Minigun Rotor Housing Quick-Release Guide Bar Mount
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The current design of the M134 Minigun requires tools for quick attachment and detachment of the guide bar, hindering field repairs, and the yoke adds unnecessary weight, which is undesirable in military operations.
Innovation Solution
A spring-loaded lock pin assembly secures the guide bar to the rotor housing without tools, and a yokeless mounting assembly reduces weight by eliminating the yoke.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the guide bar is attached to the housing using a roll pin and bolt, then the guide bar is securely fastened, but the operator requires tools and significant time to remove and reinstall the guide bar
Solution Approach 1:
The guide bar attachment system is divided into modular components: the guide bar itself, the housing with receptacle, and a quick-release mechanism. This segmentation allows the guide bar to be independently removed and reattached without tools by simply aligning it with the receptacle and engaging the quick-release feature, resolving the contradiction between secure attachment and quick removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism transitions from a static, tool-secured bolt and roll pin system to a dynamic quick-release system. The quick-release mechanism allows the guide bar to be rapidly engaged and disengaged through simple manual manipulation, enabling the operator to switch between secured and removable states without tools, thus improving ease of operation while reducing maintenance time.
2Strength
If the yoke is attached to the front of the housing for mounting, then the minigun can be securely mounted to platforms, but the yoke adds significant weight to the system
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional yoke component is extracted and replaced with an integrated mounting system directly attached to the housing. The housing itself incorporates mounting features such as integrated mounting lugs or attachment points, eliminating the need for a separate yoke. This extraction reduces overall weight while maintaining mounting strength through direct attachment to the housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting function is merged with the housing structure itself. Instead of having a separate yoke component for mounting, the housing is designed with integrated mounting features that combine the structural support and mounting functions into a single component. This merging eliminates the additional weight of a separate yoke while maintaining the necessary mounting strength through the housing's own structural integrity.
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
Facilitates quick maintenance and reduces the overall weight of the minigun, enhancing operational efficiency and mobility.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-loaded lock pin assembly configured to releasably fasten the guide bar front end to the rotor housing
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for quickly attaching and detaching the guide bar to and from the rotor housing of a minigun is provided. The assembly comprises a guide bar and a rotor housing. The guide bar includes a front end having a pinhole extending through the front end and a rear end having a locking cam. The rotor housing includes a recessed channel configured to receive the locking cam and a spring-loaded lock pin assembly configured to secure the front end of the guide bar. The guide bar is secured to the rotor housing when the locking cam is inserted into the recessed channel and the spring-loaded lock pin assembly secures the front end of the guide bar. The assembly allows the guide bar to quickly be attached and detached from the rotor housing without the need for tools. The rotor housing may be designed without a yoke to reduce weight.