Patent Publication Number: US-2023160653-A1

Title: Method of making a reliable gun

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This Application is a 371 continuation of PCT/US2021/028704, filed on Apr. 22, 2021, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/058,445, filed on Jul. 29, 2020. The contents of the above-referenced patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A tradeoff between accuracy and reliability as running clearance varies has been observed for guns subjected to harsh operating environments or infrequent cleaning. Reducing running clearances improves accuracy. Increasing running clearances reduces jamming and other failures that result from contamination or abuse. This tradeoff has been exemplified by the Avtomat Kalashnikova (AK-47). The AK-47 has unusually wide clearances between moving parts, which make it highly resistant to jamming while limiting accuracy. 
     SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the present teachings is a gun having two parts configured to slide past one another during operation of the gun. In some embodiments, the parts are metal. In some embodiments, the parts have a telescoping relationship in the sense that the parts remain in contact as one part moves relative to the other in a straight line. In some embodiments, one or both parts are part of a gas-operated reloading mechanism. According to the invention, a coating is formed on at least a surface of the first part that contacts the second part. At least an upper layer of the coating is porous and comprises a thermoset polymer and a filler. 
     The porous upper layer provides a reservoir for lubricant. Through capillary action and the like, the coating may retain a lubricant over the part surface in a volume per unit area greater than would be possible without the coating, particularly if the lubricant has a low viscosity. Without the coating, the excess lubricant would flow away from the part surface. The property of retaining low viscosity lubricant is particularly beneficial for preventing jamming of a gun that is intermittently subjected to arctic conditions. In some embodiments, the upper layer has a porosity in the range from 2% to 80%. In some embodiments, the upper layer has an interconnectivity above a percolation threshold. 
     In some embodiments, the coating undergoes compression and expresses oil during firing of the gun. The compression may bring lubricant to the surface of the coating, whereby there is a liquid lubricant film between the mating parts. The coating is resilient under this type of compression. Between firings, the coating may reabsorb some of the expressed lubricant. This property further contributes to the maintenance of lubrication under diverse conditions. Moreover, the expression and reabsorption of oil from the porous upper surface may be operative to filter the lubricant. 
     In some embodiments, the filler is present in an amount from 15 to 40 percent by volume of solid material in the upper layer. In some embodiment, the upper layer is formed from a powder of particles that individually have the filler in an amount from 15% to 40% by volume. If there is too little filler, the coating may not have the desired wear properties. If there is too much filler, the coating may be difficult to process. In some embodiments, the filler is a dry film lubricant. This further ensures that lubrication is maintained under a wider range of operating conditions. 
     The coating may be applied relatively thickly. In some embodiments, the coating is applied to form an interference fit during initial assembly of the gun. In some embodiments, the coating has a thickness of 100 μm or more over at least a portion of the part surface. In some embodiments, the coating has a thickness of 300 μm or more over at least a portion of the part surface. The coating may shear during assembly and may wear during operation with thermal cycling to provide a nearly perfect fit. 
     The coating is operative to prevent jamming by sand and other debris. The coating narrows clearances to exclude the entry of particles into the space between the moving parts. The coating is abradable. If particles do work their way between the parts, the coating will abrade to make room for the particles before they can cause a jam. The coating is friable to the extent that the coating will abrade as necessary to accommodate the particle without flaking or coming off in chunks. 
     The narrowed clearances with sustained lubrication and jamming prevention provide several additional benefits. Operation is smoother operation, accuracy is improved, and noise and vibration are reduced. Operating temperatures are lowered. There is less friction and less wear. 
     In some embodiments, the upper layer comprises particles adhered to one another with spaces in between. In some embodiments, that structure is formed by curing particles containing a thermosetting resin and the filler in such a way that the particles sinter but do not flow sufficiently to entirely lose their discrete identities. In some embodiments, a powder of the particles is applied to the part surface by electrostatic deposition. In some embodiments, the powder is formed from a process that includes melt-mixing the thermosetting resin and the filler material to form a composite, cooling the composite, and breaking up the cooled composite to form the powder. In some embodiments, the filler is graphite although many other fillers may be used. 
     In some embodiments, the coating further comprises a non-porous lower layer comprising a second thermoset polymer. In some embodiments, the lower layer is derived from a liquid comprising a second thermosetting resin. The liquid is applied to the surface prior to coating with the powder. In some embodiments, the powder is applied over the liquid prior to drying or curing the liquid. The powder and the liquid are cured together to form the coating. The liquid may form a nonporous layer proximate the surface while the powder forms the porous upper layer. The lower layer improves adhesion and wear properties of the coating particularly where the coating is subject to mechanical load. 
     The primary purpose of this summary has been to present certain of the inventor&#39;s concepts in a simplified form to facilitate understanding of the more detailed description that follows. This summary is not a comprehensive description of every one of the inventor&#39;s concepts or every combination of the inventor&#39;s concepts that can be considered “invention”. Other concepts of the inventor&#39;s will be conveyed to one of ordinary skill in the art by the following detailed description together with the drawings. The specifics disclosed herein may be generalized, narrowed, and combined in various ways with the ultimate statement of what the inventor claims as his invention being reserved for the claims that follow. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a flow chart of a process for coating a gun part in accordance with some aspects of the present teachings. 
         FIG.  2    is flow chart of a process that may be used in accordance with some aspects of the present teachings to form a powder. 
         FIG.  3    is a sketch of a part surface with a coating in accordance with some aspects of the present teachings. 
         FIG.  4    is another sketch of a part surface with a coating in accordance with some aspects of the present teachings. 
         FIG.  5    illustrates parts of an AR-15, some of which may be coated in accordance the present teachings. 
         FIG.  6    is a plot showing an effect of a coating according to the present teachings on operating temperature 
         FIG.  7    is a plot showing an effect of a coating according to the present teachings on a jamming rate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    is a flow chart of an example process  100  for forming a gun part with a coating according to the present disclosure. Act  101  is preparing the part that will receive the coating. Examples of parts that may be coated include, without limitation, a bolt, a bolt carrier, a firing pin, a barrel, a receivers, a gas key, a gas tube, any other part of the bolt carrier group, and any other moving part associated with a gas-powered reloading mechanism. The part can be of any material that can withstand the cure temperature of the coating. In some embodiments, the part is metal. The surface to be coated may already have a coating, porous or non-porous, of any suitable material. 
     Preparing the part surface is optional, although generally advisable. Any surface preparation process or combination of processes may be employed. Examples of surface preparation processes that may be used include physical and chemical processes. Examples of physical preparation processes include, without limitation, vibro-finishing, sanding, abrasive grit blasting, media blasting, plasma treatment, irradiative treatment, and the like. Examples of chemical preparation processes include, without limitation, washing, activating, sealing, and the like. The surface preparation process may form a coating on the surface by chemical, electrochemical, or other means. In some embodiments, surface preparation produces a conversion coating. Examples of conversion coatings include phosphate coatings, chromate coatings, black oxide, and the like. Surface preparation may include electroless plating or electroplating to form alloys of nickel, chrome, tin, or other metals. Surface preparation may include galvanizing. 
     Act  103  is applying a base coat to the part surface. The base coat is a liquid composition that includes a thermosetting resin. The thermosetting resin may be part of a resin system that includes one or more of a curing agent, a hardener, an inhibitor, and plasticizer. Any suitable thermosetting resin may be used. Examples of thermosetting resins that may be used include acrylic, allyl, benzoxazine, epoxy, benzoxy melamine formaldehyde, phenolic, polyamide, polyaryl sulphone, polyamide-imide, polybutadiene, polycarbonate, polydicyclopentadiene, polyester, polyphenylene sulphide, polyurethane, silicone, and vinyl ester resins and mixtures thereof. The thermosetting resin may make up 35% or more of the liquid by volume. 
     Optionally, the base coat includes a solvent. The solvent is present in at least an amount sufficient to make the composition liquid if a solvent is needed for that purpose. Low boiling point solvents are preferred as are organic solvents. Examples of solvents that may be suitable for the liquid primer include methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), turpentine, xylene, mineral spirits, turpenoid, toluene, dimethylfomamide, glycol ethers, ethylbenzene, n-butyl acetate, alcohols, acetone and combination thereof. In some embodiments, the base coat includes one or more epoxy resins that remain liquid without solvent. 
     The base coat may include other components such as diluents, surfactants, modifiers, and other components that either contribute to the formation of the base layer or the functionality of the final coating. Examples of other components that may contribute to the formation of the base layer include, without limitation, curing agents, hardeners, inhibitors, and plasticizers. Examples of other components that may contribute the functionality of the coating include, without limitation, pigments and minerals of various types such as graphite, hexagonal boron nitride, talc, other clays, minerals between 1 and 10 on the scale of MOH&#39;s hardness, diamond, cubic boron nitride, metal flake, and the like. 
     The base coat may be formed by any suitable process. Depending on the composition of the base coat and the material of the gun part, suitable processes may include spraying, electrostatic deposition, silk screening, dipping, ink jet printing, brushing, dip spinning, pad printing, film transferring, wiping, and the like. In some embodiments, the process includes some type of spraying. Spraying may be electrostatic spraying. Also, the gun part may be spun during or after spray deposition. The base coat may be formed with multiple layers and the layers may be of different materials. 
     An additional process may take place after the initial application of the base coat to improve uniformity or coverage. The additional process may include wiping, rinsing, or flinging excess base coat material from the surface. In some embodiments, centripetal force is used to fling excess base coat material from the surface. Centripetal force can be effective in producing a highly uniform base coat. 
     Act  105  is depositing the powder over the liquid base coat. The powder includes a thermosetting resin and a filler. The thermosetting resin of the powder may be part of a resin system that includes one or more of a curing agent, a hardener, an inhibitor, and a plasticizer. Any suitable thermosetting resin may be used. A thermosetting resin is any polymer resin that can be irreversibly hardened by curing regardless of whether curing is induced by heat, radiation, pressure, catalysis, or any other mechanism. In some embodiments, the thermosetting resin is of a type that can be granulated into a powder. Examples of thermosetting resins that may be used include, without limitation, acrylic, allyl, allyl, benzoxazine, epoxy, melamine formaldehyde, phenolic, polyamide, polyaryl sulphone, polyamide-imide, polybutadiene, polycarbonate, polydicyclopentadiene, polyester, polyphenylene sulphide, polyurethane, silicone, and vinyl ester resins and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the powder has the resin in an amount that is 35 percent or more by volume. 
     The filler material preferably has a melting point above a cure temperature of the thermosetting resin. In some of these teachings, the filler material is a solid lubricant. Examples of solid lubricants that may be used as the filler material include graphite, PTFE, polyamide, polyamide imide, polyimide, boron nitride, carbon monofluoride, molybdenum disulphide, talc, mica, kaolin, the sulfides, selenides, and tellurides of molybdenum, tungsten, or titanium and combinations thereof. The mixture preferably has the filler material in an amount that is 15 to 40 percent by volume. In some of these teachings the filler is at least 60 percent graphite. In some of these teachings the graphite particles have lengths in the range from 7 to 30 micrometers. Some application benefit from the inclusion of clay in the filler. In some of these teachings, the filler is from 20% to 40% clay by volume. Examples of clays that are suitable for the filler include kaolin, mullite, montmorillonite, and bentonite. 
     The powder may be the product of a process  131 , which is illustrated by  FIG.  2   . The process  131  includes act  133 , melt-mixing the polymer resin and the filler to form a composite, act  135 , cooling the composite, and act  137 , breaking up the composite to form a powder. The composite may be broken up to form the powder by any suitable process such as milling or the like. The resulting powder preferably has a mean particle size in the range from 2 to 200 μm. For purposes of the present disclosure, particle sizes are the diameters of spheres having the same volume as the particles. More preferably, the mean particle size is in the range from 5 to 150 μm. Still more preferably the particle size is in the range from 10 to 80 μm. Smaller particles may be difficult to process. Larger particles may not adhere well when electrostatics are used. Preferably, the filler and the resin are both present in the individual particles of the powder. 
     The powder may be deposited over the liquid by any suitable process. In some embodiments, the coating process comprises electrostatics, e.g., electrostatic spray deposition. More generally, the coating process may include one or more of spraying the powder, fluidizing the powder, heating the powder, and heating the surface to be coated. If the surface is heated, it is not heated in a way that solidifies the base layer. It may also be feasible to apply the powder by dipping, rolling, screen printing, or other film transfer process. The powder may be formed into a slurry to facilitate use in one of the foregoing processes. 
     In some embodiments, act  105  includes depositing multiple layers. Each layer may comprise a different type of powder. The powders may vary in composition, size distribution, or any other characteristic. The different layers may be used in combination to provide desirable wear characteristics and the like. For example, differing powder composition may be used to provide a low wear resistance upper layer and a second that produces a higher resistance layer underneath. A variety of parameters may be adjusted to produce a desired degree of wear resistance. Useful parameters to adjust include the identity of the thermosetting resin, the cure temperature, the amount of filler, the composition of the filler including the amount of clay the filler contains, and the porosity of the coating, which may be controlled through the size distribution of the dry powder particles. 
     Act  107  is curing the base layer and the powder to form the coating. Curing evaporates any solvent from the base layer and hardens the base layer. Curing may be driven by any of heat, radiation, pressure, catalysis, combinations thereof, or any other mechanism. Where curing is driven by heat, heating may take place by convection, conduction, induction, radiative heating, combinations thereof, or any other mechanism. In some embodiments, curing causes the powder to sinter, but curing completes without the particles flowing sufficiently to lose their discrete identities. In some embodiments, curing takes place in a temperature range between 100° C. and 300° C. In some embodiments, curing takes place in a temperature range between 150° C. and 200° C. Curing solidifies the coating. Curing may also consolidate or densify the coating. The various layers of the coating may be cured simultaneously or sequentially. 
       FIG.  3    illustrates a coated part  200  that may be a product of the process of  FIG.  1   . The coated part  200  includes a metal part  201  and a coating  211  formed on a surface  209  of the metal part  201 . The abradable coating  211  includes a base layer  203  formed from a liquid coat, an upper layer  207  formed from powder particles, and an interfacial area  205  formed from both the liquid coat and the powder particles. 
     The base layer  203  is generally non-percolating in the sense that neither liquid nor air can pass through it. In some embodiments, the base layer has 5% or less porosity. In some embodiments, the base layer has 2% or less porosity. In some embodiments, the base layer has no porosity. The base layer  203  includes a thermoset polymer matrix and may include one or more non-polymer materials dispersed within the thermoset polymer matrix. The base layer  203  adheres the coating  211  to the surface  209  and may serve other functions such as providing corrosion resistance, sealing, and the like for the surface  209 . 
     In some embodiments, the upper layer  207  has an interconnectivity above a percolation threshold meaning that fluids can pass through it. The porosity of the upper layer  207  may be in the range from 2 to 80 percent. In some embodiments, the porosity of the upper layer  207  is in the range from 2 to 40 percent. In some embodiments, the porosity of the upper layer  207  is in the range from 2 to 20 percent. The porosity may facilitate the provision of controlled wear properties, desirable rheological properties, and a reservoir of lubricating fluid. The provision of porosity in the upper layer  207  is facilitated by curing without allowing excessive flow, whereby in some embodiments individual particles of the powder from which the upper layer  207  was formed remain identifiable within the upper layer  207 . The upper layer  207  may provide the coating  211  with targeted characteristics such as, for example, friability, lubricity, clearance control capability, heat transport, and the like. In some embodiments, the upper layer  207  is two or more times thicker than the base layer  203 . 
     The thickness of the coating  211  may vary over the coated part  200 . The coating  211  may be very thick on the coated part  200 . In some embodiments, at its thickest point, the coating  211  may have a thickness the coating has a thickness of 100 μm or greater. In some embodiments, the coating  211  has a maximum thickness of 300 μm or greater. In some embodiments, the coating  211  has a maximum thickness of 500 μm or greater. A thickness of 750 μm has been demonstrated and thicker coatings are possible. The thickness is generally at least about 25 μm. 
     In some embodiments, the upper layer  207  includes multiple strata (sublayers) composed of different types of particles. The different strata may be used to control characteristics of the coating. For example, the upper layer  207  may include an upper strata that wears relatively quickly and a lower strata that is comparatively wear resistant to provide a balance between easy break-in and long life. 
     The interfacial area  205  includes particles of the upper layer  207  partially surrounded or entirely surrounded, partially sunken or entirely sunken, into the polymer matrix of the base layer  203 . Fluid-solid interactions may cause the formation of a complex interface. The interfacial area provides adhesion between the upper layer  207  and the base layer  203 . 
       FIG.  4    is a sketch of a coated part  200 A, which is an example of the coated part  200  and illustrates a possible structure. The coated part  200 A includes the coated part  201  and an abradable coating  211 A formed on the surface  209  of the coated part  201 . The abradable coating  211 A includes a non-porous base layer  203 A formed from a liquid coat, a porous upper layer  207 A formed from powder particles, and an interfacial area  205 A formed from both the liquid coat and the powder particles. 
     The upper layer  207 A includes particles  301  that have been sintered enough to flow and bind together to form a solid mass. An upper surface  315  of the mass may include peaks  313  and valleys  311 . The base layer  203 A includes a polymer matrix  305 . The interfacial area  205 A includes particles  301  that are bound by the polymer matrix  305 . Some particles  301  may be completely immersed in the polymer matrix  305 . Other particles  301  may be partially surrounded by the polymer matrix  305 . The particles  301  and the polymer matrix  305  may have a complex interface due to interactions of the liquid base layer and particles of the powder. In some embodiments, those interaction result in a contact structure  303  that is partially determined by a contact angle between the liquid base coat and particles of the powder.  FIG.  4    illustrates a structure that may form when the base coat is wetting with respect to the powder particles. 
     Returning to  FIG.  1   , the process  100  may continue with a break-in process that determines a final shape for the coating  211 . Act  109  is assembling a gun with the part  200 . The part  200  may form an interference fit with another part (not shown) of the gun. The coating  211  may initially be thicker than the clearance between the mating parts, whereby a portion of the coating  211  is necessarily shaved off when the gun is initially assembled. 
     Act  111  is operating the gun. Operation causes wear at high stress points on the coating  211 . As the wear progress, a contact area between the mating parts tends to increase and clearances become optimized, which effects reduce local stresses until the shape of the coating  211  stabilizes. 
     Before break-in, the upper surface  315  has a roughness that is related to a structure of the particles  301 . In particular, because the abradable coating  211  cures without the particles  301  flowing sufficiently to entirely loose their discrete identities, the upper surface  315  has peaks  313  that individually correspond to one or more of the particles  301 . In some embodiments, before break-in, the upper surface  315  has a roughness Ra in the range from about 0.5 μm to about 20 μm. In some embodiments, before break-in, the upper surface  315  has a roughness Ra in the range from about 1 μm to about 10 μm. In some embodiments, before break-in, the upper surface  315  has a roughness Ra greater than about 2 μm. 
     After break-in, the upper surface  315  may be smoother. Nevertheless, in some embodiment the upper surface  315  continues to have roughness that relates to the particles  301  retaining a degree of separation. Asperities on the upper surface  315  may be reduced by wear and the surface  315  may recede, but in some embodiments valleys  311  between particles  301  continue to appear of the upper surface  315 . In some embodiments, after break-in, the upper surface  315  has a roughness Ra in the range from about 0.2 μm to about 10 μm. In some embodiments, after break-in, the upper surface  315  has a roughness Ra in the range from about 0.5 μm to about 5 μm. In some embodiments, after break-in, the upper surface  315  has a roughness Ra greater than about 1 μm. 
     The removal of asperities from the upper surface  315  and the appearance of new values  311  as wear continues may result in the valleys  311  having a greater contribution to surface roughness than the peaks  313 . This effect is captured by the Rsk of the surface, the Rsk being a roughness parameter that measures the skewness of the of a surface height distribution about a mean. In some embodiments, prior to break-in, the Rsk of the upper surface  315  is in the range from −0.5 to 0.5. In some embodiments, prior to break-in, the Rsk of the upper surface  315  is in the range from −0.25 to 0.25. After break-in these Rsk values are reduced. In some embodiments, after break-in reduces the Rsk be about −0.5 or more. In some embodiments, after break-in, the Rsk is less than about −0.25. In some embodiments, after break-in, the Rsk is less than about −0.50. In some embodiments, after break-in, the Rsk is less than about −1.0. 
     A structure of the upper surface  315  may also be characterized in terms of the roughness parameters Reduced Peak Height (Rpk) and Reduced Valley Depth (Rvk). Rpk relates to peak height over a surface mean height. Rvk relates to valley depth below the surface mean height. In some embodiments, prior to break in, both Rpk and Rvk are at least about 2 μm. In some embodiments, prior to break in, both Rpk and Rvk are at least about 3 μm. Rvk may remain nearly the same or even increase after break-in. Rpk, on the other hand, may be reduced. In some embodiments, after break-in, the Rpk is less than about 3 μm. In some embodiments, after break-in, the Rpk is less than about 2 μm. In some embodiments, after break-in, the Rpk is half or less than half Rvk. In some embodiments, after break-in, the Rpk is one fourth or less than one fourth Rvk. 
     The coating  211  can be applied to any type of gun. Examples of guns that may be coated include, without limitation, semi-automatic handguns, e.g., a Colt 1911 style pistol, a semi-automatic rifle, e.g., an AR-15, a machine gun such as an M249 light machine gun, an M60 machine gun, or a Browning .50 caliber heavy machine gun, a Gatling-style rotary cannon, e.g., an M61 Vulcan or even a heavier gun. In some embodiments, the gun has a gas-powered reloading mechanism. 
       FIG.  5    illustrates some parts of an AR-15 that are associated with the gas reloading mechanism. These parts include a bolt carrier  501 , a gas key  503 , a bolt  505 , a bolt cam pin  507 , a firing pin  509 , a gas tube  511 , a barrel  513 , and a bolt ring  515 . Any or all of these parts may receive the coating  211 . During operation of the gas reloading mechanism, the following pairs of parts move in telescoping relationship: the bolt carrier  501  and the bolt ring  515 , the bolt carrier  501  and the bolt  505 , the bolt carrier  501  and a receiver (not shown), the bolt carrier  501  and the firing pin  509 , the firing pin  509  and the bolt  505 , the gas key  503  and the gas tube  511 , and the bolt  505  and the barrel  513 . There is also sliding movement between bolt cam pin  507  and the bolt  505  and between the bolt cam pin  507  and the bolt carrier  501 . 
     The bolt carrier  501 , the bolt  505 , and the bolt cam pin  507  of an AR-15 were given a coating  211  according to the present teachings. The coating  211  varied in thickness from a minimum of 50 μm to a maximum of 750 μm, the maximum occurring on the rails (not shown) of the bolt carrier  501 . 
       FIG.  6    compares the bolt and bolt carrier temperature of an AR-15 with the coating to one lacking the coating. The guns were fired one every second until the magazine was emptied. Firing continued about 15 seconds later after a magazine exchange. The plot  601  shows temperature as a function of rounds fired for the uncoated AR-15 and the plot  603  shows temperature as a function of rounds fired for the AR-15 with coated parts. The temperatures were substantially lower for the coated gun. 
       FIG.  7    is a bar chart showing the results of two trials in which a sand injection machine was used to shoot sand into the ejection port of the coated and uncoated AR-15s. In each case, firing continued until the gun jammed. Between trials, the guns were disassembled, cleaned, and lubricated. In both trials, the coated weapon was able to fire many more rounds before jamming. 
     The components and features of the present disclosure have been shown and/or described in terms of certain embodiments and examples. While a particular component or feature, or a broad or narrow formulation of that component or feature, may have been described in relation to only one embodiment or one example, all components and features in either their broad or narrow formulations may be combined with other components or features to the extent such combinations would be recognized as logical by one of ordinary skill in the art.