U.S. patent application number 10/193762 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-15 for micro-roller sliding system for guiding movable gun parts involved in projectile discharge.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sheriff Company, LTD.. Invention is credited to Nakatani, Hideyuki.
Application Number | 20040007124 10/193762 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 30114603 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040007124 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nakatani, Hideyuki |
January 15, 2004 |
Micro-roller sliding system for guiding movable gun parts involved
in projectile discharge
Abstract
The present invention relates to firearms requiring the smooth
operation of slidably engaged subassemblies for effecting
projectile loading, maintenance, triggering, discharge, or
reloading of a projectile. The major drawback of the prior art,
such as that applying to slide-action pistols, is that friction
occurs unevenly and at high levels between moving parts, which
leads to damaging levels of frictive heat, wear, or warping, as
well as jamming. The slidable guidance system proposed herein
addresses this drawback by employing micro-rollers whose surfaces
do not at any one point constantly touch the slidable gun part(s)
with which they come in contact. Preferably, at least a set of
micro-rollers and a pair of channels are installed in the inner
sides of a slide and the upper outer sides of a gun frame, or on
the lower face of a slide-housed slidable barrel and the upper face
of a gun frame.
Inventors: |
Nakatani, Hideyuki; (Osaka,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Hidayuki Nakatani
14-Ebisu-Nishi 2 chome, Naniwa-ku
Osaka
556-0003
JP
|
Assignee: |
Sheriff Company, LTD.
Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
30114603 |
Appl. No.: |
10/193762 |
Filed: |
July 12, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
89/196 ;
42/75.03 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A 3/64 20130101; F41A
25/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
89/196 ;
42/75.03 |
International
Class: |
F41A 021/00; F41C
003/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A sliding system for guiding slidably engaged parts of a gun,
comprising: a frame; a slidable unit installed on the upper part of
the frame and freely movable in an alternating longitudinal
direction relative to the frame; guide members rotatably and
multiply disposed on the lower part of the slidable unit, the guide
members being elastic and resilient rollers; so that the movement
of the slidable unit is smoothly and stably guided.
2. The sliding system of claim 1, wherein guide channels in the
form of parallel longitudinal recesses are made in or on the upper
part of the frame such as to supportively engage the guide members,
so that the movement of the slidable unit is guided smoothly and
stably.
3. The sliding system of claim 1, wherein the guide members are
rotatably and multiply disposed on the upper part of the frame.
4. The sliding system of claim 1, wherein the guide members are
rotatably and multiply disposed on the upper part of the frame, and
wherein guide channels in the form of parallel longitudinal
recesses are made in or on the lower part of the slidable unit, so
that the movement of the slidable unit is guided smoothly and
stably.
5. The sliding system of claim 1, wherein each of the guide members
has a centering axis materially manifested in the form of guide
posts.
6. The sliding system of claim 1, wherein the guide members are
made of a resilient and slippery polymer.
7. The sliding system of claim 1, wherein the guide members house
roller bearings made of a resilient material.
8. A sliding system for guiding slidably engaged parts of an
automatic pistol, comprising: a frame; a slide mounted on the frame
and freely movable in an alternating longitudinal direction
relative to the frame; a barrel extending through the slide and
freely movable in an alternating longitudinal direction relative to
the slide; guide members rotatably and multiply disposed on the
lower part of the slide, the barrel, or both the slide and the
barrel, the guide members being elastic and resilient rollers; so
that the movement of the slide or the barrel is smoothly and stably
guided on the frame.
9. The sliding system of claim 8, wherein guide channels in the
form of parallel longitudinal recesses are made in or on the upper
part of the frame such as to supportively engage the guide members,
so that the movement of the slide or the barrel is guided smoothly
and stably.
10. The sliding system of claim 8, wherein the guide members are
rotatably and multiply disposed on the upper part of the frame.
11. The sliding system of claim 8, wherein the guide members are
rotatably and multiply disposed on the upper part of the frame, and
wherein guide channels in the form of parallel longitudinal
recesses are made in or on the lower part of the slide and the
barrel, so that the movement of the slide or the barrel is guided
smoothly and stably.
12. The sliding system of claim 8, wherein the guide members are
rotatably and multiply installed on guide rails, the guide rails
being arranged at parallel longitudinal positions on the lower face
of the barrel or on the inner sides of the slide, so that the
movement of the slide or the barrel is guided smoothly and
stably.
13. The sliding system of claim 8, wherein the guide members are
rotatably and multiply installed on guide rails, the guide rails
being arranged at parallel longitudinal positions on the upper face
of the frame, so that the movement of the slide or the barrel is
guided smoothly and stably.
14. The sliding system of claim 8, wherein guide members are
mounted on the lateral and lower surfaces of guide rails, the guide
rails being arranged at parallel longitudinal positions on the
lower face of the barrel or on the inner sides of the slide, so
that the movement of the slide or the barrel is guided smoothly and
stably.
15. The sliding system of claim 8, wherein the guide members are
fixed guide protuberances mounted on the lateral and lower surfaces
of guide rails, the guide rails being arranged at parallel
longitudinal positions on the lower face of the barrel or on the
inner sides of the slide, so that the movement of the slide or the
barrel is guided smoothly and stably.
16. The sliding system of claim 8, wherein the guide members are
directly installed on the barrel or the slide at points along a gap
between the the outer surface of the barrel and the inner surface
of the slide, the outer surface of the guide members touching the
barrel, the slide or both the barrel and the slide, so that the
interactive movement of the barrel and the slide is guided smoothly
and stably.
17. A sliding system for guiding slidably engaged parts of a gun,
comprising a slidable unit mounted on or in the upper part of the
gun, the slidable unit being cylindrical in form; a second slidable
unit partially or fully extending through the slidable unit and
slidably engaged with the slidable unit in an alternating
longitudinal direction relative to the slidable unit, the second
slidable unit being cylindrical in form; guide members rotatably
and multiply disposed on the inner surface of the slidable unit,
the guide members being micro-rollers made of a resilient and
elastic material; so that the second slidable unit and the sliding
unit are guided stably and smoothly.
18. The sliding system of claim 17, wherein the guide members are
mounted on the outer surface of the second slidable unit.
19. The sliding system of claim 17, wherein the guide members are
made of a resilient and slippery polymer.
20. The sliding system of claim 17, wherein the guide members are
rotatably and multiply disposed on the upper part of the gun on a
frame, and wherein the slidable unit is a bolt, so that the
movement of the bolt is guided smoothly and stably.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to firearms and toy guns
requiring the smooth, low-friction operation of movable
subassemblies for effecting projectile loading, maintenance,
triggering, discharge, or reloading of a projectile. The slide
action or "blowback" genus of gun, which features a slide that
moves longitudinally back and forth relative to a barrel and a gun
body, is perhaps the best known of this type of firearm. Japanese
Patent No. 10220991 (Terada) is one instance of this slide-action
type of gun, which is typified by the Colt Model 1911A-A1
pistol.
[0002] The Model 1911A-A1 has a barrel-centering protuberance
around the outer surface of a longitudinally mounted barrel, the
muzzle of which extends through a barrel-alignment channel in a
slide. The barrel-centering protuberance must be precisely fitted
within the alignment channel. The gun is structured such that the
slide and barrel move: (1) When a projectile is loaded from the
magazine into a fixed position, (2) when the trigger is pulled, and
(3) when the projectile is discharged. In order to make the slide
and barrel move smoothly relative to each other, some degree of
play must exist at the site of engagement between the
barrel-centering protuberance on the barrel and the alignment
channels in the slide. This play is necessary to deal with the heat
expansion, longitudinal and upward movement, accumulation of
contaminants, and so forth, that occur between the slide,
barrel,and gun body. The major drawback of the necessity of this
play is the friction that occurs unevenly and at high levels
between parts while they move, which leads to various problems,
such as uneven wear, stress, and noise. Additionally, the wear on
parts creates fine particles that lead to the further deterioration
of the action of the key movable parts and the airtightness of the
propellant release valve.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,519 (Albrecht) proposes a method that
goes some way towards reducing the aforementioned problems for the
interaction of barrel and slide in slide-action automatic pistols.
Albrecht proposes an elastic and resilient barrel-centering
protuberance installed in a groove--preferably in the form of a
flexible steel ring--around the outer surface of the barrel, the
muzzle of which extends through a barrel-alignment channel in the
slide.
[0004] However, the Albrecht invention, like its predecessors,
employs non-rotating guidance means which, due to the constant
contact between the unmovable surface of guidance parts and the
guided movable gun parts, make it difficult for the system to
reduce the aforementioned friction in order to ensure the smooth
operation of slide-action guns. Albrecht, moreover, does not apply
to other types of guns with similar slidably engageable
subassemblies.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] What follows is an explanation of the improved means by
which the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems
associated with slide-action guns and other firearms with similarly
functioning, slidably engaged parts. Preferably, at least a set
guide members in the form of micro-rollers and a pair of guide
channels are installed on a gun such as to be parallel and
complimentarily engaged on the inner sides of a slide and on the
upper outer sides of a gun frame, or on the lower face of a
slide-housed slidable barrel and on the upper face of a gun
frame.
[0006] The present invention relates to firearms which, like
slide-action pistols, require the smooth, low-friction operation of
various movable subassemblies of a gun for effecting projectile
discharge. One of the primary advantages of the micro-roller system
proposed herein is that the surface of the micro-rollers do not at
any one point constantly touch the slidable gun part(s) involved in
projectile discharge with which they are in contact. Hence, when
the micro-roller sliding system is installed in a gun, the sliding
and rotating surfaces mutually engaged in the process of projectile
discharge do not experience the aforementioned damaging levels of
frictive heat, wear, or warping, as well as jamming. With extensive
use, waste material may collect on the guide rollers, obstructing
roller rotation. In such a case, the guide rollers can be easily
removed and replaced.
[0007] The present invention has a broad and flexible application.
For example, the slidable unit can comprise a slide or a barrel of
a pistol; a breech cylinder or a breech piston of an automatic or
semi-automatic machine gun; a receiver or a bolt of an automatic
rifle; or, a bolt of a bolt action rifle. In the case of an
automatic or semi-automatic machine gun with a rack gear, such as
that discussed in more detail below, guide rollers are preferably
directly installed partially or fully into the inner surface of a
breech cylinder (slidable unit) in order to guide a breech piston
(slidable unit). Although the function of the parts differs from
those in the machine gun described herein, it is even possible to
install the micro-rollers in the cylinder of an automatic
slide-action pistol to guide the piston it houses (FIG. 1). In the
case of an automatic rifle, it is preferred that guide
micro-rollers are installed on a receiver for the purpose of
guiding a bolt (slidable unit). For bolt action rifles, it is
preferred that guide rollers are installed on a frame for the
purpose of guiding a bolt (slidable unit).
[0008] The guide members (micro-rollers) can comprise easily
removable rotational guide rollers with roller axes, or fixed guide
protuberances. It is also possible to utilize roller bearings
within the guide rollers, and to construct the guide rollers to be
extremely small, even to the extent that micro- or nano-technology
must be used to engineer them. The guide members can be attached
to, or otherwise form a part of, guide rails. In addition, the
guide members, or the guide members as a part of the guide rails,
can rest in guide channels installed in parallel sets on or in the
frame or slidable unit. Furthermore, the guide members by
themselves or as a part of guide rails, can be longitudinally
arranged in unlimited multiple opposing pairs on the frame or the
slidable unit of the gun body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0009] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the various components
of a toy air gun for the purpose of describing a number of the
preferred embodiments of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the slide of Embodiment
No. 1, illustrating the guide rollers thereof.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a lateral view sequentially illustrating the
motion of the slide shown in FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view of the slide of
Embodiment No. 1, and a partial front cross-sectional view of the
frame of Embodiment No. 1, illustrating the guide rollers, guide
channels, and roller axes thereof.
[0013] FIG. 5 is an oblique view of the gun of Embodiment No. 2,
including a separated view of the slide and a sectional view of the
frame, illustrating the upper part of the frame on which the guide
roller and roller axes of Embodiment No. 2 are located.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a view of the frame and slide of Embodiment No. 2,
including a top sectional view illustrating the guide rails on the
face of the frame, and a plan view outlining the guide channels in
the underside of the barrel within the slide.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a top sectional view of the slide of Embodiment
No. 3, illustrating the guide rollers on the underside of the
barrel within the slide and showing the outline of the guide
channels on the upper face of the frame.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a partial front cross-sectional view of the slide,
barrel, and frame of Embodiment No. 3, illustrating the guide
channels, guide rollers, and roller axes on the lower face of the
barrel within the slide, and the guide rails and inner channels on
the upper face of the frame thereof.
[0017] FIG. 9 is an oblique view of the of the guide rails of
Embodiment No. 4, illustrating the guide protuberances thereof.
[0018] FIG. 10 is an oblique view of the guide rails of Embodiment
No. 5, illustrating the guide members thereof.
[0019] FIG. 11 is an oblique view of the guide rails of Embodiment
No. 6, illustrating the guide members thereof.
[0020] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the relevant components
of a toy semi-automatic machine gun, for the purpose of
illustrating Embodiment No. 7 of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the cylinder,
piston, and micro-rollers of Embodiment No. 7.
[0022] The parts listed below are correlated by number and name
throughout FIGS. 1-13.
[0023] D Radius
[0024] 1 Gun frame
[0025] 2 Grip
[0026] 3 Projectile
[0027] 4 Projectile loading chamber
[0028] 5 Gas chamber
[0029] 6 Magazine
[0030] 7 Spring
[0031] 8 Gas release valve
[0032] 9 Gas passage
[0033] 10 Elastic nozzle
[0034] 11 Barrel
[0035] 12 Inner barrel
[0036] 13 Projectile holding chamber
[0037] 14 Slide
[0038] 15 Cylinder
[0039] 16 Return spring
[0040] 17 Trigger
[0041] 18 Hammer
[0042] 19 Gas valve knob
[0043] 20 Piston
[0044] 27 Interlinking protuberance
[0045] 28 Spring
[0046] 30 Guide rail
[0047] 30a Guide member
[0048] 30b Inner guide channel
[0049] 31 Guide roller
[0050] 32 Guide channel
[0051] 33 Guide protuberance
[0052] 34 Roller axis
[0053] 110 Piston cylinder apparatus
[0054] 111 Barrel
[0055] 112 Cylinder
[0056] 113 Nozzle
[0057] 114 Piston
[0058] 115 Spring
[0059] 116 Projectile
[0060] 117 Loading chamber
[0061] 118 Cylinder push spring
[0062] 119a Spring post
[0063] 119b Component
[0064] 120 Gear mechanism
[0065] 121 Rack
[0066] 124 Pinion
[0067] 127 Cogless portion
[0068] 128 Gear group
[0069] 129 Motor
[0070] 130 Trigger
[0071] 131 Switch
[0072] 132 Interlocking components
[0073] 133 Micro-roller
[0074] 134 Rotational axis
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0075] What follows is a detailed description of the composition
and operation of various embodiments of the roller sliding system
of the present invention in reference to the drawings.
[0076] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the normal loaded state
of a toy air gun for the purpose of describing the several
preferred embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a
cross-sectional view of the slide of Embodiment No. 1 of the
present invention. FIG. 3 is a lateral view showing the sequential
motion of the slide of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional
view of the slide, and a partial front cross-sectional view of the
frame, of Embodiment No. 1 of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an
oblique, separated view of Embodiment No. 2 of the present
invention. FIG. 6 is a top sectional view of the frame, and a plan
view of the underside of the slide, of Embodiment No. 2 of the
present invention. FIG. 7 is a top sectional view of the underside
of the slide of Embodiment No. 3 of the present invention. FIG. 8
is a partial cross-sectional view of the slide, barrel, and frame
of Embodiment No. 3 of the present invention. FIG. 9 is an oblique
view of the guide rails of Embodiment No. 4 of the present
invention. FIG. 10 is an oblique view of the guide rails in
Embodiment No. 5 of the present invention. FIG. 11 is an oblique
view of the guide rails in Embodiment No. 6 of the present
invention. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the relevant
components of a toy semi-automatic machine gun, illustrating
Embodiment No. 7 of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a
cross-sectional view illustrating the cylinder and piston of
Embodiment No. 7.
[0077] What follows is an explanation of the overall structure of
the toy slide-action automatic pistol in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG.
1, a grip 2 of a gun frame 1 contains a removable magazine 6,
within which is fitted a projectile loading chamber 4 for housing a
number of projectile 3 (plastic BBs), and a gas chamber 5 for
storing pressurized gas. Pressurized air, or pressurized gas such
as Freon, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide gas, can be used as a
propellant in the illustrated type of pistol; in the case of FIG.
1, gas chamber 5 is filled with liquid gas. In loading chamber 4,
projectile(s) 3 is pushed upward with a spring 7. Furthermore, an
elastic nozzle 10 is fitted in the upper part of gas chamber 5 and
forms a gas release valve 8 and a gas passage 9. In its normal
state, gas passage 9 is shut off by gas release valve 8. An inner
barrel 12 is fixed within a barrel 11 and acts as the passage for a
discharged projectile 3. A projectile holding chamber 13 is an
elastic, cylindrical rubber chamber at the muzzle-end of barrel 11.
The inner diameter of holding chamber 13 is some degree smaller
than the outer diameter of projectile 3, such that projectile 3 is
held in holding chamber 13 based on mutual counterforce. In
addition, the inner surface of holding chamber 13 manifests
protuberances which have a relatively smaller inner diameter than
holding chamber 13 and serve to further secure projectile 3. A
slide 14 is a slidable unit involved in projectile discharge which
is installed so as to cover but not directly make contact with
barrel 11, also a slidable unit involved in projectile discharge,
within which is fixed an inner barrel 12, at the rear of which are
a piston 20 and a cylinder 15, both of which are also slidable
units involved in projectile discharge. Inner barrel 12 slidably
holds cylinder 15. A return spring 16 is fitted between slide 14
and gun frame 1, and serves to pull slide 14 back to its original
position after slide 14 has moved rearward.
[0078] Also, gun frame 1 is furnished with a trigger 17 at the
front of grip 2, and a hammer 18, which is linked to a trigger 17
and is placed at the back of gun frame 1. When trigger 17 is
pulled, a sear that holds in place hammer 18 moves, releasing
hammer 18, which rotates under the force of a compressed spring and
strikes an impact plate; this impact plate pushes against the
coil-force of a gas valve knob 19 (of a gas release valve 8),
causing gas passage 9 to open, gas to be emitted, and projectile 3
to be discharged from the gun muzzle.
[0079] In the inner rear part of slide 14, and to the rear of inner
barrel 12, are fitted piston 20 and cylinder 15, which are mounted
so as to be slidable relative to one another. At the upper portion
of cylinder 15 is positioned an interacting protuberance 27, which
interacts with slide 14 such that interacting protuberance 27 moves
when slide 14 moves rearward. A spring 28 is installed between
interacting protuberance 27 and slide 14.
[0080] In Embodiment No. 1 of the present invention, as illustrated
in FIG. 2, guide rollers 31 are mounted longitudinally in the inner
left and right sides of slide 14 to guide slide 14, which, as
illustrated in FIG. 3, can move in an alternating longitudinal
direction on gun frame 1. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, guide
channels 32 are made in the outer left and right upper sides of gun
frame 1 such that guide rollers 31 are directly slidably engaged
with guide channels 32., where they on roller axes 34. Each guide
roller 31 has a centering roller axis 34 on which it rotates
freelyy. In Embodiment No. 1, roller axis 34 takes the form of a
metallic guide post embedded perpendicularly into the lower inner
surface of slide 14 such as to extend perpendicularly into guide
roller 31 from slide 14.
[0081] In addition, guide rollers 31 can be mounted at any point
along the inner left and right sides of slide 14. It is further
possible, for the purpose of stably guiding the relative movements
of the barrel and the slide, to directly mount on barrel 11 or
slide 14 similar micro-rollers at points along the gap between the
outer surface of barrel 11 and the inner surface of slide 14 so as
to stably guide both parts. Also, guide roller 31 is constructed to
be removable. With extensive use, waste material may collect on
guide roller 31, obstructing roller rotation. In such cases, guide
roller 31 can be removed and replaced with a new one. The
efficiency of guide roller 31 can be increased by utilizing roller
bearings within it.
[0082] In Embodiment No. 2 of the present invention, as illustrated
in FIG. 5, guide rollers 31 are mounted at two parallel points on
the front end and two parallel points on the back end of guide
rails 30, which are mounted on gun frame 1. Slide 14, then, is
secured and stabilized at these four longitudinal, left and right
points. Guide channels 32, which are engaged with guide rails 30
via guide rollers 31, are furnished longitudinally and parallel on
the inner left and right sides of slide 14, as shown in FIG. 5 and
FIG. 6. Thus, the guide rollers 31 on guide rails 30, in
interaction with guide channels 32, serve to guide slide 14, which,
as illustrated in FIG. 3, can move longitudinally on gun frame 1.
However, it is also possible to make the guide channels on the
lower face of barrel 1, which is housed within slide 14; or, to
make guide channel 32 out of recesses made on both barrel 1 and
slide 14.
[0083] In Embodiment No. 2, to mount guide rollers 31, a portion of
guide rail 30 is machined into a cylindrical shape which thrusts
upwardly as a centering roller axis 34, which takes the material
form of a guide post perpendicular to frame 1. Guide roller 31 is
set so as to rotate on roller axis 34. The outer edge of guide
roller 31 is configured to protrude more than the outer-edge
surface of guide rail 30, and to abut the inner surface of guide
channel 32, which is formed on the inner surface (plan view) of
slide 14.
[0084] In Embodiment No. 2, referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6,
slide 14 slides on guide rollers 31 of guide rails 30 when
projectile 3 is readied for firing, and when trigger 17 is pulled,
projectile 3 is discharged and the next projectile 3 is positioned
in projectile holding chamber 4. Thus, guide channels 32 have
points of contact with, or are in a consistent line of contact
with, guide rollers 31. The remaining, non-contact area, that is,
the gap between guide rails 30 and slide 14, can be made large or
small.
[0085] Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, Embodiment No. 3 illustrates
a means by which to mount guide rollers 31 (and guide rails 30) on
barrel 11 instead of on gun frame 1 or on slide 14. In this case,
guide rails 30 are machined longitudinally and parallel into the
left and right sides of the upper surface of gun frame 1, but guide
rollers 31 are not mounted on guide rails 30; rather, guide rollers
31 are supported and centered by axes 34 made in the form of guide
posts which are installed supsended in left-right pairs downward
from the underside of the surface of barrel 11, which is slidably
housed within slide 14. The lower, lateral inner surfaces of slide
14, and inner channels 30b on the lower, outer lateral surfaces of
guide rails 30, form guide channels 32 which engage guide rollers
31. Also, the lower surface of barrel 11 is somewhat cut away in
order to provide clearance space for guide rails 30 as well as the
posts of guide axes 34. As shown in FIG. 8, guide rollers 31 are
installed so as touch inner guide channels 30b. In this case, as
well, the number and positioning of guide rollers 31 is not limited
to the illustrated embodiment.
[0086] Next, in Embodiment Nos. 4-6, several types of guide members
which can be mounted on the above-mentioned guide rails 30 are
discussed. Referring to FIG. 9, in Embodiment No. 4, in place of
guide rollers 31, the guide rail components employed are fixed
concave slide guide components. Namely, slide guide components made
of plates of curved metal (or other substance) are secured to the
outer sides of guide rails 30. The radius of a curved guide
protuberance 33 is designed to be slightly larger than the gap
between guide rail 30 and guide channel 32. Guide protuberance 33
have points of contact or a constant line of contact with guide
channels 32 and is guided on the inner surface of guide channels
32. In the case of a slide guide component with this type of
configuration, it is possible for guide protuberance 33 to change
its shape in order to correspond to any changes in the gap between
guide rail 30 and guide channel 32, thus allowing for stable
guidance and the prevention of instability. It is preferred that
such a guide protuberance be made out a low-friction, slippery
plastic or metal alloy.
[0087] Next, Embodiment No. 5 is discussed using FIG. 10. In
Embodiment No. 5, space is made in guide rail 30 for a guide
member(s) 30a in the form of a guide roller, cylindrical
protuberance, or steel sphere, etc., a part of which is designed to
protrude from the lateral surface of guide rail 30. A guide member
30a is configured so that it is in contact with guide channel 32.
The number of guide members 30a to be furnished on guide rails 30
is not limited by the present illustration; a large or small number
of guide members 30a can offer stable guidance.
[0088] Embodiment No. 5 illustrates the design of a guide member
30a for guiding the lateral surface of a guide rail 30, while
Embodiment No. 6 shows, with reference to FIG. 11, guide member 30a
in the form of either a guide protuberance or a guide roller which
can be furnished on both the lateral and the upper surfaces of a
guide rail 30, making it even more possible to assure stable
vertical and horizontal positioning and guidance during projectile
discharge parts' sliding actions.
[0089] In regards to Embodiment Nos. 1-6, it is not necessary to
limit the positioning of guide rollers 31, guide protuberances 33,
or guide members 30a to certain mounting positions or to a given
number of points. It is possible to mount a pair of guide rollers
31 on both left and right guide rails 30, and to mount such a
left-right pair of guide rollers 31 longitudinally and in multiple
pairs along guide rails 30. Furthermore, instead of mounting pairs
of guide rollers 31 on both left and right guide rails 30, it is
possible, as illustrated by FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, to install
elastic, slippery guide members 30a in the form of protuberances or
rollers on both the left and right as well as on the upper surface
of guide rails 30, with no guide posts extending perpendicularly
into such guide members. Moveover, slide 14 can be stably guided by
mounting multiple guide rollers in longitudinal guide positions,
and even over six of such guide rollers or guide members can be
mounted, with or without guide rails. In fact, concerning the guide
components of Embodiment Nos. 2, 3, 5, slide 14 can be stably
guided by longitudinally mounting as many guide rollers 31 or guide
members 30a as possible on both the left and right guide rails 30.
Also, in all of the relevant aforementioned cases, the guide roller
units can be extremely small, even to the extent that
nanotechnology can be used to engineer them. Preferably, guide
rollers 31 are at least mounted on the front and back inner surface
of the parallel sides of slide 14, on the upper front and back face
of gun frame 1, or on the lower front and back face of barrel
11.
[0090] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited
to toy guns; it applies to all small firearms which feature movable
subassemblies involved in projectile discharge, such as an
automatic pistol's slide and barrel, a machine gun's breech
cylinder and piston, a bolt-action rifle's receiver and bolt, or
other interactive slidable units. To further illustrate the
versatility of the application of the present invention, the
following embodiment provides an example of the present invention
applied to a toy semi-automatic machine gun which employs a rack
gear.
[0091] Referring to FIG. 12, piston-cylinder apparatus 110 is
furnished at the rear (opposite the muzzle-end) of a barrel 111. It
is possible for pressurized air to be emitted towards barrel 111
from a nozzle 113 located at the forward end of a cylinder 112. A
piston 114 is installed within cylinder 112 to be slidable in a
longitudinal, forward and rearward direction. The pressure of a
spring 115 on piston 114 is in a direction which generates
compressed air in cylinder 112. Cylinder 112 itself, which is
pushed by a cylinder push spring 118, is mounted to be
longitudinally slidabe, which permits a projectile 116 to enter a
loading chamber 117. Therefore, both piston 114 and cylinder 112are
slidable units involved in projectile discharge
[0092] Spring 115, secured on the rearward end of a spring post
119a, governs the compressing action of piston 114, which receives
and supports the forward end of spring 115. Piston 114 features a
component 119b, which faces in a forward direction from the
rearward end of piston 114 where a rack 121 is furnished as part of
a gear mechanism 120. A pinion 124, which is another element of
gear mechanism 120, is positioned to engage with rack 121. The
driving force of a motor 129 is transmitted via a gear group 128 to
pinion 124. In order for the gear pressure of gear mechanism 120 to
be properly recieved, pinion 124, without axial deflection, and
rack 121, without curving, are both designed to advance in a
straight line.
[0093] When a trigger 130 is pulled, a switch 131 is activated and
motor 129 begins to rotate, after which pinion 124 and rack 121 are
in a state of engagement and are able to rotate. Furthermore, when
pinion 124 rotates and advances to a cogless portion 127, piston
114 rapidly moves forward under the projecting pressure of spring
115, compressing the air cylinder 112. The compressed air thus
produced is emitted from nozzle 113, discharging projectile 116 if
one is present in loading chamber 117. After this process of
projectile discharge, cylinder 112 is temporarily brought back due
to the interlinking of cylinder 112 with interlocking components
132, which consist of a cam, etc., installed on gear group 128.
Also, a single projectile 116 in the loading channel is loaded into
loading chamber 117 by pushing spring 118.
[0094] In the case of this type of gun, as illustrated in FIG. 13,
the installation of numerous micro-rollers 133 in the area of the
gap between piston 114 and cylinder 112 in the gun frame enable the
smooth sliding and precise alignment of piston 114. The rotational
axis 134 of roller(s) 133 is fixed on the inner circumference of
cylinder 112 such that the outer surface of roller(s) 133 is in
contact with the outer surface of piston 114 within cylinder 112.
In Embodiment No. 7, micro-rollers 133 are installed at 120 degree
intervals on cylinder 112. However, even more micro-rollers 133 can
be installed, and neither the number nor the positioning of
micro-rollers 133 is limited by the description of the preferred
embodiment described herein.
[0095] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been
described above. The drawings presented herein are intended to
illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention but they
should not be considered a limitation of the present invention.
Therefore, modifications, adaptations, or other changes concerning
the illustrated art may fall within the spirit and scope of the
present invention.
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