Firearms – Muzzle loaders
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-29
2001-01-23
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3643)
Firearms
Muzzle loaders
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176030
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to firearms and, more particularly, to an improved breech plug for a muzzle-loading firearm.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Modern breech-loading firearms, such as rifles, include a barrel having an axial bore, a stock to support the barrel, and a receiver at the breech end of the barrel. The receiver is comprised of a housing which includes a chamber for insertion of a cartridge into the breech of the barrel, a means for firmly securing the cartridge in the breech of the barrel in a sealed and locked position, a firing pin to discharge the cartridge primer, a trigger to move the firing pin into engagement with the cartridge primer, and an ejector to remove the cartridge after firing.
Muzzle-loading rifles and other muzzle-loading firearms are also comprised of a barrel with an axial bore and a supporting stock. However, a muzzle-loading rifle is loaded by inserting a charge of powder, wadding and shot through the muzzle end of the barrel and tamping the charge securely into the breech end of the barrel. The powder is then ignited, e.g., by striking a percussion cap, which sends a flame, normally through a small opening or flame bore, into the breech of the barrel through a breech plug which separates the primer from the powder charge.
Muzzle-loading rifles have several disadvantages in comparison with breech-loading cartridge rifles. They are more difficult and time consuming to load, and require greater skill to use. Malfunctions are more common due to the relatively more complex firing mechanisms required to ignite the powder. Muzzle-loading rifles are effected by inclement weather, particularly rain and moisture which affects the powder and causes the rifle to misfire. Muzzle-loading rifles must also be cleaned thoroughly to prevent clogging and corrosion by the powder residue.
Despite these disadvantages, many hunters and firearms enthusiasts prefer to use muzzle-loading firearms, at least on some occasions, due to the nostalgia and the sport which the muzzle-loaders afford. In addition, many states allow a longer hunting season and special hunting areas for muzzle-loading firearms, due to the greater challenge provided and, consequently, the much smaller number of animals taken.
Various designs have been proposed for the construction of improved muzzle-loading rifles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,499 to Knight discloses a muzzle loading rifle that uses a “nut cracker” type of action to fire a conventional percussion cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,464 to Anderson and U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,874 to Vaughan disclose mechanisms for replacing the flash hole structure in breech or muzzle loading firearms to allow firing with modern metallic cartridge primers. Both inventions use a cap covering to hold the primer in place until firing.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,227,330 and 4,232,468 to Chapin disclose a conversion plug that can be configured to be removably inserted into the breech of a breech loading firearm to convert the firearm into a muzzle loading type. The conversion plug includes a primer cap receiving chamber which communicates with the bore of the rifle through a flash hole.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,222,191 to Lee et al; U.S. Pat. No 4,437,249 to Brown et al; and U.S. Pat. No 5,010,677 to Carron all disclose variations of the Chapin type of conversion plug for converting a shotgun or rifle into a muzzle loader.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,511,334 and 5,642,583, issued to Ball et al., disclose a way to convert a modern breech lock, cartridge rifle into a rifle that can be used as a muzzle-loading rifle. The disclose of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. However, even in this design the flame bore extending through the breech plug can become clogged or corroded after repeated use. This may require that the entire breech plug be replaced at some expense.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved breech plug for a muzzle-loading rifle which can be more easily cleaned after use while, at the same time, utilizes a replaceable aperture adjacent to the firing chamber which can be easily replaced if damaged beyond repair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved muzzle-loading firearm which is achieved by modifying the design of the breech plug to include a replaceable aperture adjacent to the firing chamber which can be easily replaced if damaged beyond repair. In the preferred embodiment, the breech plug is adapted to receive an ejectable firing module, such as disclosed in the above-referenced Ball patents which permits loading of the firearm as a muzzle-loader, while also permitting the firing module to be inserted and ejected like a cartridge in a conventional breech loading firearm.
Thus, in the preferred embodiment, the muzzle-loading rifle of the present invention is comprised of a barrel into which powder, wadding and ball are loaded through the muzzle or discharge end in a conventional manner, a breech loading receiver attached to the breech or rear end of the barrel, and a breech plug within the breech end of the barrel adapted to receive a firing module having the shape of a conventional cartridge wherein the breech plug includes a replaceable aperture.
The receiver of the present invention may be of a variety of designs used in modern rifles, and may be a bolt action, a lever action, a rolling block or a semi-automatic design. In either case, the receiver will be comprised of a housing, a firing mechanism movable between an open position and a closed and firing position, a firing pin, a firing mechanism to strike the firing pin, and an ejector designed to eject a spent cartridge after firing. The housing may be threaded to attach a barrel.
The barrel may have external annular threads at its breech end for attachment to the receiver housing. In accordance with the present invention, the barrel is drilled and tapped at its breech end to form internal plug engaging threads to secure the breech plug.
The breech plug is comprised of a cylindrical rear section and an axially aligned and integral, cylindrical front section. The rear section, which is preferably of a larger diameter than the barrel bore, is externally threaded to engage the internal threads of the barrel bore. The front section has an external diameter equal to the internal diameter of the barrel bore, and is adapted to snugly fit within the barrel bore when the breech plug is threaded into the barrel breech. At least a portion of the flame bore adjacent to the firing chamber includes a replaceable aperture which can be removed for cleaning or replaced if damaged beyond repair. The rear face of the breech plug is perpendicular to the axis of the plug. The breech plug shape may also be modified to accommodate the particular configuration of the firearm being modified. For example, the face of the plug may need to be configured to receive the cartridge ejector.
In the preferred embodiment, a cylindrical firing module receiving chamber, axially aligned with the barrel bore, extends from the rear face of the breech plug. The firing module receiving chamber is formed of a continuous interior cylindrical wall, terminating in a tapered or conical inner face, which tapers inwardly to mate with a firing module. The length of the chamber is sufficient to accommodate the firing module, with only the ejection rim of the module extending from the chamber. The flame bore is axially aligned with the firing module receiving plug and extends between and communicates with the firing module receiving plug and the barrel bore, providing a passageway for a flame to travel from the firing module within the chamber to the barrel bore, and thus ignite powder within the breech of the barrel. In the preferred embodiment, the flame bore tapers radially outwardly at its forward end to form a powder receiving chamber.
The firing module itself is preferably comprised of a thick cylindrical wall surrounding a central, axially aligned flame bore having a uniform diameter. The firing module terminate
Bergin James S.
Carone Michael J.
Rhodes & Mason PLLC
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