EP0331446A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electromagnetic launching apparatus for reducing the chances of parasitic voltage breakdown between the rails during a projectile launch
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1989-02-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-02-28
Abstract
Abstract An electromagnetic launcher having parallel rails (30, 31) bridged by a projectile driving armature (56). Another set of rails (36, 37), acting as current feed rails, delivers current, from an energy source (44), to the projectile rails at the far or muzzle end (33) thereof as opposed to the breech end (36), as is done in conventional electromagnetic launchers.
Inventors
- 👤 George Alfred Kemeny
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:16
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41B; F41B6/00; F41B6/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
Electromagnetic launcher apparatus including a pair of a pair of generally parallel, electrically conducting projectile rails (30, 31) having a breech end (32) and a muzzle end (33) characterized by: A) first and second electrically conducting feed rails (31, 27) each being positioned adjacent a respective one of said projectile rails and in substantial flux linking relationship therewith; B) said first and second feed rails being electrically connected (40, 41) to a respective one of said projectile rails at the muzzle end thereof; C) an armature (56) for conducting current between said projectile rails and for accelerating a projectile (52) along said projectile rails from said breech end to said muzzle end; and D) an energy source (44) connected to said feed rails to supply a high current thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
Electromagnetic launcher apparatus including a pair of a pair of generally parallel, electrically conducting projectile rails (30, 31) having a breech end (32) and a muzzle end (33) characterized by: A) first and second electrically conducting feed rails (31, 27) each being positioned adjacent a respective one of said projectile rails and in substantial flux linking relationship therewith; B) said first and second feed rails being electrically connected (40, 41) to a respective one of said projectile rails at the muzzle end thereof; C) an armature (56) for conducting current between said projectile rails and for accelerating a projectile (52) along said projectile rails from said breech end to said muzzle end; and D) an energy source (44) connected to said feed rails to supply a high current thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said armature is a plasma (56) started by the timely initiated voltage breakdown behind said projectile.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that: A) said feed rails (36, 37) have a self inductance per unit length of L′ F ; B) said projectile rails (30, 31) have a self inductance per unit length of L′ P ; and C) L′ F > L′ P .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized in that each one of said projectile rails (30a, 31a) partially surrounds a respective one of said feed rails (36a, 36b).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized in that each one of said projectile rails (30b, 31b) totally surrounds a respective one of said feed rails (36b, 37b).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that: A) said feed rails (36, 37) have a length F; B) said projectile rails (30, 31) have a length P; and C) F > P.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that: A) said energy source (44) is a capacitor bank (46); and B) a switch means (48) is connected in circuit between said capacitor bank and said feed rails (36, 37).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 characterized in that said apparatus includes an inductor (50) connected in series with said capacitor bank (46) for controlling the current supplied to said feed rails (36, 37) when said switch means (48) is closed.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of electromagnetically launching a projectile (52) located between projectile rails (30, 31) having a breech end (32) and a muzzle end (33) and having a driving armature (56) bridging said rails, comprising the steps of: A) feeding a high current from an energy source (44) to the muzzle end of said rails; and B) substantially eliminating any flux between said rails in front of said armature which might be caused by said high current fed to said rails.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of electromagnetically launching a projectile (52) located between projectile rails (30, 31) having a breech end (32) and a muzzle end (33) and having a driving armature (56) bridging said rails, comprising the steps of: A) feeding a high current from an energy source (44) to the muzzle end of said rails; and B) substantially eliminating any flux between said rails in front of said armature which might be caused by said high current fed to said rails.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of electromagnetically launching a projectile (52) located in the bore between projectile rails (30, 31) having a breech end (32) and a muzzle end (33). comprising the steps of: A) feeding a high current from an energy source (44) by means of feed rails (36, 37) into the muzzle end of said rails; and B) substantially accelerating said projectile by the accelerating force resulting from the interaction of the flux density between said rails produced in the wake of said projectile by current through said feed rails, with current flowing between said rails.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of electromagnetically launching a projectile (52) located in the bore between projectile rails (30, 31) having a breech end (32) and a muzzle end (33). comprising the steps of: A) feeding a high current from an energy source (44) by means of feed rails (36, 37) into the muzzle end of said rails; and B) substantially accelerating said projectile by the accelerating force resulting from the interaction of the flux density between said rails produced in the wake of said projectile by current through said feed rails, with current flowing between said rails.
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