Patent ID: 7614393
Filing Date: 2009-11-10
Classification: F41B,F42B

Abstract:
1. A channel gun electromagnetic launcher comprising: an electric power supply; a conductive, stationary guide operatively connected to the power supply and forming a flowpath for current from the power supply; and a non-conductive projectile disposed adjacent to the guide and which is accelerated along the guide when current flows through the guide; the guide including a plurality of rails disposed in spaced, substantially parallel relation to each other, a plurality of rungs interconnecting the rails and disposed in spaced relation to each other along the rails, and switches operatively associated with the rungs for selectively permitting current flow through different ones of the rungs; the projectile including a main body and a magnet supported by the main body such that the magnet faces the guide with a small gap therebetween; and wherein the switches are passively activated when they are disposed within a magnetic field of the projectile, such that the switches are sequentially activated as the projectile moves along the guide and create an electromagnetic pushing force which continuously accelerates the projectile along the guide substantially in a direction parallel to the guide.