Claims
- 1. A multi-stage, mass-action driver device, including:
- computerized driver-control means having output terminals providing driver-sequencing signals;
- a loading chamber for receiving and automatically advancing plasmatizable wafers;
- plasmatizable wafers carried by said loading chamber;
- a firing chamber electrically coupled to said output terminals and mechanically communicating with said loading chamber for receiving and plasmatizing, in a pre-determined sequence, said plasmatizable wafers, said firing chamber being responsive to the receipt of each of said wafers to self-seal while each wafer is being plasmatized;
- said firing chamber including an electric arc coupled to a source of electrical power and to said output terminal and responsive to the sealing of said firing chamber to convert each of said wafers to a plasma state to form plasmoids;
- a composite bore communicating with said firing chamber for receiving said plasmoids;
- said composite bore including a series of aligned centrally located openings therethrough and multiple, longitudinally aligned and spaced, electrically conductive rails, concentrically positioned with respect to said bore;
- means coupled to said output terminals for applying pre-determined potentials from said external source, in sequence, to said rails;
- plasma-accelerator means interposed between said firing chamber and said bore for accelerating plasmoids from said firing chamber towards said bore;
- electromagnetic means circling said bore and positioned after said plasma-accelerator means in the direction of said bore, which means direct and accelerate plasmoids from said firing chamber;
- means coupled electrically to said output terminals and located following said plasma-accelerator means in the direction of said bore for automatically injecting projectiles into said bore for propulsion by said plasmoids; and,
- means for applying operating potentials to said driver device under the control of said computerized driver-control means;
- said plasma-accelerator means including a plurality of radially disposed Tesla coils having their discharge ends positioned in a common cavity which is coupled to and follows said firing chamber in the direction of said bore.
- 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes, in addition, metallic cannisters for containing said plasmatizable wafers, said cannisters being stored in said loading chamber.
- 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes, in addition, cooling means for cooling said driver.
- 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said electromagnetic means includes a plurality of selectively actuable field coils controlled by signals from said output terminals.
- 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said selectively actuable field coils are activated differentially along said bore.
- 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said Tesla coils are tilted so as to lie in the surface of a virtual core which is coaxial with said bore and having their discharge ends forward of the remainder thereof in the direction of desired motion of said plasmoids.
- 7. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said wafers are of cesium.
- 8. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said cooling means is a closed loop system including heat exchanging means positioned aft of said bore in said driver device.
- 9. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said selectively actuable field coils have a polarity determined by control signals from said output terminals.
- 10. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said wafers are of Teflon.
- 11. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said wafers are of mercury.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation in part of application 06/590,283 filed 3/19/84, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
448496 |
Jun 1936 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
590283 |
Mar 1984 |
|