Gt-devices

General Dynamics Land Systems, Inc.

Apti Inc.

Bae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.

General Dynamics Armament Systems, Inc.

Bae Systems Advanced Technologies, Inc.

Gt-device

Yeshayahu Shyke Goldstein

Derek A Tidman

Niels K Winsor

Rodney L Burton

Dennis W Massey

Melvin M Widner

Michael Raleigh

Michael A Bohnet

Mark H Machina

Kenneth W Mitchell

Kristopher P Mount

Anthony J Suchocki

Melvin Widner

Rao L Boggavarapu

Catherine M Keogh

Yong C Thio

Joseph R Greig

Louise C Sengupta

Idan Mandelbaum

James Galambos

David Fleischer

Tadd Kippany

An inertial delay mechanism for use in an explosive projectile is provided. The delay mechanism consists of an inertial delay fuse that is precise, doesn't require sensitive primary explosives and doesn't utilize electronic circuitry. The inertial delay fuse includes a free sliding charge element that strikes an anvil located opposite to the sliding charge element. A delay gap is provided between the sliding charge element and the anvil. Upon impact, the sliding charge element slides forward and impacts the anvil, thereby inducing a shock wave in an initiator charge that subsequently results in detonation of main charges. The design is mechanically simple and robust enough to withstand severe g-loading forces that occur during firing and penetration of a projectile.

Inertial delay fuse

A system and method for decontamination of chemical and biological agents over terrain in an outdoor environment is provided that utilizes ultraviolet radiation to break up hydrogen peroxide into radical species that interact with chemical and biological agents to render them harmless. In a preferred embodiment, peroxide is dispersed in a contaminated area and the peroxide is then exposed to ultraviolet radiation that causes the peroxide to dissociate into radical species. The interaction of the radical species formed by the peroxide dissociation with the chemical and biological agents renders them useless.

System and method for chemical and biological agent decontamination

An apparatus and method for magnetically generating an underwater high pressure pulse of sufficient strength to destroy underwater threats utilizes a pair of electrically conductive elements. The electrically conductive elements are arranged substantially parallel with each other and are separated by a gap. A pulse generator supplies an electrical pulse to at least one of the electrically conductive elements, which causes the generation of a magnetic repulsion force between the elements. The magnetic repulsion force causes one the electrically conductive elements to be displaced, thereby inducing a high pressure pulse in the liquid in which the pair of electrically conductive elements is submerged.

Magnetically driven underwater pulse generator

The invention provides a method and apparatus for neutralizing mines and obstacles that can quickly and efficiently clear a specified surf zone without human intervention. In a preferred embodiment, the invention utilizes firing tubes including a combustion chamber, a mechanism for supplying an aluminum fuel to the combustion chamber; and an ignitor for igniting the aluminum fuel within said combustion chamber to generate pressure waves. The firing tubes arranged in arrays located on sides of a main body of an autonomous vehicle. Activation of the firing tubes on a rear side of the main body is utilized in a preferred embodiment to propel the vehicle forward. Forward propagating pressure waves generated by firing tubes arranged on forward facing first and second sides of the main body are utilized to destroy mines and other obstructions located within a selected surf area.

Method and apparatus for neutralization of mines and obstacles

A method and apparatus for drilling and penetrating hard materials utilizes a high velocity gun system that fires multiple shots of a projectile and an energetic slurry at the surface of the material to be penetrated. The penetrating device includes one or more firing barrels that are loaded with a propellant, a projectile and an energetic (explosive) slurry, and are controlled to fire in a preselected firing sequence. The projectile enters the material to be penetrated generating a hole into which the energetic slurry is also fired. The energetic slurry detonates upon contact with the material causing an explosion that further fractures the material and which blows the material out of the hole. The process is repeated until a desired penetration depth is obtained.

Method and apparatus for penetrating hard materials using a energetic slurry

Method and apparatus for penetrating hard materials

A drilling apparatus includes a drill string, a drilling head located at a first end of the drill string, a drilling fluid pump located at a second end of the drill string, wherein the drilling fluid pump pumps a drilling fluid along the length of the drill string to the drilling head, and a traveling wave generator coupled to the drill string at a location downstream of the drilling fluid pump, wherein the traveling wave generator generates a series of ramped pressure pulses that are applied to the drilling fluid. The ramped pressure pulses are compressed by a reduction of the cross-sectional area of the drill string, and further by time compression caused by varying propagation rates of different portions of the pressure pulses pressure pulse if substantially formed at a surface of a drilling substrate. A shock wave associated with the compressed pressure pulse is generated substantially at the location of a surface of a drilling substrate. The traveling wave generator includes a gas chamber, a heating element located in the gas chamber, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the heating element to generate the ramped pressure pulses. A drilling rate detection mechanism is also provided to supply drilling rate data to the control unit, which adjusts the timing of the ramped pressure pluses based on the drilling rate data to control the formation point of the shock wave.

Method and apparatus for improving drilling efficiency by application of

A projectile accelerating pulsed gas source comprises a structure including a high voltage electrode for establishing axial electrical discharges in axial gaps behind an outlet where the projectile is located. Plasma flows at right angles to the discharges into a propellant that is converted into a high pressure component of the gas pulse. The gaps are arranged so that after the projectile moves away from its initial position, power applied to the plasma via gaps close to the outlet is greater than power applied to the plasma via gaps farther from the outlet. The gaps are arranged so power applied to the plasma is substantially the same in the discharges when plasma is initially produced. The gaps include walls that are eroded differently by the discharges so gap walls close to the outlet erode faster than gap walls farther from the outlet. The plasma has sufficient pressure so it tends to flow from a confining structure for it into contact with the electrode via a secondary flow path other than the flow path through the outlet. The confining structure includes a cavity in the secondary flow path. A soft, non-electrically conducting material in the cavity expands in a direction at right angles to the secondary flow path and compresses in the direction of the secondary flow path against walls of the cavity to form a seal to overcome the plasma tendency to flow into contact with the electrode.

Hybrid electrothermal gun with soft material for inhibiting unwanted

A high pressure pulsed gas source for accelerating a projectile along a gun barrel comprises a structure including a high voltage electrode for establishing axial electrical discharges in corresponding axial gaps behind an outlet where the projectile is located. Plasma flows at right angles to the discharges into a propellant mass that is converted into a high pressure component of the gas pulse. The gaps are arranged so that after the projectile moves away from its initial position and is in the barrel, power applied to the plasma via gaps close to the outlet is greater than power applied to the plasma via gaps farther from the outlet. To avoid damage to the gun, the gaps are arranged so power applied to the plasma is substantially the same in the discharges when plasma is initially produced. The gaps include walls that are eroded differently by the discharges so gap walls close to the outlet erode faster than gap walls farther from the outlet. The propellant mass includes a solid fuel and an oxidizer that do not react at ambient conditions. A portion of the fuel abuts the structure and the fuel and oxidizer are vaporized and elevated to a sufficiently high temperature by the plasma as to produce an exothermic chemical reaction resulting in derivation of the high pressure gas pulse that is supplied to the projectile. The axial gaps are arranged so that the power applied to the plasma via gaps close to the projectile causes initial vaporization of the fuel closest to the projectile prior to vaporization of the fuel farther from the projectile and progressive vaporization of the fuel farther from the projectile.

Method of generating a high pressure gas pulse using fuel and oxidizer

Method of and apparatus for generating a high pressure gas pulse using

A plasma generator (44) for an electrothermal gun cartridge has elongated metallic rod and tube members (58,60) extending along a central axis thereof with the tube member (58) having at least one axial gap (62) and with an elongated annular insulator located between and in engagement with both metallic members to provide support therebetween as an electrical voltage generates an electrical arc at the axial gap to provide a plasma that ignites a propellant (46). Different embodiments of the plasma generator have a plurality of the axial gaps (62) located along the tube member (60) and are constructed for both simultaneous and sequential firing with fuses (74) controlling the timing. Helically extending member portions (78) provide rotation of the electrical arc and hence the plasma generated to distribute it for ignition of the propellent (46).

Plasma generator for electrothermal gun cartridge

An electrical power feed assembly (12) for supplying high current to an electrothermal gun has first and second electrical connectors (38) and (42) with associated contact portions (40) and (44) for engaging and plastically deforming first and second side contacts (20,22) on a cartridge (14) to provide firing while maintaining the electrical contact without any arcing. The first connector (38) has a curved contact portion (40) that provides an interference fit to plastically deform the first contact (20) and establish the electrical contact as the cartridge (14) is inserted into the gun. The second connector (42) has a pair of curved knife edges (48) that engage and plastically deform the second contact (22) of the cartridge to establish and maintain the electrical contact under spring action of the second connector and by operation of a cam mechanism (50) of a breech block (26) of the gun. The cartridge (14) has its first and second contacts (20,22) made of a relatively soft material, copper and solder preferably, and has the contacts provided with annular shapes that are engaged by the contact portions (40,44) of the first and second connectors (38,42).

Electrical power feed assembly for electrothermal gun and cartridge

Electrical power feed assembly for electrothermal gun

Growing community of inventors

Gaithersburg, MD, United States of America

Yeshayahu Shyke Goldstein