Projectile firing device using liquified gas propellant

• US 7,337,774 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Poly Systems Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Poly Systems Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Webb, Roger Clyde
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins; Timothy D.
• Application Number:
  US10/494,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20050011507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 124/56, 124/58, 124 59- 70, 102/440, 89/8
• US Class Current: 124/60
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/57 Electronic or electric systems for feeding or loading F41B11/53 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/62 with pressure supplied by a gas cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/71 Electric or electronic control systems, e.g. for safety purposes

Abstract

Rifle (1) comprises barrel (2) and loading means (15) for introducing a projectile from magazine (7) into breech (4). The projectile is propelled by a compressed gas propellant initially stored as a liquid in canister (10). The liquid is heated to a super critical state in chamber (8) by heating element (12) to induce a phase change such that the liquid becomes a highly dense gas. The phase change from liquid to gas provides the energy required to expel the projectile at high velocity from rifle (1), regardless of the ambient temperature. The propellant is preferably CO₂ which is heated to 31.06° C. Rifle (1) produces minimal noise and no heat signature, making it suitable for military and stealth purposes. A pistol and launchers for grenades or mortar bombs are also disclosed. Another version can launch low earth orbit satellites or payloads.

Claims

1. A projectile firing device comprising:

an elongate barrel;

loading means for introducing a projectile into said barrel;

holding means for holding a supply of compressed gas propellant in a liquid state; and

heating means for heating said supply of compressed gas propellant in a liquid state, to induce

a phase change in said propellant to convert said propellant into a supercritical fluid, said holding means being arranged to hold said propellant to dispose it, once converted into said supercritical fluid, to act directly on a said projectile in said barrel to propel the projectile through said barrel.

2. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one chamber constituting said holding means;

valve means disposed so that said at least one chamber is in fluid communication with said barrel via the valve means;

a reservoir located remote from said at least one chamber for storing said compressed gas propellant in a liquid state; and

a means for introducing said compressed gas propellant in a liquid state from said reservoir into said at least one chamber,

wherein said valve means is operable to release said propellant, after it is converted into said supercritical fluid, from said at least one chamber into said barrel to enable the supercritical fluid to act directly on a projectile in the barrel to propel the projectile through the barrel.

3. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said device is a weapon including a rifle, gun or pistol.

4. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said loading means is for introducing a cartridge into said barrel, with a said projectile being housed within said cartridge, said cartridge containing a reservoir of said compressed gas propellant in a liquid state and a thermal detonator adjacent thereto, said loading means being arranged to position said cartridge in said barrel so that the thermal detonator is in proximity to said heating means to enable the heating means to heat said thermal detonator to cause the detonator to heat said propellant.

5. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said device is a weapon including a grenade launcher.

6. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said loading means is for introducing a cartridge into said barrel, with a said projectile being housed within said cartridge, said cartridge containing a reservoir of said compressed gas propellant in a liquid state and said heating means being integral with said cartridge.

7. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said cartridge holds a sufficient amount of said compressed gas propellant in a liquid state to enable a portion of the propulsive energy of said propellant, after it is converted into said supercritical fluid, to continue acceleration of the projectile for a period of time after the projectile has left said barrel.

8. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said device is a weapon including a mortar launcher.

9. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said device is a satellite launching device and said projectile is a low earth orbit satellite.

10. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said device comprises a plurality of modular units and a plurality of chambers.

11. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein each chamber is associated with a respective modular unit.

12. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said barrel of said device is made of a composite material.

13. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said composite material is a synthetic fiber/aluminate laminate.

14. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said barrel has a polytetrafluoroethylene coated bore.

15. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said device is a rifle and it has a body, stock and pistol grip made of plastic.

16. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said plastic is glass filled nylon.

17. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an electronic control unit, which controls an ingress of said propellant in its liquid state from the reservoir to said chamber and controls the heating means used to heat said propellant.

18. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 17, further comprising targeting means for targeting said projectile and said electronic control unit is operably connected to said targeting means to control the ingress of aid propellant to said chamber and to control the heating means used to heat said propellant in response to varying targeting parameters including a distance and altitude of the device.

20. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said propellant is carbon dioxide.

21. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating means is powered by an electrical battery to heat the liquid into the supercritical fluid.

23. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating means is adapted to said compressed gas propellant to induce a said phase change without combustion of the propellant, to enable the supercritical fluid to propel the projectile through said barrel with minimal noise and with no heat signature.

19. A projectile firing device comprising:

an elongate barrel;

loading means for introducing a projectile into said barrel;

a reservoir for storing a compressed gas propellant in a liquid state;

at least one chamber, remote from said reservoir, for receiving compressed gas propellant in a liquid state from said reservoir;

heating means for heating said compressed gas propellant in a liquid state in said at least one chamber to induce a phase change in said propellant to convert it into a supercritical fluid; and

valve means,

wherein said at least one chamber is in fluid communication with said barrel via said valve means, which is operable to release said supercritical fluid from said at least one chamber to enable said fluid to act directly on a projectile in said barrel to propel the projectile through the barrel.

22. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the heating means is powered by an electrical battery to heat the liquid into the supercritical fluid.

24. A projectile firing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the heating means is adapted to said compressed gas propellant to induce a said phase change without combustion of the propellant, to enable the supercritical fluid to propel the projectile through said barrel with minimal noise and with no heat signature.