GB2332941A - Rifle - Google Patents

Abstract

A rifle 10 has a stock (11), a receiver body 12 connected to the forward end of the stock 11 and defining a breech (48), and a pistol grip 15 mounted generally below the rearward end of the receiver body 12. The pistol grip 15 is slidably mounted for reciprocating movement backward and forwardly with respect to the receiver body 12 and is coupled to a loading and cocking mechanism arranged to open the breach 48 to permit the loading of a round of ammunition. Reciprocation of the pistol grip 15 thus operates the loading mechanism and cocks the rifle ready to fire a loaded round. The pistol grip is coupled to reciprocating block 51 below which is mounted a loading and breech closing pin (46, figure 7A, not shown). The loading pin pushes a round disposed radially in a rotary annular magazine 43 into the breech. The rifle may be a firearm or air rifle.

Description

RIFLE This invention relates to a rifle and in particular - but not exclusively - to an air rifle, adapted for the rapid sequential firing of a number of pellets loaded one at a time from a magazine.

A known form of repeater rifle has a magazine in which is contained ready for loading into the rifle breech a number of rounds of ammunition i.e. cartridges with bullets in the case of a firearm or pellets in the case of an air rifle. Then, following the firing of a first round loaded in the rifle breech, the shooter has to take some action to load into the breech the next round to be fired and also to re-set the firing mechanism so that the next round, once loaded, may be fired.

The re-setting of the firing mechanism is usually referred to as "cocking", which term will be used hereinafter. Such a repeater action may be contrasted with an automatic or a semi-automatic rifle where the shooter does not have to take any action to load the next round to be fired nor to cock the firing mechanism, these functions being performed automatically immediately after the discharge of a round.

Various loading and cocking mechanisms have been designed for repeater rifles, to load the next round to be fired from a magazine into the rifle breech and to cock the firing mechanism. For example, in a lever-action rifle, a lever (a part of which may form a trigger guard) is provided on the underside of the receiver and hinges downwardly to move a breech block rearwardly to permit access to the rifle breech for loading of the next round. In the case of a firearm rifle, initial operation of the lever discharges from the breech the spent cartridge case of the last round to be fired, though of course this function is not required for an air rifle. On continued operation of the lever, the mechanism extracts the next round to be fired from the magazine and loads that round into the breech.

At sorr.e stage during operation of the lever, the firing mechanism is cocked ready for firing the loaded round, and the return of the lever to its initial position re-sets the breech block ready for firing of the loaded round.

An altemative repeater mechanism widely employed both with firearm rifles and air rifles is to have a fore-end slidably mounted on the receiver for reciprocating movement towards and away from the rifle stock. The fore-end is appropriately linked to mechanisms for opening the breech, discharging a spent cartridge (solely in the case of a firearm), moving the next round to be fired from the magazine into the breech, closing the breech and also cocking the firing mechanism, these actions being performed during a cycle of back and forward movement of the fore end. A rifle including such an arrangement is usually referred to as a pump-action rifle.

Recent regulations introduced in the United Kingdom have prohibited the sale of pump-action firearm rifles and also pump-action air rifles, unless fitted with a smooth-bore barrel. It is believed that it was not the intention of the legislators in the United Kingdom to exclude repeater pump-action air rifles of limited power when the legislation was drafted, but such rifles may now be sold only to someone having a Section Fire Certificate, requiring written permission from the Home Secretary and not available to the public.

One of the aims of the present invention has been to provide a repeater air rifle which does not employ a pump-action as described above and so which does not fall within the prohibition of the current legislation in the United Kingdom. Consequent upon developing such an air rifle, a novel and advantageous repeater mechanism has been developed which may be employed with firearm rifles as well as with air rifles.

According to the present invention, there is provided a rifle including a stock, receiver body connected to the forward end of the stock and defining a breech, a pistol grip mounted generally below the rearward end of the receiver body, and a loading mechanism arranged to open the breech to permit the loading of a round of ammunition thereinto, the pistol grip being slidably mounted for reciprocating movement backwardly and forwardly with respect to the receiver and being operatively coupled to the loading mechanism whereby reciprocation of the pistol grip operates the loading mechanism.

It has been found that providing a pistol grip slidable with respect to the receiver body as described above allows rapid and easy re-loading of a repeater rifle. A right-handed shooter will normally hold the pistol grip with his right hand and the right arm tends to be the stronger in a right-handed person; it is this hand and am that is used for re-loading the rifle of this invention, whereas in the case of a conventional pump-action rifle, a right-handed person will use his left hand to grip the sliding fore-end to perform the reloading action. Moreover, the rifle of this invention will be braced between the shooter's shoulder and the left hand holding the fixed formed. The rifle may thus be held in a particularly rigid manner whilst the pistol grip is cycled through its movement for performing the re-loading action. As the pistol grip is located between the stock and the foreend, it is easier to hold the rifle relatively still with minimal lateral movements, during the reloading action. In the case of a similarly constructed rifle but having no pistol grip or a fixed pistol grip and a sliding fore-end to provide the pumpaction, the rifle will be braced between the pistol grip and the shooter's shoulder.

The greater leverage at the fore-end will cause the rifle to be deflected laterally from an aimed position to a much greater extent than in the case of the rifle of this invention.

Most preferably, the rifle of this invention further includes a magazine for holding a plurality of rounds of ammunition, and the loading mechanism is arranged on operation to remove a round from the magazine and to insert that round into the breech. Such a magazine may be mounted on a rear part of the upper surface of the receiver to discharge rounds to be loaded along the axis of the breech and directly thereinto under the action of the loading mechanism. For this purpose, there is conveniently provided a loading pin which is coupled to the pistol grip for movement therewith. Such a loading pin may thus move the next round to be loaded from the magazine directly into the breech on forward movement of the pistol grip.

A preferred form of magazine for use with a rifle of this invention is in the form of a cylinder mounted with its axis perpendicular to the axis of the barrel, the cylinder having a plurality of radial openings arranged around the periphery thereof and in each of which may be received a respective round. In this case, an indexing mechanism should be provided to tum the cylinder step-wise about its axis, to present to the loading mechanism the next round to be loaded into the breech on operation of the loading mechanism by reciprocating the pistol grip.

The rifle should include a trigger and a firing mechanism arranged to be released by the trigger. The pistol grip advantageously is operatively coupled to the firing mechanism whereby reciprocation of the pistol grip also charges the firing mechanism.

Though this invention is applicable to a firearm rifle, it also is most advantageous for use with an air rifle and in this case the rifle may include a reservoir for compressed gas, the rifle further having a valve mechanism arranged on firing the rifle to release a quantity of gas into the breech behind a loaded round so as to propel that round out of the rifle. Such a reservoir, valve mechanism and firing mechanism may be essentially conventional as already employed with known designs of air rifles.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of repeater air rifle constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the rifle but with various parts omitted for clarity; Figure 2 is a detailed view of part of the rifle of Figure 1 showing a loading locking mechanism; Figures 3 and 4 are end views on the loading locking mechanism of Figure 2, respectively in the locked and released settings; Figure 5 is a partially cut away side view of the loading mechanism of the rifle of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 5 but with the mechanism partway through a loading cycle; Figures 7A and 7B are respectively side and plan views of a loading pin used in the rifle of Figure 1; and Figures 8A and 8B are respectively side and plan views of a rotary magazine employed with the rifle.

Referring initially to Figure 1, there is shown an air rifle 10 having a stock 11, a receiver body 12 (hereinafter referred to simply as a receiver ) including a breech from which rounds are fired, a fore end 13 including a fixed fore-stock, and barrel 14 projecting forwardly from the receiver 12, above the fore-end 13.

The rifle further is provided with a pistol grip 15 including a trigger 16 and trigger guard 17, mounted below the receiver 12 adjacent the stock 11. On the upper side of the receiver there is mounted a telescopic sight 18.

As described above, the rifle is essentially conventional. In the case of a known form of pump-action repeater rifle, the fore-end 13 is slidably mounted on the receiver 12 and linked to the required mechanisms for re-loading the rifle and cocking the firing mechanisms ready to discharge the next round loaded into the breech of the rifle. However, in the rifle of the present invention the formed 13 is fixed to the forward end of the receiver 12 so that the stock 11, receiver 12 and fore-end 13 form a rigidly connected body.

The re-loading and cocking mechanisms of the rifle of Figure 1 are operatively connected to the pistol grip 15 which latter is slidably mounted on the receiver for reciprocating movement rearwardly and forwardly, as shown by arrow A marked on Figure 1. Reciprocation of the pistol grip through a cycle of movement from the forward position shown in solid lines in Figure 1 rearwardly to the position shown in long chain lines and back to the forward position cycles the mechanisms within the rifle to re-load the breech and cock the firing mechanism ready for the firing of the next round. These mechanisms will be described in more detail below.

A right-handed shooter will hold the fore-end 13 with his left hand and the pistol grip 15 with his right hand, bracing the rifle with his left arm to pull the stock into his shoulder. Loading of the rifle is performed by reciprocating the pistol grip 15 with his right arm. In view of the reduced leverage on account of the position of the pistol grip on the receiver, the rifle will be subjected to much reduced lateral forces on performing a re-loading action, as compared to a conventional pump-action rifle and consequently it has been demonstrated that it is possible for high-speed loading to be performed whilst maintaining a better aim on a target.

The arrangement of the mechanisms linked to the sliding pistol grip will now be described in more detail.

The lower portion of the receiver 12 defines a T-slot (not visible in the drawings), the pistol grip 15 having a slider 20 which locates in that T-slot and is guided thereby for forward and backward sliding movement along the length of the receiver. The face of wall 21 of the receiver is formed with a slot 22 through which a transfer plate 23 is connected to the slider 20 by means of a pair of screws 24. The slider also carries the trigger 16 and trigger guard 17. A crossbolt safety 25 is mounted on the slider 20, which safety 25 may be moved transversely of the slider so as to lock movement of the trigger or to release the trigger ready for firing.

The forward end 27 of the slider 20 is located adjacent the front face of the fore-end 13 and carries a peg 28 having an enlarged head 29. When in the forward position, the peg 28 passes through an aperture 30 in a locking plate 31, so that the head 29 engages the forward transverse surface of the locking plate 31. The plate is mounted for pivoting movement about the axis of the barrel 14 (see Figures 3 and 4), a spring (not shown) being provided to urge the locking plate 31 in the direction of arrow B to the position shown in Figure 3. The engagement of the head 29 with said locking plate transverse surface then prevents rearward movement of the slider 20 and so also of the pistol grip.

When the rifle is to be loaded, stub 32 on plate 31 is depressed in the direction of arrow C (Figure 4) for example by the thumb of the left hand of the user holding the fornend, against the action of the spring and so permitting the head 29 to pass through aperture 30 in the locking plate 31. A pin 33 projects forwardly from the receiver through an elongate hole 34 formed in the plate 31, the hole and pin together being configured so as to define limiting positions shown respectively in Figures 3 and 4, for the movement of the locking plate 31.

The receiver extends rearwardly between the side cheeks of the stock for some distance, and has an upper face 37 which carries a generally cylindrical boss 38 arranged with its axis perpendicular to the axis of the barrel. Rotatably mounted on that boss is a cylindrical magazine 39, the magazine having two rows of generally radial openings 40 each for receiving a respective pellet for firing from the rifle. In this described embodiment, there are 32 openings arranged in two parallel rows. The magazine may be mounted on the boss 38 either way up, so presenting one row or the other row of pellets, ready for loading into the breech of the receiver. The boss 38 holds two diametrically opposed spring-loaded balls 41 (Figures 8A and 8B) projecting from its outer surface and which partially engage in opposed openings 40 in the lower row thereof in the magazine, both to hold the magazine on the boss and to provide an indexing mechanism for the magazine.

The magazine itself (Figures 8A and 8B) has a metallic core 42 together with two rings 43 of a resilient elastomeric material around the outer surface of the core, the rings and core together defining the two rows of openings 40. One pellet may be located in each opening respectively with the skirt of the pellet directed inwardly, each pellet being held by the resilient interengagement of the pellet head with the elastomeric material. In this way, each pellet is held against accidental release from the magazine but may be driven from the magazine by means of a pin acting from the. inside of the magazine and engaging the pellet through its skirt. Between the rings 43, access may be gained to teeth formed on the core 42, between the respective rows of openings.

As shown in Figure 8B, the boss 38 has a slot 45 extending thereacross in alignment with the axis of the rifle, a loading pin 46 (Figures 7A and 7B) being slidably located within that slot. The pin has a forward section 47 of reduced diameter, to fit within the skirt of a range of air rifle pellets with which the air rifle is intended to be used, so as to permit the pin to engage a pellet aligned with the breech 48 of the rifle and then thrust that pellet forward into the breech. The main part of the loading pin 46, behind the forward section 47, has a diameter which is a close sliding fit within the breech 48. Located in an annular groove in the pin 46 is an O-ring 49, adapted to seal the breech behind a loaded pellet.

The loading pin 46 is carried on an- arm 50 projecting from block 51 provided with a screw-threaded lock mechanism. The block 51 is releasably attached to a bar 53 slidably mounted in a channel formed within the upper part 54 of the receiver. The block 51 is located on the end face of the bar 53 by a stub 55 received in a bore in the end face of the bar 53, and secured by means of the screw-threaded lock mechanism which includes a transverse pin 56 projecting from both side faces of the block 51 and engageable by a coupling 57 pivoted to the bar, the coupling having recesses 58 to receive the projecting ends of the pin 56. A T-bolt 59 is threaded into a transverse bore in the pin 56 so that rotation of the bolt 59 will draw the pin rearwardly into the recesses 58 of the coupling 57, thereby securely to lock the block 51 to the bar 53. Conversely, releasing bolt 59 by a couple of turns frees the transverse pin 56 from the recesses so allowing the coupling 57 to be pivoted upwardly (shown in broken lines in Figure 5) and thereafter permitting removal of the block 51 and the loading pin 46, away from the magazine 39. Then, the magazine may be lifted off the boss 38 and either turned over or replaced by a fully charged magazine.

As an alternative to removing the magazine 39 from the rifle when all pellets from a row of openings 40 have been fired, and either turning the magazine over or replacing it by another, full-charged magazine, it is possible to re-charge the magazine while it remains mounted on boss 38. The pellets may simply be inserted one at a time into each opening 40, manually indexing the magazine round as required to gain access to each opening.

A driving pin 60 upstands from plate 23 and is positioned between a pair of spaced abutments 61 projecting laterally from bar 53, through a slot 62 in the receiver side wall. The spacing of the abutments gives a certain amount of lost motion as between the bar 53 and the plate 23.

Rotation of the magazine 39 is performed by a pawl 63 pivoted to the plate 23 about a vertical axis and urged by spring 64 in a clockwise direction when viewed from above (Figure 8B). The pawl extends slidably through a slot 65 formed through part 66 of the receiver, which slot provides location for the end portion 67 of the pawl. The free end of the pawl is received within the annular channel between the two rings 43 of resilient material of the magazine 39 such that the free end may engage the teeth of the magazine core 42, between the openings 40.

The mechanisms described above operate as follows. Starting as shown in Figure 5, the locking plate 31 is moved in the direction of arrow C to free the slider 20, and then the pistol grip is pulled backwardly and pushed forward to complete the reloading cycle. The movement of the pistol grip is guided by the slider 20, and is transferred to the driving plate 23. Initial rearward movement of the plate 23 engages driving pin 60 with rearward abutment 61 on bar 53, and then withdraws the loading pin 46 from the breech 48. During this, the free end of the pawl 63 is moved into the annular slot between the two rings 43 of the magazine, to engage the teeth between those rings. Continued rearward movement of the plate 23 rotates the magazine to its next indexed position, presenting the next pellet to be loaded in alignment with the breech. Forward movement of the plate 23 carries the pawl forward with its free end 66 riding over the next tooth of the magazine core, and after driving pin 60 has engaged the forward abutment 61, bar 53 is also moved forwardly. This pushes the next pellet out of the magazine into the breech, and the action is completed with the plate 23 and pistol grip fully forward, the breech being sealed closed with a pellet loaded. At the completion of this loading cycle, the head 29 of the peg 28 is once more caught by the locking plate 31.

It is possible that if pellets having a relatively long skirt are loaded into the magazine, those pellets could be moved very slightly out of their through-bores as the pellets pass over the balls 41 provided on the boss 38. Also, if the pellets are loaded imperfectly in the magazine or if the magazine is subjected to severe shocks, either before mounting the magazine on the rifle or subsequently, it is possible that the pellets could project slightly from their respective bores in the magazine. In this case, it would be possible for the projecting head of a pellet to jam against the end face of the breech 48, as the magazine is turned by pawl 63.

To guard against this possibility and ensure that all of the pellets are properly located in their bores immediately before being presented to the breech for loading, a post 70 upstands from the upper surface of the receiver adjacent the breech 48 so that the heads of the pellets are guided fully back into their respective bores just before moving to the loading position. Such a post could be rotatable, or may be made of a low friction plastics material such as of polytetrafluoroethylene.

The rifle described above includes a knock-open valve mechanism to release a pre-determined quantity of air contained within a reservoir 68 (Figure 5) of highly compressed air located within the stock 11. The valve mechanism is operated by a spring loaded hammer, freed by the trigger 16 to release air into the breech between a loaded pellet and the O-ring 49 on the loading pin 46.

The reloading action of sliding the pistol grip back and forward compresses the spring of the hammer and also locks the hammer ready for release on pulling the trigger. Such an air reservoir, knock-open valve mechanism, the required transfer passages, the spring-loaded hammer and trigger release are essentially conventional and will be understood by those skilled in the art. Since these form no part of the present invention, they are neither shown in the drawings nor will they be described in further detail here.

Claims (14)

1. CLAIMS 1. A rifle including a stock, receiver body connected to the forward end of the stock and defining a breech, a pistol grip mounted generally below the rearward end of the receiver body, and a loading mechanism arranged to open the breech to permit the loading of a round of ammunition thereinto, the pistol grip being slidably mounted for reciprocating movement backwardly and forwardly with respect to the receiver and being operatively coupled to the loading mechanism whereby reciprocation of the pistol grip operates the loading mechanism.
2. 2. A rifle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rifle further includes a magazine for holding a plurality of rounds of ammunition, and the loading mechanism is arranged on operation to remove a round from the magazine and to insert that round into the breech.
3. 3. A rifle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the magazine is mounted on the upper surface of the receiver, to discharge rounds along the axis of the breech directly thereinto under the action of the loading mechanism.
4. 4. A rifle as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3,-wherein there is provided a loading pin which is coupled to the pistol grip for movement therewith and which loading pin moves the next round to be loaded from the magazine into the breech on forward movement of the pistol grip.
5. 5. A rifle as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the magazine is in the form of a cylinder mounted with its axis perpendicular to the axis of the barrel, the cylinder having a plurality of radial openings arranged around the periphery thereof and in each of which may be received a respective round.
6. 6. A rifle as claimed in claim 5, wherein there is provided an indexing mechanism to turn the cylinder to present to the loading mechanism the next round to be loaded into the breech on operation of said mechanism.
7. 7. A rifle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cylinder is provided with a ring of teeth and a pawl is mounted on the receiver for backward and forward reciprocation with the pistol grip which pawl co-operates with the teeth to perform indexing motion of the magazine.
8. 8. A rifle as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the loading pin is releasably mounted on the receiver for sliding movement with respect thereto, the loading pin being removable from the receiver to permit changing of the magazine.
9. 9. A rifle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the rifle includes a trigger and a firing mechanism arranged to be released by the trigger, the pistol grip being operatively coupled to the firing mechanism whereby reciprocation of the pistol grip also charges the firing mechanism.
10. 10. A rifle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the trigger is mounted on the pistol grip and is reciprocated together with the pistol grip.
11. 11. A rifle as claimed in any of the preceding claims and including a reservoir for compressed gas, the rifle further having a valve mechanism arranged on firing the rifle to release a quantity of gas into the breech behind a loaded round so as to propel that round out of the rifle.
12. 12. A rifle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein there is a releasable locking means arranged to act between the receiver body and the loading mechanism, whereby reciprocation of the pistol grip is prevented until the locking means is released.
13. 13. A rifle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the locking means is located at the fore end of the receiver, for operation by the hand of a shooter holding the receiver fore end.
14. 14. A rifle as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.