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US4346643A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Thermal jacket for elongated structures

Assignee: Raytheon Co
•
Filing: 1979-12-07
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Granted: 1982-08-31
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Expires: 1999-12-07
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Abstract

Abstract An arrangement for reducing non-symmetrical, thermally induced strains in a gun tube (12) comprising a heat pipe jacket (18) in thermal engagement with the gun tube to provide both high radial and circumferential thermal conductance from the tube.

Inventors

  • 👤 Peter F. Taylor
  • 👤 Harold J. Tuchyner
  • 👤 Algerd Basiulis
  • 👤 Thomas R. Lamp

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 23:36
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41A; F41A21/00; F41A21/44; F41A13/00; F41A13/12

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 129 words
An arrangement for reducing non-symmetrical, thermally induced strains in a gun tube comprising a heat pipe jacket including a pair of clam-shell envelopes with working fluid therein which extend lengthwise of and in thermal engagement with said gun tube and which have both radial and circumferential conductivity, respectively for conducting heat away from and for equalizing temperature gradients about said gun tube, each of said envelopes including an elongated curved inner wall in contact with said gun tube, an elongated curved outer wall spaced from and generally parallel to said inner wall, side and end walls extending between and sealed to said inner and outer walls to establish a generally half cylindrical vapor space in each of said shells, and a wick on said walls surrounding the vapor space.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 129 words
An arrangement for reducing non-symmetrical, thermally induced strains in a gun tube comprising a heat pipe jacket including a pair of clam-shell envelopes with working fluid therein which extend lengthwise of and in thermal engagement with said gun tube and which have both radial and circumferential conductivity, respectively for conducting heat away from and for equalizing temperature gradients about said gun tube, each of said envelopes including an elongated curved inner wall in contact with said gun tube, an elongated curved outer wall spaced from and generally parallel to said inner wall, side and end walls extending between and sealed to said inner and outer walls to establish a generally half cylindrical vapor space in each of said shells, and a wick on said walls surrounding the vapor space.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said heat pipe jacket includes a pair of clam-shell envelopes extending lengthwise of said gun tube, each having working fluid therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
An arrangement according to claim 1 further including at least one hinge and one clamp securing said envelopes together at their respective opposite mating edges.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 37 words
An arrangement according to claim 6 wherein said heat pipe jacket includes at least one torus extending around and in contact with said gun tube and having a wick on its inner surfaces and working fluid therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 72 words
An arrangement for reducing non-symmetrical, thermally induced strains in a gun tube comprising a heat pipe jacket including at least one torus comprising a pair of arcuate tubes respectively having wicks on their inner surfaces and working fluid therein and extending around and in thermal contact with said gun tube to provide both radial and circumferential conductivity, respectively for conducting heat away from and for equalizing temperature gradients about said gun tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 72 words
An arrangement for reducing non-symmetrical, thermally induced strains in a gun tube comprising a heat pipe jacket including at least one torus comprising a pair of arcuate tubes respectively having wicks on their inner surfaces and working fluid therein and extending around and in thermal contact with said gun tube to provide both radial and circumferential conductivity, respectively for conducting heat away from and for equalizing temperature gradients about said gun tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 42 words
An arrangement according to claim 5 further including a plurality of tori extending around, spaced along the length of, and in contact with said gun tube, each of said tori having a wick on its inner surfaces and a working fluid therein.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 88 words
An arrangement for reducing non-symmetrical, thermally induced strains in a gun tube comprising a heat pipe jacket including a plurality of tori extending around, spaced along the length of, and in contact with said gun tube, each of said tori having a wick on its inner surfaces and a working fluid therein and each comprising a pair of arcuate tubes in thermal engagement with said elongated structure having both radial and circumferential conductivity, respectively for conducting heat away from and for equalizing temperature gradients about said gun tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 88 words
An arrangement for reducing non-symmetrical, thermally induced strains in a gun tube comprising a heat pipe jacket including a plurality of tori extending around, spaced along the length of, and in contact with said gun tube, each of said tori having a wick on its inner surfaces and a working fluid therein and each comprising a pair of arcuate tubes in thermal engagement with said elongated structure having both radial and circumferential conductivity, respectively for conducting heat away from and for equalizing temperature gradients about said gun tube.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 29 words
An arrangement according to claim 7 further including at least one pair of clam-shell brackets extending lengthwise of said gun tube and supporting respective pairs of said arcuate tubes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 27 words
An arrangement according to claim 8 further including at least one hinge and ane clamp joining said pair of brackets together at their respective opposite mating edges.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1942082A Cited
CH205570A Cited
US2806409A Cited
US3684383A Cited
US3548930A Cited
US3847208A Cited
US4207027A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-08-30 1986-03-01 1986-08-31 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-08-30 1990-03-01 1990-08-31 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-08-30 1994-03-01 1994-08-31 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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