EP1563243B1 - Firearm and method for the production thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Firearms having a barcode on an external surface and methods of providing the same are disclosed. An illustrated firearm includes a substantially even exterior metal surface that has a barcode formed therein. The barcode includes fine grooves or bars such that the exterior metal surface appears raised in an area of the barcode.

Description

The invention relates to a firearm with a flat metal surface, according to the preamble of claim 1, and to a method for the production thereof, according to the preamble of claim 4.

In the second half of the 19th century, it was customary to engrave handguns in the metal or wooden parts not only serial numbers and manufacturers, ie model-related identifiers, but also individual identifiers such as names, dedications, military weapons but especially troop part and usage instructions bake. With old orderly weapons one finds sometimes a whole list of troop parts, after which the military career of the weapon can be read from the introduction to the Ausmustern.

The wrapping or burning takes up a lot of space, without that now many features would be recognizable. But it has the advantage of duration. In addition, the use of individual punch or burn-in letters does not require a flat surface. This also applies to the engraving, but this is extremely expensive. In addition, incisions with the engraving stylus can lead to undesired stress concentrations in loaded, thin parts. The engraving is therefore usually made only on expensive civilian weapons.

More recently, gun marks have sometimes been introduced with the so-called electronic pen, which allows it, even in a modern, filigree weapon, eg at a Self-loading pistol, short notes to install without the weapon disassembled into pieces, compacted by the stamping and damaged or excessively heat-damaged.

More recently, such notes, which include manufacturer and trade information, in the form of a so-called. Bar or bar code, which is hereinafter referred to as "barcode". Such a barcode consists of a line of lines of different widths and / or different distances parallel to one another, which is applied to a contrasting base, which in turn is adhered to the packages of the weapons or the weapons themselves. The reading is usually done by means of a reading device that is able to decrypt the barcode error-free. The reading of the information of the barcode without a reader is not possible for the layman.

The barcode must usually be glued on a reasonably level surface. "Even" in the sense of the invention is a surface, if it is just enough to allow rapid and trouble-free reading of a barcode attached thereto.

Of course, such a barcode can be easily removed again or become unreadable by soiling, oozing or the like.

The document "CRIMISCOPE - Traceability in Research - Application to Handguns and Ammunition Elements, Preliminary Study", Publication of the IPSC (Institut de Police Scientifique et de Criminologie) of the University of Lausanne, No.14, May 2001, which provides a starting point for the claim 1 mentions proposals for the attachment of markings, and in particular barcode, on surfaces of firearms.

Recently, a handgun has been proposed ( DE 100 62 239 A1 in which a bar code which is unknown to the user of the weapon is introduced into the cutouts for engaging the carriage. There are only millings that are obviously flawed because they have omissions.

However, this bar code is quite short and can only record a few final digits of the weapon number. In the US 6,432,559 Information carriers are molded or cast in weapons parts so that the information from the outside is not readable.

Regardless of this, the problem is known that the surfaces of military weapons should be as little as possible conspicuous, that is not reflective and with indistinct contours. As far as now has a military weapon has a smooth, flat surface, so this is possible matte form. But you must not work rough, otherwise material inaccuracies and errors creep in or may go unnoticed. One solves this problem rather bad than right in that one first produces the surface with the technical accuracy and then post-processed this surface, which is quite expensive. The reworking is usually done chemically, so as not to burden the material parts, which are often made as thin as just permissible for reasons of weight saving.

Based on this overall problem, the invention has the object to improve the aforementioned firearm to the effect that it has permanent, not readily readable identifiers, and that it is less easily recognizable.

This object is achieved in that a barcode is applied to this flat metal outer surface, which is incorporated into the metal so that the lines or the interstices of the bar code are formed by fine grooves or webs, so that these metal outer surface roughened in the barcode (claim 1).

The application of a barcode is nothing new, but its introduction into the metal surface. It was not to be expected from the outset that this type of barcode be readable, since he lacks the contrasting color.

It has been found, however, that the different reflection with plastically positive or better negatively formed strokes allows a reliable reading, although no color contrast is present. It does not matter how deep the lines or spaces are introduced. They can be rather flat. Nevertheless, unexpectedly, the perfect reading is possible.

At the same time, the barcode forms a roughened surface, which is seconded within the planar metal surface, thus preventing their reflection and also changing their contours.

While the mechanical roughening of a surface portion for the purpose of reducing the reflection and blurring of the contours is too expensive to be used in the mass production of ordnance weapons, and while also introducing a barcode into a flat metal surface is too expensive for the same reasons Here one and the same barcode surface used for two completely opposite purposes, which surprisingly provides a positive cost balance: for each of the purposes too expensive, an engraved or otherwise trained bar code area for both purposes together still sufficiently economical.

Preferably, the barcode occupies a surface occupying a conspicuous portion within the planar surface and / or dividing this planar surface (claim 2). Thus, the optical effect of the barcode surface is optimized so that it serves well to camouflage the inherently flat surface.

This barcode area is basically suitable for any firearm. However, since the size of a meaningful bar code area is limited, the size of the flat surface is also limited, which can still be effectively camouflaged by this bar code area. For this reason, the firearm is preferably formed as a self-loading pistol with plastic handle, and the bar code is applied or incorporated on at least one side of the exposed carriage (claim 3).

In a handgun with a handle that is made of plastic or coated with plastic, a barcode can not be permanently enough introduced into the handle, especially as its material property is insufficient for a fine division of the webs or grooves of the barcode.

On the other hand, a barcode attached to the open carriage is easily and easily read by means of a reading device.

Finally, the slide surface provides a striking surface that is subjected to the highest mechanical stresses. For this reason, welding or milling of the bar code means a high thermal or mechanical impairment of the strength of the carriage, which one will not readily accept. In this way, the durability of the once introduced barcode is ensured.

A barcode of the above type can basically be introduced in various ways, for example by engraving. However, it has been found that the barcode is advantageously burned into the planar metal surface by laser treatment (claim 4).

The initially very expensive laser device can be controlled fully electronically and automatically, so that the text of the barcode escapes the arbitrariness of operators and is error-free. Burning is very gentle on the material, since the heating of the metal of the flat surface extends only to a very small depth, so that the material defined and determined is damaged only over a short depth of material. This material depth is within the tolerance range of the material thickness. The formation of the webs or grooves is done with the highest precision, but still very quickly. The cost of a burn-in process is very low, so that the high cost of providing the laser device quickly amortize.

The object of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying exemplary drawing, in the sole figure of which a plan view of the left side of an orderly pistol is shown.

If you hold this pistol to a horizontal shot properly in the hand, then the firing direction to "front" (in the drawing to the left), and "top" and "bottom" result from the natural position of the weapon (in the drawing also above and below).

This gun has in the lower part of a handle made of reinforced plastic, in which an exposed to the outside metal plate (not seen here) is inserted, which carries the serial number and possibly bulletproof.

The surface of the handle is designed appropriately (fish skin, roughening, according to the customer's request of bulk buyers also national emblem etc.).

On top of the handle 1, a slide or shutter 3 made of specially treated steel is slidably mounted, as is well known. In its front part, this closure has 3 manufacturer identifications, proof signs and the like, in its rear part handles 5 are introduced, so that the shooter can take the shutter 3 for loading safely. At the top there is an ejection window 7.

The front and back of the closure are thus sufficiently roughened or formed to avoid reflections. The case is different for the middle part of the closure 3. There is the rear part of the ejection window 7, ie the point at which the highest loads occur during firing. Here, the shutter 3 on a smooth, flat surface 9, which can reflect a light beam. This surface 9 could be aftertreated, but this must be done with great care, since any sharp-edged incision in the steel can cause a breakage. There, namely, the occurring loads, as already noted, the highest.

An essential part of this surface 9 is now occupied by a bar code surface 11, which is shown here hatched for the sake of simplicity.

This bar code surface 11 has a bar code which is burned relatively fine and flat by means of a laser. This ensures that no undefined sharp edges can form in the barcode. Besides that is the barcode, due to its fineness, is able to receive a longer message.

The bar code surface 11 breaks and disfigures the surface 9, so that it, even if parts should still be recognizable, is no longer recognizable as a weapon surface.

Since the barcode forms both a message carrier and a roughening, its relatively high costs are still acceptable.

Claims (4)

1. A firearm having a bolt (3) comprising a smooth, even exterior metal surface (9) to which a barcode (11) is applied, which is worked into the metal so that the bars or the spaces of the barcode (11) are formed by such fine grooves or webs that inside the exterior metal surface (9) this barcode (11) forms a roughened surface that prevents the reflection of the exterior metal surface (9) and also changes its contours.
2. A firearm according to Claim 1,
   characterised in that the barcode (11) occupies an area which occupies a conspicuous portion inside the flat surface (9) and/or divides this flat surface (9).
3. A firearm according to one of Claims 1 or 2,
   characterised in that it is constructed as an automatic pistol with a plastic handle (1),
   and in that the barcode (11) is applied to at least one side of the slide or bolt (3).
4. A method of manufacturing a firearm according to one of Claims 1 to 3,
   characterised in that the barcode is burnt into the flat metal surface by a laser treatment.

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