A heat dissipation assembly for use with a barrel forming a part of a firearm upper receiver. An annular shaped barrel nut is adapted to secure the barrel to the upper receiver. An elongated handguard is affixed to the barrel nut at a heat conducting location, the handguard adapted to surround a proximal extending portion of the barrel, the handguard having a plurality of apertures defined therethrough. At least one cooling element is located on an exterior of the handguard. A thermoelectric generator is incorporated into the handguard for transferring heat from the barrel nut to the cooling element. A fan component is integrated into the handguard and operated by the thermoelectric generator for drawing air through the apertures in order to provide additional cooling to the barrel.

A heat dissipation assembly for use with a barrel forming a part of a firearm upper receiver. An annular shaped barrel nut is adapted to secure the barrel to the upper receiver. An elongated handguard is affixed to the barrel nut at a heat conducting location, the handguard adapted to surround a proximal extending portion of the barrel, the handguard having a plurality of apertures defined therethrough. At least one cooling element is located on an exterior of the handguard. A thermoelectric generator is incorporated into the handguard for transferring heat from the barrel nut to the cooling element. A fan component is integrated into the handguard and operated by the thermoelectric generator for drawing air through the apertures in order to provide additional cooling to the barrel.

An improved barrel clamp assembly for a multi-barreled minigun includes a barrel clamp tube having a front end, a rear end, and a plurality of longitudinal openings extending between the front end and the rear end. An impeller is mounted in the barrel clamp tube between the tube front end and the tube rear end. The impeller includes a plurality of impeller blades that are spaced around a periphery of the impeller and that project forward from a rear flange portion of the impeller and the impeller blades define a plurality of air channels. A barrel assembly includes the barrel clamp tube, a flash suppressor mounted to the front end of the barrel clamp tube, and a barrel clamp co liar mounted to the rear end of the barrel clamp tube. The impeller is mounted to the barrel clamp tube between the flash suppressor and the barrel clamp collar.

An operating system for a firearm includes a body, configured to be mounted to a firearm, having an interior space, a front, and an opposed rear. A piston is carried within the interior space for reciprocation between a forward position toward the front and a rearward position toward the rear. A gas port is formed proximate to the front of the body, and an outlet is formed proximate to the rear of the body. First and second gases flank the piston. Those first and second gases are isolated from each other. The piston moves to the rearward position in response to expansion of the first gas, thereby imparting movement of the second gas through the outlet. The piston also moves to the forward position in response to contraction of the first gas, assisted by a spring.

An operating system for a firearm includes a body, configured to be mounted to a firearm, having an interior space, a front, and an opposed rear. A piston is carried within the interior space for reciprocation between a forward position toward the front and a rearward position toward the rear. A gas port is formed proximate to the front of the body, and an outlet is formed proximate to the rear of the body. First and second gases flank the piston. Those first and second gases are isolated from each other. The piston moves to the rearward position in response to expansion of the first gas, thereby imparting movement of the second gas through the outlet. The piston also moves to the forward position in response to contraction of the first gas, assisted by a spring.

A cooling rotor for a minigun that actively pulls gases and heat generated from firing the minigun comprises a front end with an axial opening; a rear end; a bore extending from the rear end to the axial opening in the front end; a plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments; and one or more openings disposed between two or more of the plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments whereby upon rotation of the cooling rotor gases and heat generated from firing the minigun are actively pulled through the one or more openings, the bore, and out the axial opening in the front end.

A cooling rotor for a minigun that actively pulls gases and heat generated from firing the minigun comprises a front end with an axial opening; a rear end; a bore extending from the rear end to the axial opening in the front end; a plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments; and one or more openings disposed between two or more of the plurality of longitudinally spaced, peripherally extending rotor segments whereby upon rotation of the cooling rotor gases and heat generated from firing the minigun are actively pulled through the one or more openings, the bore, and out the axial opening in the front end.

The present invention includes a weapon with a thermoelectric system for reducing the heat of the weapon, comprising: a weapon; one or more panels in contact with at least one region of the weapon, wherein the each of the one or more panels independently comprise an electrically and thermally insulating material; a plurality of thermoelectric elements; and a plurality of conductors comprising (i) a compacted portion that is compacted in cross section inside the panel and (ii) an expanded portion that is expanded in at least one dimension outside the panel, wherein the expanded portion of the plurality of conductors projects away from and is disposed adjacent to a surface of the panel and directly connects one thermoelectric element to another thermoelectric element of the plurality of thermoelectric elements, wherein the plurality of thermoelectric elements comprises alternating n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements.

The present invention includes a weapon with a thermoelectric system for reducing the heat of the weapon, comprising: a weapon; one or more panels in contact with at least one region of the weapon, wherein the each of the one or more panels independently comprise an electrically and thermally insulating material; a plurality of thermoelectric elements; and a plurality of conductors comprising (i) a compacted portion that is compacted in cross section inside the panel and (ii) an expanded portion that is expanded in at least one dimension outside the panel, wherein the expanded portion of the plurality of conductors projects away from and is disposed adjacent to a surface of the panel and directly connects one thermoelectric element to another thermoelectric element of the plurality of thermoelectric elements, wherein the plurality of thermoelectric elements comprises alternating n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements.

A power generation assembly for a weapon system converts waste energy from a firing event to electric power. The power generation assembly directs expanding burning propellant gasses within the weapon system into a turbine array to generate electric current. The electric current is rectified to trickle charge a battery bank which then powers the weapon system.