GB882433A - Improvements in harpoon guns - Google Patents

Abstract

882,433. Harpoon guns. HAYWARD, G. O. May 14, 1959, No. 16640/59. Class 77. In a harpoon gun comprising a barrel 1, Fig. 3, and a casing 11 and fired by compressed air, the air is pumped via a non- return valve 4, the barrel and apertures 13 into a reservoir 12 located between the barrel and casing. Excessive reservoir pressure is prevented by a bleed valve 34 and when the trigger 22 is pulled a rod 24 pivots a sear 17 to release the harpoon 14. A sleeve 19 slidable along the harpoon to hold the sear against movement comprises a safety catch. In a a modified gun a hand pump and a non-return valve assembly replaces the valve 4 and its securing cap 3. In a further gun the harpoon is loaded by a hand operated lever actuated arrangement comprising a lever 40, Figs. 2, 5, side members 42 and a harpoon engaging plate 43. In Fig. 2 the gun is leaded and the loading mechanism is inoperative being clipped to the casing wall. A slot 44 is formed in the plate 43 such that when the lever is oscillated to force the harpoon down the barrel against an air loaded piston 10 the slot edges only grip the harpoon surface on clockwise movements of the lever the subsequent anticlockwise movements causing the edges to slide along the surface. During these sliding movements the harpoon is held by a spring-loaded sear 48, Figs. 11, 10, the lower edge 50 of which is shaped to engage the harpoon shaft. The edge is held in contact with the shaft by pivoted members 58 which through a member 61 and a rod 24 are connected to the trigger 22. The sear, although held, has limited pivotal movement so that the harpoon may move into the barrel during the clockwise movements of the lever 40. On trigger release the members 58, Fig. 10, swing downwardly and the sear, under the action of its springs 56, pivots upwardly, Fig. 10, to release the harpoon. The lever loading system is constructed to allow slot (44) disengaging lateral movement of the plate 43 from the harpoon after loading and re-set of the sear is effected manually through a button 54.