Abstract:
The present invention provides a weapon&#39;s barrel device capable of using various calibers of flanged centerfired ammunition in a breech loaded firearm. The barrel device is able to position and secure various caliber ammunition or rockets, whereby the action and firing pin will strike the center of the ammunition and cause it to be fired from the weapon. In some embodiments, the unique barrel device may comprise a non-newtonian type of fluid housed and contained in the barrel by a para-aramid synthetic material. In other embodiments, the barrel device may comprise a mechanical construct and may or may not use a synthetic fiber inner lining. In another embodiment, the barrel device may contain a foam type material to house and center the ammunition. In further embodiments, the barrel device may comprise both a non-newtonian type of fluid and a mechanical construct. Lastly, this invention can be scalable to be used in weapons larger than handguns.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part and claims the benefit of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/543,127 filed on Nov. 17, 2014 which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/929,678, filed Jan. 21, 2014. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to the field of firearms and specifically to firearm barrels. More particularly, the present invention is relates a flexible interior lining of a weapon&#39;s barrel. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    There are over 800 million weapons in the world today. Current firearms use ammunition or a cartridge of a particular size or caliber that has been specifically matched to a weapon and vice versa. The weapon or firearm will have a specific barrel diameter, thickness and bore size for that caliber ammunition. The match between barrel and cartridge dimensions is made so the cartridge is seated correctly in the barrel allowing the bullet of the cartridge to safely exit the barrel when the cartridge&#39;s primer is detonated when the gun is fired. The barrel of the current invention can use various types of cartridges ranging from calibers of centerfire 0.22 to 0.45 or be capable of using 0.410 to 20 gauge shotgun shells from the same weapon. 
         [0004]    There have been scenarios throughout recent armed conflict history whereby lives are lost and battles turned due to insufficient gunfire due to lack of a specific ammunition caliber while usable (live) ammunition of a different caliber was still available on the battlefield. If a soldier with a specific weapon runs out of that particular caliber ammunition, then they cannot use that weapon anymore. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,709,136; 8,397,416 and 5,133,142 address using more than one caliber ammunition in a single weapon but all had to either: change out the current barrel to a new barrel that could fire the new cartridge type or insert some type of sleeve/claw for the new round. U.S. Pat. No. 8,069,600 developed a multi-caliber bolt, but does not disclose a barrel capable of using multi-caliber ammunition. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there exists a need for a barrel construction capable of using a plurality of different cartridge types and calibers without changing the barrel or inserting a specialized sleeve, insert, or claw. Specifically, there exists a need for a novel firearm that will be able to use standard revolver type cartridges, including ammunition of centerfire 0.22 to 0.45 calibers. There also exists a need for a firearm to be able to utilize larger cartridges used in rifles, including 5.56 mm (standard NATO round) to 7.62 mm, gauges of 20 to 12 gauge and even up to rocket propelled grenades (RPGs). 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention is a barrel device that is able to use and fire many types of ammunition from the same weapon/barrel. In preferred embodiments, the barrel device will be able to use most center fire, breech loaded, flanged cartridges resulting in a weapon that is both weapon stock and action agnostic. The weapon size and corresponding flexible interior barrel would fall into three size categories, a small hand gun, rifle, and rocket launcher size. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, a firearm capable of firing ammunition of various different caliber includes a barrel that accepts multiple different size or caliber ammunition or cartridges. The barrel has an interior lined with a hybrid foam material capable of withstanding the temperature and pressure of a fired cartridge. The hybrid foam material is capable of centering and firmly holding the cartridge in the middle of the barrel. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments, the hybrid foam consists of porous aluminum and synthetic rubber. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, the synthetic rubber is a synthetic flexible foam rubber. 
         [0011]    In some embodiments, a firearm capable of firing ammunition of various different caliber includes a barrel that will accept multiple different size or caliber ammunition or cartridges. The barrel having an interior containing a mechanical construct attached to the inside of the barrel, wherein the mechanical construct is capable of withstanding the temperature and pressure of a fired cartridge, and wherein said construct is capable of centering and firmly holding the cartridge in the middle of the barrel. 
         [0012]    In some embodiments, the mechanical construct are aluminum helical coiled springs traversing the length of the barrel. 
         [0013]    In some embodiments, the mechanical construct comprises overlapping multiple flexible curved plates. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments, the overlapping multiple curved plates comprises aluminum. 
         [0015]    In some embodiments, a firearm capable of firing ammunition of various different caliber, includes a barrel that accepts multiple different size or caliber ammunition or cartridges. The barrel has an interior containing a mechanical construct attached to the inside of the barrel combined with a non-newtonian construct. The mechanical construct is capable of withstanding the temperature and pressure of a fired cartridge, and of centering and firmly holding the cartridge in the middle of the barrel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention can be embodied in different forms and thus should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one example of a multi-caliber breach-loading (load from the rear of the barrel), break-action barrel device according to various embodiments described herein; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one example of a multi-caliber breach-loading (load from the rear of the barrel), slide-action barrel device according to various embodiments described herein; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3A  depicts a cross section view of one example of a multi-barrel device without a cartridge loaded according to various embodiments described herein; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3B  depicts a cross section view of one example of a barrel device with a centerfire 0.22 cartridge loaded according to various embodiments described herein; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3C  depicts a cross section view of one example of a barrel device with a 0.45 caliber cartridge loaded according to various embodiments described herein; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4A  depicts a cross section view of one example of a barrel device with a cartridge loaded according to various embodiments described herein; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4B  depicts a cross section view of one example of a barrel device with a cartridge loaded according to various embodiments described herein; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  presents a side cross section view of one example of a multi caliber barrel device with a cartridge loaded according to various embodiments described herein; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6A  presents a cut-away end view of a multi-caliber barrel embodiment and its relationship to the entire barrel; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6B  presents a cut away side view of the same mechanical multi-caliber barrel embodiment; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  presents a cut away view of the multi-caliber barrel/tube embodiment used inside a shoulder rocket fired weapon; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  presents a side cross section view of one example of a multi caliber barrel device with a cartridge loaded according to various embodiments described herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    Although not limited thereto, the present invention is useful in the field of small arms (definition of a small arms are those carried by a single person) being able to fire many types of ammunition or cartridges. By scaling the flexible barrel interior to larger weapons, the present invention will be useful to any size weapon ranging from hand guns to rifles to rocket launchers. The present invention focuses on the flexible design on the inside construct of the weapon&#39;s barrel that will therefore accommodate any size ammunition without any changes to the weapon or barrel itself. 
         [0030]    Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numbers represent like elements throughout the drawings, there is shown in  FIG. 1  an embodiment of the present invention in the form of a generic single shot handgun/firearm. It should be readily apparent, however, that the concept of the invention can be adapted to any type of single breach-loading, bolt-action or break-action type weapon including revolvers, shotguns and rifles. 
         [0031]    The firearm of  FIG. 1  is comprised of a handle  14  connected to an action  12  that is attached to a barrel device  10 . This generic firearm with the present invention&#39;s unique barrel device is brought and secured to the action  12  via a hinge pin  22 . Any caliber cartridge  18  ranging from 0.22 to 0.45 can be loaded into the breech  16  of the barrel device. The gap between barrel device  10  and action  12  needs to be of sufficient clearance to allow the physical insertion of the cartridge  18 . The barrel device  10  of the weapon has to be of adequate length, material (steel alloy is typical but can be carbon fiber or other similar material) and thickness to accommodate the largest caliber ammunition desired, with larger caliber ammunition requiring thicker or longer barrel dimensions. Using internal ballistics (study of projectiles inside the barrel), dynamics (study of forces) and kinetic energy equations (energy of a particular cartridge), the proposed interior construction of the barrel device will need to account for the largest pressure and temperature of the largest desired cartridge. Due to the construct of the multi-caliber weapon, any cartridge  18  will be held securely and firmly in the center of the barrel allowing the firing pin  20  to strike and ignite the cartridge  18  when the action  12  is commenced via trigger pull  26 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  presents another embodiment of a barrel device  10  on a firearm whereby the multi-caliber barrel  30  is connected to the weapon and slides down a rail  24  and is secured to the action  12  prior to firing which is attached to the handle  14 . In both  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the cartridge  18  will be centered in the barrel device so the firing pin  20  of the action  12  will strike the primer of the cartridge  18 . 
         [0033]    As presented in the embodiments depicted in both  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the barrel device is stock and action agnostic so that any type of stock or handle  14  and action  12  can be used with the barrel device  10  as long as the barrel device can be secured to the action  12  to permit the firing pin  20  to center-strike the primer of the cartridge  18 . 
       Non-Newtonian type Fluid Embodiment(s) 
       [0034]      FIG. 3A  shows an example of a cross section of the concept&#39;s barrel device  10  without a cartridge with a nominal opening diameter of 0.20 inch according to some embodiments described herein. In this embodiment, the barrel device comprises a non-newtonian type of fluid  30  that can be compressed to accommodate standard centerfire 0.22 to 0.45 caliber cartridges  18  as shown in  FIGS. 3B and 3C . There are four categories on non-newtonian fluids, only two of them are relevant for use in this present invention: a Rheopectic and a Dilatant. Both these fluids react to increased force by raising their viscosity. Common examples of non-newtonian fluids in these categories range from toothpaste to silly putty to oobleck. 
         [0035]    In  FIGS. 3B and 3C  the 0.45&#39;s rim diameter is 0.48 inches and the 0.22&#39;s rim diameter is 0.278 inches.  FIGS. 3B and 3C  also show how any caliber cartridge may be centered so its primer  28  will be aligned with the firing pin  20  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) of the weapon.  FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C  show a preferred embodiment of a barrel device comprising a thin para-aramid synthetic fiber lining  34  (common name is Kevlar) that will go between the non-newtonian type of fluid  30  and the cartridge  18 . Aramid fibers are strong, lightweight and are heat resistant. In preferred embodiments, the para-aramid synthetic fiber lining  34  will be in an overlapping circular (tube) shape (not shown) so as to expand or contract depending on the size of the inserted cartridge  18  and yet retain and secure the non-newtonian type of fluid  30  encasing the cartridge  18  within the barrel device  10 . 
       Mechanical Embodiment(s) 
       [0036]      FIG. 4A  shows a cross section of an example of a mechanical embodiment to the present invention&#39;s barrel device comprising a barrel device  10  using mechanical means  36  to center the cartridge  18  in the barrel so the weapon&#39;s firing pin aligns with the cartridge&#39;s primer  28 . This mechanical means  36  is in the embodiment of aluminum helical coiled springs traversing the barrel&#39;s length. The springs  36  are attached to the inside of the barrel device  10  by either adhesive, welding or other physical connection. The lightweight helical springs are flexible enough to allow diameter compression when a larger caliber size cartridge is inserted. The springs will return to their original shape/size when the round is unloaded, and ready to accept the next cartridge of any size. The springs  36  can be off-centered inside the barrel to provide a rifling effect. Rifling will assist with increased range and accuracy of the trajectory of the round. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6A and 6B  illustrates a rear and side cross section view of one example of a barrel device  10  with a cartridge  18  loaded according to various embodiments and described initially in  FIG. 4A  that traverses the entire length of the barrel  10  longitudinally. In this embodiment, a mechanical construct of helical coiled aluminum springs  36  is used to center a cartridge within the barrel device. The mechanical construct  36  will also allow a cartridge to be loaded, held firmly in place in the center of the barrel device and be unloaded after firing. The mechanical construct  36  may comprise a plurality of coiled metallic springs that can be compressed at its diameter and then go back to their original shape after the cartridge  18  is unloaded. 
         [0038]      FIG. 4B  shows a cross section of another example of a mechanical approach to the present invention&#39;s barrel device  10  comprising a barrel device  10  using a mechanical construct  38  to center the cartridge  18  in the barrel. This mechanical construct  38  is in the embodiment of overlapping multiple flexible curved plates. The flexible curved plates may be comprised of aluminum, plastic or carbon material that can accept cartridges of various diameters, hold the cartridge  18  in the barrel center securely to allow the primer  28  to be centered and able to withstand the internal ballistics of the fired round. While the curved material  38  are attached to the inside of the barrel device  10  by adhesive or weld, they are still flexible enough to allow compression when a larger caliber size cartridge is inserted. For this embodiment a twisting motion of the cartridge is necessary for insertion of the cartridge and extraction of the spent shell. 
         [0039]    In both embodiments, the primer of the cartridge  18  is centered so the cartridge primer  28  will be struck by the firing pin  20  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) of the firearm. While the mechanical embodiments previously described will suffice to center, secure, and counteract the pressure of the fired round, in some embodiments, a para-aramid synthetic fiber lining  34  can also be used in the same fashion as in the non-newtonian fluid examples. This overlapping circular fiber  34  will be placed between the mechanical means/construct  36 ,  38  and the cartridge  18 . 
       Metallic Foam Embodiment(s) 
       [0040]      FIG. 5  depicts a side cross section of an embodiment of an internal barrel device  10  comprising a construct made of a foam hybrid material  32 . This material can comprise a multi-foam type construct consisting of porous aluminum and synthetic rubber. Due to the compressive ability of the synthetic rubber foam this embodiment will pressure fit securely inside the original space of the barrel without the need of a physical securing method as required by the non-newtonian and/or mechanical embodiments. An open-cell/porous metal foam made of aluminum integrated with a synthetic flexible foam rubber at a ratio of 30/70 per cent (rubber ratio is the largest) will provide the elasticity and compressibility that is required to adjust for the various size cartridges while the metallic portion of this hybrid foam material will provide the support structure, act as a heat exchanger and serve as energy absorber for the fired round while limiting the amount of energy (expansion) within the barrel. The hybrid aluminum/rubber foam will return to its original shape within the barrel device  10  after the expended shell is ejected due to the rubber elasticity overcoming the aluminum strength. With this hybrid foam embodiment a cartridge  18  can be loaded, held faintly in place in the center of the barrel device  10  and so the primer  28  is aligned with the weapon firing pin and can be unloaded after firing. The hybrid foam  32  will adapt to the cartridge&#39;s  18  shape inside the barrel device  10 . If desired, the foam construct can be cut in such a way as to afford rifling. 
       Combination Embodiment(s) 
       [0041]      FIG. 8  presents an embodiment of combining the mechanical helical coiled springs  36  and non-newtonian fluid  30 . The inside of the barrel  10  could comprise of a combination of mechanical means  FIG. 6A /B and non-newtonian fluid  FIG. 5 . In such an embodiment, the mechanical means such as the helical aluminum coiled springs  36  can be attached to the inside of the barrel and the non-newtonian fluid  30  will be held in place by this mechanical means by being integrated within the coils  36 . This will assist in keeping the pressure and resultant gases related to internal ballistics of the fired cartridge squarely on the round due to the viscous nature of the non-newtonian fluid and will therefore aid in the performance of the fired round. 
         [0042]    As shown in the embodiments depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6A and 6B , the barrel device may use mechanical construct  36  and  38  or a foam  32  or non-newtonian type of fluid  30 . In other embodiments, a barrel device may comprise both a non-newtonian type of fluid  30  and a mechanical construct  36  or  38  such as coiled springs with or without a para-aramid synthetic fiber lining  34 . 
       Further Applications 
       [0043]      FIG. 7  presents a cut away view of the multi-caliber barrel/tube  10  construct used inside a shoulder rocket fired weapon whereby the rocket is centered and help firmly in place. The construct of the tube can be of any type; non-newtonian  30 , foam  32  or mechanical  36  or  38 . 
         [0044]    Preferred embodiments of the new barrel device can be incorporated into a single “shot” handgun or break-open shotgun type style and be used in a survival type mode. In other embodiments, a revolver type firearm configured with a barrel device may be capable of using various types of ammunition loaded in one weapon is a natural follow-on concept and is easily conveyed. 
         [0045]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and accordingly. Reference should be made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention. 
         [0046]    Furthermore, the present invention will keep the combatant in the fight when he or she runs out of their issued ammunition or if the primary or secondary weapon becomes inoperable. Besides military applications, applications of this weapon can be used for law enforcement and first responders that will enhance their operational flexibility and reduce their logistics. Survivalists/minimalists will also benefit from this novel weapon by being able to use any ammunition and fire from the same weapon.