Repeater Gun, Especially Rifle

Abstract

In order to use different caliber shells or cartridges in a gun, especially a rifle, the barrel is exchangeable against another barrel of different caliber by means of an intermediate coupling member in the form of a hollow cylinder, one end of which is provided with means for locking the barrel end to the coupling member and the other end of which is provided with means for removably securing the coupling member in the housing of the breech mechanism.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to repeater guns, especially rifles, that is, single barrel hunting guns in which the loading is accomplished by pulling back the breech lock member and then pushing the same forward again. For this purpose the breech bolt is rotated to an unlocked position prior to its forward and rearward movement as is well known in the art. Due to this movement of the breech lock a cartridge or shell is moved from the magazine into the cartridge or shell chamber of the barrel. Simultaneously, the breech lock is locked in the breech mechanism.

In conventional hunting guns of this type, especially in those comprising a cylinder breech lock, the barrel and the system or breech housing are connected to each other by means of a threading. Thus, the barrel and the breech mechanism are connected to each other in the factory in a permanent manner.

It is desirable to employ guns of the above described type for different purposes, especially where hunting guns are involved in order to be able to use shells or cartridges of different caliber. For this purpose it is necessary to exchange the barrel. However, the factory completed threading connection between the barrel and the breech mechanism does not permit such an exchange. Thus, it has been suggested heretofore to exchange barrels of different caliber by dividing the gun system into two sections and to mount the two sections on a common base which in turn is rigidly secured to the gun stock. One of these sections comprises the guide bushing for the cylinder breech lock and the magazine. The other section comprises the means for securing and locking the barrel. Accordingly, each individual barrel is provided with such a securing and locking section at its end adjacent to the cartridge chamber, whereby the barrel may be secured together with the guide bushing for the breech lock on the base in the stock of the gun.

The just described conventional arrangement, however, requires a point of fixation which should be spaced from the base as much as possible in order to bring the barrel and the guide bushing for the breech lock axially into alignment with each other. Such a point of fixation of the gun barrel, however, prevents the latter from the free movement which is desirable in order to achieve a constant shooting precision.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is the aim of the invention to achieve the following objects singly or in combination:

TO OVERCOME THE DRAWBACKS OF THE PRIOR ART, MORE SPECIFICALLY TO SIMPLIFY THE EXCHANGE OF ONE BARREL AGAINST ANOTHER IN GUNS OF THE ABOVE DESCRIBED TYPE;

TO PROVIDE MEANS FOR CONNECTING A BARREL TO THE BREECH MECHANISM IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE REQUIRED RIGIDITIES OF THE CONNECTION ARE ASSURED, AND THAT ON THE OTHER HAND THE BARREL IS FREE TO MOVE OR SWING AT ONE END THEREOF;

TO PROVIDE A COUPLING MEMBER BETWEEN THE BARREL AND THE BREECH MECHANISM WHICH IS EASY TO MANUFACTURE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY FACILITATES THE ASSEMBLY SO THAT THE BARREL EXCHANGE MAY EASILY AND PRECISELY BE ACCOMPLISHED; AND

TO REDUCE THE NEED OF MANUFACTURING THE PARTS INVOLVED FROM HIGH ALLOYED STEEL, SO THAT ONLY THE COUPLING MEMBER MUST BE MANUFACTURED FROM SUCH HIGH ALLOYED STEEL.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a repeater gun with exchangeable barrels and comprising a coupling member which is insertable into the breech mechanism housing from the front end thereof, said coupling member having the shape of a hollow cylinder which is provided at one end thereof with an inner threading for connecting the respectively threaded barrel end to the coupling member, the other end of which is provided with means such as a suitable inner profile or shoulder for securing the coupling member inside the breech mechanism housing, whereby such shoulder cooperates with a respective shoulder of the bolt head in the breech mechanism.

The above coupling member may be manufactured individually and assures subsequent to each barrel exchange a precise and axially aligned coupling between the barrel and the breech system without diminishing the capability of the barrel to freely move or swing. Another advantage is seen in that only the coupling member according to the invention must be manufactured from high alloyed steel since the coupling member alone takes up the forces occuring when the gun is discharged. The remaining housing elements may thus be manufactured from ordinary material which is accordingly easier to process and to finish. Suitable materials in this respect would, for example, be any materials which may be used for so called precision casting.

BRIEF FIGURE DESCRIPTION:

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it will now be described, with reference to the accompanying DRAWING in which the breech housing portion of a gun is shown partially in section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS:

The coupling member 1 is formed as a hollow cylinder which is shown inserted into the breech housing 2 from the front end thereof, that is, from the end facing the barrel 7. The housing 2 is provided with a longitudinal slot 4 extending the length of the housing 2 so that a stud 3 of the coupling member 1 may fit into the slot 4. At the rear end of the housing, and adjacent to the slot 4, the housing is provided with respective studs 18 provided with threadings through which a chucking screw 5 extends.

The cooperation of the stud 3 and the slot 4 assures not only the correct positioning of the coupling member 1 in the housing 2 it also facilitates the securing of the coupling member relative to the housing, for example, by means of a locking pin 17 inserted into a respective hole in the stud 3, whereby the locking pin 17 may extend with each of its ends into locking contact with a respective notch in the housing 2 adjacent to the slot 4.

The use of the locking pin 17 may be combined with the chucking screw 5 or the latter may be used alone whereby the coupling member 1 will also be properly fixed within the housing 2 by tightening the chucking screw 5. This arrangement has the advantage that the barrel may be exchanged by means of a simple screwdriver, whereby merely attention has to be paid that the coupling member 1 which is exchanged along with the barrel, is properly inserted into the housing 2. This proper insertion is automatically assured by the guiding of the stud 3 in the slot 4. This arrangement has the further advantage that it also permits an easy exchange of the bolt head 12. Such exchange may be necessary, for example, where the change to a larger caliber ammunition would call for a respectively stronger bolt head 12. The exchange is easily accomplished by merely sliding the housing 2 rearwardly after loosening the chucking screw 5. Here again the bolt head 12 would be the only element of the breech mechanism which requires manufacture from high alloy material, whereas the remaining parts of the cylinder breech lock mechanism may be manufactured from ordinary materials.

After the exchange of the bolt head 12 with the new coupling member surrounding the bolt head 12 the housing is placed back into the ordinary position shown in the FIGURE and the chuckingscrew is tightened, whereby all elements are clamped down into the proper position.

The stud 3 of the coupling member 1 is provided with a means for connecting the breech system to the stock of the gun, for example, by means of a threading 6, into which a respective holding screw (not shown) may be inserted.

The barrel facing end of the coupling member 1 is provided with an inner threading 9 which cooperates with a respective threading on the barrel 7 adjacent to its end comprising the cartridge chamber 8. When the barrel 7 is properly screwed into the inner threading 9 of the coupling member 1 a precise alignment of the bore 15 of the barrel 7 with the longitudinal axis 16 of the gun is assured. Further, the cooperating shoulders of the barrel end on the one hand and the respective shoulders on the coupling member 1 and the bolt head 12 on the other hand assure the correct locating of the elements relative to each other. Thus, the coupling member 1 is provided with an inner chamber 10 which receives the outer end of the bolt head 12. Since the inner sections of the coupling member 1 have diminishing diameters, the insertion and guiding of the bolt head 12 with its cylinder breech lock 11 is facilitated and the bolt head 12 is securely locked inside the coupling member 1 by means of the shoulder elements of the bolt head resting against respective shoulder elements of the coupling member.

In view of the above, it will be appreciated that the barrel 7 and the coupling member 1 and/or the bolt head 12 may easily be assembled and disassembled and thus exchanged as desired.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example embodiment, it is to be understood that it is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the appended claims. Especially, the invention is not limited to use in connection with a rifle, it may also be used in connection with other small arms, for example, where the center firing pin 14 is replaced by a rim firing member .

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a repeater gun with exchangeable barrels having threaded ends attachable to a breech mechanism including a forwardly open breech housing having a retaining shoulder at its rear end, the improvement comprising a hollow cylinder coupling member having a barrel end and a rear end inserted into said breech housing with said coupling member rear end resting against said retaining shoulder, means for locating and securing said cylinder coupling member in said breech housing, said cylinder coupling member further comprising a front portion adjacent to said barrel end, an intermediate portion, and a rear portion adjacent to said rear end, and a circumferential inner shoulder of given inner diameter separating said front portion from said intermediate portion of the coupling member, as well as further shoulder means separating said intermediate portion from said rear portion and having an inner diameter smaller than said given inner diameter, said coupling member further comprising an inner threading inside said front portion whereby a threaded barrel end screwed into said inner threading rests against said circumferential inner shoulder of the coupling member and simultaneously forms with said further shoulder means and with said intermediate portion a bolt head receiving space.

2. The repeater gun according to claim 1, wherein said breech mechanism comprises a bolt head having a locking shoulder, said further shoulder means of said coupling member engaging said locking shoulder of said bolt head in its firing position in said bolt head receiving space in said breech housing.

3. The repeater gun according to claim 1, wherein said means for locating and securing said cylinder coupling member in said breech housing comprise an outwardly extending stud on said coupling member, said breech housing having a slot therein for receiving said stud of the coupling member.

4. The repeater gun according to claim 3, wherein said stud comprises means for connecting the stud to the breech housing.

5. The repeater gun according to claim 4, wherein said connecting means comprise a pin receiving hole in the stud and a locking pin extending through said hole and into locking contact with said breech housing.

6. The repeater gun according to claim 1, wherein said breech housing comprises a cylindrical chamber for receiving said hollow cylinder coupling member, said breech housing further comprising a longitudinal slot, and chucking means as part of said breech housing for clamping said coupling member in said breech housing.

7. The repeater gun according to claim 6, wherein said chucking means comprise a screw extending through said breech housing adjacent to said longitudinal slot.

8. The repeater gun according to claim 1, wherein said barrel end is provided with a shoulder which rests against said barrel end of said coupling member.