US1398085A - Firearm - Google Patents

Description

B. H. BALL.

FIREARM.

APPLrcATloN FILED Dc.24. 191s.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

B. H. BALL.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED DEc.24. 1918.

1,398,085, Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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llllllll B. H. BALL.

FIRERM.

ArPucATloN man DEc.24. |918.

Patented Nov. 22, 192.1.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. H. BALL.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION man DEc.24. 1918.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

40 vweM/{Soz 40 y m Unirse stares PATENT FFCE.

BENJAMIN H. BALL, 0F THE UNITED STATES ARMY, ASSIGNOR T0 NEWTON D. BAKER, SECRETARY OF WAR, TRUSTEE.

FIREARM. Y

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Application filed December 24, 1918. Serial No. 268,172.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. BALL,

Lieut., Ordnance Department, United States Army, a citizen of the United States, stationed at Vashington, District of Columbia, have invented an Improvement in Firearms, of which the following is a specication.

The invention described herein may be used by the Government, or any of its oliicers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, or by any other person in the United States, without payment of any royalty thereon.

lVhile this invention relates generally to rearms, it has specific reference to a revolver adapted to be carried by a gun, and to be used at close quarters, as in trench warfare and in bayonet charges, as a substitute for the so-called flaming bayonetvv pistol, which utilizes oil as an illuminating means, and which gives an intense or brilliant light to dazzle the eyes of the enemy when troops are fighting at close quarters, thus conducing to the discomfiture and confusion of the enemy. The flaming bayonet pistol utilizing oil has been shown in practice to have certain defects and disadvantages which my invention is designed to overcome.

The principal object of the present invention is substantially to simplify the construction of revolvers of the type noted.

A further Objectis to provide a construction in which the use of springs is, to a large extent, dispensed with.

A further object is to provide novel means for preventing accident-al removal of the cartridge-cylinder from its casing.

A further object is to combine with said means a muzzle, or barrel.

With these objects in View, and others appearing as the specification proceeds and the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed, the invention resides, broadly, in the combination, with a hammer, of a combined Sear, hammer cooking member and hammer driving spring support.

The invention resides, further, in a hinged or otherwise conveniently operated cover for the end of the cartridge-cylinder casing, which holds theV cylinder in position and allows of ready removal and replacement thereof.

' The vinvention further resides in a cover` for the purpose indicated, carrying a muzzle, or barrel.

The invention finally resides in various novel and felicitous combinations and arrangements of parts, and in certain refinements of structure, going to make up the ultimate perfection of the revolver as an entlrety.

The accompanying drawings clearly disclose .an exemplary embodiment of the underlymg principles of my invention. Like reference characters identify corresponding parts throughout the several views, which latter may be briefly described as follows:

Figure l is a top plan view of my revolver.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal, sectional view on the line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Figs 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views on the line 3 3, and P-4l, respectively, F ig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of the revolver;

Fig. 6 is a collective detail of the cartridge-cylinder pawl, as viewed from three positions; Y i

Fig. 7 is a collective detail view of the trigger, as viewed from two positions;

Fig. 8 is a collective detail view of the stirrup yoke, as viewed from several positions;

Fig. 9 is a collective detail of the combined scar, hammer-cooking member and hammer-driving spring support, as viewed from several positions;

Fig. l0 is a'v collective detail of the stop pin for the cartridge-cylinder, and

Fig. l1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a slightly modified form of cartridgecylinder and of a cover carrying a barrel instead of a muzzle.

Referring, now, in detail to the drawings.:

The housing or casing containing certain of the working parts of the mechanism comprises, in this instance, a side plate or wall 1; an opposite side plate orwall 2, carrying longitudinally extending marginal flanges 3, 4. constituting the top and bottom, respectively, of the housing; and a front end plate or wall 5, preferably integral with the side plate 2. At the end opposite the wall 5, the top and bottom plates 3 and 4 are preferably convergently curved, as shown in Fig. 2. Suitable fastening means (not shown) may pass through openings 6 in the casing to hold the sections thereof in assembled relation.

Transversely of said casing near the bottom thereof, and rotatably supported in suitable bearings, is a shaft 7 projecting through the side wall 2 of said casing.

Appropriately secured to the externally projecting end of said shaft is a trigger 8, comprising, in this instance, an arm, as shown, provided on its under surface with a longitudinally extending groove 9, and with a longitudinally extending slot 10.

Pivotally supported, intermediate its ends, in slot 10, toward one end thereof, is a trigger safety member 11, a portion of which works through the slot, and the free end of which is adapted to contact with a stop 12 on the exterior surface of the said wall 2 of the casing, ythus preventing movement of the trigger in the operative direction thereof. A curvilinear leaf spring 13 is disposed, as shown, between said trigger 8 and the safety member 11, and one end of said spring enters the groove 9, said spring functioning, as is evident, while the trigger is in normal position, to hold the safety member 11 in juxtaposed relationship with thev stop 12, thus preventing accidental movement of the trigger in the operative direction thereof. No

. particular stress is laid upon this exact form notches are situated lugs or ears 16, 16, carried by the inclined edge of the sides 17,17, of a member 18, whichV functions as a sear, as a support for the hammer driving spring 25, and as a hammer cocking member, and the term combined sear, hammer driving spring support, and hammer cocking member, as used in the appended claims, identifies this member 18, and comprehends any equivalent member capable of performing this triple function, or any two of said functions.

The member 18 carries the hammer driving spring 25, which preferably encircles a rod 26 projecting slidably through the end wall 2O of the member 18 and provided with a head 27. yOne end of the hammer driving spring 25 bears against the inner surface of Vthe wall 2O and the other end against the rear face of the head 27, as shown. Said head Vis provided with a curvilinear front cam face, 28, which normally lies against the complemental curved cam surface of the said edge of the hammer, as shown in Fig. 2. The toes 29, 30 of the head 27 are adapted to engage, respectively, in the pocket 31 and against a shoulder 32, formed on the rear edge of the hammer. As shown, the member 18 is advantageously supported in a downward-inclined position.

Screwed on the end wall 5 of the casing is a cylinder casing 33, which. is a tubular member provided with a cover 34 hinged at 35, said cover being provided, opposite the hinged portion thereof, with a tongue 36, of spring material, constituting a latch, which, when the cover is moved to closing position, springs over a latch-pin 36 to maintain the cover in closed position. While I have described arhinged cover, it is to be understood that I may use other forms of covers detachably secured to the casing 33 in other ways.4 Y

The cover 34 carries a muzzle 47, which preferably has a flaringv mouth. The muzzle 47 is preferably, secured to the cover by having the rear circumferential edge thereof spun over the cover.

The cartridge-cylinder 37 may be of con- Y ventional construction and provided with notches 38 with which, successively, engages the head 39 of a stop-pin 40, of spring material, pinned toward one end, as at 41, to the wall 5. A pawl 42 secured to the hammer 23, as at 43, engages, successively, teeth on the cartridge-cylinder, as usual, to rotate the same, to bring thechambers thereof successively into alinement with the firing pin and muzzle.

Instead of carryingV a muzzle, the cover 34a may, as shown in F ig. 11, carry a barrel 47a, which may be rifled as at 50, and the cover may be screwed ionto the cylindercasing, as shown. If desired, the barre-l 47a may be dispensed with, and the chambers 37 of the` cartridge-cylinder 37"L may be rifled.

The revolver carries supporting arms 44, 44, having curvilinear tops 45, 45, in which the barrel of thegun mayrepose when the revolver is assembled with a gun. A bayonetrests against the bottoms 46, 46, of said arms. By this means, the revolver isV supported in position on the gun. means described for supporting the revolver on the gun is preferred, because of its extreme simplicity, and the ease with which the revolver may be placed .on the g1'1n ,yet

While the other supporting means will readily suggest themselves, and may be substituted, if desired.

In the operation of the revolver, the trigger 8 is grasped by the operator and the safety member 11 moved to rock the operative end thereof away from the safety stop 12. 'Ihe trigger is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, near the trigger. This movement of -the trigger rocks the rock-shaft 7, thereby swinging the cranks 14, 14, forward and, by their engagement with the lugs 16, 16, of the member 18, move the latter forward. By reason of the fact that the forward edge of the bottom 21 of the member 18 engages the bottom shoulder 22 of the hammer, the latter is swung rearward on its pivot 24, thus cooking the hammer. As the hammer swings rearward to cocking position, it pushes the rod 26 rearward, because the toe 29 of the head 27 engages the pocket 31 of the hammer. The hammer driving spring 19 is thus compressed, to drive the hammer forward into firing position when the forward edge of the bottom 21 of the member 1S finally is forced out of engagement with the shoulder 22, by shoulder or toe 32 striking the bottom 21.

Having thus fully described the construction, the many advantages of the invention will be apparent. lVhile the invention is susceptible of many changes in structural parts, all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims constitute no departure from the spirit of the invention.

I/Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a firearm, the combination, with the hammer, of a combined sear, hammer driving spring support and hammer-cooking member engaging said hammer, toward the bottom of the rear edge thereof; and a trigger mechanism for moving said combination member to cock and release the hammer and to compress the hammer driving spring.

2. In a firearm, the combination, with the hammer, of a combined Sear, hammer-drivingspring support and hammer-Cooking member engaging said hammer; a member slidable through said combination member and engaging said hammer; and a hammer driving spring encircling said second member.

8. In a firearm, the combination, with the hammer, of a combined sear, hammer-driving-spring support and hammer-cooking member engaging said hammer; a rod slidable through said combination member and provided with a head having a curvilinear face engaging said hammer; and a hammer driving spring encircling said rod.

4. In a firearm, the combination, with the hammer, of a combined sear, hammer-driving-spring support and hammer-cooking member engaging said hammer; a trigger mechanism for controlling the forward movement of said combination member, and comprising a rock-shaft, a trigger carried by said rock-shaft and connections between said rock-shaft and said combination member.

5. In a firearm, the combination, with a hammer, of a combined sear, hammer-driving-spring support and hammer-cooking member engaging saidhammer; a trigger mechanism for controlling the forward movement of said combination member, and comprising a rock-shaft, a trigger carried by said rock-shaft, and cranks carried by said rock-shaft and engaging said combination member.

6. In a firearm, the combination, with a hammer, of a combined sear, hammer-driving-spring support and hammer-cocking member engaging said hammer, said combination member including side wal1s;'and a trigger mechanism including a rock-shaft, a trigger carried by said rock-shaft, and connections between said rock-shaft and said side walls.

7. In a firearm, the combination, with a removable cartridge-cylinder, of "a cartridge-cylinder casing, and a cover carried by said casing and closing one end thereof, said cover carrying a. hollow member with which the chambers of said cartridge-cylinder successively aline in the rotation of the latter.

BENJAMIN H. BALL.

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