Electromagnetic rail accelerator arrangement
US5133242A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 21, 1988 |
| Grant date | Jul 28, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 21, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF42B6/006
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An electromagnetic rail accelerator in which a plurality of plasma arc cushions are generated between a plurality of pairs of rails in order to accelerate projectiles. To prevent currents of different intensities from flowing through the individual plasma armatures and, thus subjecting the rails to relatively great wear, the number of rail pairs is made equal to the number of zones in which plasma arc cushions are formed. Preferably, the rail accelerator is composed of a rail arrangement in multiples of three, with the rails being disposed in or on the inner surface of a cylindrical tube of insulating material and with the current flowing in opposite directions in adjacent rails.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.