Patent ID: 7398722

Claim:
An electromagnetic propulsion system for use with an electrical power source to propel a projectile component, the propulsion system comprising: a) at least one pair of generally parallel ballistic guidance rails, spaced circumferentially apart from each other; b) a pair of current carrying rails joined to each ballistic guidance rail to form a combined rail, and aligned generally parallel to the ballistic guidance rail that they are joined to, with the current carrying rails connected to said power supply and wired in series electrically so that, both current carrying rails for a given ballistic guidance rail have the same electrical polarity, and each pair of current carrying rails alternate in electric polarity with the adjacent pair of current carrying rails, c) an electrically insulating block disposed in the circumferential spaces between every two adjacent combined rails, said combined rails and electrically insulating blocks in total defining an interior bore space within which said projectile component is disposed; d) wherein said projectile component comprises a projectile and two or more armatures, with an armature disposed in each circumferential space defined by each said electrically insulating block and its two adjacent combined rails, each said armature making contact with a positive polarity current carrying rail and a negative polarity current carrying rail, thereby completing the electric circuit and allowing current to flow in said armatures and current carrying rails, said flowing current generating a magnetic field around each current carrying rail which creates a Lorentz force that acts on said armatures propelling said armatures in a direction parallel to said current carrying rails; and e) wherein said armatures interact with said projectile wherein propulsion of said armatures causes said projectile to be propelled as well.