WO2010049588A1

WO2010049588A1 - Cleaning device and method for cleaning a gun barrel

Info

Publication number: WO2010049588A1
Application number: PCT/FI2009/050864
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paavo Sorvakko
Original assignee: Polartherm Oy
Priority date: 2008-10-29
Filing date: 2009-10-28
Publication date: 2010-05-06
Also published as: EP2350551A1; EP2350551A4; FI20086025A0

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device (12) for cleaning a gun barrel (10), which cleaning device (12) includes a brush element (16) and a rod (22) for operating it, as well as two end pieces (20, 38) for sealing the ends of the gun barrel (10), one of which end pieces is moveable for installing the gun barrel (10) in the cleaning device (12), and one of which end pieces (20, 38) includes a feed-through (15) for the rod (22) of the brush element (16). The cleaning device (12) further includes a cleaning-fluid tank (18) for the cleaning fluid and cleaning-fluid circulating means (29) connected to the said end pieces (20, 38) and the said cleaning-fluid tank (18).

Description

CLEANING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CLEANING A GUN BARREL

The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning a gun barrel, which cleaning device includes - a brush element and an rod for operating it, two end pieces for sealing the ends of the barrel of the gun, one of which end pieces is moveable for installing the gun barrel in the cleaning device, and one of which end pieces includes a feed-through for the rod of the brush element.

The invention also relates to a method for cleaning a gun barrel .

When a firearm is used, copper detaching from the projectile adheres to the internal surface of the gun barrel . On the internal surface of the gun barrel there are also gun oil, grease, and combustion residues. The cleaning of the gun barrel is of paramount importance in to maintain a weapon' s operating capability. The barrels of many small-calibre weapons are still cleaned manually. The manual cleaning of gun barrels is very slow and labourious.

Known publication print FI114240 B discloses a device for cleaning the barrel of a firearm. The device includes end pieces fitted to each end of the gun barrel and a mechanical cleaning element to be moved backwards and forwards. In the device, the cleaning fluid is not circulated, making it difficult to obtain a good cleaning result, which also demands a great deal of cleaning fluid. Use of a small amount of cleaning fluid easily leads to the dirtying of the brush element and the contamination of the cleaning fluid.

The invention is intended to create a cleaning device and method for cleaning the barrel of a gun, which are more effec- tive than previously. According to the invention, this purpose can be achieved by using circulation of the cleaning fluid in connection with the cleaning of the gun barrel. The cleaning fluid is circulated by pumping the cleaning fluid through the end pieces, from a cleaning-fluid tank that forms a fixed part of the cleaning device, through the gun barrel being cleaned. With the aid of circulation, fresh cleaning fluid can be pumped continuously into the gun barrel and the used cleaning fluid can be circulated through a filter back into the fixed cleaning-fluid tank. Thanks to the fixed cleaning-fluid tank, the amount of cleaning fluid available is considerably greater than capacity of the gun barrel being cleaned, thus substantially reducing the risk of contaminating the cleaning fluid. In addition, the circulation of the cleaning fluid promotes the active cleaning of the brush element.

More specifically, the cleaning device according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing portion of Claim 1.

In the following, the invention is examined in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings depicting applications of the invention, in which

Figure 1 shows a side view of the cleaning device according to the invention for cleaning the barrel of a gun, with the operating guard open,

Figure 2 shows a top view of the cleaning device according to the invention for cleaning the barrel of a gun, with the operating guard open,

Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the detachable end piece of the cleaning device according to the invention, Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the fixed end piece of the cleaning device according to the invention, Figure 5 shows a partial block diagram of the circulation means of the cleaning device according to the invention,

Figure 6 shows an axonometric view of the cleaning device, according to the invention, for cleaning the barrel of a gun, with the operating guard open,

Figure 7a shows the installation in a gun barrel of the brush element of the cleaning device according to the invention,

Figure 7b shows the sealing of the barrel of the gun into the end piece,

Figure 7c shows the sealing of the barrel of a gun into the cleaning device with a pump according to the invention,

Figure 7d shows the connection of the flow channel to the end piece of the cleaning device according to the invention, and

Figure 7e shows the cleaning device with a pump according to the invention. in operation.

Figure 1 shows a side view of the cleaning device 12, according to the invention, for cleaning the barrel 10 of a gun. ^• The term barrel 10 of a gun refers to a channel, which has an internal surface, an external surface, and two ends. The cleaning device 12 for cleaning a gun barrel 10 includes end pieces 20 and 38 for securing and sealing the barrel 10 of the gun to the cleaning device 12, a fixed cleaning-fluid tank 18, and a brush element 16 for cleaning the gun barrel 10. The end piece 20 is permanently part of the cleaning device 12 and is connected to the cleaning-fluid tank 18. The other end piece 38 is moveable and has a sealed feed-through 15 for the rod 22 of the brush element 16. In addition, the cleaning device includes circulating means 29 and an operating guard 60.

Figure 2 shows a top view of the cleaning device 12, according to the invention, for cleaning a gun barrel 10. The circulating devices 29 of Figure 2 consist of a cleaning-fluid tank 18 permanently attached to the cleaning device 12, end pieces 20 and 38, a flow channel 50, and a pump 36. The capacity of the cleaning-fluid tank 18 is essentially greater than the volume of the gun barrel 10 being cleaned, being preferably 2 - 10- times greater. The cleaning fluid, which is fed by gravity from the cleaning-fluid tank 18 to the pump 36, is pumped at the pressure produced by the pump 38, through the flow channel 50 and the end piece 20, into the gun barrel 10, and circulates back through the end piece 20 into the cleaning-fluid tank 18. The pump 36 is operated by electricity or a fuel, preferably by electricity.

The flow channel 50 includes fixed piping 45 connected to the pump 36 and a hose 47 for connecting the flow channel 50 to the cleaning-fluid connection 43 forming part of the detachable end piece 38. For its part, the pump 36 is connected to the cleaning-fluid tank 18. The hose 48^' is manufactured from a flexible material, so that it can be easily and attached to the detachable end piece 38. The hose 47 is essentially shorter than the fixed piping 45, being preferably 5 - 40 % of the flow length of the fixed piping 45. The use of fixed piping to circulate the cleaning fluid makes the cleaning device easier to operate, because the use of loosely hanging hoses is avoided with the aid of the fixed piping. The hose 47 is required only for the essentially short distance between the fixed piping 45 and the detachable end piece 38. The hose 47 is attached to the fixed piping 45 with the aid of a connector 59.

Figure 3 shows the fixed end piece 20 connected to the cleaning-fluid tank 18. The fixed end piece 20 consists of a nozzle 33 to be attached to the end of the gun barrel 10, a connector 35, a bottom seal 68, and seals 72 and 74. With the aid of the nozzle 33 of the end piece 20, the cleaning device

12 is attached and sealed to the gun barrel 10. If the diameter of the gun barrel 10 to be cleaned is, for example, 20 mm, the gun barrel 10 is sealed at its open end 51 with the aid of a bottom seal 68 and the internal surface with the aid of an CD- ring or similar seals 74. Alternatively, if the diameter of the gun barrel 10 to be cleaned is, for example, 30 mm, the gun barrel 10' is sealed at its open end 51' with the aid of a bottom seal 68 and the external surface with the aid of an CD- ring or similar seals 72. The connector 35 is placed against the open end 51 of the gun barrel 10, or alternatively the open end 51' of the gun barrel 10' when feeding the cleaning fluid. The cleaning fluid used in cleaning the gun barrel returns to the cleaning-fluid tank 18 through the connector 35. Thanks to the fixed end piece, the gun barrel can be easily attached to the cleaning device.

The detachable end piece 38 shown in Figure 4 for its part consists of a nozzle 41 arranged to be attached to the end of the gun barrel 10, a feed-through 15 for the rod 22 of the brush element 16, a cleaning-fluid connection 43, and seals 70 and 71. The second end piece 38 is moveable, preferably detachable. For the cleaning of gun barrels of different sizes, there are in the cleaning device several detachable end pieces equipped with different nozzle diameters 53, from which a suitable end piece is selected for the gun barrel being cleaned at the time. One such alternative detachable end piece 38' is shown more clearly in Figure 6.

The gun barrel 10 is attached and sealed from the open end 51 to the interior of the nozzle 41. To seal the gun barrel 10, there is preferably, in the nozzle, an O-ring or similar seals 70 suitable for the purpose. The feed-through 15 for the rod 22 of the brush element 16 runs through the nozzle 41 and is preferably sealed with an O-ring seal 71, to prevent leakage of the cleaning fluid. The cleaning-fluid connection 43 is located at the side of the nozzle 41, above the rod 22 of the brush element 16, so that cleaning fluid cannot flow out of the cleaning device 12 through the cleaning-fluid connection 43 after the cleaning of the gun barrel 10. The cleaning-fluid connection 43 is connected to the hose 47 with the aid of a hydraulic quick-release connector (not in the drawings) . The spring has been removed from the hydraulic quick-release connector, so that the connector will hot close when the hose 47 is detached after cleaning. The cleaning-fluid connection 43 remains open and provides replacement air to the gun barrel 10, allowing the cleaning fluid to flow by gravity back to the cleaning-fluid tank 18. Thus, the cleaning fluid is recovered and the gun barrel is empty for the detaching of the end piece.

Figure 5 shows a partial block diagram of the operation of the circulation means 29. When cleaning a gun barrel 10, the dirt detached from the gun barrel 10 adheres to the cleaning fluid. To prevent detaching dirt from contaminating all of the cleaning fluid, the circulation means 29 include a filter 49 for filtering the circulating cleaning fluid. The pump 36 of the cleaning device 12 is arranged to operate in the selected circulation direction together with the filter 49, so that dirt detaching during cleaning can be filtered out of the cleaning fluid. The filter 49 is located between the fixed end piece 20 and the cleaning-fluid tank 18. The filter can be, for example, a filter intended to separate mud.

Figure 6 shows an axonometric view of the cleaning device 12 according to the invention for cleaning a gun barrel 10, with the operating guard 60 open. As the cleaning-fluid tank 18 and the brush element 16 are attached to the frame 24 of the cleaning device 12, the attaching of the gun barrel 10 to the clean- ing device is, in its entirety, very easy. The gun barrels preferably have a calibre of less than 40 mm, preferably of 30 mm or less. Gun barrels of this size can be processed manually, but, on the other hand, their cleaning is presently handled typically entirely manually due to a lack of a suitable simple device. The brush element can preferably be changed according to the diameter of the gun barrel being cleaned, to a brush element with a suitable diameter.

When a gun barrel 10 is cleaned using the cleaning device 12 5 according to the invention shown in Figure 6, the brush element 16 is moved in the gun barrel using the rod 22 of the brush element 16. The rod 22 extends through the detachable end piece 38 equipped with a feed-through 15. The rod 22 of the brush element 16 is in turn detachably connected to the moving

10 mechanism 46. The moving mechanism 46 includes a carrier 42, a guide 44 for the carrier 42, a slide 64 for keeping the carrier 42 in the guides 44, a drive motor 66 for moving the carrier 42, an angle transmission 62 for the drive motor 66, and a connecting element 40 for transmitting the drive power to the

15 rod 22 of the brush element 16.

The carrier 42 is arranged to move in the guide 44, which is attached to the frame 24. The guide 44 and the toothed belt driving it together with the angle transmission 62 form a

20 prefabricated component. There are limit switches in the carrier 42 to limit its movement. The length of the guide 44 is considerably less than that of the gun barrel 10, so that it is preferable to use in the cleaning device 12 two or more brush elements 16 attached to the same brush-element 16 rod 22 at a

25 distance from each other. The construction of the moving mechanism 46 permits a very compact total structure. The moving mechanism 46 can also be used separately in other applications.

To protect the operator from the moving parts of the cleaning

30 device 12, there is an operating guard 60 in the cleaning device 12, which is rotated on top of the moving mechanism during cleaning. The operating guard 60 is hinged on hinges 61.

The operating guard 60 is equipped with a limit switch, so that the cleaning device 12 cannot start before the operating guard

35 60 has been closed. The drive of the cleaning device 12 is controlled from a control panel 17. The cleaning device 12 can be moved by pushing it on the tyres 28 and the wheel 27 of the leg 23. The leg 23 can be foldable for the transportation of the cleaning device 12. Means for towing can also be arranged in the cleaning device.

Figures 7a - 7e show the cleaning of a gun barrel 10 by means of the method according to the invention, using the cleaning device 12. The cleaning device 12 shown in Figures 7a - 7e is a second embodiment of the cleaning device according to the invention, in which the location of the cleaning-fluid tank 18 differs from that in the cleaning device shown in the previous figures .

Figure 7a shows the brush element of the cleaning device ac- cording to the invention being installed in the gun barrel.

More specifically, in the situation in the figure, the operator is holding the moving means attached to the brush element 16, i.e. the rod 22 of the brush element 16. In the work stage in question, the operator pushes the brush element 16 into the gun barrel 10, typically nearly to the end of the gun barrel 10.

As shown in Figure 7a, the insertion of the brush element 16 into the gun barrel 10 is preferably done manually, thus permitting the manufacture of a cleaning device suitable for cleaning the barrels of many different kinds of gun barrels. In addition, the cleaning device is made mechanically simple.

As shown in Figure 7a, the brush element is inserted into the gun barrel before either end of the gun barrel is sealed. In other words, both ends of the gun barrel are free of the end pieces, so that the gun barrel is not secured to the cleaning device. As the gun barrel is separate from the cleaning device, it is easy to insert the brush element in the gun barrel.

Figure 7b shows the gun barrel 10 being sealed to the detachable end piece 38. As the brush element 16 is placed in the gun barrel 10 in the manner shown in Figure 7a, the end piece 38 can be easily sealed to the gun barrel 10.

Figure 7c shows the gun barrel 10 being sealed to the cleaning device 12 according to the invention. As shown in Figure 7c, when the gun barrel 10 is secured and sealed to the cleaning device 12, the gun barrel 10 is secured and sealed .from the second end to the fixed end piece 20 connected to the cleaning- fluid tank 18 belonging to the cleaning device 12. After this, the other end of the gun barrel 10 is attached from the end piece 38 to the cleaning device 12.

Figure 7d shows the flow channel 50 being connected to the end piece 38 of the cleaning device 12, which is arranged to be detached from the cleaning device 12 while the gun barrel 10 is being secured. Once the flow channel 50 has been connected to the second end piece 38, the cleaning fluid is led into the gun barrel 10 from the cleaning-fluid tank 18 belonging to the cleaning device 12.

Figure 7e shows the cleaning device 12 according to the invention in operation. When the cleaning device 12 is in operation, the brush element 16 is moved backwards and forwards in the gun barrel 10 using mechanical moving means 22, which, during operation, are connected to the frame 24 belonging to the cleaning device 12, as is the cleaning-fluid tank 18. In other words, the moving force is directed to the brush element mechanically, causing a counterforce, which is directed to the frame, to which the cleaning-fluid tank too is attached. The cleaning fluid is circulated in the cleaning device 12 with the aid of a pump 36 for the entire duration of the operation of the cleaning device 12, so that fresh cleaning fluid is brought to the gun barrel the whole time and the brush element 16 cleans effectively. In the cleaning devices shown in Figures 7a - Ie, the gun barrel being cleaned can be part of a set of barrels of a gun consisting of gun barrels. Sets of barrels are used in many weapons, to prevent the overheating of a single gun barrel. In terms of cleaning, the set of barrels of the weapon consists of gun barrels, which can be attached and sealed to the cleaning device one at a time for cleaning.

In figures 7a - Ie, the stick man is not at the correct scale compared to the cleaning device. A stick man that is two or three times larger would be closer to the real scale. In the figures, the stick man helps to illustrate the processing stage that is taking place.

In one embodiment,^' the cleaning fluid is used to flush the brush element during cleaning. As the flow created by ^' the pump is always in the same direction and the direction of movement of the brush element changes at intervals, the flow directions of the cleaning-fluid flow maintained by the brush element and the pump are opposite for part of the time. In other words, the brush element and the cleaning fluid move at different speeds, so that the cleaning fluid detaches the dirt from the brush element, keeping the brush element clean to clean the gun barrel. If the active ingredient in the cleaning fluid is, for example, ammonium oxalate, a powerful circulation of the cleaning fluid and the flushing of the brush element will be necessary to maintain the reaction between the surface of the gun barrel and the cleaning fluid. In the cleaning device, the cleaning fluid is led into the gun barrel by pumping with the pump, so that the cleaning fluid circulates effectively through the tank and the cleaning fluid in the gun barrel changes effectively.

Claims

1. Cleaning device (12) for cleaning a gun barrel (10), which cleaning device (12) includes - a brush element (16) and an rod (22) for operating it, two end pieces (20, 38) for sealing the ends of the gun barrel (10), one of which end pieces 'is move- able for installing the gun barrel (10) in the cleaning device (12), and one of which end pieces

(20, 38) includes a feed-through (15) for the rod (22) of the brush element (16), characterized in that the cleaning device (12) further includes a cleaning-fluid tank (18) for the cleaning fluid and cleaning- fluid circulating means (29) connected to the said end pieces (20, 38) and the said cleaning-fluid tank (18) .

2. Cleaning device (12) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said cleaning-fluid circulating means (29) include the said cleaning-fluid tank (18), the said end pieces (20, 38), as well as a flow channel (50) and a pump (36) arranged to circulate the cleaning fluid.

3. Cleaning device (12) according to Claim 1 or 2, character- ized in that one of the said end pieces (20, 38) is fixed and the other is detachable.

4. Cleaning device (12) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the said flow channel (50) includes fixed piping (45) connected to the said cleaning-fluid tank (18) for transporting the cleaning fluid and a hose (47) connected to the fixed piping (45) for connecting the flow channel (50) to the detachable end piece.

5. Cleaning device (12) according to Claim 4, characterized in that the said hose (47) is essentially short relative to the length of the said fixed piping (45) .

6. Cleaning device (12) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the fixed end piece includes a mouth cup (33) fitted to the end of the gun barrel (10) for attaching and sealing the gun barrel (10) to the cleaning device (12) , as well as a connector (35) located against the open end of the gun barrel (10) for feeding the cleaning fluid to the gun barrel (10) .

7. Cleaning device (12) according to Claim 3 or 6, characterized in that the said detachable end piece includes a mouth cup (41) for sealing the gun barrel (10) to the cleaning device (12), a feed-through (15) equipped with a seal on the rod (22) of the brush element (16) for operating the said brush element (16) , as well as a cleaning-fluid connection (43) for 'connecting the said hose (47) to the said detachable end piece.

8. Cleaning device (12) according to Claims 1 - 7, characterized in that the said cleaning-fluid circulating method (29) include a filter (49) for filtering the cleaning fluid.

9. Method for cleaning a gun barrel (10) using a cleaning device (12) comprising a brush element (16) and a cleaning- fluid tank (18) , and the gun barrel (10) is sealed to end pieces (20, 38) belonging to the cleaning device (12)-, in one of which end pieces there is a feed-through (15), and one of which is fixed and the other detachable, cleaning fluid is used in cleaning the gun barrel (10), the brush element (16) is moved mechanically backwards and forwards in the barrel (10) through the said feed-through (15), characterized in that the cleaning fluid is circulated in the gun barrel (10) through the said end pieces (20, 38) .