Carbon Fiber Barrel and Method for Making the Same

Abstract

A carbon fiber composite reinforced gun barrel and a method for making the same. The composite barrel that includes an interference fit gas block sleeve and machined steel ferrule that seals the gas port provided through the laminate composite reducing the risk of pressure leakage and delamination. The disclosed method of winding a carbon fiber resin composite on a structure, such as a rifle barrel, produces, for a given layer, constant wind angles that are engineered for longitudinal stiffness throughout the length of a given layer. The engineered wind angles throughout the length of each layer of fiber minimizing sacrificial material for the benefit of optimal fiber orientations and wound fiber collation. Whereas the base layers are defined by hoop winding, the orientation angles of successive strata becomes progressively lower and lower until the outermost strata achieve the target orientation angle of approximately 3 to 5 degrees.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 619,419, filed on Jan. 19, 2018, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of Invention[0003]The invention relates to a reinforced gun barrel. More particularly, it relates to a carbon fiber composite reinforced gun barrel and a method for making the same.2. Description of the Related Art[0004]In the field of carbon fiber and resin composites, due to the higher strength to weight ratio of carbon fiber over steel, numerous tools and structural components, such as concrete pilings, aircraft wings and fuselages, automotive applications, and sporting goods are increasingly substituting carbon fiber and resin composites for steel. In the target shooting and related ballistic arts, it is known that highly accurate barrels are typic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a composite reinforced gun barrel that is lighter and more accurate than traditional steel barrels. It uses carbon fiber and resin composites that have higher strength to weight ratios and better thermal properties than steel. The carbon fiber composite material also absorbs vibrations better, resulting in more precise shots. The invention includes an interference fit gas block sleeve and machined ferrule that seals the gas port, reducing the risk of pressure leakage and delamination. The method of winding the carbon fiber resin composite on a structure is also provided.

Problems solved by technology

This thermal expansion reduces the frictional contact between the projectile and the internal rifling in the barrel, reducing accuracy of the weapon as the temperature of the barrel increases.

Moreover, it is also known that vibrations induced by shock loading the material, from the high pressures contained by the barrel, cause unpredictable trajectories of the projectile.

The higher frequencies reduce the amplitude of the oscillations, which is the primary contributor to a barrel's lack of control over the projectile.

With the known prior art composite barrels, there is a risk of this pressure leaking past the gas port and delaminating the composite material.

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