Apparatus for utilizing detonation waves

Claim 1

IN A DETONATION GUN HAVING AN ELONGATED BARREL PROVIDED WITH AN OPEN END, OF LENGTH AND DIAMETER TO PERMIT THE FORMATION AND PROPAGATION IN A FLUID FUEL CHARGE OF A DETONATION, A VALVE MANIFOLD COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BARREL HAVING THEREIN A MIXING CHAMBER, FUEL AND OXIDANT GAS INLET VALVES COMMUNICATING WITH SUCH MIXING CHAMBER, AND CONDUIT MEANS INCLUDING A PURGING GAS VALVE FOR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF A PURGING GAS POSITIONED AND ARRANGED TO PASS A PURGING GAS OVER SAID FUEL AND OXIDANT INLET VALVES WHEN SAID VALVES ARE CLOSED, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PROVIDING IN SAID VALVE MANIFOLD PATHS WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL IN LENGTH AND RESISTANCE TO FLOW FOR BOTH THE OXIDANT AND FUEL GAS BETWEEN THE INLET VALVES AND THE POINT WHERE THEY LEAVE THE MIXING CHAMBER AND WHEREIN THE MIXING CHAMBER HAS A LONGITUDINAL AXIS FROM THE CHAMBER INLET TO THE CHAMBER OUTLET, THE OXIDANT AND FUEL GAS INLET VALVES ARE LOCATED ADJACENT EACH OTHER IN ONE WALL OF THE CHAMBER TRANSVERSE TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE CHAMBER SUCH THAT THE DISTANCES FROM BOTH VALVES TO THE CHAMBER OUTLET ARE ESSENTIALLY IDENTICAL AND WHEREIN MEANS ARE PROVIDED FOR INTRODUCING PURGE GAS THROUGH THE CHAMBER INLET.