Actuating mechanisms for small arms

Details Actuating mechanisms for small arms Actuating mechanisms for small arms

1982-03-15

1984-09-18

Bentley, Stephen C.

Firearms

Breech loading

Sliding breechblock

42 18, 42 19, 42 69A, F41C 1106

Patent

active

044715498

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to firearms, and in particular to an actuating mechanism for a firearm. The invention is especially but not exclusively concerned with self-loading firearms capable of firing a number of rounds in rapid succession, and these rounds may comprise projectiles in the form of, for example, so called "rubber bullets", grenades, or other fragmentation devices, or gas canisters.
In conventional practice the round to be fired comprises a projectile and a cartridge case containing a quantity of explosive which can be initiated by operation of the firearm to provide the energy necessary to eject the projectile from the barrel of the firearm with considerable velocity. The cartridge case is conventionally rather weak mechanically, and at the time of firing it must therefore be supported by being fully inserted into a chamber in which it fits closely to receive mechanical support from the chamber wall. From this necessity it has followed that any self-loading mechanism must be capable of first moving each round in turn laterally into alignment with the chamber, and then longitudinally through a relatively long stroke sufficient to achieve full insertion of the cartridge case into the chamber. This requirement has caused a number of constraints on the freedom of the designer.
The present applicant has appreciated the possibility that in some instances a round might be fired in a partially supported or a substantially unsupported state, ie without the necessity for the cartridge case to be fully inserted into a supporting chamber. A relatively small forward motion of the round after alignment with the barrel may still be necessary, in order to ensure positive location of the round prior to firing, but the stroke can be very considerably shorter, and this opens the possibility of a novel and considerably simplified actuating mechanism, which is also capable of ensuring the small forward movement of the round which may be necessary before firing takes place.
Conventional practice has also been that, following the initial cocking of the weapon, the energy necessary to operate a self-loading mechanism for chambering successive rounds has been derived in each firing cycle from the energy release by firing the previous round. Thus, for example either the re-coil energy has been harnessed for this purpose, or some of the energy present in the gases generated on firing has been used. It has been necessary to provide relatively complex devices for energising the self-loading mechanism in these ways. It is a feature of the actuating mechanism of the present invention that the cocking of the firing pin and any longitudinal movement required of each fresh round fed into place is energised by manual operation of the trigger mechanism itself, thus providing the possibility for considerable simplification of design.
According to the present invention, an actuating mechanism for a firearm having a body and a breech comprises and having a forward breech end for engaging and pushing forward a round of ammunition in the breech; breech block; block relative to the firing pin; movement of the firing pin relative to the body of the firearm; at least a part of an operative linkage between a trigger and the breech block; the breech block, the second toggle bar being pivotally connected at a second pivot point to the body of the firearm said first pivot point being forward of said second pivot point, and the first and second toggle bars being pivotally connected together at a third pivot point, the trigger being operatively linked with the toggle mechanism whereby initial operation of the trigger moves the third pivot point towards alignment with the first and second pivot points so that the breech block is moved forwards and the resilient means is stressed, and whereby further operation of the trigger moves the toggle mechanism over centre to lock the breech block forward and releases the detent means.
Advantageously the detent means comprises a sear engageable in a bent in the firing pin, and a mechanical connection is o

REFERENCES:
patent: 2987965 (1961-06-01), Musser
patent: 3745687 (1973-07-01), Koon
patent: 3783739 (1974-01-01), Perrine

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