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4924752 : Drive system for a Gatling type gun
INVENTORS: Tassie; Douglas P., St. George, VT
Folsom; Mark F., St. George, VT
ASSIGNEES: General Electric Company, Burlington, VT
ISSUED: May 15, 1990 FILED: Dec. 3 , 1984
SERIAL NUMBER: 677415 FEE STATUS:  
INTL. CLASS (Ed. 5): F41D 7/04;
U.S. CLASS: 089-160; 089-012;
FIELD OF SEARCH: 089-9,11,12,159,160 ;
AGENTS: Kuch; Bailin L.;

ABSTRACT:   A gun system is provided which includes a Gatling type gun having a housing with a ring gear, a rotor with a cluster of gun barrels, a gun gas

drive mechanism with a cylinder, a piston, and a crank with a pinion meshed with the ring gear.

U.S. REFERENCES:

Patent No. Patentee Issue Date
4046056 Carrie Sep. 1 , 1977
2849921 * Otto Sep. 1 , 1958
3535979 Ashley Oct. 1 , 1979
3407701 * Chiabrandy Oct. 1 , 1968
3991650 Garland et al. Nov. 1 , 1976
3703122 Farrington Nov. 1 , 1972
3568563 Folsom Mar. 1 , 1971
3311022 * Bernard et al. Mar. 1 , 1967
2756639 * Bird July 1 , 1956
4004490 Dix et al. Jan. 1 , 1977
4342253 Kirkpatrick et al. Aug. 1 , 1982
No patents reference this one

* some details unavailable

2 CLAIMS: First Claim Shown (Show all claims)

What is claimed is:

  • 1. A gun system including:
    • a gun housing;
    • a rotor including a cluster, of gun barrels disposed in an annular row, journaled for rotation about a longitudinal axis with respect to said housing, each barrel having a projectile passing bore in which a respective round of ammunition is fired in sequence during rotation of said rotor;
    • a gun gas drive mechanism coupled to and between said rotor and said housing for receiving gun gas from said gun barrels and for thereby rotating said rotor with respect to said housing;
    • said mechanism including
    • a cylinder fixed to and rotating with said rotor,
      • a crank journaled to said rotor for rotation with said rotor about said rotor longitudinal axis and for rotation relative to said rotor about a crank axis which is perpendicular to said rotor longitudinal axis.
      • a pinion gear fixed to said crank for rotation therewith about said crank axis,
      • a piston having a head disposed and reciprocable within said cylinder and defining a chamber in said cylinder and a rod coupled to said crank whereby reciprocation of said piston causes rotation of said crank about said crank axis,
      • a ring gear fixed to said housing and meshed with said pinion gear whereby rotation of said crank about said crank axis provides rotation of said rotor about said rotor longitudinal axis.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS: none
FOREIGN REFERENCES: none

OTHER REFERENCES:

  • USAF T.O.11W1-28-8-2 issued Jul. 1, 1976, cover page, pp. 1-1 to 1-5 and 3-1 to 3-4.
  • "Machine Design," 9/29/83, p. 159.

PRIMARY/ASSISTANT EXAMINERS: Bentley; Stephen C.;