IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0327479
(2006-01-09)
|
등록번호 |
US-7775148
(2010-09-06)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
19 인용 특허 :
10 |
초록
▼
Launching payloads at high velocity uses high-pressure gas or combustion products for propulsion, with injection of high pressure gas at intervals along the path behind the payload projectile as it accelerates along the barrel of the launcher. An inner barrel has an interior diameter equal to the pr
Launching payloads at high velocity uses high-pressure gas or combustion products for propulsion, with injection of high pressure gas at intervals along the path behind the payload projectile as it accelerates along the barrel of the launcher. An inner barrel has an interior diameter equal to the projectile diameter or sabot containing the projectile. An outer casing surrounds the inner barrel. Structures at intervals attach the outer casing and the inner barrel. An axial gas containment chamber (AGC) stores high pressure gas between the inner barrel wall, the outer casing wall, and enclosure bulkheads. Pressure-activated valves along the barrel sequentially release the high pressure gas contained in the AGC in to the barrel to create a continuously refreshed high energy pressure heads behind the projectile as it moves down the barrel. A frangible cover at the exit end of the barrel allows the barrel to be evacuated prior to launch. The launcher is rapidly recyclable. The valves close automatically after the projectile has exited the barrel, allowing a new projectile to be introduced into the breech and the AGC to be recharged with high-pressure gas.
대표청구항
▼
I claim: 1. Projectile launcher barrel apparatus comprising: an inner barrel having an inner barrel chamber having proximal and distal ends; a projectile in the inner barrel chamber; an outer casing surrounding the inner barrel; an axial gas chamber surrounding the inner barrel between the inner ba
I claim: 1. Projectile launcher barrel apparatus comprising: an inner barrel having an inner barrel chamber having proximal and distal ends; a projectile in the inner barrel chamber; an outer casing surrounding the inner barrel; an axial gas chamber surrounding the inner barrel between the inner barrel and the outer casing; plural spaced pressure-activated valves connected between the axial gas chamber and the inner barrel chamber, the valves sequentially opening from pressure behind the projectile and admitting pressurized gas from the axial gas chamber to the inner barrel chamber and accelerating the projectile through the inner barrel toward the distal end, wherein the pressure-activated valves have sealing seats and sliders on the seats, wherein the sliders have relatively large lifting areas and relatively small opposite retainer areas, wherein as the projectile passes the valves pressure within the inner cylinder chamber produces greater forces on the large areas, and pressure within the axial gas chamber produces lesser forces on the small retainer areas, and wherein force differential between the greater forces and the smaller forces move the sliders away from the seats, releasing pressure from the axial gas chamber to the inner barrel chamber behind the projectile. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising bulkheads extending radially outward from the proximal and distal ends of the inner barrel to the outer casing. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising diagonal stiffening connectors welded between the inner barrel and the outer casing stiffening the inner barrel. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising supports radially extending between the inner barrel and the outer casing at longitudinally spaced intervals along the inner barrel and outer casing. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising valves positioned on the inner barrel and spaced away from the proximal end and admitting pressurized gas from the axial gas chamber to the inner barrel chamber behind the projectile as the projectile passes the valves. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, a pump connected to the axial gas chamber and further comprising a source of pressurized gas connected to the pump supplying the axial gas chamber with gas at increased pressure. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pressurized gas storage chamber and a storage chamber valve between the pressurized gas storage chamber and the axial gas chamber for storing pressurized gas in the pressurized gas storage chamber and supplying the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas storage chamber to the axial gas chamber. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an igniter in the inner barrel chamber near the proximal end for igniting, combusting, increasing pressure and expanding gas in the inner barrel chamber and driving the projectile through the inner barrel chamber toward the distal end, and an opening between the inner barrel chamber and axial gas chamber near the proximal end for concurrently increasing pressure in the axial gas chamber near the proximal end and creating a pressure wave front moving through the axial gas chamber from the proximal end to the distal end. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising dividers extending axially through the axial gas chamber between the inner barrel and the outer casing, dividing the axial gas chamber into first and second sides, and an oxidant gas inlet connected to the casing on the first side of the axial gas chamber, and a reactant gas inlet connected to the casing on the second side of the axial gas chamber for separately flowing oxidant, and reactant gases onto the casing and into the inner barrel chamber for oxidizing, combusting, expanding and pressurizing gas in the inner barrel chamber and driving the projectile toward the distal end. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a source of oxidant gas connected to the axial gas chamber, and a reactant source connected to the projectile for oxidizing, combusting, generating, expanding and pressurizing gas in the inner barrel chamber and driving the projectile toward the distal end. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projectile comprises a payload, a rocket motor, and an obdurator on the rocket motor for driving the obdurator with the pressurized gas in the inner barrel chamber and driving the rocket motor and the payload through the inner barrel chamber. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising closed volumes and compression springs opposite the larger areas of the sliders, extensions and seals opposite the larger areas of the sliders isolating the closed volumes when the extensions engage the seals and the sliders engage the seals, and moving the extensions away from the seals for communicating pressure in the axial gas chamber to the closed volumes when the sliders move away from the seats, thereby equalizing pressure and forces on opposite sides of the sliders with pressure from within the axial gas chamber, and allowing the springs to close the valves after they have been opened. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the valves have single ports and are arranged radially, the seats surround the single ports, and the sliders are hat-shaped and have rims engaging the seats and inner volumes with outer walls and tops for receiving pressures from within the inner barrel chamber, wherein the extensions extend outward from the tops, and wherein the closed volumes have walls and outer ends for engaging the springs, and the walls have inward extending lips for holding the seals against the extensions. 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the valves have multiple ports and are arranged annularly around the inner barrel, wherein the sliders are annular and dish-shaped and have axially extending cylindrical walls with first and second ends, with radial rims extending from the first ends of the axially extending cylindrical walls forming the small areas, and wherein the sliders have radially extending annular tops at the second ends of the walls as the large areas for receiving the pressure from within the inner barrel chamber, and wherein the extensions are annular extensions extending radially from the second ends of radially extending cylindrical walls, wherein the closed volumes are annular chambers formed with axial walls, and annular tops against which the springs bear and inward extending annular radial lips opposite the tops, holding the seals against the annular extensions until the annular dish-shaped sliders are moved by pressure from the inner barrel chamber when the projectile passes the valves. 15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising closed volumes and compression springs opposite the relatively large areas of the sliders, extensions and seals opposite the relatively large areas of the sliders isolating the closed volumes when the extensions engage the seals and the sliders engage the seals, and moving the extensions away from the seals for communicating pressure from the high pressure chamber to the closed volumes when the sliders move away from the seats, thereby equalizing pressure and forces on opposite sides of the sliders with the pressure from the high pressure gas chamber, and allowing the compression springs to close the valves after the valves have been opened. 16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the valves are arranged radially on the barrel, the seats surround single ports in the barrel, and the sliders are hat-shaped and have rims engaging the seats and have inner volumes with tops for receiving pressures from within the barrel, wherein the extensions extend outward from the tops, and wherein the closed volumes have walls and outer ends for engaging the compression springs, and the walls have inward extending lips for holding the seals against the extensions. 17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the valves have multiple ports and are arranged annularly around the barrel, wherein the sliders are annular and dish-shaped and have axially extending cylindrical walls with radial rims extending from first ends of the walls forming the relatively small areas, and wherein the sliders have radially extending tops at opposite second ends of the walls forming the relatively large areas for receiving the pressure from within the barrel, and wherein the extensions are annular extensions extending radially from the walls, wherein the closed volumes are annular chambers formed with axial walls, annular radial tops against which the compression springs bear and inward extending annular radial lips holding the seals against the annular extensions until the annular dish-shaped sliders are moved by pressure from within the barrel. 18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein multiple inner barrels and outer casings are joined end-to-end, forming an elongated projectile launcher barrel having breech and muzzle ends, and wherein the elongated projectile launcher barrel is supported by a minion on a proximal end and plural cables along the elongated projectile launcher barrel suspended from an A-frame truss. 19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein multiple inner barrels and outer casings are joined end-to-end forming an elongated projectile launcher barrel, and wherein the elongated projectile launcher barrel is supported by flotation collars near breech and muzzle ends and is erected by flooding a flotation collar near the breech end and submerging the breech end. 20. Projectile launcher barrel apparatus comprising: an inner barrel having an inner barrel chamber having proximal and distal ends; a projectile in the inner barrel chamber; an outer casing surrounding the inner barrel; an axial gas chamber surrounding the inner barrel between the inner barrel and the outer casing; plural spaced pressure-activated valves connected between the axial gas chamber and the inner barrel chamber, the valves sequentially opening from pressure behind the projectile and admitting pressurized gas from the axial gas chamber to the inner barrel chamber and accelerating the projectile through the inner barrel toward the distal end, further comprising internal supports extending between the inner barrel and the outer casing and having openings in the supports permitting pressure front travel along the axial gas chamber from near the bulkhead at the proximal end toward the bulkhead at the distal end. 21. Projectile launcher barrel apparatus comprising: an inner barrel having an inner barrel chamber having proximal and distal ends; a projectile in the inner barrel chamber; an outer casing surrounding the inner barrel; an axial gas chamber surrounding the inner barrel between the inner barrel and the outer casing; plural spaced pressure-activated valves connected between the axial gas chamber and the inner barrel chamber, the valves sequentially opening from pressure behind the projectile and admitting pressurized gas from the axial gas chamber to the inner barrel chamber and accelerating the projectile through the inner barrel toward the distal end, a pressurized gas storage chamber and a storage chamber valve between the pressurized gas storage chamber and the axial gas chamber for storing pressurized gas in the pressurized gas storage chamber and supplying the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas storage chamber to the axial gas chamber, further comprising an igniter in the pressurized gas storage chamber for igniting and combusting gas in the pressurized gas storage chamber prior to supplying the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas storage chamber to the axial gas chamber. 22. The method of projectile launching comprising: providing an inner barrel having breech and muzzle ends; providing an inner barrel chamber in the inner barrel; providing a projectile in the inner barrel chamber near the breech end of the inner barrel; providing an outer casing surrounding the inner barrel; providing an axial gas chamber between the inner barrel and the outer casing; providing supporting interconnections between the inner barrel and the outer casing; evacuating the inner barrel chamber near the muzzle end; providing series of pressure-activated valves along the inner barrel; driving the projectile from the breech end and toward the muzzle end; providing pressurized gas in the axial gas chamber; sequentially opening the valves with force differentials from pressure and area differentials of inner barrel chamber lower pressures applied to relatively large areas and axial gas chamber higher pressures applied to smaller areas; flowing pressurized gas from the axial gas chamber through open valves into the inner barrel chamber behind the projectile as the projectile moves from the breech end to the muzzle end; closing the valves with springs; and accelerating the projectile from the breech end through the inner barrel chamber and outward through the muzzle end. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the flowing further comprises flowing oxidizer gas and reactant gas separately through the valves, and reacting the oxidizer gas and the reactant gas in the inner barrel chamber. 24. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing a chemical reactant on the projectile and wherein the flowing comprises flowing pressurized oxidizer gas into the inner barrel chamber followed by reacting the oxidizer gas and the reactant in the inner barrel chamber behind the accelerating projectile. 25. Projector launcher barrel apparatus, comprising gas force opening valves which open with lower pressures within a barrel operating against higher resistant pressures in an axial high pressure gas chamber, wherein the valves have sealing seats on the barrel and sliders on the seats, wherein the sliders have relatively large areas and relatively small opposite retainer areas, wherein lesser pressures within the barrel produce greater forces on the relatively large areas, and greater pressures in the high pressure chamber produces lesser forces on the relatively small retainer areas, and wherein differential forces between the greater forces and the lesser forces move the sliders away from the seats, releasing greater pressure from the high pressure chamber through the valves to inside of the barrel.
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