Dynamic Chamber Insert for High-Pressure Cartridge Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern rifle designs face challenges in accommodating various dimensional variations of cartridges within a single rifle chamber, particularly under high pressure and temperature conditions, leading to excessive extraction forces and reduced reliability.
Innovation Solution
The use of a gun barrel assembly with a chamber insert made from materials like tungsten carbide or tungsten heavy alloy, which has an elastic modulus two to six times greater than the cartridge casing, allowing for a shrunk fit gun barrel and dynamic inserts with slits that radially contract and expand to securely hold and release cartridges of different sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single rifle chamber is used to accommodate various dimensional variations of cartridges, then the rifle can fire different cartridge sizes, but the extraction forces become excessive and reliability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber insert is designed to be dynamically adjustable between different positions along the cartridge case, allowing the extraction force application point to vary based on cartridge dimensions. This dynamic positioning enables reliable extraction across different cartridge sizes without excessive force requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber is divided into a removable insert portion and a stationary barrel portion, allowing the insert to be independently configured or replaced to optimize extraction mechanics for different cartridge types while maintaining overall chamber functionality
2Power
If modern rifle designs employ greater pressures, then power and performance are improved, but extraction forces increase and chamber-case deflection occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber insert acts as an intermediary element between the high-pressure firing environment and the extraction mechanism. It absorbs and manages the extreme pressures during firing while providing a controlled interface for extraction, reducing the direct transmission of excessive forces to the cartridge case
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber insert is designed with specific material properties and geometric parameters that change its mechanical behavior under different pressure conditions, allowing it to accommodate high firing pressures while maintaining optimal extraction force characteristics through controlled chamber-case deflection
3Reliability
If extraction forces are reduced, then reliability is improved, but the chamber insert material must have significantly different elastic modulus than cartridge casing
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber insert is designed with an elastic modulus significantly different from the cartridge casing material, creating a controlled elastic differential that reduces extraction forces. This parameter difference allows the insert to flex independently during extraction, reducing the force required while maintaining reliability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces extraction forces, enhances reliability by minimizing chamber-case deflection, and allows for the use of steel cartridges with reduced extraction stress, enabling the firing of cartridges with varying dimensions without excessive force requirements.
Implementation Method 1
The chamber insert defines an interior surface for interfacing the cartridge casing, and the chamber insert is formed of a material comprising one of a tungsten carbide, a tungsten heavy alloy, and a bulk metallic glass, and the material comprising an elastic modulus that is from about 60×10^6 psi to about 200×10^6 psi
Implementation Method 2
A feature and benefit of embodiments is a gun barrel assembly wherein the insert comprises a radial wall thickness that is less than one half of a diameter of a body portion of the chamber insert
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and methods for chambering and releasing a high pressure cartridge case from a firearm. In some embodiments, a static chamber insert of high elastic modulus is disclosed. In some embodiments, a dynamic or adaptable chamber insert that radially expands in an out-of-battery configuration and radially contracts in a battery configuration is disclosed.