Pneumatic launcher system and method for operating same
US7313881B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 8, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jan 1, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 23, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF42B19/00
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A pneumatic launcher has a plenum chamber section, an intermediate chamber section and a launch tube section connected together in a generally linear arrangement. The plenum chamber section defines a plenum chamber that has a closed end and an open end. The intermediate chamber section has aft and forward rupture disks consecutively arranged to define an intermediate chamber. The plenum chamber is pressurized with a pressurized gas to a design plenum pressure and the intermediate chamber is pressurized with a pressurized gas to pressure that is about one-half the design plenum pressure. The intermediate chamber is then depressurizing to produce a pressure imbalance between the plenum and intermediate chambers that causes said aft and forward rupture disks to rupture. As a result, pressure equilibrium occurs between the plenum chamber and launch tube thereby discharging the fluid and projectile from the interior of the launch tube.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.