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Diaphragm Guns
[Diaphragm guns] as a class all utilize some sort of movable barrier. Piston guns rely on the same principle as diaphragm guns, only it's a bit more advanced. They (piston guns) are discussed further on. Diaphragm guns rely on the principle that air pressure wants to equalize If you have two chambers, one high pressure & one low pressure the pressure will neutralize & balance out (if left to it's own). The design of a diaphragm gun is inherently different than that of combustion guns.
[picture]
The end of the barrel must be cut square to provide the [diaphragm] a flush seal to prevent leakage. The diaphragm provides a movable wall with high pressure on either side. When we pressureise the gun (usually done from the vavle/butt side)the air pressurizes the valve side of the diaphragm.
[pressurization animation]
Air then leaks/flows around to the other side which happens to be the pressure (barrel) side. If we assume the diaphragm is a movable wall, it will accordingly move in the direction of the low pressure (as the higher pressure tries to equalize). So if we vent the air on one side of the diaphragm, it will try to follow the air as it moves. This is the heart of the theory of operation in diaphragm guns.
Remember if the diaphragm is sealed against the end of the barrel & we release the air from the butt end fo the gun (away from the barrel) the diaphragm will move with that air. When it does so it will unseal from the barrel & pull away from it. When this happensthe volume of air that is on the barrel side of the diaphragm puses it back & then flows into the barrel through the space created when the diaphragm moved back.
If we were to catalogue the sequence of events that occur when firing a diaphragm gun they would be similar to the following:
[Diaphragm Pressurization Animation]
- Load gun, Projectile & Wadding
- Pressurize the Chamber
- Area Behind the Diaphragm
- Area In Front of the Diaphragm
- Release/Vent the Area behind the Diaphragm
- Diaphragm moves backward & air flows into the Barrel
- Projectile flies out the Barrel
The Next Evolution of Guns:
Piston Guns >. | 
