Firearm Barrel Cooling System
A firearm barrel cooling system comprising a plurality of fins adapted to extend around and from a solid barrel of a same material as the fins is disclosed. An outside major diameter of the fins is greater than an outside diameter of the barrel at any point of the barrel. A plurality of inverted fins are defined around and in the solid barrel between adjacent fins wherein an inside diameter of the inverted fins is equal to a minor diameter of the fins and equal to or greater than an outside diameter of the barrel. A plurality of cooling sections are located between a barrel collar and a muzzle end of the solid barrel, each cooling section having a plurality of fins having a major outer diameter and a minor inner diameter. A method for cooling a firearm barrel system is also included.
This application claims the benefit and priority date of earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/136,475 also titled ‘Firearm Barrel Cooling System’ filed Mar. 21, 2015 by Keith A. Langenbeck incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONWeapons like the AR15/M16/M4 are capable of firing in full automatic mode but seldom are for various reasons. Chief among those reasons is the rapid accumulation of heat first in the barrel and then throughout the rest of the firing mechanisms. Among the problems caused by accumulated heat not being rejected from the rifle are: (1) thermal expansion causing lock up of the metal pieces in the mechanisms that extract spent shells from the chamber and load new shells from the magazine, (2) auto-discharge of the cartridge when loaded into the hot chamber without the firing pin striking the cartridge primer (aka ‘cook-off’), (3) rupture of the weakened barrel and (4) rupture of the weakened gas tube, which transfers hot combustion gases from the barrel first through the gas block and then into the upper receiver to cycle the action.
Designing a rifle to ameliorate elevating barrel temperatures has in the past conflicted with the need for a light weight rifle that can be readily carried by a single person. A major portion of the total rifle weight, which ranges from 6 to 8 pounds for AR15/M16/M4, is contributed by the barrel itself. Elevated barrel temperatures also cause severe degradation in rifle accuracy. As the metal barrel gets hot, it becomes less rigid, flexing more when fired and causing the bullet trajectory to be erratic. Further complicating the design of a barrel cooling system for weapons like the AR15/M16/M4 is the size, function and location of the gas block, which is located typically near the midpoint of the barrel overall length.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA firearm barrel cooling system comprising a plurality of fins adapted to extend around and from a solid barrel of a same material as the fins is disclosed. An outside major diameter of the fins is greater than an outside diameter of the barrel at any point of the barrel. A plurality of cavities are defined around and in the solid barrel between adjacent fins wherein an inside diameter of the cavities is equal to a minor diameter of the fins and equal to or greater than an outside diameter of the barrel.
Also, a plurality of inverted fins are defined around and in the solid barrel between adjacent fins wherein an inside diameter of the inverted fins is equal to a minor diameter of the fins and equal to or greater than an outside diameter of the barrel. A plurality of cooling sections are located between a barrel collar and a muzzle end of the solid barrel, each cooling section having a plurality of fins having a major outer diameter and a minor inner diameter.
A firearm barrel cooling method comprising forming a plurality of fins adapted to extend around and from a solid barrel of a same material as the fins wherein an outside major diameter of the fins is greater than an outside diameter of the barrel at any point of the barrel. The method also includes forming a plurality of inverted fins defined around and in the solid barrel between adjacent fins wherein an inside diameter of the inverted fins is equal to a minor diameter of the fins and equal to or greater than an outside diameter of the barrel. The method additionally includes forming a plurality of cooling sections between a barrel collar and a muzzle end of the solid barrel, each cooling section having a plurality of fins having a major outer diameter and a minor inner diameter.
Other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrated by way of example of the principles of the disclosure.
Throughout the description, similar or same reference numbers may be used to identify similar or same elements in the several embodiments and drawings. Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONReference will now be made to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein and additional applications of the principles of the inventions as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.
This present application discloses barrel designs and passive barrel cooling systems that: (1) rapidly reject or dissipate the combustion heat passed into the rifle barrel from discharge of the cartridge, (2) accommodate the location and function of the gas block, (3) reduce barrel weight in comparison to larger diameter, heavier ‘bull’ barrels, (4) ensure proper positioning of the barrel cooling system during installation, (5) maintain proper positioning of the barrel cooling system during firing and (6) insure the accuracy is maintained by attenuating barrel flex when the rifle is fired.
sufficient means to locate the gas block, Item 30, along the barrel. Machining the flutes, Item 95, into the exterior of the barrel and all the way out to the gas block position maximizes the length of the flutes and reduces barrel weight without compromising barrel strength.
exterior surfaces of the fluted barrel, Item 95 and Item 96, respectively. Cooling fins, Item 102, are depicted in
Anticipated in this disclosure but not depicted, thermally conductive adhesives can also be used in the attachment of the cooling extrusions to the barrel to accommodate dimensional variances and maximize heat transfer performance. Thermally conductive adhesives are known in the semiconductor industry when heat sinks are attached to computer microprocessor chips.
The distance between opposing internal flat surfaces, Item 398, of the closed loop aluminum cooling extrusion, Item 300, is slightly less than the distance across opposing flats of the barrel, Item 298. The difference between Item 298 and Item 398 allows for an interference fit between the aluminum cooling extrusion and the barrel. Installation of the cooling extrusion over the octagonal portion of the barrel can be accomplished by mechanical means by pressing the aluminum extrusion over the barrel or by preheating the aluminum extrusion sufficient enough for the internal dimension, Item 398, to grow greater than the external dimension, Item 298, allowing the aluminum extrusion to slip over the ambient temperature barrel. As the aluminum cools it will exert a compression force rigidly affixing it to the barrel. Mechanical press fitting and thermal shrink fitting are common techniques in industry.
The distance between opposing flat surfaces, Item 398, could be slightly greater than Item 298 and thermally conductive adhesives used to firmly affix Item 300 to Item 290.
The non-circular, conformal surfaces of the barrel cooler extrusions in conjunction with the corresponding barrel surfaces insure proper orientation and location when being installed. Maintaining proper orientation and location of the cooling extrusion(s) while in use are important to prevent movement of the cooling extrusion under severe heating and potential interference with the gas tube, which is positioned near to the external surface of the barrel.
Circular internal cross section of a closed loop barrel cooler extrusion to be engaged with a circular external cross section of the barrel between the barrel lug and the gas block is also anticipated in this disclosure. Such a configuration would require fixed positioning of the cooling extrusion in correlation with the barrel when being installed to prevent interference with the gas tube. The internal ID of any single piece cooling extrusion, whether circular or not, must be greater than any barrel outside dimension after the gas block to allow the extrusion to be installed on the portion of the barrel between the barrel collar and the gas block.
The above descriptions herein also anticipate a closed loop barrel cooler fully underneath a straight gas tube exiting the gas block and entering the upper receiver without the familiar bend used to tuck the gas tube within the original hand guard of the M16. This arrangement allows for the barrel cooler to be installed without concern for interference with the gas tube.
The barrel cooling system(s) using aluminum devices attached to the steel barrel, as illustrated and described herein above, anticipate the following sequence of assembly: (1) insert the barrel nut over the barrel up to the barrel collar, (2) affix the aluminum barrel cooling devices to the barrel, (3) affix the barrel to the upper receiver with the barrel nut, (4) affix the gas block at the gas block position and correspondingly the gas tube to and through the barrel nut, (5) attach the free floating hand guard, encompassing the barrel, barrel cooling system, gas tube and gas block, over and to the barrel nut.
Shown in
The barrel cooling system using the integral, machined steel cooling fins as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Shown in
The barrel cooling system using the integral machined steel cooling fins illustrated in
the first three circumferential cooling rings, Item 930, is nominally the same or slightly smaller than the barrel diameter at Item 904.
The descriptions herein and above for various barrel cooling methods apply to other rifle operating systems, such as the AK47/AK74/AKM, use gas operated piston and rod means to cycle the bolt mechanism when ejecting a spent cartridge. The space occupied by the operating rod would nominally be the same as occupied by the gas tube described herein.
Notwithstanding specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A firearm barrel cooling system comprising:
- a plurality of fins adapted to extend around and from a solid barrel of a same material as the fins wherein an outside major diameter of the fins is greater than an outside diameter of the barrel at any point of the barrel; and
- a plurality of cavities defined around and in the solid barrel between adjacent fins wherein an inside diameter of the cavities is equal to a minor diameter of the fins and equal to or greater than an outside diameter of the barrel.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fins are formed in relief within an outer portion of the solid barrel having an inner diameter larger than a nominal barrel diameter.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the outside major diameter of the fins is constant at any point on the barrel despite a tapering of an outside diameter of the solid barrel.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the inside diameter of the cavities is nominally the same as an outside diameter of the solid barrel and follows a taper of the solid barrel.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein a number of cavities is equal to a number of fins.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fins and the plurality of cavities are longitudinally oriented with respect to a length of the solid barrel.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of fins are configured to increase a stiffness of the solid barrel.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fins and the plurality of cavities are radially oriented with respect to a length of the solid barrel.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein a number of fins is greater than a number of cavities.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fins and the plurality of cavities are oriented in a spiral manner with respect to a length of the solid barrel.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein a number of fins and a number of cavities comprise a functional unit and a plurality of units are disposed along a length of the barrel.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein an inside diameter of any single part of the system is greater than any barrel outside dimension to allow the system to be installed on any portion of the barrel.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the fins and the cavities comprise a first cooling section between a barrel collar and a gas block and a second cooling section between the gas block and a muzzle end of the solid barrel.
14. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one cooling extrusion in conformal engagement with the barrel, the cooling extrusion(s) configured to comprise a plurality of fins resembling an iris cross section.
15. A firearm barrel cooling system comprising:
- a plurality of fins adapted to extend around and from a solid barrel of a same material as the fins wherein an outside major diameter of the fins is greater than an outside diameter of the barrel at any point of the barrel; and
- a plurality of inverted fins defined around and in the solid barrel between adjacent fins wherein an inside diameter of the troughs is equal to a minor diameter of the fins and equal to or greater than an outside diameter of the barrel; and
- a plurality of cooling sections between a barrel collar and a muzzle end of the solid barrel, each cooling section having a plurality of fins having a major outer diameter and a minor inner diameter.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein a first cooling section is adapted to a first section of the barrel and a second cooling section is adapted to a tapering section of the barrel.
17. The system of claim 15, further comprising at least one cooling extrusion in conformal engagement with the fins of a first cooling section and at least one cooling extrusion in conformal engagement with a second cooling section of the barrel, each cooling extrusion(s) configured to comprise a plurality of fins.
18. A firearm barrel cooling method comprising:
- forming a plurality of fins adapted to extend around and from a solid barrel of a same material as the fins wherein an outside major diameter of the fins is greater than an outside diameter of the barrel at any point of the barrel; and
- forming a plurality of inverted fins defined around and in the solid barrel between adjacent fins wherein an inside diameter of the inverted fins is equal to a minor diameter of the fins and equal to or greater than an outside diameter of the barrel; and
- forming a plurality of cooling sections between a barrel collar and a muzzle end of the solid barrel, each cooling section having a plurality of fins having a major outer diameter and a minor inner diameter.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming at least one cooling extrusion in conformal engagement with the fins of the barrel, the cooling extrusion(s) configured to comprise a plurality of fins resembling an iris cross section.
20. The system of claim 18, comprising forming the plurality of fins and the plurality of troughs in one of a longitudinal orientation with respect to a length of the solid barrel, a radial orientation and a spiral orientation.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 17, 2016
Publication Date: Sep 22, 2016
Inventor: Keith A. Langenbeck (Pleasant View, TN)
Application Number: 15/072,473