| United States Patent Application |
20070056572
|
| Kind Code |
A1
|
| Frasca; Joseph Franklin
|
March 15, 2007
|
Electromagnetic Propulsion Devices Utilizing Wall
Conductors
Abstract
Electromagnetic propulsion devices having a barrel with a cavity its
length, armatures for said cavity with a propulsion bus in and
circumscribing said armature's body, orthogonal the axis thereof with
power rail continuity on one end and propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit
means continuity the other and an array of wall conductors orthogonal
and circumscribing most of said barrel's cavity and distributed between
said cavity's ends with contact means at the cavity at one end and a
bus common to all wall conductors at the other and an armature forward
shunt directs current between a power rail and forward wall conductors
and an armature aft current shunt directs current between said circuit
means and aft wall conductors and wherein the magnetic fields of
current in the barrel wall conductors immediately before and
immediately aft the armature's propulsion bus interact with the current
therein creating forces propelling the armature through said cavity.
| Inventors: |
Frasca; Joseph Franklin; (ATLANTA,
GA)
|
| Correspondence Name and
Address: |
JOSEPH FRANKLIN FRASCA
479 EAST PACES FERRY ROAD, NE APT #1121
ATLANTA
GA
30305-3318
US
|
| Serial
No.:
|
308853 |
| Series Code: |
11
|
| Filed: |
May 15, 2006 |
| U.S. Current Class: |
124/3; 89/8 |
| U.S. Class at
Publication: |
124/003;
089/008 |
| Intern'l Class: |
F41B 6/00 20060101
F41B006/00; F41F 1/00 20060101 F41F001/00 |
Claims
1. Electromagnetic propulsion devices comprising: a barrel; a cavity
therein which extends the length of said barrel and having: a breech
end opening at one end and a muzzle end opening at the other barrel end
and a central axis which extends from said breech end opening to said
muzzle end opening and a uniform right section profile to said central
axis throughout said cavity; and two barrel rails which are: power
rails, and parallel to one another and located in said barrel cavity's
wall, and electrically insulated from direct electrical continuity with
each other, and each said power rail has: continuous barrel cavity
surface along its length and connection means to outside said barrel
for attachment to a power source; and a wall conductor assembly
comprised of: a barrel bus that is: located outside of said barrel
cavity, and parallel said barrel power rails, and electrically
insulated from direct electrical continuity with said barrel power
rails, and located along the same length of the barrel as said power
rails; and an array of wall conductors that are: located outside of
said barrel cavity, and oriented orthogonal said barrel cavity axis,
and parallel to one another, and separated from one another, and
distributed along the length of said barrel bus, and each wall
conductor of said wall conductor array: is a continuous insulated
conductor between its ends, and has electrical continuity at one end
with said barrel bus, and circumscribes most of the barrel cavity from
said barrel bus to proximal said power rail distal said barrel bus, and
circumscribes most of the barrel cavity in the same direction from said
continuity with said barrel bus as all other wall conductors of said
array of wall conductors; and contact means for each wall conductor of
said array of wall conductors that: is located proximal said wall
conductor's end that is distal said wall conductor's end with said
barrel bus continuity, and has continuous electrical continuity with
said wall conductor thereat, and extends through a mating opening in
the barrel cavity wall, and has surface in the barrel cavity; and
armatures for propulsion through said barrel cavity and each said
armature has: a central axis that is, with said armature in said barrel
cavity, coincident the central axis of said cavity or very close and
parallel the cavity's central axis, and a muzzle end that is, with said
armature in said barrel cavity, the armature's end closest the cavity's
muzzle end, and a breech end that is, with said armature in said barrel
cavity, the armature's end closest the cavity's breech end, and all
right section profiles to said axis smaller than said barrel cavity's
right section profile, and a portion of said profiles like said barrel
cavity's right section profile but slightly undersized thereof; and a
propulsion bus that is: a continuous conductor between its ends, and
located midway between said armature's muzzle and breech ends, and
oriented orthogonal said armature's central axis, and located in said
armature where said cavity's right section profile and said armature's
right section profiles are similar, and located within said armature,
in, at or proximal said armature's surface that in said barrel cavity
is proximal said cavity's surface, and said propulsion bus between its
ends circumscribes most of said armature, and has, with said armature
in said barrel cavity, surface at one end with continuous electrical
continuity with said cavity surface of one of said power rails and
continuous electrical continuity at its other end with propulsion
bus-aft shunt circuit means; and a forward current shunt that: is
located in said armature's surface between said propulsion bus and said
armature's muzzle end, and, with said armature in said barrel cavity,
is proximal the power rail without said propulsion bus continuity and
has surface with continuous electrical continuity with the cavity
surface of said power rail and is insulated from direct electrical
continuity from said power rail with said propulsion bus continuity,
and has surface at and with continuous electrical continuity with said
contact means of said wall conductor assembly at the instant barrel
cavity location of said shunt's surface; and said wall conductor
assembly has additionally, with an armature in said barrel cavity,
forward wall conductors comprised of: the group of one or more
consecutive wall conductors of said wall conductor assembly whose
contact means at any instant have said electrical continuity with said
forward current shunt surface at said contact means; and each said
armature also has an aft current shunt that: is located in the
armature's surface between said propulsion bus and said armature's
breech end, and, with said armature in said barrel cavity, has
continuous electrical continuity with propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit
means, and has surface at and with continuous electrical continuity
with said contact means of said wall conductor assembly at the instant
barrel cavity location of said shunt's surface; and said wall conductor
assembly has additionally, with an armature in said barrel cavity, aft
wall conductors comprised of: the group of one or more consecutive wall
conductors of said wall conductor assembly whose contact means at any
instant have said electrical continuity with said aft current shunt
surface at said contact means; and said propulsion bus-aft shunt
circuit means is comprised: an electric current bus in said armature
that is located: proximal said current shunts therein, and between and
connecting said aft current shunt and the end of said propulsion bus
distal said propulsion bus's end with said power rail continuity; and
wherein with power supplied to the power rails by an outside power
supply so that: the magnetic fields of current in said forward wall
conductors interact with the current in said propulsion bus creating
forces in said propulsion bus with cavity axis parallel, muzzle
directed components, and the magnetic fields of current in said aft
wall conductors interact with the current in said propulsion bus
creating forces in said propulsion bus with cavity axis parallel,
muzzle directed components, and said cavity axis parallel, muzzle
directed force components, propel the armature through said barrel's
cavity from breech to muzzle.
2. Electromagnetic propulsion devices as claimed in claim 1 wherein
said barrel has a twist so that consecutive right sections through the
barrel have a constant rate of angular rotation about said cavity axis
per unit cavity axis distance; and said armatures for use in said
barrel cavity have a twist so that consecutive right sections through
said armatures have the same constant rate of angular rotation about
the armature axis per unit axis distance; and said twist imparts
rotation to said armatures during their traverse from said barrel
cavity's breech end to muzzle end.
3. Electromagnetic propulsion devices as claimed in claim 1 but wherein
said propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means is comprised: a third
barrel rail that: is located in said barrel wall, and has continuous
barrel cavity surface along its length, and is electrically isolated
from said barrel power rails, and is parallel said barrel power rails,
and is located along the same barrel cavity length as said power rails;
and additional surface on said propulsion bus that: is proximal said
bus's end that is distal said bus's end with power rail continuity, and
with said armature in said barrel cavity, is at and has continuous
electrical continuity with the barrel cavity surface of said third
barrel rail; and additional surface on said aft current shunt that:
with said armature in said barrel cavity, is at and has continuous
electrical continuity with the barrel cavity surface of said third
barrel rail.
4. An electromagnetic propulsion device as claimed in claim 3 wherein
the barrel cavity has a twist so that: consecutive right sections
through the barrel have a constant rate of angular rotation about the
cavity axis per unit cavity distance; and armatures for use in said
barrel cavity have a twist so that: consecutive right sections through
said armatures have the same constant angular rotation rate about the
armature axis per unit axis distance, and said twist imparts rotation
to said armatures during their barrel cavity traverse.
5. Electromagnetic propulsion devices comprising: a barrel; a cavity
therein which extends the length of said barrel and having: a breech
end opening at one end, and a muzzle end opening at the other barrel
end, and a central axis which extends from said breech end opening to
said muzzle end opening, and a uniform right section profile to said
central axis throughout said cavity; and two barrel rails which are:
power rails, and parallel to one another and located in said barrel
cavity's wall, and electrically insulated from direct electrical
continuity with each other, and each said power rail has: continuous
barrel cavity surface along its length and connection means to outside
said barrel for attachment to a power source; and a wall conductor
assembly comprised of: a barrel bus that is: located outside of said
barrel cavity, and parallel to said barrel power rails, and
electrically insulated from direct electrical continuity with said
barrel power rails, and located along the same length of the barrel as
said power rails; and an array of wall conductors that are: located
outside of said barrel cavity, and oriented orthogonal said barrel
cavity axis, and parallel to one another, and separated from one
another, and distributed along the length of said barrel bus, and each
wall conductor of said wall conductor array: is a continuous insulated
conductor between its ends, and has electrical continuity at one end
with said barrel bus, and circumscribes most of the barrel cavity from
said barrel bus to proximal said power rail thereto distal, and
circumscribes most of the barrel cavity in the same direction from said
continuity with said barrel bus as all other wall conductors of said
array of wall conductors; and contact means for each wall conductor of
said array of wall conductors that: is located proximal the end of said
wall conductor that is distal said wall conductor's end with said
barrel bus continuity, and has continuous electrical continuity with
said wall conductor's barrel bus distal end, and extends through a
mating opening in the barrel cavity wall and has surface in the barrel
cavity; and armatures for propulsion through said barrel cavity and
each said armature has: a central axis that is, with said armature in
said barrel cavity, coincident the central axis of said cavity or very
close and parallel the cavity's central axis, and a muzzle end that is,
with said armature in said barrel cavity, the armature's end closest
the cavity's muzzle end, and a breech end that is, with said armature
in said barrel cavity, the armature's end closest the cavity's breech
end, and all right section profiles to said axis smaller than said
barrel cavity's right section profile, and a portion of said profiles
like said barrel cavity's right section profile but slightly undersized
thereof; and a propulsion bus that is: a continuous conductor between
its ends, and located midway between said armature's muzzle and breech
ends, and oriented orthogonal said armature's central axis, and located
in said armature where said cavity's right section profile and said
armature's right section profiles are similar, and located within said
armature, in, at or proximal said armature's surface that in said
barrel cavity is proximal said cavity's surface, and said propulsion
bus between its ends circumscribes most of said armature, and has, with
said armature in said barrel cavity, surface at one end with continuous
electrical continuity with said cavity surface of one of said power
rails and with armature movement in said barrel cavity said electrical
continuity is continuous sliding electrical continuity, and continuous
electrical continuity at its other end with propulsion bus-aft shunt
circuit means; and a forward current shunt that: is located in said
armature's surface between said propulsion bus and said armature's
muzzle end, and, with said armature in said barrel cavity, is proximal
the barrel power rail without propulsion bus continuity, and has
surface with continuous electrical continuity with the cavity surface
of said power rail and with armature movement in said barrel cavity
said electrical continuity is continuous sliding electrical continuity,
and is insulated from direct electrical continuity with the power rail
with propulsion bus continuity, and has surface at and with continuous
electrical continuity with said contact means of said wall conductor
assembly at the instant barrel cavity location of said shunt surface
and said continuity is sliding electrical continuity with armature
movement in the barrel cavity; and said wall conductor assembly has
additionally, with an armature in said barrel cavity, forward wall
conductors comprised of: the group of one or more consecutive wall
conductors of said wall conductor assembly whose contact means at any
instant have said electrical continuity with said forward current shunt
surface at said contact means; and said forward current shunt of an
armature in said barrel cavity, via said shunt's continuous electrical
continuity with said power rail and said shunt's continuous electrical
continuity with said forward wall conductors of said wall conductor
assembly, maintains continuous electrical continuity between said
barrel power rail and said forward wall conductors; and each said
armature also has: an aft current shunt that: is located in the
armature's surface between said propulsion bus and said armature's
breech end, and, with said armature in said barrel cavity, has
continuous electrical continuity with propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit
means, and has surface at and with continuous electrical continuity
with said contact means of said wall conductor assembly at the instant
barrel cavity location of said shunt's surface and said continuity is
sliding electrical continuity with armature movement in the barrel
cavity, and said aft current shunt of an armature in the barrel cavity
is electrically insulated from direct electrical continuity with said
barrel power rails; and said wall conductor assembly has additionally,
with an armature in said barrel cavity, aft wall conductors comprised
of: the group of one or more consecutive wall conductors of said wall
conductor assembly whose contact means at any instant have said
electrical continuity with said aft current shunt surface at said
contact means; and said aft current shunt of an armature in said barrel
cavity, via said shunt's continuous electrical continuity with said
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means and said shunt's continuous
electrical continuity with said aft wall conductors of said wall
conductor assembly, maintains continuous electrical continuity between
said propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means and said aft wall
conductors; and said barrel bus of said wall conductor assembly, with
an armature in said barrel cavity, maintains continuous electrical
continuity between said forward wall conductors and said aft wall
conductors of said wall conductor assembly; and said propulsion bus-aft
shunt circuit means is comprised: an electric current bus in said
armature that is located: proximal said current shunts therein, and
between and connecting said aft current shunt and the end of said
propulsion bus distal said propulsion bus's end with said power rail
continuity; and wherein with power supplied to the power rails by an
outside power supply so that: the magnetic fields of current in said
forward wall conductors interact with the current in said propulsion
bus creating forces in said propulsion bus with cavity axis parallel,
muzzle directed components, and the magnetic fields of current in said
aft wall conductors interact with the current in said propulsion bus
creating forces in said propulsion bus with cavity axis parallel,
muzzle directed components, and said cavity axis parallel, muzzle
directed force components, propel the armature through the barrel
cavity from breech to muzzle.
6. Electromagnetic propulsion devices as claimed in claim 5 wherein
said barrel has a twist so that consecutive right sections through the
barrel have a constant rate of angular rotation about said cavity axis
per unit cavity axis distance; and said armatures for use in said
barrel cavity have a twist so that consecutive right sections through
said armatures have the same constant rate of angular rotation about
the armature axis per unit axis distance; and said twist imparts
rotation to said armatures during their traverse from said barrel
cavity's breech to muzzle.
7. Electromagnetic propulsion devices as claimed in claim 5 but wherein
said propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means is comprised: a third
barrel rail that: is located in said barrel wall, and has continuous
barrel cavity surface along its length, and is electrically isolated
from said barrel power rails, and is parallel said barrel power rails,
and is located along the same barrel cavity length as said power rails;
and additional surface on said propulsion bus that is: proximal said
bus's end that is distal said bus's end with power rail continuity,
and, with said armature in said barrel cavity, at and has continuous
electrical continuity with the barrel cavity surface of said third rail
and said continuity is sliding electrical continuity with armature
movement in the barrel cavity; and additional surface on said aft
current shunt that is, with said armature in said barrel cavity, at and
has continuous electrical continuity with the barrel cavity surface of
said third barrel rail and said continuity is sliding electrical
continuity with armature movement in the barrel cavity; and said
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means, with said armature in said
barrel cavity, maintains continuous electrical continuity between said
propulsion bus and said aft current shunt.
8. An electromagnetic propulsion device as claimed in claim 7 wherein
the barrel has a twist so that consecutive right sections through the
barrel have a constant rate of angular rotation about the cavity axis
per unit cavity distance; and armatures for use in said barrel cavity
have a twist so that consecutive right sections through said armatures
have the same constant angular rotation rate about the armature axis
per unit axis distance, and said twist imparts rotation to said
armature during their barrel cavity traverse.
9. Electromagnetic propulsion devices comprising: a barrel; a cavity
therein which extends the length of said barrel and having: a breech
end opening at one end, and a muzzle end opening at the other barrel
end, and a central axis which extends from said breech end opening to
said muzzle end opening, and a uniform right section profile to said
central axis throughout said cavity; and two barrel rails which are:
power rails, and parallel to one another, and located in said barrel
cavity's wall, and electrically insulated from direct electrical
continuity with each other, and each said power rail has: continuous
barrel cavity surface along its length and connection means to outside
said barrel for attachment to a power source; and a wall conductor
assembly comprised of: a barrel bus that is: located outside of said
barrel cavity, and parallel said barrel power rails, and electrically
insulated from direct electrical continuity with said barrel power
rails, and located along the same length of the barrel as said power
rails; and an array of wall conductors that are: located outside of
said barrel cavity, and oriented orthogonal said barrel cavity axis,
and parallel to one another, and separated from one another, and
distributed along the length of said barrel bus, and each wall
conductor of said wall conductor array: is a continuous insulated
conductor between its ends, and has electrical continuity at one end
with said barrel bus, and circumscribes most of the barrel cavity from
said barrel bus to said power rail thereto distal and circumscribes
most of the barrel cavity in the same direction from said continuity
with said barrel bus as all other wall conductors of said array of wall
conductors; and contact means for each wall conductor of said array of
wall conductors that: is located proximal the end of said wall
conductor that is distal said wall conductor's end with said barrel bus
continuity, and has continuous electrical continuity with said wall
conductor's barrel bus distal end, and extends through a mating opening
in the barrel cavity wall and has surface in the barrel cavity; and
armatures for propulsion through said barrel cavity and each said
armature has: a central axis that is, with said armature in said barrel
cavity, coincident the central axis of said cavity or very close and
parallel the cavity's central axis, and a muzzle end that is, with said
armature in said barrel cavity, the armature's end closest the cavity's
muzzle end, and a breech end that is, with said armature in said barrel
cavity, the armature's end closest the cavity's breech end, and all
right section profiles to said axis smaller than said barrel cavity's
right section profile, and a portion of said profiles like said barrel
cavity's right section profile but slightly undersized thereof; and a
propulsion bus that is: a continuous conductor between its ends, and
located midway between said armature's muzzle and breech ends, and
oriented orthogonal said armature's central axis, and located in said
armature where said cavity's right section profile and said armature's
right section profiles are similar, and located within said armature,
in, at or proximal said armature's surface, and with the armature in
said barrel's cavity, said propulsion bus: is proximal said cavity's
surface, and between its ends circumscribes most of said armature, and
has surface at one end with continuous electrical continuity with the
cavity surface of one of said power rails and with armature movement in
said barrel cavity said electrical continuity is continuous sliding
electrical continuity, and has continuous electrical continuity at its
other end with propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means; and a forward
current shunt that: is located in said armature's surface between said
propulsion bus and said armature's muzzle end, and, with said armature
in said barrel cavity, is proximal the said barrel power rail without
propulsion bus continuity, and has surface with continuous electrical
continuity with the cavity surface of said power rail and with armature
movement in said barrel cavity said electrical continuity is continuous
sliding electrical continuity and is insulated from direct electrical
continuity with the said power rail with propulsion bus continuity, and
has surface at and with continuous electrical continuity with said
contact means of said wall conductor assembly at the instant barrel
cavity location of said shunt surface and said continuity is sliding
electrical continuity with armature movement in the barrel cavity; and
said wall conductor assembly has additionally, with an armature in said
barrel cavity, forward wall conductors comprised of: the group of one
or more consecutive wall conductors of said wall conductor assembly
whose contact means at any instant have said electrical continuity with
said forward current shunt surface at said contact means; and said
forward current shunt of an armature in said barrel cavity, via said
shunt's continuous electrical continuity with said power rail and said
shunt's continuous electrical continuity with said forward wall
conductors of said wall conductor assembly, maintains continuous
electrical continuity between said barrel power rail and said forward
wall conductors, and, with power supplied by an outside power supply to
said power rails, maintains a current path between said barrel power
rail, and said forward wall conductors; and each said armature also has
an aft current shunt that: is located in the armature's surface between
said propulsion bus and said armature's breech end, and, with said
armature in said barrel cavity, has continuous electrical continuity
with propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means, and has surface at and
with continuous electrical continuity with said contact means of said
wall conductor assembly at the instant barrel cavity location of said
shunt's surface and said continuity is sliding electrical continuity
with armature movement in the barrel cavity, and is electrically
insulated from direct electrical continuity with said barrel power
rails; and said wall conductor assembly has additionally, with an
armature in said barrel cavity, aft wall conductors comprised of: the
group of one or more consecutive wall conductors of said wall conductor
assembly whose contact means at any instant have said electrical
continuity with said aft current shunt surface at said contact means;
and said aft current shunt of an armature in said barrel cavity, via
said shunt's continuous electrical continuity with said propulsion
bus-aft shunt circuit means and said shunt's continuous electrical
continuity with said aft wall conductors of said wall conductor
assembly, maintains continuous electrical continuity between said
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means and said aft wall conductors,
and, with power supplied by an outside power supply to said power
rails, maintains a current path between said propulsion bus-aft shunt
circuit means, and said aft wall conductors; and said barrel bus of
said wall conductor assembly, with an armature in said barrel cavity,
provides continuous electrical continuity between said forward wall
conductors and said aft wall conductors of said wall conductor assembly
and with power supplied by an outside power supply to said power rails,
provides a current path between said forward wall conductors and said
aft wall conductors; and said propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means is
comprised: an electric current bus in said armature that is located:
proximal said current shunts therein, and between and connecting said
aft current shunt and the end of said propulsion bus distal said
propulsion bus's end with said power rail continuity; and wherein with
power supplied to the power rails by an outside power supply so that:
the magnetic fields of current in said forward wall conductors interact
with the current in said propulsion bus creating forces in said
propulsion bus with cavity axis parallel, muzzle directed components,
and the magnetic fields current in said aft wall conductors interact
with the current in said propulsion bus creating forces in said
propulsion bus with cavity axis parallel, muzzle directed components,
and said cavity axis parallel, muzzle directed force components, propel
the armature through the barrel cavity from breech to muzzle.
10. Electromagnetic propulsion devices as claimed in claim 9 wherein
said barrel cavity has a twist so that consecutive right sections
through the barrel have a constant rate of angular rotation about said
cavity axis per unit cavity axis distance; and said armatures for use
in said barrel cavity have a twist so that consecutive right sections
through said armatures have the same constant rate of angular rotation
about the armature axis per unit axis distance; and said twist imparts
rotation to said armatures during their traverse from said barrel
cavity's breech to muzzle.
11. Electromagnetic propulsion devices as claimed in claim 9 but
wherein said propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means is comprised: a
third barrel rail that: is located in said barrel wall, and has
continuous barrel cavity surface along its length, and is electrically
isolated from said barrel power rails, and is parallel said barrel
power rails, and is located along the same barrel cavity length as said
power rails; and additional surface on said propulsion bus that: is
proximal said bus's end that is distal said bus's end with power rail
continuity, and, with said armature in said barrel cavity, is at and
has continuous electrical continuity with the barrel cavity surface of
said third rail and said continuity is sliding electrical continuity
with armature movement in the barrel cavity; and additional surface on
said aft current shunt that, with said armature in said barrel cavity,
is at and has continuous electrical continuity with the barrel cavity
surface of said third barrel rail and said continuity is sliding
electrical continuity with armature movement in the barrel cavity; and
said propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means, with said armature in said
barrel cavity, maintains continuous electrical continuity between said
propulsion bus and said aft current shunt and maintains a current path
between said propulsion bus and said aft current shunt, with power
supplied by an outside power supply to said power rails.
12. An electromagnetic propulsion device as claimed in claim 11 wherein
the barrel has a twist so that consecutive right sections through the
barrel have a constant rate of angular rotation about the cavity axis
per unit cavity distance; and armatures for use in said barrel's cavity
have a twist so that consecutive right sections through said armatures
have the same constant angular rotation rate about the armature axis
per unit axis distance, and said twist imparts rotation to said
armature during their barrel cavity traverse.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional application of patent
application: Ser. No. 10/707,607 filed Dec 24, 2003 and claims the
benefit of the filing dates of provisional patent application:
60/319,820 filed Dec. 30, 2002, provisional patent application:
60/320,208 filed May 21, 2003, and provisional patent application:
60/481,159. This application is also related to sister divisional
application: Ser. No. 11/164,727 filed Dec. 2, 2005, sister divisional
application: Ser. No. 11/306,245 filed Dec. 20, 2005 and sister
divisional application Ser. No. 11/308,565 filed Apr. 7, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The following invention is related electromagnetic propulsion
devices such as rail devices. In rail devices a magnetic field
perpendicular to an electrical current path through an armature,
interacts with the path current, creating force on the armature which
is perpendicular to both the current path and the magnetic field. The
armature of a rail device is located between and has electrical
continuity with the device's parallel power rails. In the rail device,
armature current flow is resultant a voltage potential between the
power rails.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] The source of the armature accelerating magnetic fields in a
rail device is often only its very large rail currents. Among the
oldest patented rail device inventions are those of Fauhon-Villeplee
which include U.S. Pat. No. 1,370,200. The Fauhon-Villeplee devices
have, in addition to the magnetic fields of the rail currents, magnetic
fields for armature acceleration supplied by electromagnets and/or
permanent magnets arranged along the armature's path between the power
rails. The power rails primary function is the supply of armature
current. These devices, though more cumbersome, permit more latitude in
accelerator design.
[0006] Pyrotechnic armature acceleration means such as gun powders and
more esoteric explosives pervasive civilian and military armaments
today have upper armature velocity limits. These upper velocity limits
are determined by the molecular velocity of the armature propelling
explosion gases at the maximum pressure and temperature permitted in
the barrel. Rail devices do not share this limitation. Therefore, the
massive power generation and distribution systems--which can include
cryogenic equipment--needed to meet a rail device's immense electric
current requirements to propel armatures to hyper velocities are seen
as acceptable overhead.
[0007] With the effective development of gas cartridge fired power
sources similar to those used for emergency power in some commercial
and military aircraft, a significant reduction in the mass of rail gun
support equipment should be possible.
[0008] The equations and examples herein are intended as aides to
practitioners of the arts relevant to the topic devices and are not
part of the claimed devices, and the degree of their veracity is not
intended to reflect adversely on the veracity, spirit, intent, merit or
scope of this application for letters of patent.
[0009] A simplified equation for the incremental force due to one rail
in a rail device is:df=dq(U.times.B)=(dQdl/dt.times.B)=I dl.times.B=I
dl.times..mu.I(2.pi.r), where .mu.=4.pi..times.10.sup.-7 H/m. 1) The
force on the armature due to the current in both rails is then: Force =
2 .function. [ I 2 .function. ( 4 .times. .pi. .times. 10 - 7 ) ]
.times. .intg. r 0 r 1 .times. .times. d r / ( 2 .times. .pi. .times.
.times. r ) = I 2 .function. ( 4 .times. 10 - 7 ) .times. ln .function.
( r 2 / r 0 ) .times. Newton 2 ) where r.sub.o is effective radius of
one of the rails and r.sub.a is the straight line distance from that
rail to the second rail.
[0010] The following example illustrates the magnitude of the currents
required by conventional rail devices.
[0011] A hypothetical device with a 11.43 mm cylindrical bore (0.45
inches) and an approximate 0.6264 m (24 inches) barrel length, fires a
6.48 gram (100 grain) bullet with muzzle velocity of 1524 m/s (5000
ft/s). Ignoring air and barrel friction, a like muzzle velocity would
also result from a steady force of 12344.2 N (2775 lbf) applied to the
bullet during its 0.0008 second barrel traverse. At the muzzle the
bullet has 7525 J (5550 ft-lbf) kinetic energy.
[0012] Applying equation 2, above, for the rail device force (with an
r.sub.a/r.sub.o ratio of 5.4) for like performance of a 0.6264 m (24
inches) long rail device propelled bullet and ignoring air and barrel
friction and circuit losses, a current of approximately 135,065 Amperes
at a rail potential of 69.6 Volts is required to produce the 12344.2 N
force on the armature for the 0.8 millisecond barrel traverse time.
[0013] For a like performance in a rail device that has a 0.6264 m long
barrel (24 inches) cavity with a rectangular right section and a
r.sub.a/r.sub.o ratio of 15, propelling a 6.48 gram (100 grain) flat
armature with a 0.0422 m (1.66 inches) long propulsion bus, an
approximate current of 106,751 Amperes at a rail potential of 88.1
volts is required to produce the 12344.2 Newton (2775 lbf) force on the
armature for its 0.0008 second barrel traverse.
[0014] The magnetic fields of the electromagnetic propulsion devices in
the above noted parent application Ser. No. 10/707,607 and its
divisional applications are attributable to both the power rails and
the forward and aft wall conductors of wall conductor assembles.
Reliance on the power rail's magnetic fields requires the barrel
cavity's location between the power rails and the armature's propulsion
bus (i.e. the armature's current path between the power rails) to a
path between and orthogonal said rails and when coupled with the use of
wall conductors magnetic fields which for best effect need to be as
close as possible the propulsion bus with as small as possible a
deflection angle therewith, requires said cavity to be fairly narrow.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] In the topic invention, the barrel power rails are located
proximal and parallel and electrically isolated from each other and
when there is a barrel rail used in the propulsion bus-aft shunt
circuit means said rail is also located proximal, parallel and
electrically isolated from said power rails. With this arrangement of
barrel rails the magnetic fields of the currents in said rails
interacting with the current in an armature's propulsion bus largely
cancel each other, and the net force on the propulsion bus resultant
said magnetic fields interaction with the current in said bus is
negligible.
[0016] The electromagnetic forces which propel an armature in the
invention are resultant the interaction with the electric current
(hereinafter current) in the armature's propulsion bus with the
magnetic fields of the currents in the forward and aft wall conductors
of the wall conductor assembly. Without the constraints imposed by the
requirement of a rail device that of the armature and its propulsion
bus be between the power rails, a very large variety of barrel cavity
and armature profiles, both symmetric and asymmetric become possible.
As long as a continuous propulsion bus at the armature's
circumferential surface closely proximal the cavity's wall and the wall
conductors therein is possible, the motive force propelling the
armature in the barrel cavity is possible and the longer the armature's
propulsion bus and the wall conductor assembly's wall conductors, the
greater the propelling force will be per ampere current.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a oblique view of the breech end of a shortened device
of the invention with a armature;
[0018] FIG. 2 is an oblique partially cut away view illustrating
elements of the FIG. 1 device and their arrangement with an armature in
the barrel cavity;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a oblique view into the barrel's cavity towards the
breech;
[0020] FIG. 4 is an oblique view of the barrel in FIG. 1 shortened and
disassembled;
[0021] FIG. 5 is an oblique view of an armature for the device in FIG.
1;
[0022] FIG. 6 is an oblique view of the armature in FIG. 5
disassembled;
[0023] FIG. 7 is an oblique cutaway view of the device in FIG. 1 with
an armature in its barrel cavity to illustrate the current path
therein;
[0024] FIG. 8 is an oblique view of a breech end section of the rail
assembly used in the FIG. 1 device;
[0025] FIG. 9 is an oblique view of an armature which include a current
bus as the propulsion bus aft shunt circuit means;
[0026] FIG. 10 is an oblique view of the armature in FIG. 9
disassembled;
[0027] FIG. 11 is an oblique view of a breech end section of the rail
assembly used in the FIG. 1 device that uses FIG. 9 armatures;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] Slight variations in the cavity's profiles in barrel cavity
right sections taken at the openings in the barrel cavity walls for
wall conductor's contact means and said means therein, are disregarded
and sections taken to the central cavity axis throughout the cavity are
considered alike; i.e. cavity's profiles in right section planes to
said cavity axis are alike.
[0029] The cavity's central axis is through the centroid centers of the
cavity's profile in said right sections. Generally the central axis of
an element is the line through the centroid centers of right sections
taken through said element along a path in which said element's
structure is uniform; e.g. the central axis of a barrel power rail is
through the centroid centers of right sections (profiles) to the rail
taken along its length other then where said rail has power take input
means.
[0030] In this invention, an armature is electromagnetically propelled
from breech to muzzle in the barrel cavity by the interaction of the
armature's propulsion bus current with the magnetic fields of the
currents in barrel wall conductors located immediately forward and aft
said bus during the armature's barrel cavity traverse.
[0031] The propulsion bus of the armatures for the devices is oriented
orthogonal the armature's axis and, when in the barrel cavity, to the
armature's direction of barrel cavity traverse and the barrel cavity's
axis. Said propulsion bus extends around most of the armature's
perimeter at its surface proximal the barrel cavity's wall surface.
[0032] Armatures for the device also includes a forward current shunt
and an aft current shunt in its surface proximal the barrel cavity
surface. With an armature in the barrel cavity, the armature's forward
current shunt is located on the muzzle side of the propulsion bus and
is electrically insulated from direct electrical continuity with the
rest of the armature and the aft current shunt is located on the breech
side of the propulsion bus and is also insulated from direct electrical
continuity with the rest of the armature except when the propulsion
bus-aft shunt circuit means of the device is a current bus in the
armature connecting the aft current shunt with the shunt proximal end
of the armature's propulsion bus.
[0033] The device includes a wall conductor assembly in its barrel
cavity wall. The wall conductor assembly is comprised of an array of
parallel, spaced, equal length barrel wall conductors; i.e. wall
conductors. The wall conductors are oriented orthogonal the barrel
cavity axis and located at or very close to the barrel cavity surface.
Said assembly extends the length of the barrel cavity in which the
device is extant and includes a barrel bus in the barrel cavity wall.
The barrel bus extends parallel the barrel power rails its length.
[0034] Each wall conductor of said array of wall conductors has
electrical continuity at one end with the barrel bus and at its other
end with a contact means in a mating opening into the barrel cavity.
During an armature's traverse of the barrel cavity, wall conductors
that are forward the armature's propulsion bus and which have
electrical continuity with the armature's forward current shunt are
forward wall conductors. Said electrical continuity is extant during
the forward shunt's traverse past the cavity locations of each said
wall conductor's contact means. Wall conductors that are aft the
armature's propulsion bus and which have electrical continuity with the
armature's aft current shunt are aft wall conductors. Said electrical
continuity is extant during the aft shunt's traverse past the cavity
locations of each said wall conductor's contact means. The barrel bus
maintains electrical continuity between the group of one or more wall
conductors comprising the forward wall conductors and the group of one
or more wall conductors comprising the aft wall conductors, at any
instant, during an armature's traverse of the barrel cavity.
[0035] The topic device also has two barrel power rails, each with a
connection means for connection to the terminals of an outside power
supply. During an armature's traverse of the barrel cavity one of the
power rails has continuous sliding electrical continuity with forward
current shunt surface and the second barrel power rail has continuous
sliding electrical continuity with the end of the armature's propulsion
bus thereto proximal.
[0036] With an armature in the barrel cavity, a series circuit
comprised of the barrel power rail that has sliding continuity with the
armature's forward current shunt, the armature's forward current shunt,
the forward wall conductors, the wall conductor assembly' barrel bus,
the aft wall conductors, the armature's aft current shunt, the
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means--said circuit means maintains
electrical continuity between the armature's aft current shunt and the
end of the armature's propulsion bus-, the propulsion bus there to
proximal and the second barrel power rail is extant. With power
supplied to the device via the power rails' connection means, the
magnetic fields of the forward and aft wall conductors' currents
interact with the current in the armature's propulsion bus propelling
the armature through the barrel cavity from breech to muzzle.
[0037] With the device energized and an armature in the barrel cavity,
the magnetic fields of a current element at the intersection of an axis
plane [i.e. a plane containing the cavity axis] with a conducting wall
conductor interacts with the current element at the intersection of
said plane with the propulsion bus, creating forces therein with cavity
axis parallel muzzle directed components that propel the armature in
the barrel cavity. The axis plane intersects the propulsion bus a
second time where said bus is extant at Tr radians distance about the
armature's axis from the first intersection and the magnetic fields of
the topic wall conductor current element interacts with the current
element at the second intersection creating forces therein with
components parallel the cavity axis and breech directed. The current
element at the second intersection is at a significantly greater radius
and has a greater deflection angle from the topic wall conductor's
current element; therefore, the forces produced in the second
intersection can usually be ignored. One of the advantages of this
embodiment is that it permits electromagnetic propulsion in a vast
array of symmetric and asymmetric cavity and armature profile designs.
[0038] The force in newtons on armatures for the topic device with a
cylindrical cavity is given by the general simplified equation with a
cross product integrand: Force = 2 .function. [ .9 .times. .intg.
.beta. 0 .beta. 1 .times. I pb .times. r pb .times. d .theta. .times. (
.mu. 0 .times. I wc / ( 2 .times. .pi. ) ) .times. ( Cos .times.
.times. .alpha. / d wc - pb ) ] 3 )
[0039] l.sub.pb is the armature's propulsion bus current. l.sub.wc is
the total aft wall conductors' current or the total forward wall
conductors' current; i.e. l.sub.pb=l.sub.wc. The 2 before the bracketed
terms accounts for the interaction with the armature's propulsion bus
current, l.sub.pb, with the magnetic fields' of the currents in both
the forward and aft wall conductors creating the armature's propulsion
force. The 0.9 in the bracketed term is an attenuation term
compensating for the effect of the magnetic field of a wall conductor's
current element on the second propulsion bus's current element, when
extant, located Tr radians arc distance about the armature's axis from
the primary intersection. The propulsion bus is at the cylindrical
surface of the armature and oriented orthogonal the cavity's and
armature's axes at radius r.sub.pb. The length in meters of the
armature's propulsion bus on whose current the wall conductors'
magnetic fields act is the integral of r.sub.pb d.theta. through angle
.beta..sub.1-.beta..sub.0, where .beta..sub.0 is the angular location
about the armature's axis of the propulsion bus where it has electrical
continuity with the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means, and
.beta..sub.1 is the angular location about the armature's axis of the
propulsion bus at its sliding continuity with the barrel power rail.
Permeability of free space, .mu..sub.0, is 4.pi..times.10.sup.-7
Henries/meter. The distance between a current element at an axis
plane's intersection with a wall conductor and the current element at
said axis plane's intersection with armature's propulsion bus is
d.sub.wc-pb and said distance has deflection angle .alpha. from a
cavity axis parallel line. The Cos .alpha. term is the force component
directed parallel the cavity axis. Both d.sub.wc-pb and Cos .alpha. in
the (Cos .alpha.)/d.sub.wc-pb term vary for each wall conductor as said
conductor's contact means are traversed by the armature's current shunt
and a mean effective value approximation for (Cos .alpha.)/d.sub.wc-pb
may best be achieved by computer iteration.
[0040] The topic device has a barrel and a cavity through the barrel
with a breech end and a muzzle end. The cavity profile in right section
planes through the barrel cavity throughout the cavity's length are
uniform and slight variations in said profiles at sections taken
through the contact means and said means openings into the cavity are
disregarded; i.e. throughout the length of the cavity, the cavity
profile in planes perpendicular the cavity axis are alike. With power
supplied to the device, an armature in or inserted into the breech end
of the cavity is propelled through the cavity towards and out of the
cavity's muzzle end. The central axis of an armature in the barrel
cavity is parallel and close or coincident with the barrel cavity's
central axis. All armature profiles in right section planes taken to
the armature's axis are smaller than the barrel cavity's right section
plane profile and a portion of said armature's right section plane
profiles are similar to said barrel cavity's profile in shape and
slightly undersized thereof to permit unobstructed traverse of the
barrel cavity by the armature.
[0041] The device has two barrel rails that are power rails. The power
rails extend from proximal the barrel cavity's breech end to proximal
the barrel cavity's muzzle end and are located in the barrel cavity
wall along the same length of barrel, parallel each other, and proximal
and electrically insulated from each other and each power rail has a
continuous surface along its length that is part of the barrel cavity
surface and extends the length of the barrel through which the device
propels an armature. Each power rail has a connection means for the
attachment of circuitry to an outside power source.
[0042] The barrel walls also contain a wall conductor assembly. The
wall conductor assembly includes a barrel bus that is located in the
barrel wall and, like said power rails, extends from proximal the
barrel cavity's breech end to said cavity's muzzle end and is parallel
the power rails. Said barrel bus is in close proximity one of said
power rails and electrically insulated from both power rails.
[0043] The wall assembly also includes an array (i.e. a plurality) of
like length parallel wall conductors in the barrel cavity wall which
are separated from each other in a distribution along the length of the
barrel bus and located at or very near the barrel cavity surface and
each wall conductor has at one end electrical continuity with said
barrel bus. Said wall conductors might have slight variations in length
to better distribute the wear of a cavity traversing armature's current
shunts.
[0044] Each wall conductor extends from proximal the barrel bus,
circumscribing within the barrel cavity wall most of the cavity, to
close proximity without contact with the barrel power rail distal the
barrel bus. At said power rail proximal location, each wall conductor
has and is electrically continuous with an electrical contact means in
a mating opening into the barrel cavity. Except when an armature's
current shunt is located at a wall conductor's contact means, the wall
conductors, beyond the barrel bus, are electrically insulated from
their surroundings.
[0045] An armature for the device has a propulsion bus which when in
the barrel cavity is oriented therein to travel in close proximity to
the wall conductors of the wall conductor assembly and carry current in
a direction parallel to said wall conductors and orthogonal to said
cavity's central axis. During an armature's barrel cavity traverse its
propulsion bus's current flow is orthogonal the direction of the
armature's barrel cavity traverse.
[0046] The propulsion bus of an armature in the barrel cavity is within
and very close to or at the armature's surface proximal the barrel
cavity's surface and extends from its end with electrical continuity
the barrel power rail proximal the barrel bus to its end at the
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means with which it also has
electrical continuity. With armature's movement in the barrel cavity,
said barrel power rail continuity is sliding.
[0047] An armature for the device has a forward current shunt that when
in the barrel cavity is located on the muzzle side of the propulsion
bus and proximal the power rail distal the wall assembly's barrel bus.
Said forward current shunt has surface in the armature that has
continuous electrical continuity with the wall conductor assembly via
the contact means of each wall conductor of the group of one or more
wall conductors comprising the forward wall conductors, at any instant,
at the barrel cavity location of said shunt's surface. Said forward
current shunt also has surface with continuous electrical continuity
with its proximal power rail via said rail's barrel cavity surface.
With an armature's movement in the barrel cavity the above said
continuous electrical continuities are continuous sliding electrical
continuities.
[0048] During an armature's barrel cavity traverse, surface of its
forward current shunt has continuous sliding electrical continuity with
the wall conductor assembly from breech to muzzle. Said continuity is
resultant the continuous sliding electrical continuity said surface has
sequentially with successive wall conductors comprising the forward
wall conductors of the wall conductor assembly via their contact means
as said contact means pass with continuous sliding electrical
continuity across the forward current shunt's surface as said surface
passes the barrel cavity locations of said contact means. The forward
current shunt of an armature in or traversing the barrel cavity thus
maintains continuous electrical continuity between the proximal power
rail and each wall conductor comprising at any instant the forward wall
conductors of the wall conductor assembly.
[0049] The forward current shunt, except for its electrical continuity
with the proximal power rail and its electrical continuity via the
contact means of each wall conductor of the group of wall conductors
comprising the forward wall conductors at any instant, is electrically
insulated from the rest of the armature and barrel.
[0050] The armature also has an aft current shunt that is, with the
armature in the barrel cavity, located on the breech side of the
armature's propulsion bus. Said aft current shunt maintains continuous
electrical continuity with propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means and
when said means includes a third rail, said shunt has surface that,
when in the barrel cavity, has continuous electrical continuity said
third rail.
[0051] The aft current shunt has surface in the armature that, when in
the barrel cavity, has continuous electrical continuity with the wall
conductor assembly via the contact means of each wall conductor of the
group of one or more wall conductors comprising the aft wall
conductors, at any instant, at the barrel cavity location of said shunt
surface. With an armature's movement in the barrel cavity the above
said continuous electrical continuities are continuous sliding
electrical continuities.
[0052] During an armature's barrel cavity traverse, surface of its aft
current shunt has continuous sliding electrical continuity with the
wall conductor assembly from breech to muzzle and said continuity is
resultant the continuous sliding electrical continuity said surface has
sequentially with successive wall conductors comprising the aft wall
conductors of the wall conductor assembly via their contact means as
said contact means pass with continuous sliding electrical continuity
across the aft current shunt's surface as said surface passes the
barrel cavity locations of said contact means.
[0053] The aft current shunt of an armature in or traversing the barrel
cavity thus maintains continuous electrical continuity between the
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means and the wall conductors
comprising the aft wall conductors, at any instant, of the wall
conductor assembly.
[0054] The device has a propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means that is
either a short current bus in the armature that has physical and
electrical continuity with both the aft current shunt and the end of
the armature's propulsion bus thereto proximal, or a third barrel rail
that: extends from proximal the barrel cavity's breech end to said
cavity's muzzle end, has continuous barrel cavity surface its length,
is parallel to, and insulated from the power rails.
[0055] When the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means includes a third
barrel rail, and an armature is in the barrel cavity, continuous
electrical continuity is maintained between the armature's propulsion
bus and aft current shunt via the continuous electrical continuity of
the third rail's cavity surface with surface on the aft current shunt
and surface on the propulsion bus thereto proximal.
[0056] With an armature in the barrel cavity, the armature's propulsion
bus, except for its electrical continuity with the barrel power rail
and its electrical continuity with the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit
means, is electrically insulated from the rest of the armature and
barrel. The armature's aft current shunt, except for its electrical
continuity with each wall conductor comprising the aft wall conductors,
at any instant, via said conductors' contact means and its electrical
continuity with the propulsion bus via the propulsion bus-aft shunt
circuit means, is electrically insulated from the rest of the armature
and barrel.
[0057] With an outside power source connected to the terminals of the
power rails and an armature in or inserted into the barrel cavity of
the device where said barrel rails and wall assembly are, the electric
current path in the device effecting electromagnetic propulsion of the
armature in the barrel cavity towards the muzzle is extant and remains
so while the armature is completely in the barrel cavity where said
rails and wall assembly are. The magnetic fields resultant the electric
current in the forward and aft wall conductors of the wall conductor
assembly interact with the current flow through the armature's
propulsion bus creating forces therein with cavity axis parallel,
muzzle directed components which propel the armature in the barrel
cavity towards the muzzle.
Current path Description
[0058] With an armature in the barrel cavity and the connection means
of the power rail with continuous electrical continuity the armature's
forward current shunt connected to the positive terminal of an outside
power supply and the other said power rail's connection means connected
to said power rail's return terminal, the current's path through the
device is complete. The current path is from said power rail connected
to the positive terminal of the outside power supply, through said
forward current shunt to the group of one or more wall conductors of
the wall conductor assembly comprising the forward wall conductors of
said assembly, at any instant, via the continuous electrical continuity
of said wall conductors contact means with the armature's forward
current shunt's surface at their barrel cavity location.
[0059] The current path continues in the forward wall conductors--which
are always located immediately in front (i.e. on the muzzle side) of
the propulsion bus of an armature in the barrel cavity--to the wall
conductor assembly's barrel bus wherein it has a breech direction and
the magnetic fields of the currents in the forward wall conductors
interact with the armature's propulsion bus current creating forces in
said propulsion bus With cavity axis parallel, muzzle directed
components; i.e. the armature's propulsion bus appears to be attracted
to the forward wall conductors.
[0060] The current path continues from said assembly's barrel bus to
the group of one or more wall conductors of said wall conductor
assembly comprising the aft wall conductors--which are always located
immediately aft (i.e. on the breech side) of the propulsion bus of an
armature in the barrel cavity--and therefrom via the electrical
continuity of said aft wall conductors contact means with the
armature's aft current shunt surface at their barrel cavity location to
the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means. The magnetic fields of the
currents in said aft wall conductors interact with the armature's
propulsion bus current creating forces in said propulsion bus with
cavity axis parallel, muzzle directed components; i.e. the armature's
propulsion bus appears to be repelled by said aft wall conductors.
[0061] The current's path continues in said propulsion bus-aft shunt
circuit means from said aft current shunt to the propulsion bus's end
distal its end with power rail continuity and in said propulsion bus to
its end with continuous power rail continuity. The current path through
said propulsion bus has the same direction about the armature as the
current path in forward wall conductors and opposite the current path
direction in aft wall conductors. The current path continues in said
power rail through its connection means to the return terminal of the
outside power supply.
[0062] Said propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means is either a current
bus between and connecting the aft current shunt and the propulsion
bus's end thereto proximal or comprised: an additional barrel rail
which extends between the cavity's breech and muzzle ends with cavity
surface its length and located proximal, isolated from and parallel
said power rails, and an additional surface on the aft current shunt of
an armature in the barrel cavity that has continuous electrical
continuity with said addition rail's cavity surface, and a surface on
the propulsion bus of said armature that also has continuous electrical
continuity with said additional rail's cavity surface.
[0063] With the positive terminal of the outside power supplied
connected to the connection means of the power rail with continuous
electrical continuity with the armature's propulsion bus, the current
path is from said power rail to the propulsion bus and therein towards
the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means proximal the armature's
current shunts.
[0064] The current path continues from the propulsion bus through the
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means to the aft wall conductors of
the wall conductor assembly wherein it has barrel bus direction; i.e.
the current direction in the aft wall conductors is opposite its
direction in the armature's propulsion bus. The magnetic fields of the
currents in the aft wall conductors interact with the propulsion bus
current creating therein forces with barrel cavity axis parallel,
muzzle directed components; i.e. the aft wall conductors appear to
repel the armature's propulsion bus.
[0065] Current path continues from the aft wall conductors via the wall
conductor assembly's barrel bus to the forward wall conductors of said
assembly and therein towards said conductors' electrical continuity
with the armature's forward current shunt and the direction of current
in the forward wall conductors is the same as the current direction in
the armature's propulsion bus. The magnetic fields of the currents in
the forward wall conductors interact with the current in the propulsion
bus creating forces in the propulsion bus with cavity axis parallel,
muzzle directed components; i.e. the armature's propulsion bus appears
to be attracted to the wall conductor assembly's forward wall
conductors. The current path continues through said forward current
shunt to its proximal power rail and therein, via said rail's
connection means to the return terminal of said outside power supply.
[0066] Regardless the polarity of the power rails with respect to each
other, the current in the aft wall conductors of the wall conductor
assembly is always oppositely directed the current in the armature's
propulsion bus and the current in the forward wall conductors of said
assembly is always like directed the current in said propulsion bus.
The collection of said cavity axis parallel muzzle directed force
components in the armatures propulsion bus due to the interaction of
the magnetic fields of the currents in the forward and aft wall
conductors of the wall conductor assembly with said propulsion bus
current propels the armature in the barrel cavity towards the cavity's
muzzle end.
General Design Considerations
[0067] The right section barrel cavity profiles at the contact means
and their cavity surface ports may have slight irregularities; however,
these irregularities are disregarded herein and said right section
barrel cavity profiles, regardless said irregularities, are regarded as
the same as all other right section barrel cavity profiles.
[0068] Mathematical expressions used herein; e.g. perpendicular,
tangent, parallel, etc., to describe physical characteristics, spacial
orientations etc., are limited in their accuracy to the practical
limitation of any of the manufacturing and assembly methods that might
be used for the device.
[0069] The figures herein are not drawn to scale but are sized and
shaped to better illustrate the invention's arrangement of parts and
their functions. For example the wall conductors of the wall conductor
assembly could be arranged as a single row of tightly packed thinly
insulated magnetic wires rigidly fixed to the cavity shell (or
comprising the shell) and the armature's propulsion bus a larger
diameter rigidly fixed wire at the armature's surface and
circumscribing the armature's body. This arrangement reduces the radius
at which the magnetic fields of the wall conductors' currents act on
the propulsion bus.
[0070] The barrel power rails might extend beyond the invention in
either direction as a source of power for operations in the barrel and
barrel cavity not part of the invention. The barrel bus in like manner
might extend beyond the invention as a possible signal source for
operations in the barrel and barrel cavity not part of the invention.
[0071] When the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means is a short
current bus in the armature between the aft current shunt and the end
of the propulsion bus proximal said shunt, the magnetic fields of the
barrel power rails interact with said bus's current creating forces
therein with components orthogonal to the barrel cavity's axis. When
armature's current bus is oriented parallel to the armature's axis and
when in the barrel cavity located in the barrel cavity midway between
the barrel power rails, said orthogonal force components collectively
resolve into a tangential force about the armature's axis at the
current bus center line radius. Said tangential force is always
directed towards the power rail at the forward current shunt and away
from the power rail at the armature's propulsion bus. This force might
therefore be used to aid armature rotation during traverse of the
barrel cavity, rotation which is otherwise effected by the barrel
cavity surface. When the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means for a
barrel cavity traversing armature is comprised of a third barrel rail
that has continuous sliding continuity with both the aft current shunt
and the armature's propulsion bus said tangential force on the armature
is eliminated.
[0072] Beyond the barrel bus of the wall conductor assembly, wall
conductors are isolated from one another throughout their length when
not sharing a common current shunt at their ends distal the barrel bus.
Said isolation is effected by insulating barrel material, and/or
insulating coating, and/or sleeves, or less preferably clearance gaps
(air).
[0073] There can be one or more wall conductors or the equivalent sum
in cross section areas to one or more wall conductors in contact with
the each armature current shunt.
[0074] The forward and the aft wall conductors are each comprised of a
group of one or more wall conductors or the equivalent sum in cross
section areas to one or more wall conductors whose contact means have
continuity with the forward and aft current shunts, respectively, at
any instant.
[0075] Although the wall conductors of the wall conductor assembles
herein illustrated are distributed uniformly along the length of the
wall assembly's barrel bus and have constant cross section areas, the
wall conductor cross section areas and their spacing might vary along
the length of the assembly. E.g. In a device where barrel mass and
durability are design constraints, to avoid wall conductor failure due
to prohibitive heat and resistance build up, the cross section area of
a wall conductor at the breech end of the cavity might be many times a
wall conductor's cross section area at the muzzle. This area variation
compensates for the longer wall conductor conduction time intervals at
the cavity's breech region. The wall conductor distribution density
along the barrel bus might also be greater at the breech than the
muzzle end of the barrel cavity; i.e. the wall conductors would no
longer have a uniform distribution along the barrel bus.
[0076] For clarity of presentation, the invention embodiments portrayed
in the included figures are chemically bonded together in assembly. In
practical applications and for quick refurbishment or repair, the
embodiments would be assembled using mechanical fastening means well
known in the arts.
[0077] Molding methods also well known in the arts can be used for
barrel, armature fabrication and coil encasement.
[0078] An armature's propulsion bus and current shunts whose
operational life is measured in milliseconds and fractions thereof can
be simple formed pieces of sheet Aluminum or Copper alloy or, mass
restrictions permitting, other conducting alloy.
[0079] As a safety measure the propulsion bus could be designed to melt
or burst open from heat after the anticipated armature's barrel cavity
traverse time has elapsed.
[0080] Voids and masses necessary to locate an armature's center of
mass for in flight stability are not shown in the figures.
[0081] The armatures and barrel for the devices are made of
electrically non-conducting materials such as SiC or high strength
proprietary plastics. The wall conductor assembly and barrel rails are
made of good conducting material such as copper, aluminum or iron
alloys.
[0082] The wall conductors experience rapid field reversal during
barrel cavity traverse by an armature and any residual magnetic energy
(polarization) stored in proximal structure material will have
attenuating effects on the wall conductor's magnetic field.
[0083] Generally, in regards the various embodiments of the invention,
surfaces of elements of the invention having sliding electrical
continuity with other elements thereof might be treated and/or machined
and/or formed to effect a smooth more effect sliding continuity; e.g. a
surface with boundary edges could have those edged rounded and the
surface could be treated with low friction conducting substances and/or
textured to assure a correct current path when elevated voltages are
extant in the invention.
[0084] The armature may have variations in its surface extruded
parallel to its axis; e.g. Corrugated surfaces with troughs parallel to
the armature's axis.
[0085] The barrel and its cavity used by the device may extend at the
muzzle and/or breech beyond the electromotive propulsion elements of
the invention and in said extensions the armature may or may not be
acted on by additional motive, orientation, and material modifying
devices or other devices not part of the invention; i.e. the invention
may share a common barrel and barrel cavity with other devices not
necessary to or part of the invention.
Terminology
[0086] AFT CURRENT SHUNTS: An aft current shunt is a conductor carried
in the armature's breech section and with the armature in the barrel
cavity an aft current shunt is proximal the barrel bus distal power
rail and has surface proximal the barrel cavity's surface and the wall
conductor assembly therein and said surface has electrical continuity
with said assembly's contact means at its barrel cavity location and
thereby the wall conductors of said contact means and said wall
conductors are the aft wall conductors when said continuity is extant.
[0087] AFT WALL CONDUCTOR: With an armature for the device in the
barrel cavity, the aft wall conductors is the group of one or more
consecutive wall conductors which have at any instant continuous, or
continuous sliding electrical continuity, via their contact means at
the barrel cavity, with an armature's aft current shunt surface at the
barrel cavity location of said contact means.
[0088] ARMATURE CENTRAL AXIS: The armature's central axis is the line
through the area centroid centers of right sections of that portion of
the armature in the barrel cavity which has right sections identical in
shape to barrel cavity's right sections but slightly undersized
thereof. The armature's central axis in the barrel cavity is coincident
with the barrel cavity's central axis or parallel and closely proximal
said axis. Alternatively the armature's central axis is the line at the
armature that, when in the barrel cavity, is coincident the barrel
cavity's central axis.
[0089] AXIAL PLANE or AXIS PLANE: A plane that is coincident with an
axis; e.g. an axial plane of the barrel cavity completely contains the
barrel cavity axis.
[0090] BARREL AXIS: A barrel axis is any line through the barrel that
is parallel or coincident with the barrel cavity's central axis and
said central axis is a barrel axis.
[0091] BARREL AND BARREL CAVITY: As the barrel and barrel cavity
containing the invention might extend beyond the array of wall
conductors of the wall conductor assembly in both the breech and muzzle
directions, the right section plane through the muzzle proximal edge of
the wall conductor assembly's wall conductor closest to the muzzle is
designated the muzzle end or muzzle end opening of the barrel and
barrel cavity of the invention, as electric circuit effecting an
armature's acceleration through the barrel cavity of the invention is
open when the armature's forward current shunt is beyond this point in
its barrel cavity traverse.
[0092] The right section plane through the breech proximal edge of said
assembly's wall conductor closest to the breech is designated the
breech end or breech end opening of the barrel and barrel cavity of the
invention as the armature's aft current shunts must have electrical
continuity with said wall conductor to initially complete the electric
circuit for the armature's acceleration through the barrel cavity of
the invention. Therefore, the length along the barrel's length occupied
by the wall conductor assembly's array of wall conductors is the
invention's length and location along the length of a barrel and barrel
cavity which includes the invention.
[0093] BARREL BUS AND RAIL LENGTH AND LOCATION: The length and location
along the barrel cavity length of the two power rails and the
additional barrel rail, when extant, might vary slightly from one
another in a design. Therefore, the spacial and size relationships
between barrel rails and barrel bus herein are described using the
terms `like` or `similar`.
[0094] E.g. The barrel bus distal power rail (i.e. the power rail that
has sliding continuity with an armature's forward current shunt) might
at the breech be shortened or displaced in the muzzle direction by as
much as the distance between the breech proximal edge of an armature's
aft current shunt and the breech proximal edge of said armature's
forward current shunt. The barrel bus proximal power rail (i.e. the
power rail that has sliding continuity with an armature's propulsion
bus) might at the breech be shortened or displaced in the muzzle
direction by as much as the distance between the breech proximal edge
of an armature's propulsion bus and the breech proximal edge of said
armature's aft current shunt. The third rail, when extant, of the
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means might be shortened at the muzzle
or displace in the breech direction by as much as the distance between
the muzzle proximal edge of an armature's forward current shunt and the
muzzle proximal edge of said armature's propulsion bus. The barrel
buses might be shortened at their breech and muzzle ends by as much as
the width of the wall conductors at said ends while retaining
continuity therewith.
[0095] BARREL RAIL: A barrel rail is a conductor in the barrel cavity
wall, which is parallel to all other barrel rails and can have a twist
at constant radius about said axis, and extends the length of the
barrel of the invention and has barrel cavity surface along its length.
The power rails and the addition rail of the propulsion bus-aft shunt
circuit means, when extant, are barrel rails.
[0096] CAVITY AXIS: A cavity axis is a line through the barrel cavity
that is parallel or coincident with the cavity's central axis. The
cavity's central axis is a cavity axis.
[0097] CAVITY'S CENTRAL AXIS: The cavity's central axis is the line
through all barrel cavity right section area centroid centers.
[0098] CONTACT MEANS: Although shown herein as a surface on a wall
conductor's projection into the barrel cavity, a wall conductor contact
means can be a separate entity such as a pin, electric motor type brush
assembly or other structure mounted on the wall conductor or mounted in
the cavity wall proximal the barrel bus distal end of the wall
conductor with a lead for electrical continuity therewith.
[0099] DIAMETRIC PLANE: A diametric plane is any plane perpendicular to
an axis; i.e. a right section plane
[0100] ELECTRICAL ISOLATION: An element that is electrically isolated
or an isolated element is limited in meaning to lacking low resistance
direct electrical paths to a neighboring element; i.e. the electrically
isolated element is electrically insulated from its neighbor; however,
an element can be electrically isolated from one element while having
electrical continuity therewith through another element that it is not
electrically isolated from and that in turn has direct or indirect
continuity with said isolated element. Magnetic and electric fields
couplings are ignored.
[0101] FORWARD CURRENT SHUNTS: A forward current shunt is a conductor
carried in the armature's muzzle section and with the armature in the
barrel cavity its forward current shunt is proximal the barrel bus
distal power rail and has surface with electrical continuity therewith
and has surface proximal the barrel cavity's surface and the wall
conductor assembly therein and said surface has electrical continuity
with said assembly's contact means at its barrel cavity location and
thereby the wall conductors of said contact means and said wall
conductors are the forward wall conductors when said continuity is
extant.
[0102] FORWARD WALL CONDUCTOR: With an armature for the device in the
barrel cavity, the forward wall conductors are the group of one or more
consecutive wall conductors that have at any instant continuous, or
continuous sliding electrical continuity, via its contact means at the
barrel cavity, with an armature's forward current shunt's surface at
the barrel cavity location of said contact means.
[0103] LFMTB: Looking from the muzzle towards the breech.
[0104] ORTHOGONAL: The terms `orthogonal` and `orthogonal to` indicate
perpendicular orientation of the space occupied by one element to the
space occupied by a second element with or without intersection there
between or perpendicular orientation in space between two direction
vectors with or without intersection there between or perpendicular
orientation in space between the space occupied by one element and a
direction vector with or without intersection there between or
perpendicular orientation in space of a line with another line or an
element's space or vector with or without intersection there between.
[0105] POWER RAIL: A power rail is a barrel rail which has connection
means to outside the device for attachment of the outside power supply
which supplies the electric power required for operation of the claimed
device.
[0106] RIGHT SECTIONS: The lines formed, and their shape and enclosed
area, in a diametric plane or right section plane to an object by the
intersection of the object's surfaces with said plane are referred to
herein as right sections and right section profiles.
[0107] TWIST: Normally, the collection of differential area elements
(rd.theta.dr) comprising the profiles of the barrel in consecutive
right section planes taken at incrementally increasing distance from a
barrel reference point have like shape and area at fixed radii to a
barrel cavity's axis common to all said differential area elements [the
axis about which each differential area element (rd.theta.dr) is
generated] and constant angles about said axis relative to each other
and relative to a fixed axial reference plane of the barrel.
[0108] In armatures for use in said barrel, the collection of
differential area elements (rd.theta.dr) comprising the profiles in
consecutive right section planes taken at incrementally increasing
distance from a reference point on the armature have like shape and
area at fixed radii to the armature's axis common to all said
differential area elements [the axis about which each differential area
element (rd.theta.dr) is generated] and constant angles about said axis
relative to each other and a fixed axial reference plane of the
armature.
[0109] The collection of differential areas (rd.theta.dr) comprising
the profiles in consecutive right sections of a barrel with a twist
taken at incrementally increasing distance from a barrel reference
point have like shape and area at fixed radii to the barrel cavity axis
common to all said differential area elements [the axis about which
each differential element (rd.theta.dr) is generated] and constant
angles about said axis relative to each other and incrementally
increasing angular displacement about said axis with reference said
axial reference plane. The rate of increasing angular displacement of
the collection of differential areas (rd.theta.dr) comprising said
right section profiles relative to said axial reference plane is
constant; i.e. [.phi..sub.i-.phi..sub.o]/[d.sub.i-d.sub.o]=constant,
where .phi..sub.o and d.sub.o are any initial angle of said group of
differential area elements comprising said right section profile about
their axis relative to the axial reference plane and its distance along
the axis, respectively, and .phi..sub.i and d.sub.i are said group's
instant angle to said axial reference plane about said axis and instant
distance along the axis, respectively.
[0110] In armatures with a twist for use in said barrel with a twist,
the collection of differential area elements (rd.theta.dr) comprising
the profiles in consecutive right section planes taken at incrementally
increasing distance from an armature reference point have like shape
and areas at fixed radii to the armature axis common to all said
differential area elements [the axis about which each differential area
element (rd.theta.dr) is generated] and constant angles about said axis
relative to each other and incrementally increasing angular
displacement about said axis with reference said armature's axial
reference plane. The rate in angle increase per axis distance between
said profiles and said armature's axial reference plane is constant and
equal to the rate of angle increase between said barrel profiles and
said barrel axial reference plane.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0111] FIG. 1 is portrays the invention's barrel with an armature 32
for the use therein located at the breech end of the device. Indicated
are the barrel's two sections 11 and 11a and the barrel cavity 33 and
its extension 33a at the breech end of the barrel. Also indicated are
the power connection means 31 and 28 of power rails 30 and 27,
respectively, to outside the device.
[0112] FIG. 2 is the device in FIG. 1 shortened and cutaway to
illustrate the arrangement of its various parts with an armature 32 in
the barrel's cavity 33. In the figure cavity shell 20 with barrel
cavity 33 is retained within the wall conductor assembly 16 which in
turn, along with barrel rail subassembly 25, is rigidly retained in
mating open channeling (best seen in FIG. 4) in barrel sections 11 and
11a in the assembled device.
[0113] Barrel rail subassembly 25 along with power rails 27 and 30 and
barrel rail 24 of the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means mounted
therein is indicated. Wall conductor assembly 16 is indicated
circumscribing barrel cavity shell 20 with its wall conductors 18
extending from barrel bus 17 and circumscribing most of the barrel
cavity shell 20 and the barrel cavity 33 and armature 32 therein.
[0114] One of the array of wall conductors 18 of said assembly 16 is
indicated along with one of the array of contact means 19 of said
assembly 16. Each wall conductor 18 has a contact means 19 which
extends into the barrel cavity 33 through a mating opening 21 in the
cavity shell 20. The forward and aft current shunts, 34 and 37,
respectively, along propulsion bus 41 of armature 32 in the barrel
cavity 33 are indicated.
[0115] Each contact means 19 at the barrel cavity location of the
armature's forward current shunt 34 has continuous electrical
continuity with surface of said shunt and the wall conductor for each
said contact means is a forward wall conductor of the wall conductor
assembly while said continuity is extant. Each contact means 19 at the
barrel cavity location of the armature's aft current shunt 37 has
continuous electrical continuity with surface of said shunt and the
wall conductor for each said contact means is an aft wall conductor of
the wall conductor assembly while said continuity is extant.
[0116] FIG. 3 is a view into the barrel cavity towards the breech and
the barrel power rail subassembly at slightly staggered sections to the
barrel to better portray the various parts of the invention and their
relationships to one another. Indicated is one of the array of wall
conductors 18 extending from barrel bus 17 of wall conductor assembly
16, and circumscribing barrel cavity's shell 20 and barrel cavity 33
therein and ending at contact means 19 through opening 21 in shell 20
into the barrel cavity 33. An armature's forward or aft current shunt
at the location of a contact means 19 in the barrel cavity has
continuous electrical continuity with said contact means and the wall
conductor 18 of said means 19. Also indicated is cavity surface 20i of
cavity shell 20. Barrel rail subassembly 25 is indicated with power
rails 30 and 27 along with barrel rail 24 of the propulsion bus-aft
shunt circuit means.
[0117] With an armature in barrel cavity 33, cavity surface 29 of power
rail 30 has continuous electrical continuity with surface 36 of the
armature's forward current shunt 34 and cavity surface 26 of power rail
27 has continuous electrical continuity with surface 42 of the
armature's propulsion bus. Cavity surface 23 of barrel rail 24 has
continuous electrical continuity with surface 39 of the armature's aft
current shunt 37 and surface 40 of said propulsion bus. Barrel rail 24
and its cavity surface 23 and surface 39 of aft current shunt 37 and
surface 40 of the propulsion bus 41 comprise the propulsion bus-aft
shunt circuit means in the topic design.
[0118] Also indicated on the barrel rail subassembly 25 or guides 5a,
6a, 7a and 8a, which aid electrical isolation between said rails and
which are in guide ways 5, 6, 7 and 8 of an armature in the barrel
cavity and therein aid alignment of said armature during its traverse
of the barrel cavity.
[0119] FIG. 4 is the barrel of the device in FIG. 1 shortened and
disassembled. Indicated are the major barrel elements: barrel sections
11 and 11a, barrel cavity shell 20, wall conductor assembly 16, barrel
rail subassembly 25 and the barrel rails 24, 27 and 30, which mount in
barrel rail subassembly 25. Barrel sections 11 and 11a have open
channels 10 and 10a, respectively, in which wall conductor assembly 16
is retained in the assembled device's barrel and open channels 10b and
10ab in which barrel rail subassembly 25 is retained in the assembled
device's barrel. Barrel sections 11 also has channel 10c for connection
means 31 of power rail 30 to outside the barrel and barrel section 11a
has a similar channel 10d for connection means 28 of barrel power rail
27 to outside the barrel.
[0120] Cavity shell 20 has channels 21 through which mating contact
means 19 of the wall conductor assembly extend into the barrel cavity
33. The internal surface 21i of cavity shell 20 is the surface of
barrel cavity 33 and external surface 21e of the cavity shell 20 is
circumscribed by wall conductor assembly 16 in the assembled barrel.
[0121] Wall conductor assembly 16 is indicated along with said
assembly's barrel bus 17 and one wall conductor 18 of said assembly's
array of wall conductors 18 along with one contact means 19 of said
assembly's array of contact means 19.
[0122] Barrel rail subassembly has open channels 25a, 25b, and 25c
along its length in which mount barrel power rail 27, barrel power rail
30 and barrel rail 24, respectively. Barrel rail subassembly 25 also
has channel 25d which in the assembled barrel aligns with channel 10c
in barrel section 11 and through which extends connection means 31 of
barrel power rail 30 and said assembly also has channel 25e which in
the assembled barrel aligns with channel 10d in barrel section 11a and
through which extends connection means 28 of power rail 27.
[0123] FIG. 5 is an armature 32 for the device in FIG. 1. Indicated are
forward current shunt 34, propulsion bus 41 and aft current shunt 37.
With armature 32 in the barrel cavity 33, indicated surface 35 of
forward current shunt 34 has continuous electrical continuity with the
contact means 19 of the group of one or more wall conductors 18 of the
wall conductor assembly 16 at said shunt surface's barrel cavity
location and said group of wall conductors comprise the forward wall
conductors of the wall conductor assembly.
[0124] Forward current shunt 34 has insulator 9 protecting it from
continuity with barrel rail 24 of the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit
means where said shunt crosses said rails path between guide ways 7 and
8 in the armature. Surface 36 of forward current shunt 34 is located
between armature guide ways 6 and 7 and thereat has continuous
electrical continuity with cavity surface 29 of power rail 30.
[0125] Propulsion bus 41 is located between said forward current shunt
34 and aft current shunt 37 and has insulator 98 which protects it from
electrical continuity with the contact means of wall conductors when in
the barrel cavity. Surface 40 of propulsion bus 41 is located between
guide ways 7 and 8 and with the armature 32 in the barrel cavity 33 the
propulsion bus's surface 40 has continuous electrical continuity with
the cavity surface 23 of barrel rail 24 of said propulsion bus-aft
shunt circuit means. Surface 42 of propulsion bus 41 is located between
guide ways 5 and 6 and with the armature 32 in the barrel cavity 33 the
propulsion bus's surface 42 has continuous electrical continuity with
the cavity surface 26 of barrel power rail 27.
[0126] Indicated surface 38 of aft current shunt 37 has continuous
electrical continuity with the contact means 19 of the group of one or
more wall conductors 18 of the wall conductor assembly 16 at said shunt
surface's barrel cavity location and said group of wall conductors
comprise the aft wall conductors of the wall conductor assembly.
Surface 39 of aft current shunt 37 is between guide ways 7 and 8 and
with armature 32 in barrel cavity 33 has thereat continuous electrical
continuity with cavity surface 23 of barrel rail 24.
[0127] With armature 32 in the barrel cavity 33, guides 5a, 6a, 7a and
8a with power rail 27 between guides 5a and 6a and power rail 30
between guides 6a and 7a and barrel rail 24 between guides 7a and 8a of
barrel rail subassembly 25 are in and travel in guide ways 5, 6, 7, and
8, respectively, in the armature's surface.
[0128] With armature 32 in barrel cavity 33, barrel rail 24 maintains
continuous electrical continuity between the aft shunt's surface 39 and
the propulsion bus's surface 40 and said rail and said surfaces
constitute the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means of the device and
power rail 30 maintains continuous electrical continuity with the
forward current shunt's surface 36 and the power rail 27 maintains
continuous electrical continuity with the propulsion bus's surface 42.
The propulsion bus's surface 40, is the propulsion bus's surface
proximal its end distal its end with power rail continuity and its
surface 42 is its surface with power rail continuity.
[0129] FIG. 6 is the armature in FIG. 5 disassembled. Indicated in
addition to features already discussed is open channel 50 which, in the
assembled armature, retains forward current shunt 34. Insulator 9 is
retained in open channel 9a in forward current shunt 34 and therein
protects shunt 34 from continuity with barrel rail 24 when the armature
is in the barrel cavity. Forward current shunt with insulator 9 when
mounted in the armature supplants and continues the armature's surfaces
and guide ways 7 and 8. In the assembled armature propulsion bus 41 is
retained in open channel 54 and insulator 98 protects the propulsion
bus 41 for electrical continuity with the contact means of wall
conductors at or passing across it. In the assembled armature, aft
current shunt 37 is retained in open channel 52 and therein supplants
and continues the armature's surfaces and guide way 8.
[0130] FIG. 7 is a cutaway view of the armature in the barrel's cavity
near the breech to illustrate the currents path through the device. In
the figure, the current's path is indicated by italicized letters: `a`,
`b`, `c`, `d`, `e`, `f,`, `g`, `h`, `i`, `j`, `k`, `l`, `m`, `n`, and
`o`.
[0131] With the positive terminal of an outside power supply connected
to power connection means 31, `a` in the figure, of power rail 30 and
the return terminal of said power supply connected to power connection
means 28, `o` in the figure, of power rail 27, the current path in
power rail 30 is from `a` to `b` and continues therein to `c` at the
continuous electrical continuity of the cavity surface 29 of power rail
30 with surface 36 of the forward current shunt 34. The current's path
continues in forward current shunt 34 from said shunt's surface 36,
under said shunt's insulating element 9, which insulates said shunt
from barrel rail 24, to said shunt's surface 35; i.e. the current's
path continues from `c` to `d` in the figure.
[0132] The current's path continues from the forward current shunt's
surface 35 to the group of one or more wall conductors 18 comprising
the forward wall conductors of the wall conductor assembly 16, at any
instant, via said surface's continuous electrical continuity with each
said wall conductor's contact means 19 at or passing across it; i.e.
from `d` to `e` in the figure.
[0133] In the forward wall conductors the current's path circumscribes
most of the barrel cavity and armature therein immediately forward the
armature's propulsion bus 41 in the clockwise direction, LFMTB, and
continues from the forward wall conductors to the wall conductor
assembly's barrel bus 17; i.e. from `e` to `f` in the figure. The
magnetic fields of the currents in the wall conductors comprising the
forward wall conductors at any instant, interact with the current in
the armature's propulsion bus, which also has clockwise direction,
creating forces in the propulsion bus with cavity axis parallel, muzzle
directed components; i.e. apparent forces of attraction to the forward
wall conductors are created in the armature's propulsion bus.
[0134] In barrel bus 17 the current's path is breech directed to the
wall conductors of the wall conductor assembly, comprising the aft wall
conductors at any instant, by virtue of the electrical continuity of
their contact means 19 with surface 38 of aft current shunt 37; from
`f` to `g` to `h` to `i` in the figure. The currents' paths in the wall
conductors comprising the aft wall conductors at any instant has
counter clockwise direction, LFMTB, about the barrel cavity and
armature therein and is always immediately aft the armature's
propulsion bus. The magnetic fields of the currents in the aft wall
conductors interact with the armature's propulsion bus current creating
forces in the propulsion bus with cavity axis parallel, muzzle directed
components; i.e. apparent forces of repulsion from the aft wall
conductors are created in the propulsion bus.
[0135] The current's path in aft current shunt 37 is from said shunt's
surface 38 to surface 39; i.e. from `i` to `j` in the figure. Aft
shunt's surface 39 has continuous electrical continuity with cavity
surface 23 of the additional barrel rail, barrel rail 24, use in the
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means in the topic design and the
current's path continues in barrel rail 24 to its cavity surface's
continuous continuity with surface 40 of the propulsion bus 41; i.e.
from `j` to `k` in the figure.
[0136] Surface 39 of aft current shunt 37, `j` in the figure, and
surface 40 of propulsion bus 41, `k` in the figure, are the aft current
shunt's additional surface and the propulsion bus's additional surface,
respectively, which, along with barrel rail 24, comprise the propulsion
bus-aft shunt circuit means in the topic design.
[0137] The current's path continues in the armature's propulsion bus
from its surface 40, `k` in the figure, passing under propulsion bus
insulator 98, which protects the propulsion bus from continuity with
the contact means of wall conductors passing across it, to `l`, then
circumscribes most of the body of the armature and exits the propulsion
bus at said bus's surface 42, `m` in the figure. The current's
direction, LFMTB, about the body of the armature in propulsion bus 41
is always the same as the currents' direction in the forward wall
conductors and opposite the currents' direction in the aft wall
conductors. As noted above, the magnetic fields of the currents in the
forward and aft wall conductors interact with the propulsion bus
current creating forces in the propulsion bus. Said propulsion bus
forces propel the armature in the barrel cavity towards and out of the
barrel cavity's muzzle opening. The current's path continues from
propulsion bus surface 42, `m` in the figure, to cavity surface 26 of
power rail 27 with which it has continuous electrical continuity. The
current's path in power rail 27 has breech direction to said rail's
connection means 28 and therefrom to the return terminal of the outside
power supply. The current's path is from `m` to `n` to `o` in the
figure.
[0138] With the polarities of the power rails reversed, the current's
path in power rail 27 is from connection means 28 to said rail's
continuity with surface 42 of the armature's propulsion bus 41; i.e.
from `o` to `n` to `m` in the figure. The current's path continues in
propulsion bus 41 in a counter clockwise direction, LFMTB, to the
propulsion bus's surface 40 and therefrom to barrel rail 24 of the
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means; i.e. from `m` to `l` to `k` in
the figure. The current's path continues with breech direction in
barrel rail 24 to the continuity of its surface 23 with surface 39 of
the aft current shunt 37; i.e. from `k` to `j` in the figure.
[0139] The current's path continues in aft current shunt 37 from said
shunt's surface 39 to surface 38 whereat it continues in the aft wall
conductors, via said conductors contact means 19, in a clockwise
direction to the barrel bus 17 of the wall conductor assembly 16; i.e.
from `j` to `i` to `h` to `g` in the figure. The magnetic fields of the
currents in the aft wall conductors interact with the propulsion bus
current creating therein forces with cavity axis parallel, muzzle
directed components; i.e. apparent forces of repulsion to the aft wall
conductors are created in the propulsion bus.
[0140] The currents path continues in the wall conductor assembly's
barrel bus in the muzzle direction to the forward wall conductors
wherein said path has a counter clockwise direction about the barrel
cavity and armature therein to electrical continuity of the contact
means 19 of said wall conductors with surface 35 of forward wall
conductor 34; i.e. from `g` to `f` to `e` to `d` in the figure. The
magnetic fields of the currents in the forward wall conductors interact
with the propulsion bus current creating in the propulsion bus forces
with cavity axis parallel, muzzle directed components; i.e. apparent
forces of attraction to the forward wall conductors are created in the
propulsion bus.
[0141] The current's path continues through forward current shunt 34
from surface 35, under insulator 9, to surface 36. The current's path
continues from forward current shunt's surface 36 through barrel rail
30 to said rails connection means 31 to the outside power rail; i.e.
from `d` to `c` to `b` to `a` in the figure.
[0142] As indicated above, regardless the instant polarity of the power
rails, the forces created in the propulsion bus of an armature in the
barrel cavity due to the interaction with said bus's current of the
magnetic fields of the currents in the forward and aft wall conductors
propel the armature in the barrel's cavity towards the muzzle.
[0143] FIG. 8 is a breech end section of the barrel rail subassembly 25
with its various features indicated. Guides 5a, 6a, 7a, and 8a of the
rail subassembly are in guide ways 5, 6, 7 and 8, respectively, of an
armature in the barrel cavity and travel therein while the armature
traverses said cavity to maintain the proper orientation of the
armature. Guides 5, 6, 7 and 8 also maintain electrical isolation
between of the power rails 27 and 30 and barrel rail 24 of the
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means. Barrel cavity surface 23 of
barrel rail 24 with an armature in the barrel cavity maintains
continuous electrical continuity with propulsion bus surface 40 and aft
current shunt surface 39 of said armature. Aft current shunt surface 39
and propulsion bus surface 40 along with barrel rail 24 and its cavity
surface 23 comprise the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means of the
design. Indicated also are cavity surface 29 of power rail 30 and
cavity surface 26 of power rail 27. With an armature in the barrel
cavity, cavity surface 29 of power rail 30 maintains continuous
electrical continuity with surface 36 of said armature's forward
current shunt 34 and cavity surface 26 of power rail 27 maintains
continuous electrical continuity with surface 42 of said armature's
propulsion bus.
[0144] FIG. 9 portrays an armature which contains a current bus as the
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means for use with the barrel in FIG.
1 that has its barrel rail subassembly 25 replaced with barrel rail
subassembly 125. A breech end section of subassembly 125 is indicated
in FIG. 11. Aft current shunt 137 has only surface 138 and propulsion
bus 141 has only surface 142 and there is no barrel rail 24 in this
design. Current bus 140 in the armature extending between and
connecting the aft current shunt 137 and the propulsion bus 141
replaces these features of the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means
used in the preceding design.
[0145] In the topic armature there are only 3 guide ways, 105, 106 and
107 and the forward current shunt requires no insulator element.
Insulator 199 protects the aft current shunt and the armature's current
bus from electrical continuity with power rail 130. Surface 129 of
power rail 130 is between guide ways 106 and 107 of an armature in the
barrel cavity and has thereat continuous electrical continuity with
forward current shunt surface 136 and surface 126 of power rail 127 is
between guide ways 105 and 106 of an armature in the barrel's cavity
and has thereat continuous electrical continuity with surface 142 of
propulsion bus 141.
[0146] FIG. 10 is a oblique view of the topic armature disassembled.
Indicated are forward current shunt 134 which mounts in open channel
150 and therein supplants and continues the armature's surface and
guide way 107. Current bus 140 of the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit
means extends between and connects aft current shunt 137 and propulsion
bus 141 at its end distal its end with power rail continuity. In the
assembled armature, aft current shunt 137 mounts in open channel 152
and therein supplants and continues the armature's surface and the
propulsion bus 141 mounts in open channel 154 and therein supplants and
continues the armature's surface and current bus 140 mounts in channel
153 which communicates with both channels 152 and 154. In the assembled
armature insulator 199 covers part of channel 152 and part of channel
154 and all of channel 153 and current bus 140 therein and supplants
and continues the armature's surface and the guide ways 106 and 107
thereat. Propulsion bus insulator 198 of an armature in the barrel's
cavity, which protects said bus from continuity with the contact means
of wall conductors at or crossing over said bus, mounts on said bus in
channel 154 and therein supplants and continues the armature's surface
thereat.
[0147] FIG. 11 is an oblique view of a breech end section of the barrel
rail subassembly 125 replacing barrel rail subassembly 25 in the barrel
in FIG. 1 to adapt it for use in propelling armatures of the design in
FIGS. 9 and 10. With an armature in the barrel's cavity, guides 105a,
106a, and 107a are in and travel in armature guide ways 105,106 and
107, respectively, maintaining proper armature orientation and
electrical isolation between power rail 127 and 130 mounted in said
assembly.
[0148] It should be noted that armatures with a current bus for the
propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit means can be designed for used in the
barrel in FIG. 1 with barrel rail subassembly 25, making the barrel
with said barrel rail subassembly suitable to both armatures with and
without a current bus for the propulsion bus-aft shunt circuit mean.
When the barrel is used with an armature with a current bus, the barrel
rail 24 has a passive roll as a spacer.
[0149] Although the invention has been described herein with reference
to the presently preferred embodiments, a great number of
modifications, changes and alterations, including alternative
configurations of said embodiments, are possible without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims
and equivalents thereof.
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