Carbon fibre gun barrel
US4646615A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 25, 1985 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 25, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB29L2031/777
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A barrel section for a lightweight firearm such as a recoilless gun which is subjected to extremely high transient internal pressures and temperatures on firing is formed from an epoxy-resin impregnated carbon fibre material. The material, in the form of an elongated tow is wound on a mandrel, cured and then removed from the mandrel for subsequent operations such as machining and assembly. During manufacture, a gas-erosion preventing layer is formed on the mandrel and a plurality of layers of tow are helically-wound thereon at a helix angle .theta.=tan.sup.-1 (.sigma..sub.axial /.sigma..sub.hoop) where .sigma..sub.axial and .sigma..sub.hoop are the axial and hoop stresses produced in the barrel section by axial and hoop loads respectively. Lightweight recoilless guns using barrels in accordance with the invention are lighter and less costly to fabricate than conventional guns and are capable of firing upwards of 30 rounds before excessive erosion causes the firearm to be unusable. This is in comparison to a capability of firing only 5 to 10 rounds before failure for conventional guns. Failure is usually the result of the high pressures and temperatures encountered during firing, up…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.