Patent Grant
11385005
The present invention relates to rotors for firearms.
An aspect of the invention involves a cooling rotor for a firearm (e.g., M134 minigun) that is configured to actively pull gas and heat generated from firing the firearm thru passages in the rotor and out a front of the rotor. By removing gases and debris in this manner, the rotor creates a safer environment and minimizes the possibility of flashing unspent powder. The cooling rotor is a single-piece design, minimizing misalignment from separate pieces controlling the firing of the firearm.
Another aspect of the invention involves a cooling rotor for a minigun that actively pulls gases and heat generated from firing the minigun comprising a front end with an axial opening; a rear end; a bore extending from the rear end to the axial opening in the front end; a plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments; and one or more openings disposed between two or more of the plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments whereby upon rotation of the cooling rotor gases and heat generated from firing the minigun are actively pulled through the one or more openings, the bore, and out the axial opening in the front end.
One or more implementations of the aspect of the invention described immediately above includes one or more of the following: one or more angled support structures between at least two of the longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments, the one or more angled support structures including the one or more openings; the plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments include two or more of a rotation bolt guide, a forward track, a center track, a front removable track support, a center removable track support, a rear removable track support, a front drive sleeve, and a clutch assembly support; one or more angled support structures are disposed between two or more of the rotation bolt guide, the forward track, the center track, the front removable track support, the center removable track support, the rear removable track support, the front drive sleeve, and the clutch assembly support, the one or more angled support structures including the one or more openings; the one or more angled support structures are disposed between the front removable track support and the center removable track support; the one or more angled support structures are disposed between the center removable track support and the rear removable track support; the one or more angled support structures are disposed between the front drive sleeve and the clutch assembly support; the one or more angled support structures are disposed between the front removable track support and the center removable track support, the center removable track support and the rear removable track support, and the front drive sleeve and the clutch assembly support; the one or more angled support structures are disposed extend at one or more of the same or different angles α from 30 degrees to 80 degrees off of the front face; and/or the rotor has a single-piece construction made of 18% nickel, cobalt strengthened steel (C-type).
An additional aspect of the invention involves a method of using a cooling rotor for a minigun that actively pulls gases and heat generated from firing the minigun comprising a front end with an axial opening; a rear end; a bore extending from the rear end to the axial opening in the front end; a plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments; and one or more openings disposed between two or more of the plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments whereby upon rotation of the cooling rotor gases and heat generated from firing the minigun are actively pulled through the one or more openings, the bore, and out the axial opening in the front end cooling rotor of claim of claim 1, comprising: rotating the cooling rotor; and actively pulling gases and heat generated from firing the minigun through the one or more openings, the bore, and out the axial opening in the front end, away from an operator of the minigun.
One or more implementations of the aspect of the invention described immediately above includes one or more of the following: the cooling rotor includes one or more angled support structures between at least two of the longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments, the one or more angled support structures including the one or more openings, and actively pulling includes using the one or more angled support structures to facilitate pulling the gases and heat generated from firing the minigun through the one or more openings; the plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments include two or more of a rotation bolt guide, a forward track, a center track, a front removable track support, a center removable track support, a rear removable track support, a front drive sleeve, and a clutch assembly support, and actively pulling includes pulling the gases and heat generated from firing the minigun through the one or more openings between two or more of the rotation bolt guide, the forward track, the center track, the front removable track support, the center removable track support, the rear removable track support, and the front drive sleeve; the cooling rotor includes one or more angled support structures disposed between two or more of the rotation bolt guide, the forward track, the center track, the front removable track support, the center removable track support, the rear removable track support, the front drive sleeve, and the clutch assembly support, the one or more angled support structures including the one or more openings, and actively pulling includes using the one or more angled support structures to facilitate pulling the gases and heat generated from firing the minigun through the one or more openings; the one or more angled support structures are disposed between the front removable track support and the center removable track support, and actively pulling includes using the one or more angled support structures to facilitate pulling the gases and heat generated from firing the minigun through the one or more openings between the front removable track support and the center removable track support; the one or more angled support structures are disposed between the center removable track support and the rear removable track support, and actively pulling includes using the one or more angled support structures to facilitate pulling the gases and heat generated from firing the minigun through the one or more openings between the center removable track support and the rear removable track support; the one or more angled support structures are disposed between the front drive sleeve and the clutch assembly support, and actively pulling includes using the one or more angled support structures to facilitate pulling the gases and heat generated from firing the minigun through the one or more openings between the front drive sleeve and the clutch assembly support; the one or more angled support structures are disposed between the front removable track support and the center removable track support, the center removable track support and the rear removable track support, and the front drive sleeve and the clutch assembly support, and actively pulling includes using the one or more angled support structures to facilitate pulling the gases and heat generated from firing the minigun through the one or more openings between the front removable track support and the center removable track support, the center removable track support and the rear removable track support, and the front drive sleeve and the clutch assembly support; the one or more angled support structures are disposed extend at one or more of the same or different angles α from 30 degrees to 80 degrees off of the front face; and/or the rotor has a single-piece construction made of 18% nickel, cobalt strengthened steel (C-type).
A further aspect of the invention involves a cooling rotor for a minigun that actively pulls gases and heat generated from firing the minigun, comprising a front end with an axial opening; a rear end; a bore extending from the rear end to the axial opening in the front end; and a plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
With reference to
The minigun 110 fires a cartridge that includes a bullet, a cylindrical cartridge case, a primer, and powder. When the cartridge is fired by first detonating the primer, which ignites the powder, pressure within the cartridge case increases to the point that the bullet is forced out of the cartridge case and down one of six barrels 120 of the minigun 110. The minigun 110 includes a main housing (not shown) that encloses and supports the rotor 100. The cartridges are handled by six bolt assemblies 130, each aligned with a respective one of the six barrels 120. The six bolt assemblies 130 are attached to and positioned circumferentially around the rotor 100. The rotor 100 comprises the core axis of the minigun 110. The six barrels 120 are connected to a forward portion 140 of the rotor 100 and are arranged for rotation as a cluster around the core axis of the minigun 110. As the rotor 100 rotates, the bolt assemblies 130 are driven forward and rearward by a helical cam incorporated within the main housing. The helical cam causes the cartridges to be delivered to the bolt assemblies 130, chambered in a barrel 120, and then fired. The empty cartridges are extracted from the chambers and ejected. The rotor 100 is rotated by means of a series of gears such as forward gear 150 driven by an electric motor. Removable track, which can also be considered an aft track, 155 is a continuation of forward track and center track. The removable track 155 is removable to allow the firing bolt to be installed and removed. The firing bolt rides between the sides of the forward, center, and removable tracks as the bolt moves forward and aft following the tracks. Gases, heat, and debris generated from firing the minigun 110 would normally be directed into the area between the rotor 100 and the main housing. The gases, heat, and debris would normally then be forced at high velocity through various openings in the housing, subjecting the operator to possible injury.
The cooling rotor 100 is configured to actively pull gases and heat generated from firing the minigun 110 thru passages in the rotor 100 and out a front of the rotor 100 to overcome the above problem that would normally occur. The rotor 100 includes a drive gear support 160 at a front end 165, which includes a front face 170, and a rear end 180 at an opposite end. A bore 190 extends through a center of the rotor 100 from the rear end 180 to an axial opening 200 of the front end 165. A periphery 210 of the rotor 100 includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments 220 with respective angled support structures 230 between the longitudinally spaced rotor segments 220. From front-to-rear, the longitudinally spaced rotor segments 220 include one or more of a rotation bolt guide 240, a forward track 250, a center track 260, a front removable track support 270, a center removable track support 280, a rear removable track support 290, a front drive sleeve 300, and a clutch assembly support 310. In a preferred embodiment, the angled support structures 230 extend between 1) the front removable track support 270 and the center removable track support 280, 2) the center removable track support 280 and the rear removable track support 290, and 3) the front drive sleeve 300 and the clutch assembly support 310. In an alternative embodiment, the angled support structures 230 extend between one or more of the rotation bolt guide 240, the forward track 250, the center track 260, the front removable track support 270, the center removable track support 280, the rear removable track support 290, the front drive sleeve 300, and/or the clutch assembly support 310. Each of the angled support structures 230 include circumferentially spaced angled openings 320 therein. Each of the angled support structures 230 (with openings 320) extend at one or more of the same or different angles α from 30 degrees to 80 degrees off of the front face 170.
With reference to
The figures may depict exemplary configurations for the invention, which is done to aid in understanding the features and functionality that can be included in the invention. The invention is not restricted to the illustrated architectures or configurations, but can be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. Additionally, although the invention is described above in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the various features and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments with which they are described, but instead can be applied, alone or in some combination, to one or more of the other embodiments of the invention, whether or not such embodiments are described and whether or not such features are presented as being a part of a described embodiment. Thus the breadth and scope of the present invention, especially in the following claims, should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments.
Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as mean “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, a group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although item, elements or components of the disclosure may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1328230 | Johnston | Jan 1920 | A |
| 1527585 | Hamilton | Feb 1925 | A |
| 2365388 | Browning | Dec 1944 | A |
| 3703122 | Farrington | Nov 1972 | A |
| 6679156 | Danou | Jan 2004 | B1 |
| 10168118 | Abbott | Jan 2019 | B2 |
| 20160091270 | Rowe | Mar 2016 | A1 |
