Gas ram spring

[Phil Russell]

For no apparent reason I found myself thinking about Belleville washers this afternoon .... yes, sad, I know.
I seem to remember that the single stroke pneumatic that made it to prototype form a few years ago (sorry, the name escapes me at present) used Bellevilles in its design but I do not know where, except that I think the washers were used to provide a compression/expansion force somehow.
This then led me to wonder if anyone had ever tried a combination of a coil spring with a gas ram powered piston. Would a spring inside the ram offer any advantage; or indeed would a spring outside the ram around a piston rod offer any advantage? Would the gas ram propel the piston a tad faster than the spring such that the spring 'powered out' a fraction of a second later and eliminate any piston bounce, if present?

Just musings in senior moments. Most likely complete and utter tosh.
Cheers, Phil

[bighit]

Im pretty sure a gas ram has a faster lock time than a spring.

You would be adding extra weight that's not needed .

[rhyslightnin]

Im pretty sure a gas ram has a faster lock time than a spring.

You would be adding extra weight that's not needed .

Surely that depends on the gas pressure... Maybe a lighter pressured ram to "help" the spring.
I guess it's down to deciding if your making a spring assisted rammer or a ram assisted springer... Interesting idea..

[bighit]

Surely that depends on the gas pressure... Maybe a lighter pressured ram to "help" the spring.
I guess it's down to deciding if your making a spring assisted rammer or a ram assisted springer... Interesting idea..

It would have to be an after market type ram. Or a short spring in a theoben type ram so it's adjustable I'd guess. It would be easier ti adjust as it would save stripping it .the ones in the evolution, fenman and so on.

If done on the other type the spring would have to be a large diameter to go over the ram as it won't be able to go over the rod that goes inside the other bit of the ram. Unless it a short ram and short spring. Kind of the same look as oil over shock on your car. Tuning might be difficult unless the power is low and you add preloaded.

Still , it's extra weight . And a long stroke .

[Phil Russell]

Thanks all ... somehow I knew it was a daft idea. But it was nice to have that confirmed.
Cheers, Phil

[bighit]

Thanks all ... somehow I knew it was a daft idea. But it was nice to have that confirmed.
Cheers, Phil

Would not say it's a daft idea. It would depend on the sizes. You still have to fit it in a rifle sized package and keep the weight down.

[Phil Russell]

Would not say it's a daft idea. It would depend on the sizes. You still have to fit it in a rifle sized package and keep the weight down.

Sir, you are too kind.
Mind you ... I also believe that today's daft idea can become reality tomorrow.
Maybe not in this case though.
Cheers, Phil

[bighit]

Sir, you are too kind.
Mind you ... I also believe that today's daft idea can become reality tomorrow.
Maybe not in this case though.
Cheers, Phil

Considering the theoben gas ram started off from an idea by Ben Taylor and his insperation was the bits inside a motor bike suspension fork.

I would be guessing it was the rebound cartridge in the fork. That was just valves that stopped the fork diving too fast when compressing. Unless there was forks that used a ram rather than springs.

The ram is more like the struts that hold your boot lid up on your car. Just a higher pressure.

So a daft idea can become a good one.

Some one just needs to try it.

[rhyslightnin]

Would not say it's a daft idea. It would depend on the sizes. You still have to fit it in a rifle sized package and keep the weight down.

Sir, you are too kind.
Mind you ... I also believe that today's daft idea can become reality tomorrow.
Maybe not in this case though.
Cheers, Phil

I don't think it's a daft idea but after taking in what bighit has said and realising the mechanical problems involved it would take some expensive engineering. The weight I personally don't see as a problem... You just use expensive materials like Titanium to go with the expensive engineering. I recon it's a project for a manufacturer like FX with there hunger for pushing the boundaries of the technology that goes into these rifles is big and they have the financial backing to see it through.
The end product is likely to be a very expensive rifle with a bit of weight and a very small market, just because of the cost. Be a very cool gun tho!!
ATB Rhys