Composite gun barrel with outer sleeve made from shape memory alloy to dampen firing vibrations
According to one aspect, a composite gun barrel comprises an inner rifled liner tube having an outer surface, and an outer sleeve comprising a shape memory alloy and having an inner surface disposed against the outer surface of the inner rifled liner tube. The inner rifled liner tube is configured for guiding projectiles and the outer sleeve is configured for dampening the firing vibrations encountered by the inner rifled liner tube. A method for forming a composite gun barrel comprises providing an inner rifled liner tube having an outer surface. A sleeve made from a shape memory alloy and having an inner surface is provided. The outer sleeve is disposed about the inner rifled liner tube so that the inner surface of the outer sleeve substantially engages the outer surface of the inner rifled liner tube.
1. A composite gun barrel comprising:
an inner rifled liner tube comprising at least one of a steel and a superalloy, the inner rifled liner tube having an outer surface; and
an outer sleeve comprising a shape memory alloy and having an inner surface disposed against the outer surface of the inner rifled liner tube,
wherein the inner rifled liner tube is configured for guiding projectiles and the outer sleeve extends along only a portion of the circumference of the inner rifled liner tube for dampening the firing vibrations encountered by the inner rifled liner tube.
2. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein the shape memory alloy comprises nickel and titanium.
3. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein the shape memory alloy comprises Nitinol.
4. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve consists of a shape memory alloy.
5. The composite gun barrel of claim 4 , wherein the shape memory alloy comprises nickel and titanium.
6. The composite gun barrel of claim 4 , wherein the shape memory alloy is Nitinol.
7. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the shape memory alloy is in a martensitic state when the composite gun barrel is at ambient temperature.
8. The composite gun barrel of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the shape memory alloy is in a martensitic state when the composite gun barrel is heated by firing projectiles through the composite gun barrel.
9. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the shape memory alloy is in a martensitic state when the composite gun barrel is at ambient temperature.
10. The composite gun barrel of claim 9 , wherein substantially all of the shape memory alloy is in a martensitic state when the composite gun barrel is heated by firing projectiles through the composite gun barrel.
11. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the shape memory alloy is in the R-phase state when the composite gun barrel is at ambient temperature.
12. The composite gun barrel of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the shape memory alloy is in the R-phase state when the composite gun barrel is at ambient temperature.
13. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the shape memory alloy is in the R-phase state when the composite gun barrel is at ambient temperature.
14. The composite gun barrel of claim 13 , wherein substantially all of the shape memory alloy is in the R-phase state when the composite gun barrel is heated by firing projectiles through the composite gun barrel.
15. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the shape memory alloy is in a martensitic state when the composite gun barrel is in a firing, relatively hot condition.
16. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve is in compression against the outer surface of the inner rifled liner tube.
17. The composite gun barrel of claim 16 , wherein the compression of the outer sleeve against the outer surface of the inner rifled liner tube causes at least some of the shape memory alloy to be in a martensitic state when the composite gun barrel is at ambient temperature.
18. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve extends along substantially the entire length of the inner rifled liner tube.
19. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve extends along only a portion of the length of the inner rifled liner tube.
20. The composite gun barrel of claim 19 , wherein the outer sleeve is positioned on the inner rifled liner tube so as to maximize vibration damping.
21. The composite gun barrel of claim 1 comprising a plurality of outer sleeves, each of the plurality of outer sleeves comprising a shape memory alloy and having an inner surface for disposition against the outer surface of the inner rifled liner tube.
22. The composite gun barrel of claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of outer sleeves is sized and positioned on the inner rifled liner tube so as to maximize vibration damping.
23. A composite gun barrel comprising:
an inner rifled liner tube having an outer surface; and
an outer sleeve comprising a shape memory alloy including nickel and titanium and having an inner surface disposed against the outer surface of the inner rifled liner tube;
wherein the inner rifled liner tube is configured for guiding projectiles and the outer sleeve extends along only a portion of the length of the inner rifled liner tube for dampening the firing vibrations encountered by the inner rifled liner tube.
24. The composite gun barrel of claim 23 , wherein the shape memory alloy is Nitinol.
25. The composite gun barrel of claim 23 , wherein the outer sleeve consists of a shape memory alloy including nickel and titanium.
26. The composite gun barrel of claim 25 , wherein the shape memory alloy is Nitinol.
27. A method for forming a composite gun barrel, the method comprising:
providing an inner rifled liner tube comprising at least one of a steel and a superalloy, the inner rifled liner tube having an outer surface;
providing an outer sleeve made from a shape memory alloy and having an inner surface; and
disposing the outer sleeve about the inner rifled liner tube along only a portion of the length of the inner rifled liner tube so that the inner surface of the outer sleeve substantially engages the outer surface of the inner rifled liner tube.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the outer sleeve is compressed about the inner rifled liner tube.
29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the compression of the outer sleeve about the inner rifled liner tube causes at least a portion of the shape memory alloy to be in a martensitic state when the composite gun barrel is at ambient temperature.
30. The composite gun barrel of claim 23 , wherein the outer sleeve is positioned on the inner rifled liner tube so as to maximize vibration damping.
31. The method of claim 27 , wherein the step of disposing the outer sleeve about the inner rifled liner tube comprises positioning the outer sleeve so as to maximize vibration damping.