US1786614A - Marksmanship-training device for firearms - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1930. D. B. HOWARD MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING DEVICE FOR FIREARMS Filed 021'..

JNVENTOR. E: H award AT NEY Dudle Patented Der.. 3U, 193() Prsr orricl:

MARKSMANSHIP-TRAINING DVICE FORIFIRARMS Application led October 81929. Serial No. 398,168.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT F MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to training devices o for use in instruction practice with firearms, and in particular to means for overcoming trigger jerking and linching In tiring a rifle, pistol, or other small-arm, properly, the trigger must be squeezed gradually and with perfect control while endeavoring to maintain the sights aligned on the target. Otherwise, Vthe aim will be deranged at the instant of discharge. The mal, jority oi beginners experience an irresistible impulse to jerk the trigger quickly through its entire path of movement without proper coordination of the trigger manipulation with the aiming. Erratic marksmanship is the result of this simple trigger jerking.

IVhenever the aim happens to be correct or nearly so, at the time of discharge a bullseye or fairly close hit is obtained. A good hit is often preceded and followed by wild shots. This is not expert shooting.

The cause of trigger-jerking is believed to be increased psycho-motor tension. The j most readily recognizable evidence of this cause is not the improper trigger manipulation, but rather the hurried tiring of a series of shots. The interval between shots is too brief. The instructor experiences great difficulty in forcing a person who is suspected of trigger-jerking to pause between shots long enough to study the pattern of hits. on

the target and to compute corrections in aiming, holding, etc., necessary to improve the results. rendered easy and certain by this symptom, D selection ci a remedy is a serious problem. The method of feeding the ammunition to the iirer round by round as needed and preceding issue of each cartridge by calm advice, intended to reduce the state of tension, has been tried with indifferent success.

While diagnosis of the trouble i-s' An aggravation of the tendency to jerk the trigger is the malady known as Hinching, which is commonly associated with gun-shyness. The flincher convulsively contracts the firearm-holding muscles as well r as those of the trigger finger. The aim is 'JO positively deranged, as distinguished from inability on the part ofmost marksmen to hold steadily without slight swaying, which is normal. Flinching results in a greater percentage of wild shots than the less serioustrigger jerking.

'A person who linches whenfiring with live ammunition may not display any signs of flinching when practicing aiming and trigger-squeezing without ammunition.' Likewise he may not flinch when actually firing with low-caliber ammunition that does not cause the weapon to kick This proves that linching is the unsuppressed muscular reaction produced by fear stimuli. lVhen liring a high-power weapon for the irst time, the fear is one of personal danger. After experience has shown the' danger to be negligible the original reaction persists unless suppressed by the use of will power.

The worst harm that can result from iring a high-powered rifle for instance, will be a bruised shoulder and deafened ears. A small proud class of men sco at such inl juries and refuse to pad their shoulders or to put cotton in their ears. They steel their nerves, so to speak, and lire without flinching. The great majority, however, Hinch badly under such conditions and even continue to do so when protected by the means just mentioned.

The recoil of a high-powered rifle or pistol causes it to jump to such a degree that-flinching is obscured. The convulsive muscular reactions ot' the tirer are difficult of detection by others and the tirer himself may not realize just what he is doing. He may blame the innocentrie or the wind for his erratic shooting. i

observing hisreactions Will-have undeniable Vfinora the rate off'lire Will be regulated.

ing vcaii'mot'be `laster than the instrument Will permit. This' check Vis especially useful in prove his inching. 30v

Y device.

`used=With high-power ammunition.

tion which is about to be used by the unsuspecting tirer. @ne or morelive eartradges-Av are -tired with possible liinching obscured by recoil. chamber of the irearm and fails to fire When the trigger is manipulated.

properly aimed position very noticeably.' The tirer andany other. person Whomay be Although quite effective, exposure .of tlinchingj by-trickery is-objectionable.. The tirer, who suddenly lindsthat he has been trickedintomaking la fool of himself, is almost. certain tov be. resentful'. He ,Willi also lbe onfhis guardagai'nstany urther'att'empts to It.' may be possible to breakthat. man. of his'bad habit, but. more time Will be spent than if it had-been possible to` convince` him oft that habit by` .above beard'methods. Y

lt is the object. of the present invention to provi-de a simple, mechanical attachment for lirearms Which is` capable of4 being used; to expose linching with.previousknovvledge on the partei the yirerthat` it isa device for that purpose. Hemay knovvbefore he-ateniptsto tirethat he is undergoing a flinchingtest.. At the saine time, he is powerless to. out-guesslthe It is up to-him'tofexert such muscularcontrol that any tendency totlinch Will-.be suppressed. Y

A urtherzobject is'tovproduce an instrument of this natu-re Whichwvill aid in the development olf proper controly inholdin-g and tiring by cal-linginto playV natural habitbreak' :metal processes. lt is adapted to be rlhe usualear-producing stimuli Will be present and the use of Will-power will be required,

but the instrumentstimulatesrunusal effort at controlfbecase ofthe knowledge thatany liincliing reactions will surely be exposed. Appeal is made to personal pride. Furtheralleviating psycho-motor tension.

rlvhe invention Will: be more fully Yunderstood when the following specific description is read inconneiitionwith the accompanying drawings, in Which2- rlhen, the dummy reaches the.-Y

I-'fi t'lie irer Vllinches, the firearm Will be jerkedput of Fir? Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic pistol showing one form of the flinch-breaker attached thereto: v

Figure 2 is a plan view: p

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of this form of the device:

Figure 4t is a vertical sectionalvvievv of th same showing the locking member in inoper- Y ative position: y Figure is a liorizontaltsection.ofthe same Figure 6 is a vertical' section through a modified pneumatic form of the device; and Figinie 7 f iswairenlarged fragmentary view of the stein and adjusting key.

'Ehefdraivingsshowthe.inventive idea in its reduction to practice as an attachmentfor automatic pistols ofla Well known type. In adapting the invention to other kinds of lirearnis, such as'revolvers, rifles, etc., variations in the detailsv ofv constructions may have to be made; Regardless of thisconsideration,

-thedevicmivhicli for the...sake.of"brevity Will be termed.hindi-breaker, maybe analyzed into certain essential.v elements.- Which Wil-l in allprobability be present; in any. embodimentoradaptationa. .These elementsfare, broadly speaking, ablocking member, a lock-tor. the blocking. member, an adjusting` key for' the lock, and. a. shield: for. the: lock to. prevent visuali inspectionof the. condition or the :l'ock and.blockingmember...r Tliisassembly of elements intended` to, be. combined. With two parts vcommon to. allz.irearms;. liring mechanism andthe frame.

V Ifthedevice istofbe intheni'ermi oifany eX- ternal atta-Climent. which. is at. the.Y present time consideredl `to be preferable for, reasons of. safety. and .interchangeable useon various lirearms ot-lieisame type,. that, partei the firing mechanismwhicli Willbe utilized Will' i probably be the. hammem cooking-piece? or equivalent' member..A lli' the 4invention .should Vbebuilt into. the rearmrsome other suitable movable. part. of the firing mechanism may be Autili-zent.instead; In. the. specificationand claims, .the term iringjmember will be used to designate any suitable part of. the firing l mechanism as. a Wholewlnch movesV .during operation of dischargingthe1 firearm and which, ifaobstructedf or locked, Will prevent" such discharge; y

The term frame member i ill; be used hereinafter to mean some suitable part-iol"l the iirearm which is held sidist'antiallystationaryK .with the barrel.uur-.innoperation of. the firing mechanism in iringaL-.a target. Suchafframe member may be the slide oi!- theV automatic pistohthe'iirame of a revolver, or the stock or barrel breech of afrifle., i Y

lin-the illustrative embodiment oftheA invention an attaching member l isadapted to be clamped on the slide 2 of the pistol as 'a support for the blocking member 3,.W.hich is mounted on a pivot disposed.intermediate of its extremities. @neend of the blocking memill berf is disposed in the path* of' movement, of thepistol hammer and should be beveled as at 5 in orderthat thevhainmerlmaydeflect it out' of; the way 'to permit.- firing. when the blncking Vmemben is n-otl lb @liedy against movement by means `which willinow 'be described.

A hollow shield 6 is supported: by the attaching memberror clamp,. l.. This shield may be in the cylindrical form show-n tofit the lock or chance device,` as it may be termed, which is cincularin cross' section. Shield 5 has a slot? throughiwhich the en'd'of blockingA Inember.Y opposite to the end which isadapted? to be disposed inthe pathot the firing member may'eittend into the interior thereof.

Referring particularly to Figures t and 5, a convenient form of lock is disclosed. rThis lock consists ofa slotteddiscfattached to' a.A rotatable stem 9. Thestem is axially disposed in the cylindrical snield andlias its lower end journaledin the bearing l0: The upperend ot' the stem is shown extending through a central opening l1: in a removable cover l2 forl the shield. The protruding upper'end ofthe stem 91 should be cylindrical inV form in' order that' the. position of the lock will notl be revealed as might be-the case if the stem were of any other cross-section.

a; A cylindrical socket. 9u is provided in this upper end of the stem a-ndhasa` transverse key slot 9h in its bo tom;` Aznadjusting key 13 is adapted to tit' the socket in'` the=lockste1n. This'key is preferablyin the i'iorni. ofalyrwheelwith aicentral, cylindrical'shanlrmatchL the lock stem in'esize. A; reducedportion 13o tits the socket 9a and has a transverse spline 9b adapted to engage.the key. slot- 9b.. The shoulderon4 the key slianlqwhich is a function of: the reduction ot porticnila; will on the upper endet thelockstemwhen the key is ininse and thereby aid the shield 6 in completely masking the conditionoifthe lock'. The flywheel construction facilitates manipulation of the key to spin the lock on its axis and gives added moment-fum to the lock' to increase the duration ofits spinning.

lt will be noted thatthe lock'. disc 8 has aplurality -ot'pairs of opposedslotsla. This arrangement ofislots results in a well bal anced. spinning lock. The width. ofI each slot should exceed the width of' the inwardly projecting` end ot blocking member in order to permit free'movemfent of the latter through any which may happen to be disposed in registration with the slot- T in shield 6 when the loci is rest. The lock disc should be located on stem fimmedirately below theinner end ofthe blocking member when the latter is in its `normal position of rest with its inner end bearing against the cover 19a-ot the shield. The blocking-member maintained in this position due to the tact that it is unbalanced, the end portion which projects across the pathof the tiring.'` member the purpose of the invention, ity is desirable n thatithe chances ofthe blocking member being either obstructed by the lock or free to rock on its pivot, when the disc, has come torest after being spun, shall he equal. For that reason the total area of the disc slots in a horizontal plane shouldbe equal to the total areaof; the solid disc portions.

The operation. of the device will nowlbe described.y Assuming that an. instructor in marksmanship suspects iiinching onzthe part of: some particular tirer 'in pistol practico, .he clamps the'iiinch breaker on the pistol slide in the position shown inFigure 1preterably while-the pistol isnot loaded. ln this posi-- tion, the,` outer end of the blocking member will rest onitop of the hammer when the latter is in its forward, liringposition,.providedthe lock. of' the ilinch bre-akeris in such a posifion thatthe inne-r end ofthe blocking-mem;

ben is projectinglinto one of? the disc slots.

The tirer is-then required to load thepistol, which includes pulling' the slide back to cause insertion of one cartridge into the chamber. During; rearward motion of the slide, the blocking` memberwillreturn to its normal position of rest when the hammer'has been cocked; The lock may now beset inV an indeterminate position by spinningthe fly `wheel; The'instructor may do this himself,

but it may be more effective to require the iirer to perform this operation7 because any resulting e-Xposureol linching and the attendant embarrassment' will be due to the rers owniact. There can be` no resentment toward the instructor. VVhenthelcck ceases to-spin of its'own accorchor is stopped by graspingfthe fly wheel with the tingers the lock willbe in one of its two conditions. lt will either lock the blocking member or permit free'niovement of the same. Neither the instructor nor the tirer can determine the condition of the lock from the external appearance of the instrument. It the lock is set to obstruct movement ot the blocking member the hammer of the pistol willA be checked by the blocking member when the trigger is squeezed and the pistol will notfire. On the other hand, if the lock is in its inoperative condition, the blocking member will be deflected bythe hammer'and the `pistol will tire; This statel ot uncertainty presents a problem to the tirer which causes him to pause and do a little thinking before attempting to squeeze, the trigger. The gun may fire. It it should do that, it will kick and make a loud report. that gives him the impulse to. jerk the trigvger quickly andhave it over with, but he realizes that, if the gun happens to be locked against firing, such hasty manipulation of the trigger and other possible exaggerated contraction of the pistol-holdingmuscles Will cause the Whole pistol to be jerked out of proper aiming position. Such flinching Willbe noticed by the instructor and any other bystanders and will provethathe is unable to control his muscles. lf he has any personalpride he Will not Want to shovv such lack of control. rl`herefore, he will be distinctly on his mettle and Will try hard to suppress .his usual reactions. He Will try to squeeze the trigger slowly and gradually While maintaining the sights aimed at the target. He may be able to complete the trigger squeezing properly the first time. Usually, the tendency to jerk and fiinch Will a-ssail him in the midst of his trigger squeezing. He may make a desperate effort to regain control by releasing the trigger and starting all overV again with his trigger squeezing. However, he may not be able to overcome the impulse and may flinch. Should the gun happen to fire, his flinching may be obscured. If the gun is prevented from )firing there Will be a tell-tale indication of iiinching which the iirer cannot deny. The iirer should be required to use the flinch-breaker until he has proven that proper control has been regained. ln such use, the device Will assist the instructor in the exercise of strict fire discipline. In fact, a flincher Who is honest Withhimself can make use of the flinch-breaker voluntarily as a means for subjecting himself to lire discipline Without making it necessary for` aninstructor to Work With him. rlhe device should prove to be most eiiicacious under such self-enforced use, for the tirer will have the right mental attitude from the start.

The flinch-breaker lend-s itself to other uses in instruction practice With small arms, such as putting the brake on the tendency toward hurried firing on the part of men who do not actually flinch but could shoot better if they were more 'deliberate and careful. Such uses should be apparent to persons skilled in the art to which it pertains.

A modified form of lock for theV flinch breaker is disclosed in Figure 6. lnstead'ot1 having a slotted disc, the disc 15 is solid throughout and forms a piston movable Within the cylinder 16 formed by the shield. The piston is longitudinally slidable on the spining stem 17. The cylinder has a'plurality of air vents 18 in its bottom Wall and a valve' plate with ports 2O adapted to register With the vents 18 is attached iXedly to the stem 17 in close proximity to the bottom'of the cylinder. A spring 21 interposed between the piston and the valve plate serves to maintain the piston normally in Contact with the The thought of l blocking member 22 When the latter is in its normal position of rest. To prevent undue friction in the spinning of the stem, the piston 15 and the valve plate `19 should lit loose- Vly Within the cylinder so that practically all of the friction is in the bearings for the stem. .The operation of this pneumatic` form of the invention is as follows: When the lock-` stem has been spun in the usual manner and has come'to rest, the bottom portion ofthe cylinder-Will either be open to the atmosphere or closed by the valve 19. lf the valve should1 be closedthe firing member, upon striking the blocking member, Will cause the .inner end of the latter to exert pressure on pression of the piston Will be freely permited, due to the rapid expulsion of air through the valve ports, and the gun Will fire.

ln either form of the invention, the removable cover for the cylindrical shield serves an additional purpose. Being screw-threaded in its engagement With the shield, it is capable of vertical adjustment. The cover therefore serves as convenient means for precision adjustment of the blocking member anguarly onits pivot to bring the beveled end into proper vertical relation to the path of movement of thefiring member.

ln adapting the invention to various types of fire arms and in improving and simplifying its construction for any type of lire arm, obvious modifications may be made Without departing from the essential principles disclosed herein and covered by the appended claims.

1. The combination With a firearm including a firing member, of means for locking the firing ,member against firing movement,

vmeans for shielding the locking means to conceal theoperative condition thereof, and an adjusting member for the locking means, the adjusting member being ofV a construction and movable mounting to conceal changesl in adjustment.

2. ln a device of the class described, an attaching member for engagement With the frame of the'firearm, a blocking member movably mounted on the attaching member.

arated by slots and adapted to be adjusted' to bring solid portions and slots alternately kAll() into the path of movement of the' blocking member to obstruct movement of the blocking member and permit free movement ofthe same respectively.

`3. In a device of the class described, an atl taching member for engagement with the frame ot the firearm a blocking member movably mounted on the attaching memberv and adapted when secured against movement to block firing operation of the tiring meinber a lock for the blocking member including a movable member having solid portions separated by slots and adapted to be adjusted to l bring solid portions and slats aiternately into the path ot movement of the blocking member to obstruct movement of the blocking member and permit free movement of the same respectively, and means for adjusting the lock member.

4. In a device of the class described, an attaching member for engagement With the frame of the firearm, a blocking member movably mounted on the attaching member and adapted when secured against movement to block firing operation of the iiring member, a lock for the blocking member including a movable member having solid portions separated by slots and adapted to be adjusted to bring solid portions and slots alternately into the path of movement of the blocking member to obstruct movement of the blocking member and permit free movement of the same respectively, vand means for shielding the lock member to conceal its adjusted position.

5. In a device of the class described, an attaching member for engagement With the frame of a firearm, a blocking member movably mounted on the attaching member and adapted When secured against movement to block tiring operation of the tiring member, and a lock including a rotary member having a portion adapted to be brought into position to obstruct movement o the blocking mem-V ber, a shield enclosing the lock to conceal the operative condition thereof from external view, and means 'for rotating the look member.

G. ln a device of the class described, an attaching member for engagement with the frame of a firearm, a blocking member movably mounted on the attaching member and adapted when secured against movement to block firing operation of the tiring member, and a lock including a rotary member having a portion adapted to be brought into position to obstruct movement of the blocking member, a shield enclosing the lock to conceal the-operative condition thereof from eX- ternal view, and a rotatable operating stem of circular cross-section for the lock member projecting exteriorly from the shield.

7. In a device of the class described, an attaching member for engagement With the frame of a firearm, a blocking member movably mounted on the attaching member and reduced end formed telit the key socket inV the operating stem for the lock member.

8. In a device of the class described, an attaching member for engagement vvith` the` :trame ofa firearm, a blocking member movably mounted on the attachingjmember and adapted when secured Aagainst-movement to block firing operation of the `firing member, and a look including arotary member having a portion adapted to be brought into. position to vobstruct movement of the blocking member, a shield enclosing the lock to conceal the operative condition thereotfrom external view, a rotatable operatingstem of circular cross-section forV the lock .memberproj ecting exteriorly from the shield, the operating stem having a key socket in its outer end, a manipulating key of circular cross-section having an axial stem portion With av reduced end formed` to lit the key socket in the operating stem for the lock member, and a-yivheel of circular cross-section` formed on the manipulating key.

9. In a device of the class described, anattaching member for engagement with the :trame of a firearm, a blocking member movably; mounted on `the attaching member and adapted when secured againstmmement to block iiringoperation ofthe tiring member, and a` lock including a rotary member having a portion adapted to be broughtinto Aposition to( obstruct. movement j of theblocking member, a shield enclosingthe lock to conceal the operative conditionthereof from external view, a rotatable operating stem'o circular cross-section Vfor the lock member projecting exteriorlyffrom the shield, and a flywheel of circular .cross-section adapted to.,

be mounted on the protruding end of thel operating stem. f

l0. na device. of theclassdescribed, anV attaching member for engagement with the `frame-oa lirearm, a blocking member Apivotally mrninted4 onthe attaching member and having an end portion adapted to project Vinto the path of movement or" the iiring member,- a hollow cylindrical shield supported by the attaching member and having slot in its side Wall, the end portion of the blocking member opposite to the portion projecting into the path of the firing member being extendedV through the shield slot int-o the in- GOvv terior of thev shield Jfor angular movement; therein, one end oftheshield being open, van adjustable cover for the open end of the shield adapted to contact with the innerendV of the blocking member to form a stop there- `for, and locking means for the blocking member mounted Within the shield.

11. In a device of the class described, an attaching member for engagement with thel frame of a rearm, a blocking member pivotally mounted on the attaching member and having an en'd'portion adapted to project into the path of movement of the iring member, a hollow cylindrilcal'shield supported by the attaching member and having a slot'V in its side Wall, the end portion of the blocking member opposite to the portion projecting into the path of the firing member being eX-.

in one adjusted position lof the "former and :for permitting free operation'of theliringj member in another position. 'Y v V14. rlhe combination WithY .a firearm cludmg a frame member and a tiring member,

ofa chance device movably mounted in onel of the members and adapted to yassume any one of a plurality-of different positions,

means for shielding the chance device tol conceal the adjusted position of the same,

an adjustingmember for the chance rotatably mounted in Athe member which bears the chance deviceand having-.an exposed nianipulating portion of circularcross-section.V

In testimony whereof I amx my signature.- DUDLEY B. HOI/VARI).

tended through the shield slot into the intepf riory of theshi'eld for angular 'movement therein, one end of the lshield being open, an

adjustable cover for'the open end Vof the shield adapted to contact with the inner end" of the blocking' member to form a stop there- Jfor, and locking means for the blockingmember mounted Within the shield, and including a rotatable stem `projecting eXteriorly' through the open end ofthe shield, the shield cover having a bearing opening through Which the stem projects, and a disc mounted tixedly on the stem Within theshieldand having solid portions separated Vby radial slots adapted to be interchangeably disposed in a' position to block or permit free move-v' ment ofV the inner end of the blocking member.

12. A device of the'class described comprising an attaching member adapted to be engaged with the frame of a firearm, a chance devicefmovably mounted in the attaching member and adapted to assume any one of. a pluralityl of dilerent positions, means for shielding the chance device to conceal Vthe adjusted position of the same," adjusting means for the chance device externally ex-V posed and being of a construction and movable mounting which Will not revealy changes in adjustment, and means controlled by the chance device for locking the tiring mechanism of the iirearm in oneadjusted position of the formerand for permitting free operagu) "l llQ

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