US-12618629-B2 - System for cooling automatic firearms and cannons

Abstract

A barrel cooling system for a weapon includes a corrosion prevention cylinder between a barrel and cooling fins arranged around the cylinder.

Inventors

• Allen Wayne Richey

Assignees

• Allen Wayne Richey

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20250930

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon, comprising: a plurality of cooling fins; a weapon barrel; a cylinder having at least a first layer of corrosion-prevention material and a second layer of a different corrosion-prevention material, the cylinder interposed between the weapon barrel and the cooling fins; and a plurality of corrosion-prevention inserts interspersed throughout at least one of the first layer and the second layer, the plurality of corrosion-prevention inserts being orthogonal to (i) at least one of the first layer and the second layer, and (ii) the weapon barrel, wherein: an inner surface of the first layer abuts an outer surface of the weapon barrel; and an outer surface of the second layer abuts an inner surface of the plurality of cooling fins; wherein, when ammunition is fired through the weapon barrel at a high rate, the first layer, the second layer, and the corrosion-prevention inserts permit the cooling fins to dissipate heat away from the weapon barrel while simultaneously protecting the weapon barrel from corrosively reacting with the cooling fins.
2. 2 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 1 , wherein the cooling fins are made from copper.
3. 3 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 1 , wherein the barrel is made from steel.
4. 4 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 1 , wherein the first layer is made from chromium, and the second layer is made from brass.
5. 5 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 1 , wherein the first layer is made from brass, and the second layer is made from chromium.
6. 6 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of corrosion-prevention inserts interspersed throughout at least one of the first layer and the second layer are made from nickel.
7. 7 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 1 , further comprising a protective shield positioned over at least a portion of the plurality of cooling fins, the protective shield having vents to permit (i) ambient air to circulate about the cooling fins, and (ii) heat to escape the system.
8. 8 . A corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon, comprising: a plurality of cooling fins; a weapon barrel; a cylinder having at least a first layer of corrosion-prevention material being made of brass, nickel, or chromium, and a second layer of a different corrosion-prevention material being made of brass, nickel, or chromium not forming the first layer, the cylinder being interposed between the weapon barrel and the cooling fins; and a plurality of corrosion-prevention inserts interspersed throughout at least one of the first layer and the second layer, the plurality of corrosion-prevention inserts being orthogonal to (i) at least one of the first layer and the second layer, and (ii) the weapon barrel, wherein: an inner surface of the first layer abuts an outer surface of the weapon barrel; and an outer surface of the second layer abuts an inner surface of the plurality of cooling fins; wherein, when ammunition is fired through the weapon barrel at a high rate, the first layer, the second layer, and the corrosion-prevention inserts permit the cooling fins to dissipate heat away from the weapon barrel while simultaneously protecting the weapon barrel from corrosively reacting with the cooling fins.
9. 9 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 8 , wherein the cooling fins are made from copper.
10. 10 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 8 , wherein the barrel is made from steel.
11. 11 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 8 , wherein the first layer is made from chromium, and the second layer is made from brass.
12. 12 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 8 , wherein the first layer is made from brass, and the second layer is made from chromium.
13. 13 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 8 , wherein the plurality of corrosion-prevention inserts interspersed throughout at least one of the first layer and the second layer are made from nickel.
14. 14 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 8 , further comprising a protective shield positioned over at least a portion of the plurality of cooling fins, the protective shield having vents to permit (i) ambient air to circulate about the cooling fins, and (ii) heat to escape the system.
15. 15 . A corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon, comprising: a plurality of cooling fins; a weapon barrel; a cylinder having at least a first layer of corrosion-prevention material being made of brass, chromium, aluminum, titanium, or nickel, and a second layer of a different corrosion-prevention material being made of brass, nickel, or chromium not forming the first layer, the cylinder being interposed between the weapon barrel and the cooling fins; a plurality of corrosion-prevention inserts interspersed throughout at least one of the first layer and the second layer, the plurality of corrosion-prevention inserts being orthogonal to (i) at least one of the first layer and the second layer, and (ii) the weapon barrel, wherein: an inner surface of the first layer abuts an outer surface of the weapon barrel; and an outer surface of the second layer abuts an inner surface of the plurality of cooling fins; and a perforated shield positioned over at least a portion of the plurality of cooling fins; wherein, when ammunition is fired through the weapon barrel at a high rate, the first layer, the second layer, and the corrosion-prevention inserts permit the cooling fins to dissipate heat away from the weapon barrel while simultaneously protecting the weapon barrel from corrosively reacting with the cooling fins.
16. 16 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 15 , wherein the cooling fins are made from copper, polypropylene or polytetrafluoroethylene.
17. 17 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 15 , wherein the barrel is made from steel.
18. 18 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 15 , wherein the first layer cylinder is made from chromium, and the second layer is made from brass.
19. 19 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 15 , wherein the first layer is made from brass, and the second layer is made from chromium.
20. 20 . The corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon as in claim 15 , wherein the plurality of corrosion-prevention inserts interspersed throughout at least one of the first layer and the second layer are made from nickel, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene and combinations thereof.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This utility patent application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. Utility Patent application Ser. No. 18/926,684 filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 25, 2024, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference thereto. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Rapid-fire weapons and firearms, such as machine guns, ground artillery, tanks, and airborne cannons, are well known. Due to their high firing rates, the barrels of such weapons become extremely hot, and if the heat is not quickly dissipated, the weapons can be damaged and rendered unusable. For decades, various attempts have been made to keep barrels cool, as well as adjacent receivers, chambers, and other parts of rapid-fire weapons and firearms, to protect them from excess heat. Some approaches use water-cooling, others use vents, and still others suggest changing barrels at different firing intervals. Thus, known systems are complicated, limited to specific weapons, and/or do not succeed entirely in cooling barrels. A need exists for a cooling system that can be easily used with rapid-fire weapons and firearms to protect them from excess heat and damage. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure is directed in general to a cooling system for barrels of weapons that are susceptible to excessive heat due to automatic or high rates of fire, such as from machine guns, artillery, cannons, and other automatic weapons. Copper is one of the best conductors of heat, but it cannot be placed directly on or around steel, the material from which barrels are usually constructed, because copper and steel will corrosively react. Thus, the present disclosure provides a sleeve made from brass, nickel, chromium, and the like, which is placed between copper cooling fins and barrels to prevent corrosion while the copper fins act to dissipate heat caused by high rates of fire. The barrel, receiver, chamber, magazine, and other parts of the weapons are also protected from heat by the heat-dissipating copper fins. The fins in turn can be protected from bending or damage by an outer cover such as a perforated steel shield. In one embodiment, a corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon may include a plurality of cooling fins; a weapon barrel; and a cylinder made of corrosion-prevention material, the cylinder interposed between the weapon barrel and the cooling fins, wherein, when ammunition is fired at a high rate through the weapon barrel, the cylinder permits the cooling fins to dissipate heat from the weapon barrel while simultaneously protecting the weapon barrel from corrosively reacting with the cooling fins. In this embodiment, the cooling fins may be made from copper, the weapon barrel may be made from steel, and the cylinder may be made from chromium. However, the cylinder can also be made from brass, nickel, or the like, including combinations thereof with chromium. In another embodiment, a corrosion prevention cooling system for a barrel of a weapon may include a plurality of cooling fins; a weapon barrel; and a cylinder having at least a first layer of corrosion-prevention material, a second layer of a different corrosion-prevention material, and a plurality of corrosion-prevention inserts interspersed throughout the first layer and the second layer, the cylinder being interposed between the weapon barrel and the cooling fins, wherein, when ammunition is fired through the weapon barrel at a high rate, i.e., automatically, the first layer, the second layer, and the inserts of the cylinder permit the cooling fins to dissipate heat away from the weapon barrel while protecting the weapon barrel from corrosively reacting with the cooling fins. In this embodiment, the cooling fins may be made from copper, the barrel may be made from steel, and the first layer may be brass, nickel, or chromium while the second layer may be brass, nickel, or chromium but preferably different from the first layer. For example, if the first layer is brass, the second layer may be chromium. Also in this embodiment, one or more inserts may be interspersed through the first layer or the second layer, or both. The inserts may be brass, nickel, chromium, or amalgams thereof. The inserts may be orthogonal to the layers and the barrel, although they can be in randomized patterns. Additional objects and advantages of the present subject matter are set forth in, or will be apparent to, those of ordinary skill in the art from the description herein. Also, it should be further appreciated that modifications and variations to the specifically illustrated, referenced, and discussed features, processes, and elements hereof may be practiced in various embodiments and uses of the disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter. Variations may include, but are not limited to, substitution of equivalent means, features, or steps for those illustrated, referenced, or discussed, and the function