EP1084377B1 - Firearm replica - Google Patents

Abstract

A firearm replica includes a removable magazine having a case that contains projectiles such as small light balls. The balls are usually made of plastic. A frame of the firearm includes a substantially elongated part having a barrel for ejecting the projectiles, a part bent downwards acting as a grip and a receptacle for receiving therein the magazine. The elongated part contains a mechanism for ejecting the projectiles and an actuating mechanism connected to a trigger, and a breach mounted longitudinally mobile on the frame elongated part for loading a projectile in the barrel and cocking the ejecting mechanism. The firearm further includes integrated controls for immediately finding the location of a projectile which may have been blocked in the breech and/or in the frame.

Description

The present invention relates to a replica real weapon, for example a automatic pistol or submachine gun.

A replica weapon aims to faithfully reproduce the characteristics of a real weapon, including its weight, volume and real shooting conditions, while replacing the cartridges and the mechanism percussion, by small light plastic balls and a mechanism ejection, for example with compressed air.

• un chargeur amovible dont le boítier contient des projectiles constitués de petites billes légères, notamment en plastique,
• une carcasse comprenant une partie sensiblement allongée portant le canon d'éjection des projectiles, une partie coudée vers le bas servant de poignée, et un réceptacle pour recevoir le chargeur, la partie allongée de la carcasse contenant un mécanisme d'éjection des projectiles et un mécanisme d'actionnement relié à une détente, et
• une culasse montée longitudinalement mobile sur la partie allongée de la carcasse pour charger un projectile dans le canon et armer le mécanisme d'éjection.

We already know a replica weapon including:

• a removable magazine, the housing of which contains projectiles made up of small light balls, in particular made of plastic,
• a carcass comprising a substantially elongated part carrying the projectile ejection barrel, a bent downward part serving as a handle, and a receptacle for receiving the magazine, the elongated part of the carcass containing a projectile ejection mechanism and a actuation mechanism linked to a trigger, and
• a bolt mounted longitudinally movable on the elongated part of the carcass to load a projectile into the barrel and arm the ejection mechanism.

However, in such a replica weapon, breakdowns occur fairly frequently, by blocking a ball between the cylinder head and the carcass, which requires dismantling the entire mechanism, to locate the place of blocking, and generates additional costs, and discomfort for the user.

The invention aims to facilitate the disassembly of a replica weapon, in the eventual blocking of a ball in the carcass and / or in the cylinder head.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a replica weapon of the aforementioned type, characterized in that it includes an integrated control means for locate, without prior disassembly, the possible blocking location of a projectile in the breech and / or the carcass.

Advantageously, the control means is constituted by a part at minus the cylinder head and the transparent plastic casing. Of preferably, the entire cylinder head and the carcass are made of transparent plastic. In this case, the control means also allows locate any faults in the ejection mechanism and / or the actuation mechanism.

According to another characteristic, an indicator means is provided for indicate the size and number of logs available in the magazine. Advantageously, this indicator means is constituted by a part at less of the transparent plastic charger case. Of preferably, the entire charger housing is made of plastic transparent.

According to yet another characteristic, the replica weapon of the invention includes balancing means to simulate the firing conditions of a real weapon. Advantageously, the balancing means comprise a counterweight in the elongated part of the carcass, substantially vertically a trigger guard surrounding the trigger. Balancing means can also have a counterweight fixed along the handle on its face back. The loader can also include a counterweight housed between the branches of a U-shaped housing forming a reservoir for projectiles.

In a first embodiment, the ejection mechanism is provided to eject the projectile with an energy of the order of 0.5 J to simulate the conditions for firing a live weapon, while in a second form embodiment, for a toy, the ejection energy is of the order of 0.08 J.

Advantageously, the handle is covered by two protective covers removable transparent plastic, said covers defining the along the rear face of the handle, a housing for receiving the counterweight supra.

• la figure 1 est une vue éclatée et en élévation d'une réplique d'arme selon l'invention;
• la figure 2 est une vue analogue à la figure 1, représentant la réplique d'arme en cours de chargement, avec la culasse en position reculée; et
• la figure 3 est une vue agrandie de la chaíne cinématique du mécanisme d'actionnement de la réplique d'arme de la figure 2.

The invention will be better understood and other objects, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the detailed explanatory description which will follow of a particular currently preferred embodiment of the invention, given only by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is an exploded view in elevation of a replica weapon according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the replica weapon being loaded, with the breech in the retracted position; and
• FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the kinematic chain of the mechanism for actuating the replica weapon of FIG. 2.

According to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the replica weapon of the invention is in the form of an automatic pistol 1, with a removable charger 2.

The weapon replica 1 comprises a fixed carcass 3 consisting of a body elongated 4 extending at the rear, by a bent downward part 5, which serves as a handle. A trigger guard 6 extends between the underside of the elongated body 4 and the front face of the handle 5, to serve as a housing for a trigger 7. The upper part of the elongated body 4 is surmounted by a cylinder head longitudinally movable 8.

The elongated body 4 of the carcass 3 comprises a guide rod 9 which extends forward. A return spring 10 is mounted coaxially on the guide rod 9 and is supported, by an end turn, on a stop fixed 4a of the carcass 3, and by its opposite end turn against a lug 11 which projects downwards from the cylinder head 8.

The elongated body 4 of the carcass 3 carries, above the guide rod 9, the barrel 12 for projectile ejection. The barrel 12 can be provided in metallic material.

In the extension of the barrel 12, and towards the rear, a ejection mechanism 13 for projectiles in the form of small balls light plastic 14. The ejection mechanism 13 has inside of the elongated body 4 of the carcass 3, a piston 15, in the center of which is provided a thrust pin 16 which projects towards the barrel 12. A helical ejection spring 17 bears, on the one hand, on the face of the piston 15 opposite the pin 16, and on the other hand, against a flange 18 which makes projection on top of the elongated body 4. A guide pin 19 extends longitudinally from this projecting rim 18 to serve for guiding ejection spring 17, during its arming stroke, and its stroke ejection. As in a real weapon, the breech 8 presents on its face upper, a rear sight 21 and a handlebar 22 at the front. For simulate a real weapon, a notch 23 is provided on the top of the cylinder head 8, substantially in its center, said notch 23 serving, in a real weapon, for the ejection of the cartridge casings after the shooting. Well heard, here the breech 8 does not undergo a backward movement when firing, because the ejection energy of the projectiles is too low.

In the elongated body 4, an actuation mechanism is also provided connected, on the one hand, to the trigger 7, and on the other hand, to the ejection mechanism 13. This actuation mechanism comprises a link 24 secured to the trigger 7, at its articulation axis 25 on the carcass 3. The opposite end of the rod 24 is articulated on a bar 26 which is likely to move substantially in the longitudinal direction, under the action of movement of the trigger 7.

As visible in Figure 3, the bar 26 is secured by a connection articulated 26b on a branch 27a of a trigger 27, to tilt the trigger 27 around its pivot point 27c (see Figure 3), when displacement of the bar 26. The trigger 27 has another branch 27b which is intended to cooperate with a notch 50 of a tab 51 secured to the piston 15, to retain the piston 15 in its retracted position, illustrated on the Figure 2. The branch 27a of the trigger 27 further comprises a hook intended to cooperate with a hammer 28 which is articulated at the rear of the carcass 3. The hammer 28 hangs on the branch 27a of the trigger 27, when the hammer 28 is tilted down, under the action of the rear edge of cylinder head 8 which is moved rearward in the direction of arrow F, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The hammer 28 does not present here only a sound function, since the replica weapon does not include striker.

The handle 5 of the replica weapon 1 is hollow and open at its base for define a receptacle for receiving the charger 2. The handle 5 has a push button 29 extending transversely and intended to cooperate with a notch 30 of the charger 2 to block it in the receptacle of the handle. One of the faces of the handle 5 has a slot 31 (see FIG. 3), substantially inverted L-shaped, in which a protruding stud engages 26a of the bar 26. The protruding stud 26a is intended to move substantially longitudinally in the base of the L, during movement actuating the trigger 7. A safety lever 32 is articulated on said face of the handle 5 and is provided with an angular return spring 33 at level of its axis of articulation 32a. The safety lever 32 includes a lug 32b which projects into the slot 31 and is intended to move in the substantially vertical amount of L. In the high position of the lever safety 32, the protruding lug 32b blocks the movement of the protruding stud 26a of the bar 26, which prevents the displacement of the trigger 7.

The handle 5 is covered on each of its faces with a cover of protection 34. One of the covers 34 covers the safety lever 32, except for its free end 35 which protrudes from the cover 34 for allow the lever to switch between an active locking position trigger 7 and a lower inactive position. A retaining tab 36 is provided on each side of the carcass 3 to retain the upper edge of each cover 34. Once assembled, the two covers 34 define along from the rear edge of the handle 5 a substantially vertical housing 5a in which is housed a metal counterweight 37. Each cover 34 is fixed on the handle 5, by two small screws 38.

The charger 2 comprises a body 39 extending substantially vertically with a slight inclination to correspond to that of the handle 5, and a substantially horizontal base 40, which is intended to close the open bottom of the receptacle of the handle 5. The body 39 of the charger 2 comprises a housing 41 substantially U-shaped extending substantially in the plane of symmetry of the replica weapon, a compression spring 42 being housed inside housing 41, so that it can occupy all the internal space of this accommodation. The housing 41 opens at its end upper front by an orifice 41a, to allow the introduction of the balls 14 in the magazine 2 and the output of the balls during the arming phase of the replica weapon. The balls 14 contained in the housing 41 repel the spring 42 and are biased by the spring 42 towards an upper edge 43 of the charger 2 which sits directly above the outlet orifice 41a, which prevents the untimely exit of the balls 14. The upper part of the charger 2 has a longitudinal slot into which a active portion of the cylinder head 8 during its retraction, said active portion then pushing the balls into the housing 41, to make the ball coincide highest with outlet opening 41a, causing loading a ball 14 towards the barrel 12. A guide ramp 44 is provided in the elongated body 4 of the carcass 3, to guide the ball 14 between the orifice of exit 41a of the magazine 2 and the entry of the barrel 12. The breech 8 comprises in in addition to a thrust ramp 20, visible in FIG. 2, which is intended, during from the return of the cylinder head 8 to its rest position, pushing the ball 14 towards the ramp 44, until the ball 14 reaches the entry of the barrel 12.

As visible in Figure 1, between the branches of the housing 41 in shape U, of the charger 2, is housed a metal counterweight 45. So similar, a metal flyweight 46 is housed in the elongated body 4 of the carcass 3, substantially vertical to the trigger guard 6. The weights 37, 45 and 46 are intended to balance the replica of weapon 1, so as to simulate the real conditions of shooting and the holding of a real weapon. In general, the mass of the replica weapon is less than that of a weapon real, but it tends to approach it.

An essential characteristic of the invention is that all of the carcass 3, cylinder head 8, magazine 2 and protective covers 34 is made of transparent plastic. So the user can control the correct operation of the actuation mechanism and the ejection mechanism of the aftershock, weapon, and in particular, immediately locate the place of possible blocking of a ball 14 in the cylinder head and / or the carcass. In addition, the user can immediately determine the size and number of the balls available in magazine 2. Providing replica of weapon 1 in transparent plastic also allows you to view the animation replica weapon mechanisms. Of course, we could plan in variant, that only part of the replica of weapon 1 is in material transparent plastic, to achieve the desired control effects possible breakdowns and identification of the number and size of the logs.

Finally, note that the ejection mechanism of the replica weapon can be of compressed air, gas, or electrically operated type, with or without spring.

For example, the balls can have a dimension of the order of 6 mm.

The operation of the replica weapon will now be described in reference to Figures 1 and 2.

In the rest position illustrated in Figure 1, with the charger 2 engaged in the receptacle of the handle 5, the safety lever 32 is in low tilted position to allow triggering of the trigger 7.

Then, a longitudinal force is exerted in the direction of arrow F on the Figure 2 to push back the cylinder head 8 relative to the carcass 3, which has the effect of discovering the front portion of the barrel 12, and the free end of the guide rod 9. Simultaneously, the piston 15 is pushed back against the ejection spring 17 and the hammer 28 is tilted down. The hammer 28 is held in the tilted position down by the trigger 27 which retains the piston 15 in the retracted position by through the tab 51. The rearward displacement of the cylinder head 8 also causes the exit of a ball 14 as shown in the figure 2.

The return of the cylinder head 8 to its rest position is ensured by the spring return 10 at the level of the guide rod 9. This return movement of cylinder head 8 drives the ball 14 along the ramp 44 to the entrance of the barrel 12, under the action of the thrust ramp 20. In this position, the pin 16 of piston 15 is spaced from ball 14, because piston 15 is retained by the trigger 27. When the user presses the trigger 7, the bar 26 is driven forward, via the link 24, which makes rock the trigger 27 and release the tab 51 of the piston 15 which is propelled forward under the action of the ejection spring 17. The tilting of the trigger 27 also releases the hammer 28 which strikes the rear of the carcass 3 with a snap. The piston 15 is projected forward, until its pin 16 comes into contact with the ball 14 which is ejected at the across barrel 12 outward. It should be noted that when firing a ball 14, a ball 14 does not automatically replace the ball which has been projected. For this purpose, it is necessary to retract the cylinder head 8 again.

Although the invention has been described in connection with an embodiment particular, it is obvious that it is in no way limited to it and that it includes all technical equivalents of the means described, as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention such as defined in the appended claims. The replica weapon of the invention can in particular be adapted for its use as a toy.

Claims (11)

1. Replica firearm (1) comprising:

   a detachable magazine (2) whose casing (39) contains projectiles consisting of small, light round pellets (14), in particular pellets made of plastic;

   a body (3) comprising an essentially elongated portion (4) that carries the barrel (12) though which the projectiles (14) are ejected, a portion angled downwards that serves as the grip (5) and a receptacle in which the magazine is accommodated, the elongated portion of the body containing a mechanism (13) to eject the projectiles and an actuating mechanism connected to a trigger (7), and

   a breechblock (8) mounted longitudinally, which moves over the elongated portion (4) of the body (3) to load a projectile (14) into the barrel (12) and to arm the ejection mechanism (13),

   characterised in that
   it comprises integrated inspection means to allow the place where a projectile (14) that has jammed in the breechblock (8) and/or the body (3) to be located without prior dismantling, the said inspection means consisting of part of at least the breechblock (8) and the body (3) that are made of a transparent plastic material.
2. Replica firearm according to Claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the whole of the breechblock (8) and the body (3) are made of a transparent plastic material.
3. Replica firearm according to either of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   it comprises means of indicating the size and number of projectiles (14) available in the magazine (2).
4. Replica firearm according to Claim 3,
   characterised in that
   the indicating means consist of part at least of the magazine casing (39) which is made of a transparent plastic material.
5. Replica firearm according to Claim 4,
   characterised in that
   the entire magazine casing (39) is made of a transparent plastic material.
6. Replica firearm according to any of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   it comprises balancing means (37, 45, 46) to simulate the firing conditions of a real firearm.
7. Replica firearm according to Claim 6,
   characterised in that
   the balancing means comprise a weight (46), preferably metallic, in the elongated portion (4) of the body (3), essentially at the top of a trigger-guard (6) surrounding the trigger (7).
8. Replica firearm according to Claims 6 or 7,
   characterised in that
   the balancing means comprise a weight (37), preferably metallic, fixed along the grip (5) on the rear face thereof.
9. Replica firearm according to any of Claims 6 to 8,
   characterised in that
   the magazine (2) comprises a weight (45), preferably metallic, fitted between the arms of a U-shaped holder that forms a reservoir for the projectiles (14).
10. Replica firearm according to any of the preceding claims,
    characterised in that
    the ejection mechanism (13) is designed to eject the projectiles (14) with an energy of the order of 0.5 J or of the order of 0.08 J.
11. Replica firearm according to Claim 8,
    characterised in that
    the grip (5) is covered by two detachable protective caps (34) made of a transparent plastic material, the said caps defining a holder (5a) along the rear face of the grip (5) to receive the aforesaid weight (37).

Images