- Joined
- Nov 22, 2008
- Messages
- 179
- Points
- 0
...look like laser beams (or at least like movie type laser beams)?
Well, I'm watching "Future Weapons" on the Discovery channel and they're doing a piece on the Army's new minigun and it got me thinking.
First, a minigun is like the old time Gatling gun. It has a rotating ring of multiple rifle barrels, that cycle each barrel into place for firing, one after the other, very very fast. (think Terminator Two). This firing cycle happens so fast, the bullets are just hosed out at an incredible rate of fire. Mounted in a helicopter -If the thing is loaded with tracer ammo, it looks like God's own personally modified laser pointer smiting the Ammonites.
In the show, the designers are talking about how the main function of the multiple barrels, is to give each barrel a minute time to cool, before firing again. Even though the ring of barrels spin so fast, it's just a blur, that little bit of cool down time for each barrel, as it cycles through, is enough to keep them from reaching damaging temperatures.
So...
How about 8 laser diodes mounted in a circle on a spinning disc, all the diodes point forw3ard, with corresponding electrical contacts on the backside of the disc. As the disk spins, every time one of the diodes is at the 12 O'clock position, the rear contact brushes a power connection, briefly lighting the laser diode. -The object being, to be able to power that diode way above it's normal rating. Even though each individual LD is only powered up for a brief moment, the constant stream of diodes would give the appearance (and output) of a powerful, continuous beam.
Has anyone on the forums tried this?
Well, I'm watching "Future Weapons" on the Discovery channel and they're doing a piece on the Army's new minigun and it got me thinking.
First, a minigun is like the old time Gatling gun. It has a rotating ring of multiple rifle barrels, that cycle each barrel into place for firing, one after the other, very very fast. (think Terminator Two). This firing cycle happens so fast, the bullets are just hosed out at an incredible rate of fire. Mounted in a helicopter -If the thing is loaded with tracer ammo, it looks like God's own personally modified laser pointer smiting the Ammonites.
In the show, the designers are talking about how the main function of the multiple barrels, is to give each barrel a minute time to cool, before firing again. Even though the ring of barrels spin so fast, it's just a blur, that little bit of cool down time for each barrel, as it cycles through, is enough to keep them from reaching damaging temperatures.
So...
How about 8 laser diodes mounted in a circle on a spinning disc, all the diodes point forw3ard, with corresponding electrical contacts on the backside of the disc. As the disk spins, every time one of the diodes is at the 12 O'clock position, the rear contact brushes a power connection, briefly lighting the laser diode. -The object being, to be able to power that diode way above it's normal rating. Even though each individual LD is only powered up for a brief moment, the constant stream of diodes would give the appearance (and output) of a powerful, continuous beam.
Has anyone on the forums tried this?
