Ammunition and explosives – Igniting devices and systems – Ignition or detonation circuit
Patent
1995-09-12
1999-03-16
Johnson, Stephen M.
Ammunition and explosives
Igniting devices and systems
Ignition or detonation circuit
89 141, 89 2805, 42 84, F41B 1968
Patent
active
058833293
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to firearms.
The invention has utility as an automatic, high rate of fire, firearm whereby it may be used for example, as a close-in ship-board defense against bombs, missiles or attack aircraft for launching large numbers of projectiles within a short period of time. The invention also has utility in hand guns such as a rapid fire pistol or rifle which may be disposable.
Currently, most firearms use cartridge ammunition which is mechanically fed to a barrel. Such firearms have numerous moving parts, tend to be heavy and complex, may jamb or be unreliable, and require elaborate delivery and loading systems to support the rate of fire. The rate of fire of automatic firearms of this type is limited by the time required to load the cartridge, seal the barrel, unseal the barrel and eject the empty case.
More recently, firearms have begun to utilise caseless ammunition which obviates the need to eject an empty case subsequent to firing. However, these firearms retain many of the problems of conventional firearms.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims to provide an alternative system which will alleviate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art.
According to one aspect this invention provides a barrel assembly including: operative sealing engagement with the bore of the barrel; sequentially through the muzzle of the barrel; means.
The ignition means may be electrical, chemical, mechanical or any other conventional primer. Conveniently, the ignition means is electrical and the control means is an electrical control adapted to provide electrical ignition pulse to the respective ignition means. Suitably the control means is configured to enable a user to selectively control the rate, number, and frequency of the pulses to provide a desired firing pattern. The control means may fire the projectile assemblies singly, in pairs, or in any other combinations.
The projectile assembly may be round, conventionally shaped or dart-like and the fins thereof may be off-set to generate a stabilising spin as the dart is propelled from a barrel which may be a smooth-bored barrel. In addition the barrel assembly may find utility as a removable/replaceable barrel of a rifle or pistol.
Alternatively the barrel assembly constitutes one of a plurality of barrel assemblies and the control means may actuate the ignition means of each of the barrel assemblies in such manner that a sequential plurality of arrays of projectile assemblies are propelled in following relationship. Aiming and firing of the arrays of projectile assemblies may be controlled by a conventional radar fire control system or other known fire control systems. The individual barrel assemblies may be aimed such that the array of projectile assemblies converges at a particular range to give a maximum density of projectile assemblies at that range.
Alternatively, the array of projectile assemblies may diverge to maximise coverage of an area. Thus, the average separation distance at the target between the projectile assemblies in an array can be predetermined and adjusted to suit the nature and range of the target. Of course, the individual barrel assemblies may be fired randomly or independently of the other barrel assemblies.
The plurality of projectile assemblies may be disposed in a continuous abutting relationship throughout the barrel either by the projectile assemblies abutting one another or abutting column means intermediate the projectile assemblies to form a compression resistant column able to resist compression of the projectile assemblies or propelling charges associated therewith due to pressure generated by the firing of the leading projectile assemblies.
The propelling charges may be either solid or granular and compression of either may be an undesirable, moreover, movement of the projectile assemblies relative to the barrel may cause misalignment of the ignition means with their respective propellant charges.
It is preferred that the ignition means be disposed at the leading en
REFERENCES:
patent: 2313030 (1943-03-01), Tauschek
patent: 3169333 (1965-02-01), Scanlon, Jr.
patent: 3854231 (1974-12-01), Broyles
patent: 4709615 (1987-12-01), Field
patent: 5133242 (1992-07-01), Witt
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