Weapon Barrel Polygonal Profile for Full Chrome Plating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Small-caliber machine gun barrels face challenges in withstanding high loads due to conventional rifling geometries that do not allow for effective chrome plating, leading to potential breakage under pressure.

Innovation Solution

A modified inner profile with a polygonal, flattened sawtooth design that accommodates full chrome plating, featuring thicker chrome layers on field surfaces and thinner layers on train surfaces, allowing better absorption of forces and increased durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional rifling geometry is used in small-caliber barrels, then the barrel can be manufactured with standard dimensions, but the field height becomes too small (0.13mm) to allow effective chrome plating, leading to shearing and breakage under high pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebarrel strength under pressureVSAvoidchrome plating quality
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the rifling profile from conventional rounded contours to polygonal lines with specific field heights and flank angles. This parameter change allows sufficient field height (0.26mm) to accommodate chrome plating while maintaining the necessary structural strength to withstand high pressure loads in small-caliber barrels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies different chrome layer thicknesses to different regions of the barrel interior - thicker chrome layers on field surfaces and thinner layers on train surfaces. This local differentiation optimizes both the protective function (where needed most) and the mechanical integrity of the rifling structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Volume of moving object

If the barrel diameter is reduced for small-caliber weapons, then the weapon size is reduced, but the barrel cannot withstand high loads without chrome plating, and chrome plating cannot be effectively applied due to insufficient field height

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebarrel diameterVSAvoidbarrel reliability under load
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By changing the rifling profile geometry to polygonal lines with optimized field heights, the invention enables effective chrome plating application even in small-caliber barrels with reduced diameters. This allows small-caliber weapons to maintain high load-bearing capacity through proper chrome plating while keeping the barrel diameter small.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite structure by combining the base barrel material with a chrome plating layer, where the chrome layer provides enhanced durability and resistance to high pressure loads. This composite approach allows small-caliber barrels to withstand loads that would otherwise require larger diameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Duration of action of stationary object

If chrome plating is applied over the entire length of the barrel including thermally stressed areas, then the barrel gains improved durability and load resistance, but the complex geometry must be carefully designed to accommodate varying chrome layer thicknesses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebarrel service lifeVSAvoidprofile geometry complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention specifies different chrome layer thicknesses for different regions - thicker layers on field surfaces and thinner layers on train surfaces. This local quality differentiation extends service life by providing enhanced protection where wear and thermal stress are greatest, while the polygonal profile geometry facilitates this differentiated plating approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Enables full chrome plating of small-caliber gun barrels, enhancing their ability to withstand high loads and extending service life by optimizing chrome layer distribution and geometry.

Implementation Method 1

the entire weapon barrel be chrome-plated

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectroplating: Electroplating

Data Source

PatentEP2805124B1Weapon barrel with a chrome-plated inner profile
Publication Date: 2018.04.25 RHEINMETALL WAFFE MUNITION GMBH
  • EP2805124B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2805124B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

What is proposed is a weapon barrel (1) with a land-and-groove inner profile (3, 4) for small-calibre automatic weapons, wherein the entire inner profile (3, 4) is chrome-plated. The lands (3) of the inner profile (3, 4) are designed - trapezoidally and asymmetrically - as polygons and are considerably narrower than the grooves (4). On one side, the polygons or lands (3) have a relatively long ascent (5) in the form of an incline and, on the other side, have a rapidly descending flank (6). A chrome layer (7) on the grooves (4) is in this case thinner than a chrome layer (8) on the lands (3). Layer thickness transitions (9) from land (3) to groove (4) and groove (4) to land (3) are applied to the inclines (5) and flanks (6).