GB1599504A - Guns - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO GUNS (71) We, THE COLEMAN COMPANY, INC., of 250 North Saint Francis Avenue, Wichita, Kansas, 67201, United States of America, a corporation organised and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, United States of America do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a gun including a projectile loading mechanism. The invention finds particular utility with air or C02 gas powered guns and will be explained in conjunction therewith. As used herein, the term '-gas" includes both air and C02 as well as other gases which could be utilized to fire projectiles.Gas powered guns fire a projectile, usually a BB (ball bearing) or a pellet, with a burst of pressurized gas. Some guns may be designed to shoot only BB's or pellets, and other guns may be adapted to shoot both BB's and pellets.

A gun which shoots BB's often has a magazine or chamber for storing a number of BB's which are fired successively from the gun each time the firing mechanism of the gun is cocked and fired. A gun capable of operating in this manner may be ca led a repeater.

Although some pellet guns have repeater action, many pellet guns operate on single shot action, i.e., a pellet must be manually loaded into the gun each time the gun is fired. Single shot guns are therefore sometimes equipped with a loading device which facilitates loading a single projectile into the gun.

One particular prior art loading device is used with a target pistol. The loading device is a generally cylindrical plug which is slidably mounted in the barrel of the gun for movement in a direction generally transverse to the axis of the barrel. The plug is provided with a bore which is aligned with the barrel when the plug is in its firing position and which is positioned above the barrel when the plug is in its loading position.

Certain problems arise, however, from the use of this loading device. The loader is spring-biased to its loading position and requires a rather complex latching and alignment mechanism for maintaining the loading device in the firing position. Since the pellet is fired from the loading device rather than from the barrel, the bore of the loader must be accuratelv aligned with the bore of the barrel. A slight misalignment between the two bores can damage the gun and Cause jamming. Further, propellant gas can leak between the loading device and the barrel.

Another problem with this loading device is that it does not facilitate the removal of jammed projectiles. It is not unusual for a pellet to become jammed in the barrel of a pellet gun. Sometimes a user will cause two or more pellets to jam in the barrel, and some users attempt to fire odd-shaped projectiles from the gun which will lodge in the barrel. The usual procedure for clearing a jammed projectile is to force a ram rod down the barrel to force the projectile back toward its firing position. Since the loading device is not removable, the projectile must be positioned in the bore of the loader so that the loader can be moved upwardly to its loading position to expose the projectile.

However, if the projectile is forced too far back, the loader can become jammed in its firing position. If more than one projectile is jammed in the barrel, or if an odd-shaped projectile is jammed, it could be very difficult to force the jammed projectile into proper alignment with the loader bore so that the loader can be moved to its loading position.

The invention provides a gun having a frame, a barrel mounted on the frame, and means for discharging a projectile from the barrel, the gun including a projectile loader slidably mounted in a slot in the frame for sliding movement in a direction transverse to the axis of the barrel, the loader having a bore extending therethrough and being movable between a firing position in which the bore is axially aligned with the barrel and a loading position in which the bore is positioned outside of the frame, the loader being integrally molded from plastics and including a flexible and resilient arm portion which is engageable with a recess in the frame when the loader is in the loading position to restrain removal of the loader from the frame, the arm being flexible out of engagement with the recess to permit removal of the loader from the frame.

In one preferred embodiment a portion of the flexible and resilient arm of the loader is positioned outside of the frame when the loader is in its loading position whereby the arm can be pressed out of engagement with the recess to permit the loader to be removed from the frame.

In another preferred embodiment the gun includes a bolt mounted in the frame for reciprocation in a direction aligned with the axis of the barrel, the bolt having a forward end sized to fit into the barrel and being movable between a firing position in which the front end of the bolt extends through the bore of the loader into the barrel and a loading position in which the front end of the bolt is spaced rearwardly of the loader, the frame including a magazine rearwardly of the slot for the loader for storing ball bearing projectiles, the magazine having an outlet opening adjacent the bore of the loader when the loader is in the firing position, the front end of the bolt being spaced rearwardly from the loader when the bolt is in the loading position a sufficient distance to permit a ball bearing from the magazine to move into the bore of the loader whereby the barrel can be loaded with a ball bearing without moving the loader to its loading position.

The invention provides a loading device which is easily removable from the gun to facilitate removal of a jammed projectile in the gun. The loader is rectangularly shaped and is slidably mounted in a rectangular slot behind the barrel. When the loader is removed, a jammed projectile can be forced into the slot where it is free to fall out of the gun. The loader is provided with a bore for loading a pellet, and the bore is aligned with the barrel when the loader is lowered to its firing position. However, the pellet is fired from the barrel rather than from the loader since the gun bolt pushes the pellet from the loader into the barrel when the bolt is moved to its firing position. This eliminates the requirement of precisely aligning the bore of the loader and the bore of the barrel and permits ordinary manufacturing tolerances to be observed.Firing the pellet from the barrel also reduces the leakage of prolP ellant gas through the space between the barrel and the loader since the bolt closes the barrel behind the pellet. Although the loader facilitates the loading of a pellet into the gun, the loader does not interfere with ability of the gun to be operated as a BB repeater.

The invention will be explained by way of example only, in conjunction with an illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a gun equipped with a loading device in accordance with the invention, the gun being shown in the firing position; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the gun; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 1 with the gun shown in the loading position; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing the loader in the loading position; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the front end of the loader; Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the right side of the loader; Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the left side of the loader; Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the loader taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 4;; Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the gun in the fired position; Fig. 11 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 10 showing the trigger released from the firing position; Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line 12-12 of Fig. 1; Fig. 13 is an enlarged side elevational view of the safety link assembly; Fig. 14 is a top plan view of the safety link assembly taken along the line 14-14 of Fig.

13; and Fig. 15 is a front elevational view of the safety link assembly taken along the line 15-15 of Fig. 13.

The numeral 10 designates generally a gun in the form of a rifle comprising a frame or receiver 11 comprised of a pair of mating halves 11a and 11b (Fig. 2), a stock 12 secured to the receiver by screws 13, and a barrel 14. The particular gun illustrated is a gas-operated BB and pellet rifle, but it will be understood that the invention can be used with other types of guns.

The gun includes a conventional valve assembly 15 which transmits CO2 gas from a CO2 cartridge 16 to the barrel. The valve assembly includes a valve body 17, a hollow piercing pin 18 for puncturing the cartridge, a gas chamber 19 in the valve body, and a resilient sealing ring 20 which is urged against a valve seat 21 to seal the chamber by a spring 22. The sealing ring is movable to the right to open the chamber by a valve stem 23. When the valve is opened, pressurized CO2 gas flows from the chamber 19 to the barrel through a passage 25 in the valve body and a port 26 in the barrel.

A pellet 28 is shown in its firing position in the barrel. As will be explained in detail hereinafter, the pellet is positioned so that the rear of left end of the pellet is just forward of the rear of the port 26 so that pressurized gas which flows through the port when the gun is fired will propel the pellet forwardly out of the barrel.

The gun is fired by pulling the trigger 29 which releases the hammer 30 from its cocked position illustrated in Fig. 1. The trigger pivots about pin 31, and the hammer pivots about pin 32. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer, which is biased to pivot clockwise by a torsion spring 33, strikes a hammer link 34 to move a valve stem extension rod 35 to the right to open the CO2 valve 15. The trigger, hammer, and saftey link will be described in detail hereinafter.

The hammer is cocked by a lever 37 which is pivotally mounted in the receiver by a screw 38. A hook 39 on the lever is engageable with a laterally projecting lug 40 on the rear of the hammer to pivot the hammer counterclockwise to its cocked position illustrated in both Figs. 1 and 3. The hammer is held in the cocked position by mating sear surfaces 41 and 42 on the hammer and trigger, respectively.

The cocking lever 37 also operates a bolt 43 which is slidably mounted in the receiver in axial alignment with the bore of the barrel 14. The particular bolt illustrated includes a main portion 43a which is rectangular in both longitudinal and transverse crosssection and which is slidably mounted between upper and lower parallel walls 44 and 45 which extend laterally inwardly from the outer side wall 46 of each of the receiver halves. The upper end of the cocking lever engages a roller bearing 47 which is rotatably mounted on a pin 48 which extends across a recess 49 in the bolt.

Each of the receiver halves includes a bottom wall 51 and a top wall 52 (see also Figs.

2 and 4) and transversely extending walls 53, 54, 55, and 56 which extend laterally inwardly from the side wall 46. The valve stem extension rod extends slidably through openings in the walls 53-55, and the valve stem 23 extends slidably through the wall 56. A generally rectangular slot 57 is provided between the walls 55 and 56, and the upper wall of each of the receiver halves and a portion of the right side wall 46 is cut away as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5 so that the slot 57 is open along about 1/4 of the periphery of the receiver. The walls 55 and 56 which define the recess are reinforced by a lower wall 58.

A pellet loader 60 is slidably positioned in the recess 57 between the walls 55 and 56.

Referring to Figs. 4-9, the pellet loader has a generally rectangular outer periphery and includes a planar wall or central portion 61 and a perimetric flange 62 which extends forwardly from the central portion. The lower portion of the central portion is notched at 63 to accommodate the valve stem extension rod 35 and the valve stem 23, which extend into the slot 57 (see Figs. 1 and 4). The central portion is provided with a bore 64 which is reinforced by an annular flange 65. The left side of the loader is recessed laterally inwardly at 66, and a solid tab or finger portion 67 extends downwardly laterally outwardly of the recessed portion. The tab is flexible and resiliently connected to the remainder of the loader so that it can be flexed laterally inwardly into the recess 66. A knurled projection 68 extends laterally outwardly from the right side of the loader.The loader is advantageously formed integrally by moulding from plastics.

As shown in Figs. 3-5, the loader is sized to slide freely up and down between the walls 55 and 56 of the receiver when the bolt is pulled rearwardly by moving the cocking lever 37 to its cocking position shown in Fig. 3. Referring to Fig. 5, when the loader is in the down or loading position, the bottom of the tab 67, which extends laterally outwardly to provide a shoulder 67a, is received in a recess 69 in the left side wall of the receiver. The cooperation between the flexible and resilient tab and the recess 69 retains the loader in the loading position and aligns the bore 64 of the loader with the bore 70 of the barrel as shown in Fig. 1.

When the loader is raised from its Fig. 1 position to the loading position illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, the tab 67 of the loader is cammed inwardly by the smoothly curved walls of the somewhat shallow recess 69.

When the laterally projecting end portion of the tab reaches the recess 71 in the upper portion of the left side wall of the receiver, the resilient tab arm flexes outwardly. The laterally extending shoulder 67a is engageable with an upper shoulder 72 of the recess to prevent the loader from being raised beyond the loading position illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. In this position the bore 64 of the loader is positioned slightly above the top wall of the receiver so that the pellet 28 shown in Fig. 3 can be inserted into the bore. The knurled projection 68 on the right side of the loader, which extends laterally outwardly through the slot in the right side wall of the receiver, facilitates raising and lowering the loader.

After the pellet is inserted into the loader, the loader is pushed downwardly to the firing position of Figs. 1 and 4. The bottom of the tab 67 is rounded and is cammed inwardly by the lower shoulder of the recess 71 to permit the loader to move downwardly. After the loader is moved to its firing position, the cocking lever can be pivoted clockwise to move the bolt 43 for wardly. The bolt includes a cylindrical forward end portion 74 which is sized to fit the bore 70 of the barrel rather snugly, and as the bolt moves forwardly it passes through the bore of the loader and moves the pellet 28 into the barrel. A magnet 751 is carried by the forward end of the bolt to prevent the projectile from falling out of the bore.

When the cocking lever is in its Fig. 1 position, the bolt extends through the loader, and the loader cannot be raised. The loader will therefore be retained in its firing position until the gun is fired and the cocking lever is again cocked.

The gun is fired by pulling the trigger to release the hammer. The stored energy of the hammer spring is transmitted to the valve extension rod 35 to open the C02 valve and to release an appropriate amount of pressurized CO2 gas from the chamber 19 of the valve assembly. The gas flows through the passage 25 and the port 26 into the barrel to propel the pellet 28 out of the barrel.

The cylindrical end 74 of the bolt substantially seals the barrel behind the pellet and minimizes leakage of C02 gas rearwardly into the loader slot 57. Accordingly, substantially all of the CO2 charge which is released each time the gun is fired is used to propel the pellet, and more power and a greater number of firings from each CO2 cartridge is obtained. Since the pellet is fired from the barrel and not from the loader, the bores of the loader and the barred do not have to be precisely aligned. This permits greater stacking tolerances between the loader and the receiver and facilitates manufacture.

After the gun is fired, another pellet can be loaded and fired by first lowering the cocking lever to withdraw the bolt from the loader and to cock the hammer. The loader can then be raised to its loading position shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

If a projectile becomes jammed in the barrel, the loader can be completely removed from the receiver by first moving the loader to the loading position (Fig. 5).

The upper end of the. flexible and resilient tab 67 extends slightly above the top wall 52 of the receiver and can be pressen inwardly by a finger to move the shoulder 67a out of engagement with the upper shoulder 72 of the recess in the receiver. The loader can then be withdrawn upwardly from the receiver.

After the loader has been removed, a ram rod can be inserted into the muzzle end of the barrel and pushed downwardly to force the projectile into the slot 57 which has been vacated by the loader. Thereafter, the gun is merely turned upside down to allow the projectile to fall out of the slot. The loader can be reinserted merely by pushing the loader downwardly into the slot 57.

Althouth the loader is sildably mounted in the receiver to permit pellets to be loaded individually and is removable from the receiver to permit jammed projectiles to be cleared from the barrel, the loader does not interfere with operation of the gun as a BB repeater. The top wall 52 of the receiver and the horizontal wall 44 which is spaced just below the top wall form a magazine or chamber 74 for storing a plurality of BB's which are indicated in phantom at 75. A magazine cover 76 is slidably mounted in a slot between the two receiver halves for opening and closing a loading port for the BB magazine. The BB's are shown in phantom in the drawings since the magazine should be emptied of the BB's before the gun is used to fire pellets.

When the gun is used as a BB repeater, the BB magazine is filled with BB's, and the pellet loader 60 is retained in the firing position illustrated in Fig. 1. When the gun is cocked by pivoting the cocking lever 27 counterclockwise and the bolt 43 is moved rearwardly, the forwardmost BB in the BB chamber can fall by gravity through an opening 78 (Fig. 3) in the transverse wall 55, past the forward end of the bolt, and into the bore 64 of the loader. When the bolt is moved forwardly by the cocking lever, the BB is pushed into the barrel where it can be propelled from the barrel by pressurized Cm; which passes through the port 26 of the barrel. Each time the gun is cocked, a BB falls from the magazine into the pellet loader and is pushed into the barrel by the bolt.

The safety link for the firing mechanism will now be described. As stated previously, the valve stem 23 is operated b a valve stem extension rod 35 which is slidably supported in openings in the transverse walls 53-54 of the receiver. The rear end of the extension rod extends slightly rearwardly beyond a locating pad or block 80 on the rear wall 53, and the extension rod is biased against rearward movement by a spring 81 on the rod which engages the wall 54 and a stop washer 82.

The trigger is prevented from pivoting clockwise from its Fig. 1 position by a safety pin 83 which is rotatably mounted in the receiver, and the engagement of the hammer and trigger sears 41 and 42 maintains the hammer in its cocked position. The hammer can be released by pulling the trigger rearwardly, i.e., pivoting the trigger clockwise after release of the safety pin 83 until the trigger sear moves out of engagement with the hammer sear. The hammer torsion spring 33 will then pivot the hammer clockwise toward the valve stem extension rod. However, the hammer cannot pivot far enough to engage the extension rod. Rather, the hammer strikes a safety link assembly 84 which in turn moves the extension rod to the right to open the CO2 valve.

Referring to Figs. 13-15, the safety link assembly 84 includes an interlock or link mounting member 85 and a safety link or hammer link 34 which is pivotally mounted on the link mounting member. The link mounting member is pivotally mounted on the same pin 31 (Fig. 1) which mounts the trigger, and the mounting member includes an axially extending projection 86 which is engaged by a lever portion 87 (Fig. 1) on the trigger. A steel pad 88 is mounted on the projection by a rivet 89. An upwardly extending link support portion 90 is laterally offset from the remainder of the link mounting member (Fig. 15), and the link 34 is pivotally connected to the support portion by a rivet 91. The link is biased clockwise against a lug 92 on the link support portion 90 by a torsion spring 93, and the link includes a lower laterally extending hammer-engaging portion 94.

Referring again to Fig. 1, a trigger spring 95 extends between a screw 96 on the receiver and the lug 92 on the link assembly and urges the link assembly to pivot counterclockwise about the pivot pin 31. Since the pad 88 of the link assembly engages the trigger, the trigger is also biased in a counterclockwise direction.

When the trigger is pulled rearwardly against the force of the trigger spring, the link mounting member and the safety link pivot clockwise toward the end of the valve stem extension rod until the link mounting member engages the locating pad 80 on the left half of the receiver. The link mounting member will contact the locating pad simultaneously with or just prior to the time at which the sears of the trigger and hammer disengage.

When the link mounting member engages the locating pad 80, the laterally extending hammer-engaging portion 94 of the safety link will be positioned just rearwardly of the valve stem extension rod 35. When the sears disengage, the hammer will be snapped forwardly by the hammer spring, and a striking projection 97 on the hammer will strike the bottom portion 94 of the link, causing the link to pivot counterclockwise about its pivot 91 and push the extension rod to open the CO2 valve. The energy stored in the cocked hammer spring is sufficient to open the CO2 valve and release an appropriate amount of pressurized CO2 to discharge the BB or pellet, after which the valve spring 22 will close the valve.

The gun is shown in its fired position in Fig. 10. The bottom portion 94 of the safety link is aligned axially with the extension rod 35, and the striking edge 97 of the hammer has engaged the rear surface of the link portion 94. The bottom portion 94 of the link is rectangular in cross-section, and the long dimension of the link extends in alignment with the extension rod and the striking edge of the hammer. A narrow front flat surface 98 (Fig. 13) of the link portion 94 engages the flat extension rod, and a narrow rear flat surface 99 is engaged by the hammer.

Fig. 11 shows the gun after the fun has been fired and the trigger has been released.

The trigger return spring 95 pivots the link mounting member and the trigger counterclockwise about the common pivot 31. This pivoting movement of the link mounting member swings the pivot point 91 of the safety link rearwardly and downwardly.

Since the safety link is engaged by the striking edge of the hammer, the safety link pivots counterclockwise on the pin 91 relative to the link mounting member as the mounting member pivots, and the long dimension of the hammer-engaging portion 94 of the link moves out of alignment with the striking edge of the hammer and the extension rod. The hammer is moved forward slightly by the hammer spring as the safety link pivots until an upper projection 100 on the hammer engages~ the rear wall 101 of the BB magazine.

As can be seen in Fig. 11, the striking edge 97 of the hammer is spaced rearwardly of the extension rod and is prevented from hitting the extension rod by the engagement of the hammer with the magazine. The short dimension of the hammer-engaging portion 94 of the safety link is less than the space between the striking edge of the hammer and the extension rod, and the hammerengaging portion 94 is below the striking edge. Accordingly, even if the gun is dropped on the hammer or if the hammer is pulled rearwardly and released, the hammer cannot engage the extension rod and the gun will not fire. The gun will fire only when the safety link is positioned between the extension rod and the hammer, and this occurs only when the trigger is pulled.

The gun is shown in its fired or rest position in Fig. 11. The gun is cocked by pivoting the cocking lever 37 downwardly. The hook 39 engages the laterally extending projection 40 on the rear of the hammer as the hammer moves downwardly. The hook rotates the hammer counterclockwise against the bias of the hammer spring 33 until the hammer sear 41 passes over the trigger sear 42 and the hammer is latched in its cocked position shown in Fig. 1. As the hammer pivots away from the safety link, the safety link torsion spring 93 pivots the safety link clockwise about the rivet 91 until the safety link engages the lug 92 as shown in Fig. 13. The cocking lever is then returned to its Fig. 1 position, and the gun is ready to fire. However, unless the trigger is pulled, the safety link will not be in position between the extension rod and the hammer, and the gun will not fire.

Reference is made to provisional application 6748/80. Serial No. 1 599 505.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A gun having a frame, a barrel mounted on the frame, and means for discharging a projectile from the barrel, the gun including a projectile loader slidably mounted in a slot in the frame for sliding movement in a direction transverse to the axis of the barrel, the loader having a bore extending therethrough and being movable between a firing position in which the bore is axially aligned with the barrel and a loading position in which the bore is positioned outside of the frame, the loader being integrally molded from plastics and including a flexible and resilient arm portion which is engageable with a recess in the frame when the loader is in the loading position to restrain removal of the loader from the frame, the arm being flexible out of engagement with the recess to permit removal of the loader from the frame.

2. A gun according claim 1 in which a portion of the flexible and resilient arm of the loader is positioned outside of the frame when the loader is in its loading position whereby the arm can be pressed out of engagement with the recess to permit the loader to be removed from the frame.

3. A gun according to claim 1 or 2 including a bolt mounted in the frame for reciprocation in a direction aligned with the axis of the barrel, the bolt having a forward end sized to fit into the barrel and being movable between a firing position in which the front end of the bolt extends through the bore of the loader into the barrel and a loading position in which the front end of the bolt is spaced rearwardly of the loader, the frame including a magazine rearwardly of the slot for the loader for storing ball bearing projectiles, the magazine having an outlet opening adjacent the bore of the loader when the loader is in the firing position, the front end of the bolt being spaced rearwardly from the loader when the bolt is in the loading position a sufficient distance to permit a ball bearing from the magazine to move into the bore of the loader whereby the barrel can be loaded with a ball bearing without moving the loader to its loading position.

4. A gun constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A gun constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figure 10 or Figure 11 or Figures 1 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. between the extension rod and the hammer, and the gun will not fire. Reference is made to provisional application 6748/80. Serial No. 1 599 505. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A gun having a frame, a barrel mounted on the frame, and means for discharging a projectile from the barrel, the gun including a projectile loader slidably mounted in a slot in the frame for sliding movement in a direction transverse to the axis of the barrel, the loader having a bore extending therethrough and being movable between a firing position in which the bore is axially aligned with the barrel and a loading position in which the bore is positioned outside of the frame, the loader being integrally molded from plastics and including a flexible and resilient arm portion which is engageable with a recess in the frame when the loader is in the loading position to restrain removal of the loader from the frame, the arm being flexible out of engagement with the recess to permit removal of the loader from the frame.

2. A gun according claim 1 in which a portion of the flexible and resilient arm of the loader is positioned outside of the frame when the loader is in its loading position whereby the arm can be pressed out of engagement with the recess to permit the loader to be removed from the frame.

3. A gun according to claim 1 or 2 including a bolt mounted in the frame for reciprocation in a direction aligned with the axis of the barrel, the bolt having a forward end sized to fit into the barrel and being movable between a firing position in which the front end of the bolt extends through the bore of the loader into the barrel and a loading position in which the front end of the bolt is spaced rearwardly of the loader, the frame including a magazine rearwardly of the slot for the loader for storing ball bearing projectiles, the magazine having an outlet opening adjacent the bore of the loader when the loader is in the firing position, the front end of the bolt being spaced rearwardly from the loader when the bolt is in the loading position a sufficient distance to permit a ball bearing from the magazine to move into the bore of the loader whereby the barrel can be loaded with a ball bearing without moving the loader to its loading position.

4. A gun constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A gun constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figure 10 or Figure 11 or Figures 1 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.