Electromagnetic rail gun system and cartridge therefor
US4625618A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 11, 1984 |
| Grant date | Dec 2, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 11, 2004 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF42B30/00
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An electromagnetic rail gun system includes an electromagnetic rail gun, a power supply, a cartridge and breech means for holding the cartridge. The gun includes a breech end and a muzzle end and a pair of substantially parallel rails defining a bore for receiving a projectile. The cartridge has releasably held projectile having a nose and a trailing end carrying an armature. The cartridge also includes a casing comprising a pair of electrically conductive casing segments spaced by insulation. The system further comprises interconnection means from the power supply connecting the breech end of the rails in parallel with the casing segments of a cartridge held in the breech means. The cartridge further includes shunt means interconnecting the casing segments for carrying current therebetween, and the armature is in electrically conductive relationship with the casing segments. The shunt means is able to be opened so that increased current thereupon flows through the armature to interact with the magnetic field generated by current flowing through the casing segments to provide a force to move the projectile into the rail gun bore.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.