Gun barrel with integral midwall cooling
First Claim
1. A composite gun barrel having a breech end and a discharge end, comprising:
- an outer jacket having radially inwardly projecting ports proximate said breech extending inwardly from the outer diameter of said jacket,an inner liner inside said jacket and extending beyond the discharge end of said jacket, said inner liner having a circumferentially located annular space, said ports being in operable communication with said annular space, anda plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal channels on the outside diameter of said liner and extending from said annular space to a location beyond said discharge end of said jacket, said liner being positioned inside said jacket, andsaid liner including a shoulder located between said breech end of said barrel and said inwardly projecting ports for locating said jacket on said liner, said jacket further being shrunk around said liner, such jacket and liner then being autofrettaged to form an integral barrel structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A composite gun barrel 10 with active cooling having a breech end and a dharge end. The barrel includes an outer jacket 11 having radially inwardly projecting ports 15 proximate the breech end 25 extending inwardly from the outer diameter of the jacket, and an inner liner 13 inside the jacket and extending beyond the discharge end of the jacket prestressed by autofrettage to form a permanent integral assembly. The inner liner has a circumferentially located annular space 17, the ports being in operable communication with the annular space. A plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal channels 19 on the liner extend from the annular space to a location 21 beyond the discharge end of the jacket. The liner includes a shoulder 23 located between the breech end of the barrel and the inwardly projecting ports for locating the jacket on the liner. The liner includes an outer terminal liner portion 27 on the breech end extending beyond the jacket to permit the liner to be held in position for insertion into the jacket, the outer terminal liner portion being removable to form a desired barrel length during finishing of the barrel. Similarly, the jacket includes an outer terminal jacket portion 29 on the breech end extending partially between the outer terminal liner portion and the desired barrel length, the outer terminal barrel portion also being removable to form the desired barrel length during finishing of the barrel.
34 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A composite gun barrel having a breech end and a discharge end, comprising:
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an outer jacket having radially inwardly projecting ports proximate said breech extending inwardly from the outer diameter of said jacket, an inner liner inside said jacket and extending beyond the discharge end of said jacket, said inner liner having a circumferentially located annular space, said ports being in operable communication with said annular space, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal channels on the outside diameter of said liner and extending from said annular space to a location beyond said discharge end of said jacket, said liner being positioned inside said jacket, and said liner including a shoulder located between said breech end of said barrel and said inwardly projecting ports for locating said jacket on said liner, said jacket further being shrunk around said liner, such jacket and liner then being autofrettaged to form an integral barrel structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Method for fabricating and providing cooling channels for a 155 mm composite cannon barrel in a firing environment expected to exceed 60,000 psi of pressure, comprising the steps of:
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(i) cutting longitudinal channels in the exterior of a cylindrical steel liner tube, said channels equally parallel spaced around the circumference of said liner tube; (ii) providing a second cylindrical steel jacket tube of equal thickness but having inside diameter of said liner tube less than the outside diameter of said liner tube, by an amount up to 0.005 inches; (iii) independently heating said jacket tube to expand the said inside diameter sufficient to accommodate insertion of the liner tube; (iv) inserting the liner tube within the jacket tube and allowing such combination to cool together to form as one common, cannon assembly; and (v) autofrettaging said cannon assembly by mechanically ramming an oversized mandrel down the length of the cannon assembly bore. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A gun barrel comprising in combination:
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a cylindrically shaped jacket including a breech end, a discharge end, and a plurality of radial ports, said plurality of radial ports being disposed proximate to said breech end; a hollow, cylindrically shaped liner fitting tightly within said jacket and extending beyond said jacket discharge end; said liner including a circumferential annular space in communication with said radial ports; a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinal channels formed on an outer periphery of said liner, and extending underneath said jacket from said annual space of said liner toward said jacket discharge end; said channels being in communication with said annular space and said plurality of radial ports, for allowing a cooling fluid to flow therethrough; and said channels being stressed subsequent to assembling said jacket and said liner, for significantly enhancing the strength and fatigue life of said liner and ultimately the gun barrel. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of fabricating a gun barrel comprising:
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providing a cylindrically shaped jacket with a breech end, a discharge end, and a plurality of radial ports, said plurality of radial ports being disposed proximate to said breech end; providing a hollow, cylindrically shaped liner with an internal, circumferential annular space; forming a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinal channels on an outer periphery of said liner, said channels being in communication with said annular space; fitting said liner within said jacket, with said liner extending beyond said jacket discharge end, said channels extending underneath said jacket from said annular space of said liner toward said jacket discharge end, and said channels being in communication with said annular space and said plurality of radial ports, for allowing a cooling fluid to flow therethrough; and stressing said liner within said jacket, for significantly enhancing the strength and fatigue life of said channels and ultimately the gun barrel. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification