US3568563A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gas drive for a weapon having a rotating cluster of barrels
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1969-01-02
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Granted: 1971-03-09
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Expires: 1989-01-02
Abstract
Abstract A Gatling-type weapon utilizes gun gas from the barrels to reciprocate a vane motor, which motor biases a spring, and which spring incrementally rotates the cluster of barrels.
Inventors
- 👤 Lawrence R Folson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:52
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41F; F41F1/00; F41F1/08; F41F1/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A drive system for a gun comprising: a gun barrel having a gas port; a motor assembly having a stator assembly and a rotor assembly; a unidirectional clutch assembly having a stator assembly and a rotor assembly; rigid means fixedly coupling said motor rotor assembly to said clutch rotor assembly; elongated torsion means having one end fixedly coupled to said clutch rotor assembly and its other end fixedly coupled to said motor stator assembly; and gas conduit means for communicating gas from said barrel to said motor assembly for introducing a pulse of gas, developed in said barrel by the firing of a round of ammunition therethrough, between said motor rotor and stator assemblies, whereby to produce a pulse of relative angular rotation therebetween less than 360*, said motor rotor assembly rotating under the influence of the pulse of gas in the unlocked direction of said clutch assembly to stress said torsion means, said torsion means unstressing itself by providing relative rotation between said clutch stator assembly in the locked direction of said clutch assembly and said motor stator assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
A drive system for a gun comprising: a gun barrel having a gas port; a motor assembly having a stator assembly and a rotor assembly; a unidirectional clutch assembly having a stator assembly and a rotor assembly; rigid means fixedly coupling said motor rotor assembly to said clutch rotor assembly; elongated torsion means having one end fixedly coupled to said clutch rotor assembly and its other end fixedly coupled to said motor stator assembly; and gas conduit means for communicating gas from said barrel to said motor assembly for introducing a pulse of gas, developed in said barrel by the firing of a round of ammunition therethrough, between said motor rotor and stator assemblies, whereby to produce a pulse of relative angular rotation therebetween less than 360*, said motor rotor assembly rotating under the influence of the pulse of gas in the unlocked direction of said clutch assembly to stress said torsion means, said torsion means unstressing itself by providing relative rotation between said clutch stator assembly in the locked direction of said clutch assembly and said motor stator assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein: said gun barrel, said motor stator assembly and said other end of said elongated torsion means are each anchored to ground; and said clutch stator assembly is free to rotate and is coupled to and drives a power output system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
101 words
A system according to claim 1 further including: a cluster of a plurality of said gun barrels, each having a respective gas port, and all mounted in an annular, uniformly spaced-apart row to said motor stator assembly; said gas conduit means including a manifold communicating with all of said barrel gas ports; said clutch stator assembly being anchored to ground; and said other end of said elongated torsion means being fixed to said motor stator assembly, whereby said cluster of barrels, said motor stator assembly and said other end of said elongated torsion means all rotate at a common angular velocity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A system according to claim 3 wherein: said motor rotor assembly is connected to said clutch rotor assembly and said one end of said torsion means by a first torque tube; said motor stator assembly is connected to said other end oF said torsion means by a second torque tube; and said torsion member is a torsion bar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system according to claim 3 wherein: said cluster of gun barrels and said motor assembly are coaxial.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 3 wherein said cluster of gun barrels, said motor assembly, said clutch assembly and said torsion means are all coaxial.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
133 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein: said motor stator assembly and said motor rotor assembly are coaxial; said rotor assembly includes: a tubular shaft having a plurality of spaced apart vanes fixed to and extending centrifugally therefrom; said stator assembly includes; a tubular cylinder having closed ends passing said tubular shaft therethrough and enclosing said vanes, and having a like plurality of spaced-apart vanes fixed to and extending centripetally therefrom between said centrifugally extending vanes; said gas conduit having a plurality of outlets into said cylinder at one end thereof, each outlet being adjacent a respective stator vane; and the other end of said cylinder having a gas bypass conduit adjacent each respective rotor vane for passing gas around the respective rotor vane after the vane has rotated a predetermined angular distance.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-08 | 1974-09-07 | 1975-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-08 | 1978-09-07 | 1979-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-08 | 1982-09-07 | 1983-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |