Electric Centrifugal gun could fire 240,000 rounds per minute in bursts of 20 to 40 rounds

A centrifugal gun is a type of rapid-fire projectile accelerator, like a machine gun but operating on a different principle. Centrifugal guns use a rapidly rotating disc to impart energy to the projectiles, replacing gunpowder with centrifugal force.

Weapon for centrifugal propulsion of projectiles Patent US 6520169 B1 The Dread gun was discussed in 2005 but does not appear to have been developed.

A weapon for centrifugally discharging projectiles at a rapid rate comprising a housing in which is rotatably mounted a disc having a multiplicity of feed channels extending radially therein. Each of the feed channels receives a multiplicity of projectiles and is configured to orient the projectiles in a single file adjacent the disc periphery of the disc projectile locking means. Each of the channels has located adjacent the periphery disc a multiplicity of stops movable between a first position within the channel to preclude movement of the outermost projectile outwardly of the channel and a second position removed from the channel to permit movement of a projectile thereby. Locking cams move the stops between the first and second positions, and other came actuate the locking cams as the disc rotates to move the outermost stop into the second position and release the outermost projectile while the adjacent stop restrains the adjacent projectile, which is thereafter released to move outwardly until restricted by the first stop. The projectiles are released into a guide rail extending substantially about the periphery of the disc and the guide having a discharge opening therein.

Conventional machine guns using conventional cartridge cases can fire from 800 to 6000 rounds per minute in small bursts to save the ammunition and limit the time the barrels are actually in use to prevent rapid overheating of the barrels. Therefore, they are not able to engage what is known as sustained or saturation fire upon any target.

The present invention delivers more mass to the target in less time than conventional machine guns. When firing conventional rounds, there is a distance of approximately 100 feet between each projectile during flight. By using 20 discharge positions on the disc, this invention closes the gap from 100 feet to as little as four inches. Therefore, assuming the flight length of 20 rounds is six feet, eight inches, the combined mass of the 20 rounds exceeds the combined mass of the two rounds fired having a distance of some 100 feet.

Since heating is not a problem with this invention, it is capable of firing rates up to 240,000 rounds per minute in controlled bursts of 20 to 40 rounds.

Because the projectile released from the feed channel into the guide rail travels a relatively short distance, there is relatively little impact on the guide rail and it will have a relatively long life. In fact, engineering grade resins can be utilized for most of the assembly to facilitate manufacture and reduce cost and weight.

Thus, it can be seen from the foregoing detailed description and attached drawings that the weapon of the present invention provides rapid fire of projectiles using centrifugal force. There is no powder flash to expose the crew position and a large total projectile mass may be concentrated on the target in a highly controlled pattern.

The projectiles travel at around 300 meters per second upon release from the weapon, about the same speed as a handgun round. He claims a fully developed DREAD gun would be quieter than a conventional gun, less prone to malfunction, and could contain more ammunition.