectile, and a valve for controlling flow of gas through the duct.
Claims13
A weapon system comprising:
- a barrel for accommodating a projectile in a breech end portion thereof prior to firing and having a muzzle end portion out of which said projectile can be fired;
- a breech block for closing the breech end portion of the barrel when said projectile is accommodated in the breech end portion and for opening the breech end portion after said projectile has been fired;
- and
- a device for purging the barrel comprising:
- a slot through which pressurised gas flows radially inwardly into the barrel;
- a profile shaped to incur the coanda effect, the profile provided downstream of the slot, the profile curving in a direction towards the muzzle end portion so as to direct the flow of the pressurised gas from the slot into the barrel outwardly through the muzzle end portion;
- a source of pressurised gas;
- and a duct which connects the source of pressurised gas to the slot so that pressurised gas can be selectively supplied to the slot and along the profile thereby entraining air in the barrel and exhausting debris and/or fumes outwardly through the muzzle end portion after firing of said projectile;
- wherein the weapon system further comprises a sensor for sensing when said breech block is opened, wherein said pressurized gas can be supplied to the slot dependent on when said sensor senses that said breech block is opened.
A method of purging a barrel of a weapon system, the weapon system comprising:
- a barrel for accommodating a projectile in a breech end portion thereof prior to firing and having a muzzle end portion out of which said projectile can be fired;
- a breech block for closing the breech end portion of the barrel when said projectile is accommodated in the breech end portion and for opening the breech end portion after a projectile has been fired;
- and
- a device for purging the barrel comprising a slot through which pressurised gas flows radially inwardly into the barrel;
- a profile shaped to incur the coanda effect, the profile provided downstream of the slot, the profile curving in a direction towards the muzzle end portion so as to direct the flow of the pressurised gas from the slot into the barrel outwardly through the muzzle end portion;
- and a source of pressurised gas, wherein said pressurised gas can be supplied to the slot dependent on when said breech block is opened;
- the method comprising:
- monitoring a firing sequence of the weapon system;
- and
- supplying pressurised gas to the slot and along the profile at a predetermined time in the firing sequence, thereby entraining air in the barrel and exhausting debris and/or fumes outwardly through the muzzle end portion after firing of a projectile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.