USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Gene Morris

William Bryan Maier

Eugene Ellis Nolting

Donald D Snyder

George Ralph Caramico

A device and method to accelerate solid metal slugs to high speeds. In one embodiment, a large electric current is passed through an outer cylindrical metal tube enclosing in part a metal slug, a central electrode, and a conducting tail coupled at opposite ends to the. metal slug and the central electrode. Electromagnetic forces accelerate the metal slug to a point high enough to mechanically separate the conducting tail. On separation, a plasma is generated by the passage of electric current though a gas produced by vaporization of the conducting tail and nearby materials. An insulator enclosed within the tube prevents the plasma from shorting to the outer tube until the current flow has produced a sufficient magnetic field to contain the plasma. The metal slug is then accelerated to high speed by a combination of electromagnetic forces and mechanical pressure from the hot gas through which the electric current is passing.

Electromagnetic device and method to accelerate solid metal slugs to high speeds

A device and method which combine electromagnetic acceleration with acceleration by high-pressure gases derived from chemical energy to achieve high slug speeds. In one embodiment the device includes a cylindrical metal tube having an outer diameter and an inner diameter and a central channel; at least one conductive coil surrounding the metal tube; a metal slug disposed within the central channel; a conducting central electrode, having a centrally formed cavity; a conducting rod having at least one cavity including a propellant, wherein a first portion of the conducting rod is attached to the metal slug at a connection point, a second portion of the conducting rod extends between the metal slug and the central electrode, and a third portion of the conducting rod extends within the cavity of the central electrode such that a space is formed between the end of the third portion and the back of the cavity within the central electrode; and an insulator disposed within the central channel and surrounding the conducting central electrode and the second portion of the conducting rod except at the connection point. When a current is applied to the metal tube, the central electrode, and the at least one conductive coil causes the conducting rod to break with resultant generation of a plasma which ignites the propellant such that the energy from the propellant and electromagnetic forces accelerate the slug to speeds greater than are achievable by the propellant alone.

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Seaside, CA, United States of America

Gene Morris