US3800657A

US3800657A - Modular liquid propellant gun

Info

Publication number: US3800657A
Application number: US00104610A
Authority: US
Inventors: T Broxholm; L Elmore
Original assignee: PulsePower Systems Inc
Current assignee: PulsePower Systems Inc
Priority date: 1971-01-07
Filing date: 1971-01-07
Publication date: 1974-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-02
Also published as: DE2200525A1; CH609144A5; BE777763A; IT948101B; FR2129369A5; GB1371814A; SE393451B

Abstract

A gun of the kind in which liquid propellant is burned in the firing chamber to fire a projectile from the gun is constructed so that a number of gun modules can be combined in a modular gun. Each gun module is cam controlled, and a common cam is used to control each gun module in the modular gun. The cam can be a flexible cam having a belt configuration to permit the gun modules to be arranged in both circular groupings and in noncircular groupings, such as side by side. The modular gun includes fixed, non-rotating gun modules to eliminate the need for tangential velocity correction factors in the fire control and the need to accelerate the mass of the barrel assembly to operational speed. The individual gun module includes propellant injection mechanism for injecting propellant at high pressure when a non-hypergolic bi-propellant is used as the propellant. One or more hydraulic actuators are used to develop the high injection pressures and to operate other components of the gun, such as the bolt. The hydraulic actuators are also engaged with the cam to interlock the actuators and the controls for the actuators through the cam. A source of pressurized hydraulic fluid independent of the gun is used to power the actuators so that the weight and profile of the gun are kept to a minimum. The hydraulic system includes a compound spool control valve which operates in a dual mode to permit normal cyclic operation of the gun during firing and to maintain the gun in an open bolt condition during armed but non-firing operations. The hydraulic system includes a misfire detection mechanism and module shutdown valve which locks a misfired gun module in the closed bolt condition with the need to depressurize the hydraulic circuits of the other gun modules and without the need to include additional bypass circuits. The injection mechanism for injecting the bipropellant includes two pistons which are yoked together and operated by a single actuator to inject the propellant into the firing chamber both in metered amounts and in a constant mix ratio. The pistons for injecting the bi-propellant include valves in the pistons, and the pistons are drawn through the fuel on retraction strokes of the pistons. The injection mechanism is retracted away from the firing chamber after the firing of a burst to isolate the propellant in the injection mechanism from the heat of the firing chamber. A rotary lock is mounted closely adjacent the bolt mechanism and engages a relieved area of the bolt in the locked position of the lock so that a quite small force on the lock will hold the bolt mechanism locked against high combustion chamber pressures tending to open the bolt.

Description

United States Broxholm et a1.

atet H 1 MODULAR LIQUID PROPELLANT GUN [75] Inventors: Thomas M. Broxholm, Palo Alto;

Lester C. Elmore, Portola Valley, both of Calif.

[73] Assignee: Pulsepower Systems Incorporated,

San Carlos, Calif.

[22] Filed: Jan. 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 104,610

[52] 1.1.8. Cl. 89/7, 89/1 L [51] Int. Cl ..F41t1/04 [58] Field of Search 89/7, 8, 9, 1 L, 11, 12, 89/1, 161

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,088,503 7/1937 Broussard 89/7 2,736,237 2/1956 Broussard 89/7 3,455,202 7/1969 Dixon et a1. 89/7 3,313,208 4/1967 Dorsey, Jr. et al. 89/7 1,174,840 3/1916 Fisher 89/7 1,383,111 6/1921 Hall et al. 89/7 2,413,113 12/1946 Pontius et al. 89/1 K 3,327,587 6/1967 Reed et a1 89/9 X 3,303,744 2/1967 Lanizzani 89/9 X Primary ExaminerSamuel W. Engle Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Owen, Wickersham & Erickson [57] ABSTRACT A gun of the kind in which liquid propellant is burned in thefiring chamber to fire a projectile from the gun is constructed so that a number of gun modules can be combined in a modular gun. Each gun module is cam controlled, and a common cam is used to control each gun module in the modular gun. The cam can be a flexible cam having a belt configuration to permit the gun modules to be arranged in both circular groupings and in non-circular groupings, such as side by side. The modular gun includes fixed, non-rotating gun modules to eliminate the need for tangential velocity correction factors in the fire control and the need to accelerate the mass of the barrel assembly to operational speed. The individual gun module includes propellant injection mechanism for injecting propellant at high pressure when a non-hypergolic bi-propellant is used as the propellant. One or more hydraulic actuators are used to develop the high injection pressures and to operate other components of the gun, such as the bolt. The hydraulic actuators are also engaged with the cam to interlock the actuators and the controls for the actuators through the cam. A source of pressurized hydraulic fiuid independent of the gun is used to power the actuators so that the weight and profile of the gun are kept to a minimum. The hydraulic system includes a compound spool control valve which operates in a dual mode to permit normal cyclic operation of the gun during firing and to maintain the gun in an open bolt condition during armed but nonfiring operations. The hydraulic system includes a misfire detection mechanism and module shutdown valve which locks a misfired gun module in the closed bolt condition with the need to depressurize the hydraulic circuits of the other gun modules and without the need to include additional bypass circuits. The injection mechanism for injecting the bi-propellant includes two pistons which are yoked together and operated by a single actuator to inject the propellant into the firing chamber both in metered amounts and in a constant mix ratio. The pistons for injecting the bipropellant include valves in the pistons, and the pistons are drawn through the fuel on retraction strokes of the pistons. The injection mechanism is retracted away from the firing chamber after the firing of a burst to isolate the propellant in the injection mechanism from the heat of the firing chamber. A rotary lock is mounted closely adjacent the bolt mechanism and engages a relieved area of the bolt in the locked position of the lock so that a quite small force on the lock will hold the bolt mechanism locked against high combustion chamber pressures tending to open the bolt.

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INVFNTORS THOMAS M. BROXHOLM LESTER C. ELMORE 2f Q Z M,

. AT RNEYS PAIENIEDAPR 21924 3,800,657 saw 120F1 INVENTOR5 THOMAS M. BROXHOLM LESTER C. ELMORE ATTORNE S PMEWWR 2m 3800.657 SHEET 130F13 INVENTORS THOMAS M BROXHOLM LESTER C. ELMORE BY 73 ATT NEiS I MODULAR LIQUID PROPELLANT GUN This invention relates to a gun of the kind in which liquid propellant is burned in the firing chamber to fire the projectile from the gun.

This invention-relates particularly to a liquid propellant gun constructed as an individual gun module so that a number of gun modules can be combined in a modular gun.

In conventional guns powder for firing each projectile is carried in a case attached to the projectile.

A liquid propellant gun has a number of advantages over such conventional guns.

If a liquid propellant gun uses the same size projectile as a conventional gun, the projectile feed for the liquid propellant gun can be simplified and can be made considerably lighter in weight than for a conventional gun. Or, a considerably larger charge can be used for higher performance without having to increase the size of the projectile feed mechanism.

A liquid propellant gun can produce a flatter combustion chamber pressure-time characteristic than a solid propellant gun. Hence performance equivalent to a solid propellant gun can be obtained at lower pressure.

High cyclic rates of fire are possible with a liquid propellant gun.

Because the propellant is a liquid the propellant can be easily pumped to the firing chamber from a storage area remote from the gun itself. This permits flexibility of installation.

When the gun is installed in an aircraft and a nonhypergolic bi-propellant is used, one of the components of the non-hypergolic bi-propellant can be the fuel used for the engine of the aircraft.

The liquid propellant gun permits a low profile, clean exterior design so that an individual liquid propellant gun module, or a modular grouping of liquid propellant gun modules, can be installed in locations that would not accommodate a conventional gun.

It is a primary object of the present invention to incorporate these inherent advantages of a liquid propellant gun in a modular gun.

Further objects of the present invention include the specific structures and features of operation noted in the abstract above.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and what are now considered to be the best modes contemplated for applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1. is an isometric exploded view (partially broken away to show details of construction) of an individual gun module constructed in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention. FIG. 1 shows the three main components of an individual gun module-the barrel assembly, the receiver assembly, and the control assembly;

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are a plan view (partly broken away along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 2-2 in FIG. 11) of the gun shown in FIG.

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are a side elevation view in cross section of the gun module shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view taken generally along the line in the direction indicated by the arrows 4-4 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view taken generally along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 5-5 in FIG. 38;

FIG. 6 is an elevation view taken along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 6-6 inWFIG. 3A;

FIG. 7 is an elevation view taken along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 7-7 in FIG. 3B;

FIG. 8 is an elevation view taken along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 8-8 in FIG. 38;

FIG. 9 is an elevation view taken along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 9-9 in FIG. 33;

FIG. 10 is an elevation view taken along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 10-10 in FIG. 3B;

FIG. 11 is an elevation view taken along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 11-11 in FIG. 3B;

FIG. 12 is an elevation view taken along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 12-12 in FIG. 3A. FIG. 12 illustrates how four individual gun modules can be arranged in a circular grouping in a modular gun constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a schematic front end elevation view illustrating the way in which the projectiles are spaced at one half the pitch between adjacent gun modules. FIG. 13 illustrates how four individual gun modules may be arranged side by side in a modular gun constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B are a schematic diagram of a hydraulic drive control system for a single gun module as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a cam having a hollow cylindrical configuration for use with four gun modules arranged in a circular grouping as best illustrated in FIG. 12. Parts of FIG. 15 have been broken away to Show the cam faces on the interior surface of the hollow cylindrical cam;

FIG. 16 is an end view of the cam shown in FIG. 15 and is taken along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 16-16 in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary cross sectional view like FIG. 3A showing a modification of the fuel injection mechanism for the gun module shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 17A illustrates how the propellant injection mechanism is retracted away from the firing chamber after the firing of a burst;

FIG. 18 is an inside developed view of the inside surface of the hollow cylindrical cam shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary cross section view taken along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows l919 in FIG. 18;

*accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a pictorial view of one embodiment of a bolt locking mechanism for the gun module shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 20 shows the bolt locking mechanism in the unlocked mode;

FIG. 21 is a view like FIG. 20 showing the lock mechanism in the locked mode;

FIG. 22 is a view like FIG. 21 but with parts partially broken away to show details of construction;

FIGS. 23 and 24 are side elevation views of the lock mechanism of FIGS. 20-21 showing the bolt and lock in the unlocked position in FIG. 23 and in the locked position in FIG. 24;

FIGS. 25 and 26 are views like FIGS. 23 and 24 of another embodiment of a lock mechanism constructed in FIGS. 27 and 28 are views'like FIGS. 23 and 24 of still another embodiment of the lock mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 29 is a pictorial view of the bolt and actuator sub-assembly.

An individual gun module constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 31 in FIG. 1.

The gun module 31 includes three main componentsa barrel assembly 33, a receiver assembly 35, and a control assembly 37.

The gun module 31 may be used by itself or (as will be described in greater detail below) may be arranged in both circular groupings (as shown in FIG. 12) or in non-circular groupings (as shown in FIG. 13) to form modular guns. The modular guns are indicated generally by

reference numerals

39 and 41 in FIGS. 12 and 13.

The gun module 31 is a liquid propellant gun. The gun burns a liquid propellant in the firing chamber to propel the projectile.

The particular embodiment of the gun 31 shown in the drawings and described below is constructed to use a bi-propellant, a propellant having two components which are mixed in the firing chamber. The gun module 31 shown in FIG. 1 uses a non-hypergolic bi-propellant. The two components of the bi-propellant do not ignite on contact.

Non-hypergolic bi-propellants have this advantage over hypergolic bi-propellants. The non-hypergolic bipropellant can be handled in the same way as a monopropellant. For example, the firing chamber can be fired, without spontaneous ignition, as in a monopropellant. Because of this fact, the chamber can be fired without having to pump against combustion pressure; and the propellant can be loaded in an exact amount before ignition is started. It should be noted, however, that many of the principles of the present invention could be applied to liquid propellant guns using hypergolic bi-propellants. Most of the principles of the present invention can be applied to liquid propellant guns using mono-propellants.

The bi-propellant is ignited in the combustion chamber by a spark plug in the embodiment of the gun module shown in FIG. 1. Ignition can also be accomplished by compression ignition or by injecting a chemical into the propellant. The present invention is not restricted to spark ignition.

The gun module 31 is a cam-controlled, hydraulically powered gun. The main cam maintains a proper sequence and timing relationship between the various components of the gun while hydraulic power is the primary energy source.

The cam for controlling the in FIGS. 15, 16, 18 and 19.

A hydraulic drive control system of the control assembly 37 is shown in schematic diagram in FIGS. 14A and 14B.

The bolt and injector sub-assembly of the receiver assembly 35 is shown in FIG. 29.

Details of construction of the gun module 31 will now be described with reference primarily to FIGS. 3A and 3B and FIGS. 2A and 2B.

The barrel assembly 33 includes a barrel 43.

The receiver assembly 35 includes a receiver 45.

The receiver assembly 35 also includes an end plate 47 attached to the back end of the receiver 45 by a number of cap screws 46. I

The hydraulic control assembly 37 is mounted on the receiver 45 in front of the end plate 47.

A main cam 49 is mounted for rotation between the receiver 45 and the hydraulic control assembly 37. The main cam. 49 is a hollow, cylindrical member (as best shown in FIGS. 15 and 16), and the rear end of the cam 49 is mounted for rotation on a bearing 51 in the end plate 47. The front end of the cam 49 may also be mounted for rotation on a bearing (not shown in the drawings) or may rotate on the receiver 45. The cam 49 has cam traces on both the inside and the outside peripheries. As will be described in greater detail below, the cam traces on the inside peripheries engage cam followers of actuators in the receiver 45 while the cam traces on the outside periphery engage cam followers of control valves in the hydraulic control assembly 37.

The cam 49 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 can be a rigidmember. In other applications, e.g., the FIG. 13 embodiment, the cam 49 must be a flexible member as illustrated to accommodate non-circular groupings of modules. As will become more apparent from the description to follow, a flexible cam is possible because of the low cam face loads of the present invention. The low cam face loads are possible because the cam does not drive the bolt assembly. The force for driving the bolt assembly is supplied by hydraulic actuators, and the cam serves only to maintain the proper phase relationship between the actuators and the control valves.

gun module 31 is shown The cam 49 includes gear teeth 53 on the outside periphery of the cam. An electric or hydraulic motor (not shown in the drawings) drives the cam (in counterclockwise rotation as viewed in FIGS. 8-11) by means of the gear teeth 53. a

The receiver 45 mounts a bolt 55 and propellant injection mechanism for reciprocation toward and away from combustion chamber 57 at the inlet end of the barrel 43.

The bolt and injector sub-assembly is best illustrated in FIG. 29. In FIG. 29 the propellant injection mechanism 59 includes a yoke 61, an acid piston 63, a fuel piston 65 and a hydraulic actuator 68. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 2A, 28, 3A, 3B and FIG. 29, the acid piston reciprocates within a cylinder '70 formed in the bolt 55, and the fuel piston 65 reciprocates within a cylinder 69 formed in the bolt 55.

The acid, or oxidizer, component of the bi-propellant is injected from the cylinder 70 through a port 71 into a central bore or pre-combustion chamber 73 of the bolt 55 and then into the combustion chamber 57.

The fuel in an aircraft installation may be the same fuel (such as J P 4) used for the aircraft engine. The fuel is injected from the cylinder 69 into the precombustion chamber 73 and the combustion chamber 57 through a port 72 shown in FIGS. 2A.

Piston 63 includes a one-way check valve 75 at the forward end of the piston.

The piston 65 includes a one-way check valve 77 at the forward end of the piston.

These check valves permit the fuel to flow through the interior of the pistons and through the head of the piston into the cylinder 70 and the cylinder 69 during the retraction strokes of the pistons within the

cylinders

70 and 69.

The strokes of the

pistons

63 and 65 are the same since the pistons are yoked together by the yoke 61. The proper mix ratio for the two components of the bipropellant is obtained by the relative diameters of the pistons 67 and 65. The two components of the bipropellant are therefore injected into the firing chamber in both metered amounts and in a constant mix rano.

A spark plug 79 is mounted for reciprocation within the bolt 55 in a bore 81 which forms a continuation of a pre-combustion chamber 73.

The spark plug 79 closes off the propellant injection port 71 of the cylinder 70 and the port 72 for the cylin der 69 as the spark plug is moved forward during a cycle of operation to control the end of the propellant injection strokes.

As best shown in FIG. 29, the bolt is actuated by a hydraulic actuator 83 and an actuator rod 85.

The bolt 44 includes a bolt cam follower 87.

The fuel injection yoke 61 includes a cam follower 89.

The spark plug includes a spark plug cam follower 91.

With continued reference to FIG. 29, the hydraulic fluid for the propellant injection mechanism actuator 68 is brought in through a hydraulic line 93 and a hydraulic port 95.

The fuel for the fuel piston 65 is supplied through a fuel line 97.

The oxidizer for the acid piston 63 is supplied through a line 99.

The injector actuator 68 includes a piston 64 slidable in a bore 66. The piston 64 in turn has an inner bore 66A.

The injector actuator hydraulic line 96 (see FIG. 4 and FIG. 29 and also FIG. slides within the bore 66A in a trombone type arrangement as the injector yoke 61 is reeiprocated backand forth by the action of the piston 64 within the bore 66.

As best shown in FIGS. 23 and 3B, the fuel piston and fuel line and the acid piston and acid line also have similar trombone type arrangements.

Thus, the fuel piston 65 has a hollow interior forming a bore 65A, and this hollow bore slides back and forth on the outside of the fuel line 97 during reciprocation of the piston 65 by the yoke 61.

The acid piston 63 has a bore 62, and this bore 62 slides back and forth on the exterior of the acid line 99 as the acid piston 63 is reciprocated by the yoke 61.

Suitable seal means, as shown in the drawings, are provided to accomplish the necessary sealing.

As best shown in FIG. 3B, the fuel line 97 is connected through the end plate 47 to a fuel port 101, and the acid line 99 is connected through the end plate 47 to an acid port 103.

FIG. 3A shows the bolt 55 at its full forward position.

A projectile 105, as shown in FIG. 3A, has been forced forward to the position illustrated by the forward movement of the bolt 55 and also by the liquid propellant injected behind the projectile into the firing chamber 57 by the forward movement of the fuel piston 65 and the acid piston 63. The projectile 105 is forced forward by the liquid propellant injected in the chamber 57. The forward motion is stopped by the resistance produced by the forcing cone. The way in which the projectile is loaded into the receiver and forced forward by the bolt and the liquid propellant insures that the firing chamber 57 and pre-combustion chamber 73 are completely filled with liquid propellant to eliminate an ullage problem.

The projectile 105 may preferably be fed to the receiver by a linkless belt 105 as shown in FIG. 12.

As shown in FIG. 12 (and as also shown in the lower lefthand corner of FIG. 14A), a projectile loader lever 109 bats a projectile 105 out of the belt 107 and into a curved slot 111 shaped to drop the projectile 105 into the proper position in the receiver assembly 31 in front of the bolt 55.

The projectile loader lever 109 is in the form of a bell crank (as best shown in FIG. 14A) and is pivotally connected to the receiver 45 by a pin 110.

The lever 109 is pivoted about the pin 110 by a hydraulic actuator indicated generally by the reference numeral 112 in FIG. 14A.

The actuator 112 includes a housing 114 and a piston 116 reciprocable within a bore in the housing. A rod of the piston 116 is connected to the lever 109 in a pinjoint connection 118.

As shown in FIG. 3A the projectile 105 in the receiver above the bolt 55 is positioned to be moved downward and in front of the front face of the bolt 55 by the lever 109 when the bolt 55 is retracted.

Each gun module 31 includes a misfire detection and module shutdown system. This system will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 14A and 14B, but at the present time it should be noted that the system includes a detector mechanism indicated generally by the reference numeral 113 in FIG. 2A. The mechanism 1 13 includes a housing clamped to the front end of the barrel 43 by bolts and nuts as illustrated. The housing 115 has a restricted orifice 117 which fits within an opening 119 in the barrel. The orifice 117 opens into a cylinder 121 in the interior of the housing 115. A second restricted orifice 123 also communicates with the interior of the cylinder 121 and extends through the wall of the housing 1 15 to connect the cylinder with the ambient atmosphere.

A piston 125 is reciprocable within the cylinder 121.

A piston rod 127 extends from the rearward end of the piston 125 through an end wall of the housing 115 and through a tube 129 back to a module shutdown control valve 223 as shown in FIG. 14B and as will be described in greater detail below.

An opening 131 extends through the front end wall of the housing 115 to vent the cylinder in front of the piston 125 to ambient atmosphere to prevent lock-up.

The orifices 117 and 123 are controlled orifices. The high pressure gas behind the projectile 105 enters the chamber within the cylinder 121 behind the piston 125 through the orifice 117 as the projectile is fired out of the barrel 43. The orifices 117 and 123 permit the escape of the pressurized gas from the interior of the housing 115 at a controlled rate to provide a certain leak down time. If another projectile is not fired within this leak down time the piston rod 127 ispulled back (to the right as viewed in FIG. 2A) by hydraulic pressure exerted on a face of the control valve, as will be described in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 148.

The detection mechanism 113 thus detects a misfire. The detection mechanism 113 remains in the position illustrated in FIG. 2A so long as the gun module continues in normal cyclic operation and does not misfire. On a misfire the piston 125 is shifted rearward (to the right as viewed in FIG. 2A).

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A an inlet port 133 and an outlet port 135 are connected to the .top of the barrel 43 through openings in the receiver 45 for supplying fluid to the combustion chamber 57 to purge the chamber 57 in the event of a misfire.

As best shown in FIG. 6 the fluid from the inlet port 133 flows into the combustion chamber 57 through a port 139 when a valve member 141 is positioned to permit flow between the

ports

133 and 139.

As best shown in FIG. 14A a companion valve 143 controls the flow of the purge fluid out of the combustion chamber 57 through a port 145 (like the port 139) and through the outlets of 135 to sump.

As shown in FIG. 14A the

valve members

141 and 143 are yoked together by a yoke 147 and spring biased, by

springs

149 and 151, to the positions illustrated in which the valve members close off the

ports

139 and 145.

A hydraulic actuator 153, which includes a piston 155 spring biased by the spring 157 to the position illustrated in FIG. 14A, opens the

ports

139 and 145 by moving the

valve members

141 and 143 to the left as viewed in FIG. 14A when hydraulic pressure is admitted to the interior of the actuator 153 through the conduit 159. The flow of hydraulic fluid through the conduit 159 is under the control of a three-way time control valve 161. The three-way time delay valve 161' is controlled by the misfire detection and module shutdown system, as will be described in greater detail with reference to the description of FIGS. 14A and 148.

As best shown in FIGS. 20-22 the gunmodule 31 includes a breech lock mechanism. This breech lock mechanism is indicated generally by the reference numeral 163 in FIGS. 20-22.

The breech lock mechanism, as best shown in FIG. 14A, includes a lock 165 and an actuator 167.

The actuator 167 includes a piston 169 and a rod 171. The forward end of the rod 171 has gear teeth 173 which engage corresponding gear teeth 175 on the lock. The rod 171, gear teeth 173 and gear teeth 175 form a rack-and-pinion arrangement for rotating the lock 165.

The lock 165 is a cylindrical member mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis. The rotational axis of the lock extends transverse to the axis of rocation of the bolt 55.

The lock 165 has a cutout or relieved area 177 which permits the lock to be mounted with the rotational axis of the lock closely adjacent to the outer periphery of the bolt 55. The relieved area 177 is shaped to, in effect, let the bolt reciprocate within the lock 165 with the outer periphery of the bolt in closely adjacent relationship to the surface of the cutout 177 of the lock when the lock is in the unlocked position.

The bolt 55 has a similar cutout or relieved area 181 which provides an abuttment face when the lock 165 is rotated into the cutout or relieved area 181.

This action is best shown in FIGS. 23 and 24.

In the configuration of the parts shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 the lock 265 has an abuttment face 179. The face 179 abutts the corresponding abuttment face 181 of the bolt 55, which is a part of the relieved area 177 of the lock 165.

FIGS. 25 and 26 and FIGS. 27 and 28 show modified lock and bolt arrangements in which the abuttment face 179 of the lock is not part of the relieved area 177 of the lock.

In this instance, however, the abuttment face 179 of the lock engages a substantial part of the relieved area of the bolt in the locked position so that only a small force exerted by the actuator 167 is required to hold the bolt in the locked position.

Since the combustion pressure developed in the combustion chamber 57 is quite large, the force on the forward face of the bolt 55 during firing is also quite large. This force on the face of the bolt acts in a direction tending to open the bolt, and it is therefore'important that the lock mechanism 163 be effective to hold the bolt in the locked position.

As best illustrated in FIG. 22 the spark plug 79 also has a cutout or relieved area which engages the lock 165 when the lock 165 is rotated to the locked position.

recip- As also illustrated in FIGS. 21 and 22, the piston 63 of the propellant injection mechanism may also be formed with a locking element 185 projecting outwardly from the piston 63 for engagement with a locking face 187 of the lock 165 when the lock is rotated to the locked position.

The locking element 185 is slidable within a slot 189 of the bolt 65. The locking of the fuel injection mechanism is not as critical as the locking of the bolt 55 and the spark plug 79 because the fuel injection mechanism is not directly exposed to the combustion pressure within the combustion chamber 57.

Before going to a discussion of the control mechanism shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B,-it should be noted that FIG. 17 and 17A illustrate a modification of a propellant injection mechanism. In these figures the cylinder 70 and piston 63 are mounted for reciprocation within a bore 70A formed in the barrel 43 and in the receiver 45 rather than in the bolt 55.

The cylinder 70 has a front end portion constructed towithstand the high pressures developed during combustion in the combustion chamber 57.

Seals, such as O-rings 401, prevent the loss of combustion chamber pressure. I

A spring biased check valve 403 is mounted in the front end portion of the cylinder 70 to permit the flow of propellant from the cylinder through the port 71 to the combustion chamber.

The piston 63 includes a one-way check valve 75 at the forward end of the piston.

In the operation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 17 and 17A, the cylinder 70 remains in the forward position illustrated in FIG. 17 during the firing of a burst while the piston 63 reciprocates back and forth within the cylinder 70 during the firing of each round. After the firing of a burst, the entire cylinder 70 and piston 63 assembly is retracted to the position shown in FIG. 17A to isolate the propellant from the hot barrel 43.

The present invention retracts the propellant injection mechanism away from combustion chamber 57 so that the injection mechanism and the liquid propellant within the injection mechanism are physically isolated from the hot combustion chamber to provide a thermal barrier, that is, a physical barrier to prevent heat flow from the hot combustion chamber to the propellant. This eliminates problems of heat soak which can lead to cookoff or unwanted vaporization of fuel and combustion in the gun module 31. It is important to provide such thermal isolation after the firing of a burst. During firing the flow rates of the liquid propellant are normally high enough to provide sufficient cooling. Thus, while the FIG. 3A embodiment of the present invention discloses retraction after each individual firing, it should be recognized that it might be desirable in some instances to retract the entire injection mechanism only after the firing of a burst as in the FIGS. 17 and 17A embodiment.

In some instances, it may be desirable to include a low conductivity thermal barrier between the barrel and the receiver to further reduce the possibility of transfer of heat to the propellant after'the firing of a burst.

A schematic diagram of the hydraulic drive control system for the gun module 31 as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B. Pressurized hydraulic fluid for driving the various actuators is brought into the system through a line 191. The motor for producing this pressurized hydraulic fluid is preferably separate from the gun itself so that the gun can be kept light in weight and small in profile.

If the gun is installed in an aircraft the source of the pressurized hydraulic fluid can be the hydraulic system of the aircraft.

One. of the features of a hydraulic control system is fast responseln the present invention the first shot is made at full cyclic rate.

The hydraulic fluid is returned from the control system to the source by a line 193.

The control system includes a bias control valve indicated generally by the reference numeral 195. The bias control valve is an on-off valve and is controlled by a trigger solenoid 197. The trigger solenoid 197 is shown in the on position in FIG. 14.

The bias control valve 195 includes a housing 199 and a valve spool 201 reciprocable within a bore in the housing 199.

Pressurized fluid flows into the housing 201 through an inlet conduit 203.

Outlet conduits

205 and 207 lead from the valve housing 199 to a housing 209 forming a part of the misfire detector mechanism 1 13.

Outlet conduits

211 and 213 extend from housing 199 downward to other conduits which are connected to ports at opposite ends of the various control valve housings.

Outlet conduits

215 and 217 connect with the return conduit 193.

Lands

219 and 221 on the spool of the bias control valve control the flow through the various conduits.

The valve spool 201 includes a cam follower 220 which engages a trace 222 in the cam 49 in the armed condition of the system with the trigger solenoid in the off position. When the trigger solenoid is energized to the on position, the cam follower remains in the cam trace 222 until a cross-over path 224 permits the cam follower to shift to the trace 226. This insures that the trigger solenoid will move the valve spool 219 to the on position in the proper time sequence with the other components of the hydraulic control system.

The valve housing 209 of the misfire detector mechanism 113 has a valve spool 223 mounted for reciprocation within the housing and connected to the rod 127.

Outlet conduits

225 and 227 extend downward from the housing 209. Flow from the inlet conduit 191 and to the

outlet conduits

225 and 227 is controlled by

lands

229 and 231 on the valve spool 223. The conduit 225 contains an orifice 233.

A spring 235 acting on the backface of the land 231 biases the spool 223, and the rod 127, in a forward direction.

Pressurized fluid, conducted through the housing 209 by the conduit 207, acts on a forward face of a land 237 to bias the spool 223 in a rearward direction.

A cam follower 239 is connected to the rearward extension of the valve spool 223 and is normally engaged in a trace 241 of the cam 49. The cam trace 241 extends around the outside circumference of the cam 49 and parallel to a second cam trace 243. A path 245 connects the

traces

241 and 243.

As will be described in greater detail below in the description of the operation of the gun, the cam follower 239 remains in the trace 241 so long as a misfire does not occur. The pressure developed within the bore 121 of the housing 1 15 at the end of the barrel during cyclic firing is sufficient to keep the piston 125 forward, as illustrated, when the path 245 is aligned with the cam follower 239. However, if a misfire occurs, there is insufficient pressure in the chamber 121 behind the piston 125, and the force developed by the pressurized hydraulic fluid acting on the forward face of the land 237 shifts the valve follower 239 from the trace 241 through the path 245 and into the trace 243; and the cam follower 239 thereafter remains in the trace 243. This cuts off the flow of fluid through the conduit 227 and transmits pressurized hydraulic fluid through the conduit 225 by shifting the land 229 to the other side of conduit 191.

The phantom outline shows the cam follower 239 shifted to the trace 243.

In the misfire condition, the bolt 55 and injector 63 will remain locked in the forward position as illustrated. This mode of operation will be further described with reference to the cam traces shown in FIGS. 16 and 18 below.

The angle of the cam path 245 is such that the cam follower 239 will remain in the path 243 because of the direction of rotation of the cam 49. The valve spool 223 will thus remain in the rearward position illustrated by the phantom outline against the bias of the spring 235.

The

conduits

211 and 213 extend from the bias control valve down to a bolt and injector system control valve indicated generally by the reference numeral 247.

The control valve 247 includes a valve housing 249. The valve housing 249 has a longitudinally extending central bore 251.

A compound spool is axially shiftable within the bore 251.

The compound spool includes an inner spool 253 and a sleeve 255. The sleeve 255 is axially shiftable on the reduced diameter central portion of the spool 253 between abuttment stops 257 and 259 at opposite ends of the spool 253.

The conduit 211 connects to the forward end of the housing 249 and the conduit 213 connects to the rearward end of the housing 249. When pressurized fluid is supplied through the conduit 211 as illustrated in FIG. 14B the sleeve 255 is shifted rearward and into engagement with the stop 259.

A cam follower 261 on the valve spool 253 rides in a trace 263 on the main cam 49. Rotation of the cam 49 periodically shifts the cam follower 261 forward to the position indicated by the dotted line to cause corresponding shifting of the valve spool 253 and the sleeve 255 engaged with stop 259.

Pressurized fluid is led into the control valve 247 bythe conduit 227.

Conduits

262 and 265 extend from the valve housing 249 to the rear ends and to the front ends respectively of the

actuators

83 and 68 for the bolt 55 and the yoke 61 of the propellant injection mechanism.

With the cam 49 in the position illustrated and the valve sleeve 255 pressed against the stop 259 of the spool 253, the pressurized fluid flows from the conduit 227 past a land 267 and to the conduit 262 and the back sides of the

actuators

83 and 68. The respective pistons and the actuators are thus forced forward to the positions illustrated in FIG. 14B.

When the cam 49 rotates to a position in which the trace 263 shifts the cam follower 261 to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 14B the land 267 closes off flow through the conduit 262 and directs the flow to the conduit 265 to reciprocate the pistons in the bolt actuator 83 and the propellant injection actuator 68 to the rear.

In this mode of operation the control valve 247 acts as an on-off valve or flow switching valve to cause reciprocation of the bolt and propellant injection mechanism with the movement of the cam follower 261.

Conduits

269 and 271 extend downward from the valve housng 249 and connect with the return conduit 193. Flow through these

conduits

269 and 271 is controlled by

lands

273 and 275 on the valve sleeve 255. These lands open one side of each of the

actuators

83 and 68 to hydraulic fluid return when the other side of each actuator is being pressurized.

Pressurized hydraulic fluid is supplied through the conduit 213 to shift the sleeve 255 forward against the stop 257 when the gun is placed in the armed condition a condition in which the main cam drive motor is energized, the main cam is rotating and hydraulic power is applied to the gun module) and the trigger solenoid 197 is in the off position. In this condition of operation the reciprocation of the spool 253 by the cam trace 263 is not effective to produce any reciprocation of the bolt and propellant injectors. Instead, pressurized hydraulic fluid is continuously transmitted from the conduit 227 to the conduit 265 past the land 267 and to the forward end of the

actuators

83 and 68. The bolt and propellant injectors are thus held in the open position ready to start firing as soon as the trigger solenoid 197 is energized to the on position.

As illustrated in FIG. 14A the hydraulic drive control system includes a breech lock control valve indicated generally by the reference numeral 277 and a projectile loader control valve indicated generally by the reference numeral 279.

These control valves control the breech lock actuator 163 and the projectile loader actuator 112.

The

control valves

277 and 279 are compound spool control valves like the bolt and injector control valve 247 and operate in a dual mode like the control valve 247.

Thus, a conduit 211 is connected to the forward end of a valve housing 281 of the control valve 277 and the conduit 211 is also connected to the forward end of a valve housing 283 of the control valve 279.

A conduit 213 is connected to the rearward end of the housing 281 and a rearward end of the housing 283. Pressurized hydraulic fluid is supplied to a central part of each valve housing 281 and Y283 by the conduit 227 during normal operation.

The pressurized fluid from the line 227 is'directed alternately to the front and to the back side of the breech lock actuator 167 through conduits285 and 287.

The breech lock control valve 277 includes a compound spool. The compound spool has an inner spool 289 and a valve sleeve 291. The valve sleeve 291 is shiftable on the spool 289 between the

stops

293 and 295. v

A land 297 controls the fluid from conduit 227 to the

conduits

285 and 287.

On a misfire, pressurized fluid from the main hydraulic line 191 is directed to the conduit 225 (see FIG. 14B),throu gh an orifice 233, and, in the case of the breech lock actuator 163, through a conduit 299 and a one-way check valve 301 to the front end of the housing 167 to hold the breech'lock in the locked position illustrated.

During normal cyclic firing operation pressurized hydraulic fluid is supplied to the front end of the housing 281 of the breech lock control valve to position the sleeve 291 against the stop 295 as illustrated in FIG. 14A.

A cam follower 303 on the valve spool 289 rides in a-trace 305 on the cam 49. As the cam 49 rotates, the trace 305 periodically shifts the cam follower 303 to the forward position illustrated by the dotted outline. This in turn shifts the valve spool 289 and the vlave sleeve 29] to produce reciprocation of the piston 168 in the breech lock actuator. Conduits 307 and 309 connect the valve housing 281 with the return line 193.

If the trigger off but armed condition pressurized hydraulic fluid is directed through the conduit 213 to the rear face of the sleeve 291 to move the sleeve forward against the stop 293. In this condition of operation, the breech lock actuator is maintained in the unlocked position ready for the start of firing. The reciprocation of the valve spool 295 by the cam follower 303 is not effective to change the flow of pressurized hydraluic fluid from the conduit 287 to the back side of the piston 169.

The conduit 227 includes a one-way check valve 31 1 and the conduit 309 includes a one-way check valve 313 for preventing bleed-off of pressure from the front part of the hydraulic actuator 167 during a misfire con-

Claims

1. A gun of the kind in which liquid propellant is burned in a firing chamber to fire a projectile from the gun and including, a barrel, a receiver, a bolt, means for reciprocating the bolt in the receiver, a firing chamber, injection mechanism for injecting a non-hypergolic bi-propellant liquid propellant into the firing chamber on each cycle of reciprocation of the bolt, said injection mechanism including a separate injector for each component of the bi-propellant, each said injector comprising a chamber and a piston of predetermined dimensions, means rigidly interconnecting said pistons, actuator means for moving the interconnected injector pistons as a unit whereby said predetermined dimensions and common actuator establish accurate metering and a constant mix of the bi-propellant injected directly into the firing chamber to fully occupy said chamber, igniter means for igniting the non-hypergolic bi-propellant in the firing chamber and control means effective to actuate the igniter means to ignite the propellant after the injection mechanism has filled the firing chamber with the non-hypergolic bi-propellant mix.

2. A gun as defined in claim 1 wherein the actuator means include a motor powered by a source of fluid separate from the gun.

3. A gun as defined in claim 2 including a control valve for each motor, each said control valve having a control element driven by a cam follower, and a rotatable cam engaged to provide cam control and fluid actuator drive for the injection mechanIsm by each said follower.

4. A gun as defined in claim 3 wherein said motor includes a movable element including a cam follower and wherein the cam has a trace engaged by a respective control element cam follower and has a second trace engaged by the movable element of the motor to insure a precise phase relationship between the control valve and the motor.

5. A rapid firing gun of the kind in which liquid propellant is burned in a firing chamber to fire a projectile from the gun said gun comprising, a barrel, a receiver, a bolt, bolt actuator means for reciprocating the bolt within the receiver, a combustion chamber having wall structure of substantial mass subjected to heat soak produced during the rapid firing of a burst of projectiles from the combustion chamber, injection mechanism for injecting liquid propellant into the combustion chamber, said injection mechanism including a cylinder for containing the liquid propellant to be injected and a piston reciprocable within the cylinder to eject the propellant from the cylinder into the combustion chamber on each cycle of reciprocation of the bolt, mounting means mounting the injection mechanism for movement between a first, injection position in which the injection mechanism is physically connected to the combustion chamber for injecting liquid propellant into the combustion chamber and a second, isolated position in which the injection mechanism including the liquid propellant in the cylinder are physically separated from the wall structure of the combustion chamber to provide a thermal barrier to heat flow from the combustion chamber wall structure to the propellant, actuator means for moving the injection mechanism between the injection position and the isolated position, and valve means within the piston operable on retraction of the bolt to permit refilling of the cylinder piston assembly with propellant as the piston is moved rearward through the propellant within the cylinder after a firing of a projectile from the gun.

6. A hydraulically controlled gun of the kind in which liquid propellant is burned in a firing chamber to fire a projectile from the gun including, a barrel, a receiver, a bolt, a first hydraulic actuator for reciprocating the bolt within the receiver, a firing chamber, injection mechanism for injecting a liquid propellant directly into the firing chamber, a second hydraulic actuator connected to actuate the injection mechanism, cam means, a control valve for controlling movement of each said hydraulic actuator, a hydraulic circuit interconnecting a source of high pressure hydraulic fluid independent of the gun with said valve means and said actuators to power said hydraulic actuators under the control of the valve means, each said valve means having cam follower means engaging said cam means whereby the injection of said liquid propellant is coordinated with the reciprocation of said bolt.

7. A gun as defined in claim 6 wherein the liquid propellant is a mono-propellant.

8. A gun as defined in claim 6 wherein the liquid propellant is a non-hypergolic bi-propellant.

9. A gun as defined in claim 8 including actuators movable through relatively large distances for reciprocating the propellant injection mechanism and the bolt, cam followers movable through relatively small distances for controlling the actuators and wherein both the actuators and the cam followers are continuously engaged with the cam to insure a precise phase relationship between the actuators and the cam followers.

10. A rapid firing gun of the kind in which liquid propellant is burned in a combustion chamber to fire a projectile from the gun, said gun comprising, a barrel, a receiver, a bolt, bolt actuator means for reciprocating the bolt within the reciever, a combustion chamber having wall structure of substantial mass subjected to heat soak produced during the rapid firing of a burst of projectiles from the combustion chamber, injection mechanism for injecting liquid propellant into the combustion chamber, saId injection mechanism including a cylinder for containing the liquid propellant to be injected and a piston reciprocable within the cylinder to eject the propellant from the cylinder into the combustion chamber on each cycle of reciprocation of the bolt, mounting means including a bore in the receiver separate from the bolt mounting the injection mechanism for movement between a first, injection position in which the injection mechanism including said cylinder is physically connected to the combustion chamber for injecting liquid propellant into the combustion chamber and a second, isolated position in which the injection mechanism including said cylinder and the liquid propellant in the cylinder are physically separated from the wall structure of the combustion chamber to provide a thermal barrier to heat flow from the hot combustion chamber wall structure to the propellant, and actuator means for moving the injection mechanism between the injection position and the isolated position.

11. A gun as defined in claim 10 including control means for the actuator means effective to retain the injection mechanism in the first, injection position during the firing of a burst and to retract the injector mechanism in the bore to the second, isolated position only after the firing of a burst has been completed.

12. A rapid firing gun of the kind in which liquid propellant is burned in a combustion chamber to fire a projectile from the gun, said gun comprising, a barrel, a receiver, a bolt, means for reciprocating the bolt within the receiver, a combustion chamber having wall structure of substantial mass subjected to heat soak produced during the rapid firing of a burst of projectiles from the combustion chamber, injection mechanism for injecting liquid propellant into the combustion chamber, said injection mechanism including a cylinder for containing the liquid propellant to be injected and a piston reciprocable within the cylinder to eject the propellant from the cylinder into the combustion chamber, mounting means for the injection mechanism for movement between a first, injection position in which the injection mechanism is physically connected to the combustion chamber for injecting liquid propellant into the combustion chamber and a second, isolated position in which the injection mechanism and the liquid propellant in the cylinder are physically separated from the wall structure of the combustion chamber to provide a thermal barrier to heat flow from the hot combustion chamber wall structure to the propellant, and actuator means for moving the injection mechanism between the injection position and the isolated position, and wherein the mounting means mount the injection mechanism for reciprocation within the bolt and the injection mechanism is retracted to the second, isolated position with the retraction of the bolt after the firing of each round.

13. A rapid firing gun of the kind in which liquid propellant is burned in a combustion chamber to fire a projectile from the gun, said gun comprising, a barrel, a receiver, a bolt, bolt actuator means for reciprocating the bolt within the receiver, a combustion chamber having wall structure of substantial mass subjected to heat soak produced during the rapid firing of a burst of projectiles from the combustion chamber, injection mechanism for injecting liquid propellant into the combustion chamber, said injection mechanism including a cylinder for containing the liquid propellant to be injected, means for ejecting the propellant from the cylinder into the combustion chamber on each cycle of reciprocation of the bolt, mounting means including a bore in the receiver separate from the bolt mounting the injection mechanism for movement between a first, injection position in which the injection mechanism including said cylinder is physically connected to the combustion chamber for injection liquid propellant into the combustion chamber and a second, isolated position in which the injection mechanism including said cylinder and the liQuid propellant in the cylinder are physically separated from the wall structure of the combustion chamber to provide a thermal barrier to heat flow from the hot combustion chamber wall structure to the propellant, and actuator means for moving the injection mechanism between the injection position and the isolated position.

14. A rapid firing gun of the kind in which liquid propellant is burned in a combustion chamber to fire a projectile from the gun, said gun comprising, a barrel, a receiver, a bolt, means for reciprocating the bolt within the receiver, a combustion chamber having wall structure of substantial mass subjected to heat soak produced during the rapid firing of a burst of projectiles from the combustion chamber, injection mechanism for injecting liquid propellant into the combustion chamber, said injection mechanism including a cylinder for containing the liquid propellant to be injected, means for ejecting the propellant from the cylinder into the combustion chamber, mounting means mounting the injection mechanism for movement between a first, injection position in which the injection mechanism is physically connected to the combustion chamber for injecting liquid propellant into the combustion chamber and a second, isolated position in which the injection mechanism and the liquid propellant in the cylinder are physically separated from the wall structure of the combustion chamber to provide a thermal barrier to heat flow from the hot combustion chamber wall structure to the propellant, and actuator means for moving the injection mechanism between the injection position and the isolated position, and wherein the mounting means mount the injection mechanism within the bolt and the injection mechansim is retracted to the second, isolated position with the retraction of the bolt after the firing of each round.