U.S. patent number 3,612,026 [Application Number 05/020,500] was granted by the patent office on 1971-10-12 for gas-operated revolver with rotatable magazine.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Crosman Arms Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to Sigurds Liepins, John F. Vadas.
United States Patent |
3,612,026 |
Vadas , et al. |
October 12, 1971 |
GAS-OPERATED REVOLVER WITH ROTATABLE MAGAZINE
Abstract
This revolver has a revolver barrel indexable about an axis
perpendicular to the axis of the bore of the gun barrel, and having
radially disposed, projectile-holding chambers indexable
successively into registry with said bore. When the trigger is
squeezed, the hammer opens a valve, to deliver gas under pressure
behind the projectile, which, at the time, is in registry with said
bore, to propel said projectile from the gun. Opening of the valve
also supplies gas to a piston to retract a reciprocable indexing
mechanism on the frame. This mechanism recocks the hammer and
permits the valve to close. A spring returns the mechanism to
battery. On this return movement, a pawl carried by the mechanism
indexes the revolver barrel.
Inventors: |
Vadas; John F. (Webster,
NY), Liepins; Sigurds (Rushville, NY) |
Assignee: |
Crosman Arms Company, Inc.
(Fairport, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
21798950 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/020,500 |
Filed: |
March 18, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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697049 |
Jan 11, 1968 |
3547095 |
Dec 15, 1970 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
124/76; 124/31;
124/48; 124/74 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B
11/54 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F41B
11/00 (20060101); F41B 11/02 (20060101); F41b
011/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;124/11,13,13A,30,31,49,48 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Dror; Richard
Parent Case Text
This is a division of application Ser. No. 679,049, filed Jan. 11,
1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,095 patented Dec. 15, 1970.
Claims
Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:
1. A gas-operated gun, comprising
a body having therein a chamber for holding a supply of gas under
pressure,
a barrel mounted on said body,
a hammer movable in said body between a cocked and a fired
position, respectively,
a trigger for releasably holding said hammer in its cocked
position,
an indexable member rotatably mounted on said body for rotation
about an axis transverse to the axis of said barrel, and having
therein a plurality of spaced recesses, each of which is adapted to
hold a projectile,
means for rotatable indexing said member about its axis to advance
said recesses successively into registry with said barrel,
means for connecting said chamber with the recess that registers
with said barrel, including a normally closed valve positioned to
be opened by said hammer upon movement thereof to said fired
position, and operable, when opened, to release gas from said
chamber to propel from said barrel the projectile disposed in the
registering recess, and
movable means on said body operable by the gas released from said
chamber to move said hammer to its cocked position, and momentarily
to actuate said indexing means to advance another of said recesses
into registry with said barrel.
2. A gas-operated gun as defined in claim 1, wherein said
connecting means comprises a post fixed to said body rearwardly of
and transverse to said barrel, and having therein a first duct
which opens at one end on the periphery of said post, and at its
opposite end communicates with said chamber, when said valve is
open,
said indexable member is annular and is mounted to rotate on said
post coaxially thereof, and
said recesses extend radially through said member at equiangularly
spaced points thereabout, whereby the recess that registers with
said barrel opens at one end on the bore of said barrel, and at its
opposite end on said one end of said duct.
3. A gas-operated gun as defined in claim 2, wherein said movable
means comprises
an actuator mounted on said body to reciprocate transverse to the
axis of rotation of said indexible member each time a projectile is
propelled from the barrel, and
said indexing means comprises a pawl carried by said actuator,
and
a ratchet wheel secured to said indexable member and operable by
said pawl to rotate said member a fraction of a revolution each
time said actuator reciprocates.
4. A gas-operated gun as defined in claim 3, wherein a cocking
member is connected to said actuator for movement against said
hammer, during the movement of said actuator in one direction,
thereby to shift said hammer to its cocked position.
5. A gas-operated gun as defined in claim 3, wherein
a second chamber is formed in said body adjacent the first-named
chamber to communicate with said first-named chamber, when said
valve is opened,
a spring is positioned in said second chamber,
a reciprocable piston is disposed in said second chamber for
movement against the resistance of said spring, when gas is
released to said second chamber from said first-named chamber,
and
said actuator is operatively connected to said piston for movement
thereby.
6. A gas-operated gun as defined in claim 3, wherein
said actuator is a slide which reciprocates parallel to said barrel
and carries a cocking member which engages said hammer upon the
movement of the actuator rearwardly on said body to move said
hammer to its cocked position, and
means positively connects said slide to said piston for
reciprocation thereby.
7. A gas-operated gun as defined in claim 3, wherein
a link is mounted at one end on said body to pivot about an axis
transverse to said post, and is pivotally connected at its opposite
end to one end of said actuator,
a second spring is connected to the opposite end of said actuator
to resist the movement of said actuator and link about the
last-named axis, and
said piston is operatively connected to said link to urge the
latter in one direction about said last-named axis, and against the
resistance of said second spring, when said piston is moved against
the resistance of the first-named spring.
8. A gas-operated gun as defined in claim 7, having a cocking
member secured to said link for movement thereby against said
hammer to move the latter to a cocked position, when said link is
pivoted in said one direction.
9. A gas-powered gun as defined in claim 2, wherein
a retaining member is secured in said frame and has an annular wall
portion surrounding said indexable member coaxially thereof,
said annular wall portion has therethrough a first port, which
registers with the rear end of said barrel, and a second port
angularly spaced from said first port to register with, and to
permit the loading of, the projectile recesses in the indexable
member during the rotation of the latter about said post.
10. A gas-operated gun as defined in claim 9, including an arcuate
cover strap mounted in a recess in the outer face of said annular
wall portion for sliding movement coaxially of said retaining
member between a first position in which one end of said strap
covers said second port, and a second position in which said second
port is uncovered.
11. A gas-operated gun comprising
a body having therein a chamber for holding a supply of gas under
pressure,
a barrel mounted on said body,
a hammer pivoted on said body between a cocked and a fired
position, respectively,
a trigger for releasably holding said hammer in its cocked
position,
an indexable member movably mounted on said body, and having
therein a plurality of spaced recesses, each of which is adapted to
hold a projectile,
means for indexing said member to advance said recesses
successively into registry with said barrel,
means for connecting said chamber with the recess that registers
with said barrel, including a normally closed valve positioned to
be opened by said hammer upon movement thereof to said fired
position, and operable, when opened, to release gas from said
chamber to propel from said barrel the projectile disposed in the
registering recess, and
movable means on said body operable by the gas released from said
chamber to move said hammer to its cocked position, and momentarily
to actuate said indexing means to advance another of said recesses
into registry with said barrel,
a sear pivoted on said body adjacent said hammer and has a first
projection engageable in a notch in said hammer to hold the latter
in its cocked position,
a sear trip movable by said trigger and having thereon an operating
surface which is engageable with a second projection on said sear
to pivot the latter in a direction to disengage said first
projection from said notch, thereby to release said hammer, and
means interposed between said hammer and trip and operative upon
release of said hammer to move said trip independently of said
trigger in a direction to disengage said operating surface from
said second projection, thereby to allow said first projection to
reengage said notch, when said hammer is returned to its cocked
position, and to prevent reengagement of said operating surface
with said second projection until said trigger is released.
Description
This invention relates to revolvers, and more particularly to
gas-operated revolvers of the semiautomatic type.
Gas-powered revolvers are well known, but in such revolvers the
revolver barrel rotates about an axis extending in the direction of
the bore of the gun barrel, and difficulty is always experienced in
loading the gun with projectiles. Moreover, with prior types of
gas-operated revolvers the hammer had to be recocked manually after
each firing of the gun.
One object of the present invention is to provide a gas-operated
revolver which can more easily be loaded with pellets.
A further object of the invention is to provide a gas-operated
revolver in which the hammer is recocked automatically, and
simultaneously another pellet is brought into firing position.
Still another object of this invention is to provide for a revolver
of the type described, an improved sear mechanism, which is
substantially more compact and reliable than prior such
mechanisms.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from
the specification and from the recital of the appended claims,
particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a revolver made in
accordance with one embodiment of this invention, part thereof
being cut away and shown in section;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary plan view of this revolver, with
portions of its slide cut away;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the same
scale as FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view on a scale
slightly smaller than that of FIG. 2, and taken along the line 4--4
in FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of
this revolver, parts thereof being cut away and shown in section on
the same scale as FIG. 3; and
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the modified revolver, parts
thereof again being cut away and shown in section.
Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, and first
to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, 10 denotes a
revolver comprising a frame 12 having a hollow hand grip portion
14, a trigger guard 16, and a trigger 17. Secured in a recess 20
(FIG. 3) in the frame 12 is a stationary block 22. Secured at its
rear end in a groove in the upper face of the block 22, and
projecting at its forward end beyond the body 12, is the gun barrel
26. Mounted for reciprocable movement on the frame above block 22
and barrel 26 is an elongate, inverted U-shaped slide 18, having
opposed tongues or projections 24 (FIGS. 2 and 4), which slide in
registering grooves 25 (FIG. 4) that extend longitudinally of the
block 22.
Secured by a pin 23 in the block 22 rearwardly of the barrel 26,
and in registry with the bore of the barrel, is a post 28 (FIGS. 2
and 3) which extends transversely of the bore of the barrel 26.
Seated around the upper end of the post 28 in a recess 30 formed in
the upper face of the block 22 is a retainer 31 having an arcuate
marginal wall 33. The post 28 extends through a central opening 32
in the bottom of the retainer 31, and is formed with an external,
circumferential flange 34, which seats in a cooperating recess in
the retainer to secure the retainer against movement on block
22.
Mounted on post 28 to rotate coaxially thereabout within the
retainer is a transfer member or revolver barrel 36 (FIGS. 2 to 4).
Member 36 is provided with six, equiangularly spaced radial pockets
or pellet chambers 38, each of which opens at its outer end on the
periphery of the barrel 36, and at its inner end on post 28.
Member 36 seats on flange 34 of post 28, and is held against axial
movement on the post by a C-ring or clamp 40 (FIGS. 2 and 3), which
is releasably secured in a groove near the upper end of the post
28. The rear end of the gun barrel 26 extends through the opening
42 (FIG. 2) in the arcuate wall of the retainer 31 to register with
the outer ends of the several pellet chambers 38 as the latter are
indexed step by step into registry with the rear end of the gun
barrel.
Projecting upwardly from member 36 are a plurality of equiangularly
spaced ratchet teeth 44, each of which registers angularly with one
of the pockets 38. Secured to slide 18 beneath the rear sight 45 of
the revolver and above the rear end of the valve block 22 is a pawl
support 46. Fastened by screws 47, or the like, to the underside of
the support 46, and projecting forwardly therefrom is a flexible
plate 48. Secured at its rear end between the support 46 and the
plate 48 is a leaf spring 49, the forward end of which overlies and
engages the forward end of plate 48 to urge the latter resiliently
downwardly. Riveted or otherwise attached at their rear ends to the
forward end of plate 48, and projecting at their forward ends over
the top of the revolver barrel or turret 36 are two, spaced,
parallel metal bars or straps 52 and 53 (FIG. 2), which function as
indexing and locking pawls, respectively. The indexing pawl 52,
which is longer than the locking pawl 53, is engageable at its
forward end with one of the ratchet teeth 44 to index the member 36
about the post 28 (clockwise in FIG. 2), when the slide 18 is moved
forwardly, that is, returned to battery position. Pawl 53 then
engages another tooth 44 to prevent further clockwise rotation of
member 36 while the slide 18 is in battery position. A pawl 54
fastened at one end by a screw 56 to one side of block 22 forwardly
of member 36 extends rearwardly to overlie member 36 and engage one
of the teeth 44 to prevent counterclockwise rotation of member 36
after it has been indexed.
In its forward end the block 22 has a chamber 60 (FIG. 3), which is
disposed beneath and parallel to the gun barrel 26. A duct 62
extends through the rear end of this chamber and diametrally
through the post 28 into the bore 64 formed in block 22 rearwardly
of the post. The forward end of chamber 60 is closed by a plug 66,
which has an axial bore 67 that is connected to one end of a tube
or conduit 68 that is adapted to supply gas under pressure to the
chamber 60. Mounted in the chamber 60 normally to close the rear
thereof is a valve 70, which has a resilient, rubber, or the like
ring 72 seated in a recess in its rear end for engagement with an
annular boss 74 that surrounds duct 62 in the rear end of chamber
60. An elongate valve stem 76 is secured at its front end in valve
70 and projects at its rear end slidably through the rear end of
bore 64.
Valve 70 has an external circumferential flange or shoulder 78 that
cooperates with stem 76 to guide the valve for axial reciprocation
in chamber 60. At 90.degree. intervals thereabout shoulder 78 is
flatted off as at 79 to allow passage of gas through the chamber 60
around the valve in conventional manner. A spring 80, which is
interposed between the plug 66 and the valve 70, tends constantly
to urge the valve to its closed position.
Intermediate its ends the stem 76 has a reduced diameter portion
82, which extends from the valve 70 rearwardly through the duct 62
into bore 64. Post 28 has an angular duct 84 in it, which
communicates at one end with duct 62, and at its opposite end with
that pocket 38 of revolver barrel 36 which at any one time is
indexed into registry with gun barrel 26.
Formed in the rear of the block 22 above and parallel to the bore
64 is a chamber 88. Reciprocable in this chamber is a piston 90
having attached thereto a reduced diameter piston rod 92, which
extends rearwardly and slides through the bore of an annular plug
94, which is secured in and closes the rear end of bore 88. A
spring 95 surrounds the rod 92 between piston 90 and plug 94 to
urge the piston forwardly in bore 88.
When the valve 70 is open, gas from the chamber 60 passes into the
duct 62 around the reduced diameter portion 82 of the valve stem,
and through angular duct 84 into the rear of the pocket 38 then in
registry with the rear end of the gun barrel 26. Part of the gas
admitted to the duct 62 also passes into the forward end of the
bore 64, and through inclined duct 86 in block 22 into chamber
88.
Rod 92 is formed at its rear with an enlarged transverse head 96. A
pin 98, which extends through head 96, is fixed at opposite ends
thereof in opposite sides, of slide 18, so that the latter is made
to reciprocate with piston 90.
A hammer 100 (FIG. 3) is mounted at its lower end on a pin 102 in
handle or hand grip 14 to pivot in a vertical slot 104 formed in
the rear end of slide 18. Pin 102, which is secured in frame 12,
extends transversely across recess 20 beneath the rear end of the
valve stem 76. Intermediate its end the hammer 100 carries a pin
106, which is connected by a spring 107 to a further pin 108, which
projects from one side of block 22 adjacent the rear end
thereof.
The lower end of hammer 100 is generally rounded, but has a notch
110 in it, which is engageable with the upper end of a sear 112
that is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 114 beneath and
parallel to the pin 102. A torsion spring 116 surrounds the pin
114, and is engaged at one end in a notch 117 in the sear 112, and
at its opposite end with a projection 118 on the frame 12, thereby
constantly to urge the sear 112 about pin 114 (counterclockwise in
FIG. 3) for engagement with notch 110, when the hammer is in its
cocked position as illustrated in FIG. 3. At its lower end sear 112
has a lateral projection or ledge 120, which is engaged with a
surface 121 of a sear release link 122, when the hammer is cocked.
Link 122 is pivotally connected at its lower end by a pin 123 to
one end of a further link 124. At its opposite end link 124 is
pivoted on a stationary pin 125, which is fixed to frame 12. A
torsion spring 126 surrounds the pin 125, and is engaged at one end
with a projection 127 on the frame 12, and at its opposite end with
the pin 123, constantly to urge the pin 123 and link 124 upwardly
(counterclockwise in FIG. 3) about the pin 125. The upper end of
link 122 is pivotally connected by a pin 129 to the rear end of a
link 130, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected by a pin
131 to the rear end of trigger 17. A leaf spring 134, which is
secured by a screw 135 to the frame 12 engages the rear end of the
trigger 17 to urge the latter, and hence the link 130, toward the
right in FIG. 3.
When the hammer is in its cocked position, as illustrated in FIG.
3, a projection 136 on the link 122 is positioned beneath and in
registry with a pin 138, which projects laterally from the lower
end of the hammer above the notch 110. Also at this time a notch
139, which is formed in the link 122, is positioned just out of
registry with the lateral projection 120 on the sear 112.
Intermediate its ends the slide 18 has therein an opening 142
(FIGS. 1 to 3), which normally is positioned forwardly of the
member 36. When the slide 18 moves rearwardly, its opening 142
exposes the forward end of an arcuate strap 144, which is slidably
mounted in a circumferential recess formed in the outer face of the
retainer 31 coaxially of the post 28. The forward end of the strap
144 is bent as at 145 (FIG. 2) to form thereon a handle portion,
part of which normally projects into and transversely across a
loading port 146 (FIG. 1), which is formed in the annular wall of
the retainer 31 to register with the projectile chamber 38, which
is adjacent, in a clockwise direction as illustrated in FIG. 2, the
chamber 38 that is in registry with the rear end of the barrel
26.
To load the weapon, the slide 18 is moved manually rearwardly until
the handle 145 is exposed through the opening 142. The strap 144 is
then rotated by handle 145 until a pellet may be inserted into the
registering chamber 38. The strap 144 slides into arcuate recess
148 (FIG. 2) in block 22. Then the slide 18 is returned forwardly
by spring 95 acting on piston 90. During return movement the slide
engages and swings handle 145 forwardly to the position illustrated
in FIG. 2, and the pawl 52 indexes the revolver barrel. The slide
18 is again moved manually rearwardly, and the loading process is
repeated until the remaining chambers 38 are loaded.
During its rearward movement, slide 18 causes member 96 to engage
and pivot the hammer 100 into its cocked position (FIG. 3) against
the resistance of the spring 107, if the hammer is not already in
cocked position; and sear 112 will engage in notch 110 to hold the
hammer cocked until subsequent operation of the trigger 132. The
rearward movement of slide 18 also draws the two pawls 52 and 53
rearwardly far enough to cause the forward end of the indexing pawl
52 to be drawn over and then down behind one of the teeth 44 on top
of member 36. During this movement, the pawl 54 remains engaged
with another of the teeth 44 on member 36 to prevent undesirable
counterclockwise rotation (FIG. 2) thereof during the retraction of
pawl 52.
As the slide 18 returns forwardly to its normal position, it
releases the tension in the spring 95. During this movement, the
tooth 44 engaged by the indexing pawl 52 is pushed clockwise in
FIG. 2 about the axis of post 28, a distance sufficient to cause
member 36 to be rotated one-sixth (1/6) of a revolution, thereby
swinging one chamber 38 out of loading position while advancing the
next chamber 38 into loading position. As a chamber 38 rotates into
loading position, the pawl 54 is pivoted downwardly in FIG. 2 far
enough to permit the tooth to pass pawl 54 during indexing of
member 36. At the completion of an indexing movement, the pawl 54
falls behind the tooth 44 associated with the chamber 38 then at
the loading port, thereby to prevent rearward movement of member 36
the next time the slide 18 is moved rearwardly.
In use, a cartridge C containing gas under pressure (for example
CO.sub.2 gas) is put into a chamber 150 (FIG. 3) in the handle or
grip 14 with the discharge end of the cartridge seated in a
conventional piercing device 152. This device is disposed in the
upper end of chamber 150, and is connected to duct 68 to supply the
propelling gas to chamber 60.
Assuming that the various parts are disposed in the positions
illustrated in the drawings, and that each of the projectile
chambers 38 is loaded with a pellet, the gun may be fired in the
usual manner by squeezing trigger 17. This causes link 130 to force
the upper end of link 122 rearwardly or toward the left in FIG. 3,
so that its surface 121 bears against projection 120 on sear 112
with sufficient force to cause the sear to be pivoted (clockwise in
FIG. 3) out of engagement with the notch 110 in the hammer 100
against the resistance of spring 116. The hammer 100 is now free to
be pivoted by spring 107 about pin 102 (clockwise in FIG. 3) to
cause the hammer to strike the rear end of valve stem 76 with
sufficient force momentarily to unseat valve 70, thereby permitting
gas under pressure to pass from chamber 60 into duct 62. It should
be noted that the impact of the hammer 100 on the valve stem 76 is
sufficient only to open the valve 70 momentarily; and then the
spring 80 recloses the valve.
Part of the gas that is admitted to the duct 62 passes upwardly
through the duct 84 in post 28 to the rear of the pellet disposed
in that chamber 38 then in registry with the gun barrel 26. This
propels this pellet from the gun barrel. The other portion of the
gas admitted to duct 62 passes through the duct 86 to urge the
piston 90 rearwardly in bore 88 against the resistance of spring
95. This movement shifts members 96 and 98 rearwardly; and slide
18, which is attached thereto, is moved on block 22 a distance
sufficient to cause pawl 52 to disengage the tooth 44, with which
it has previously been engaged, and positions this pawl for
engagement with the next tooth 44 on the next forward stroke of
slide 18. At the same time, the member 96 strikes and pivots the
hammer 100 back to cocked position.
As the hammer returns to cocked position, the gas between piston 90
and the forward end of the bore 88 exhausts backwardly through the
ducts 86, 62 and 84, and out of the barrel 26, thereby permitting
spring 95 to return piston 90 to the position illustrated in the
drawings. This returns slide 18 forwardly to its normal position;
and in this movement, pawl 52 indexes revolver 36 bringing a new
chamber 38 and its pellet into registry with the rear end of gun
barrel 26.
When the hammer disengages valve stem 76, valve 70 recloses under
pressure of spring 80.
Assuming that the trigger 17 has been released, the pistol,
therefore, is once again ready for firing.
During firing, and the pivotal movement of the hammer 100 toward
valve stem 76, pin 138 on the hammer engages projection 136 on link
122 and urges the latter clockwise in FIG. 3 against the resistance
of spring 126 until notch 139 registers with projection 120 on the
sear. Projection 120 then enters notch 139, and the sear 112 pivots
(counterclockwise in FIG. 3) under force of spring 116 to engage
the hammer 100, so upon subsequent movement of the hammer by head
96 back to cocked position, sear 112 again engages in notch 110 to
hold the hammer cocked.
As long as the trigger 17 is being squeezed, however, projection
120 will be engaged in the notch 139 of lever 122, and the sear 112
will be free to engage the notch 110. As a consequence, once the
weapon is fired, it is possible to recock the hammer, but the gun
cannot again be fired until the trigger is released, at which time
the leaf spring 134 will urge the trigger and link 130 forwardly,
thereby pivoting the upper end of link 122 forwardly or toward the
right in FIG. 3 so that its notch 139 is withdrawn from engagement
with the projection 120 on the sear. This permits the spring 126 to
urge the link 122 upwardly alongside of the projection 120 on the
sear so that the surface 121 once again engages the sear projection
120, and the weapon is again ready to be fired.
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, wherein like numerals are employed
to designate elements similar to those used in the embodiment shown
in FIGS. 1 to 4, 210 denotes a modified pistol comprising a frame
212 containing the block 22 and barrel 26 as in the first
embodiment. However, unlike the revolver 10, the upper portion 218
of revolver 210 is integral with frame 212, and does not
reciprocate thereon as in the case of slide 18 in the first
embodiment. Instead, a slotted plate, or indexing member 220 is
mounted to reciprocate longitudinally of the revolver in the space
between block 22 and the upper frame portion 218.
At its forward end plate 220 is connected by a spring 222 to the
forward end of barrel 26. At its rear end plate 220 has a pair of
ears 224 which are pivotally connected by a pin 226 to the upper
ends of a pair of links 228, the lower ends of which are pivoted on
the hammer pivot pin 102 at opposite sides of hammer 100. Adjacent
its forward end plate 220 has therein a longitudinally extending
slot 230, opposite sides of which have sliding engagement with
diametrally opposite sides of post 28 above the rotatable transfer
member or revolver barrel 36.
Secured to the underside of plate 220 rearwardly of slot 230 are
two, spaced, parallel pawls 252 and 253, the forward ends of which
project downwardly from the plate for engagement with different
teeth 44 on the upper end of member 36.
Integral with plate 220 adjacent its rear end, and projecting
downwardly therefrom over opposite sides of block 22 adjacent its
rear end, are two parallel skirts or flanges 232, each of which
carries a pin 234 that slides in an arcuate groove or notch 236
formed in the confronting face of block 22.
Secured to and extending transversely between the arms or links 228
is a bar or crosspiece 240, which registers with the rear end of
the piston rod 92.
Revolver 210 is otherwise similar to revolver 10; and when revolver
210 is fired, the blast which propels the projectile from barrel 26
also causes rod 92 to be urged momentarily rearwardly from the
position shown in FIG. 5, and in a manner similar to that described
above with respect to the first embodiment. As rod 92 moves
rearwardly it strikes bar 240 causing links 228 to be pivoted
rearwardly (e.g. counterclockwise in FIG. 5) about pin 102. This
swings bar 240 against the hammer 100 to move the latter to its
cocked position, and also swings pin 226 slightly rearwardly about
the axis of pin 102, thereby causing plate 220 to be drawn
rearwardly and slightly downwardly. During this rearward movement
of plate 220, the pawl 252 is disengaged from the pin or tooth 44
with which it has been engaged (FIG. 6) and moved rearwardly to
drop behind the next adjacent tooth considered in the
counterclockwise direction. During this movement the skirts 232 and
pins 234 carried thereby are guided by the slots 236 to prevent
plate 220 from becoming disengaged from post 28.
As piston rod 92 returns to its forward position shown in FIG. 5,
the spring 222 draws plate 220 forwardly so that pawl 252, which is
similar in function to pawl 52 of revolver 10, advances or indexes
barrel 36 far enough to advance a new projectile into registry with
barrel 26. Pawl 253 then acts, similarly to pawl 53, to prevent
further indexing of barrel 36 until plate 220 is again
retracted.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that the revolvers described
are easy to load, and fast to fire. Moreover, they are
semiautomatic in operation, the operating gas being used both to
propel projectiles from the guns, and to effect recocking of the
guns, each time they are fired.
While the invention has been described in connection with a
specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is
capable of further modification, and this application is intended
to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention
following, in general, the principles of the invention and
including such departures from the present disclosure as come
within known or customary practice in the art to which the
invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features
hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the
invention or the limits of the appended claims.
* * * * *