US2442386A - Safety for a firearm hammer mechanism - Google Patents

Description

June, 1948. E. G. UHL

SAFETY FOR A FIREARM HAMMER MECHANISM Filed Nov. l5, 1945 EDWARDE UH1 www Patented June 1, 1948 SAFETY FOR A FIREARM HAMMER MECHANISM Edward G. Um, Elizabeth, N. J., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of War Application November 15, 1943, Serial No. 510,334

(o1. iz-vo) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. '757) 4 Claims.

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. f

This invention relates to a rocket projector and particularly to a percussion fired rocket pro- J'ector.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide a rocket projector having a semi-automatic percussion firing mechanism to effect the discharge of a rocket from the rocket projector.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a hammer mechanism for a rocket projectile which may be cocked either manually or by the gas blast of a discharged rocket. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a rocket projector that is light and compact which may be readily carried by a single individual.

The specic nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of the rocket projector.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the firing mechanism shown in the cocked position ready to re.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing the firing mechanism cocked but with the safety engaged.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the guard ring.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail View showing the hammer in the raised or fired position.

Fig. 6 is a detail view partly in longitudinal section of the rocket projectile catch. v

The rocket projector, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, comprises mainly a long tube-like barrel in which a rocket projectile (not shown) may be inserted. A percussion firing mechanism is mounted on the underside of the tube for firing the rocket projectile and is arranged to be released by a trigger which is connected to such ring mechanism by a cable. A shoulder stock and fore grip are also dependingly mounted on the tube to facilitate holding the projector While aiming and firing.

The projector comprises a long tube I, preferably of sufficient length that the rocket propellant charge of the rocket projectile is completely burned before such projectile leaves the muzzle of the tube. A positioning catch 2 is 'pro vided to properly position and secure the rocket projectile (not shown) within tube I. The catch v2 (Figs. 1 and 6) comprises a lever 3 which is pivotally'mounted by a transverse pin 4 in a bracket 5 welded to the top of tube I near the right end thereof as viewed in Fig. 1. An integral downwardly projecting arm 6 is provided on left end of lever 3 as shown in Fig. 6 which projects down thru a hole 'I provided in the top of tube I. A spring 8 is placed between the rear end of lever 3 and tube I to bias the arm 6 into engagement with an inserted rocket projectile (not shown). Spring 8 rests in a recess 9 provided on top of tube I. Y

To facilitate loading a rocket projectile into the rear end of tube I and to prevent accidental closure of the rear end of tube I by abutting against other objects, a funnel shaped guide ring I is mounted on the extreme end of tube I Guide ring IG comprises a large ring II (Fig. 4) and a smaller split ring I2 connected together by spokes I3. The spokes I3 are preferably welded to rings II and I2 and are evenly spaced about the periphery thereof.

A percussion firing mechanism I4 (Figs. 2 and 3) comprising mainly a hammer I5, a sear I6 and a safety Il is mounted on the underside of tube I at the rear end thereof to eiect discharge of the rocket projector. A base I8 is welded to the underside of tube I to mount the elements of the firing mechanism Iii. A bracket, as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, is mounted on the extreme rear edge of base I8 to mount a hammer I5. Bracket t9 is provided with two downwardly projecting lugs 2i! on `which is supported a transverse pin 2l. Hammer I5 comprises a firing pin 22, arm 23, and an integral hub 24 on one end of arm 23. The pin 22 is brazed or otherwise secured to the other end of arm 23. A transverse hole 25 is provided in the hub 24 so that hammer I5 may be pivotally mounted on pin 2|. Two torsion springs 26 are mounted on pin 2l, one on each side of hub 2li of hammer I5 to centrally locate hammer I5 on pin 2i and to bias hammer I5 'into an upright position as shown in Fig. 5 so that the firing pin 22 can strike the primer of the rocket projectile (not shown). On the underside of hub 24 as shown in Fig. 2 there is provided a fiat recessed scar surface 21 which is engaged by the sear I5 and the safety I1. An accurate cam surface 24 is formed on the endof hub 2li for a purpose to be described.

Sear I5 and safety II 'are supported on the underside of base I8 by two U-shaped brackets` 28 welded to base I8. Sear I6 is a long rectangular member provided with an integral lug 29 on the left end thereof as viewed in Figs. 2 and y3.

The sear I6 is longitudinally mounted in suitably shaped notches in the base of the brackets 28. The other end 30 of sear I6 engages under the sear surface 21 of hammer I5 when hammer I5 is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 2.- Safety I1 is also a loiig rectangular member and similarly mounted in brackets 2B parallel to sear I6. The safety I1 is substantially thicker than sea-r I6 and the left end is bent downwardly as viewed in Fig. 2 to form a depending arm 3|: An in tegral lug 32 is provided approximately in the center of safety I1 to be engaged by a safety actuating plunger 33 tobe described. The right end 33 of safety I1 can also engage under sear surface 21 when the hammer I5 is in the lowered position as shown in Fig. 2. Y

Sear I6 and safety I1 are each retained within their respective notches in -brackets 28 by straps `34 secured to the underside of each bracket 28Aas by the screws 35.

A Vertical pin 36 is secured t0 sear I6 near lug 29 and one end of a sear spring 31 is mounted on piti 35. The other end of sear spring 31 i's lssecured to a downwardly projecting bracket 43s which is welded to the side of right hand strap 34 as shown in Fig. 2. One end of a safety spring 39 is mounted on the end of the downwardly projecting arm -3I of safety I1 while the other end is secured to the bracket 38. 'I'lie springs 31 and 39 respectively bias the scar I5 and safety I1 to the right so that their yends engage under sear surface 21 of hammer I5. As the bottoms of sear I and safety I1 lie in the same plane, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the safety I1, being thicker than sear I6, will project upwardly higher and hence engage sear surface 21 before sear I5. Hammer I5 will then be held in the cocked position by safety I1 until such safety is disengaged from surface 21 by a plunger 33a.

A plunger 33a is provided to disengage safety I1 from sear surface 21 of hammer I5 to permit 'sear I6 to become operative. The plunger 33a is vertically mounted between tworintegral lugs 40 and 4I of a depending bracket 42 welded to base I8 between the two brackets 28. A collar 56 is permanently secured to plunger 33a and rests against the upper surface of lug 40. A helical spring 43 surrounds plunger 33a between the lug 4I and collar 56 to bias plunger 33a downwardly. Plunger 33a is provided with a conical shaped end 44 which, -when safety plunger 33a is manually moved upwardly, will engage the side of lug 32 on safety I1 and thus withdraw safety I1 from sear surface 21 to ready hammer I5 for firing as will be described in more detail later.

A cover 55 (Fig, 1) is provided to shield r'in'g Amechanism I4 from injury due to dirt or chance The cover 55 is preferably mounted iny blows. such manner as to be readily removable.

A pistol grip 45 is secured as by welding to the underside of tube I approximately in the center thereof. A bifurcated depending lug 46 i's provided in the upper forward portion of pistol projectile (not shown).

.4 of sear I6 by means of a clevis 5I. The clevis `5I is pivotally mounted on lug 29 by a pin 52.

A shoulder stock 53 is dependingly mounted on tube I in the rear of pistol gripl 45. A fore grip 54 is welded or otherwise secured t0 the other under side of tube I somewhat ahead of pistol grip 45 as shown in Fig. 1.

To operate the projector, it is necessary that Yhaimri'er I5 be cocked prior to insertion of the rocket projectile into tube I. Hammer I5 is readily cocked by grasping-arm 23 and pivoting hammer I5 against the bias of torsion springs 26 tothe positionshown in Fig. 3. During this pivotal movement, the arcuate surface 24 of hammer I5 cams the Sear I5 and safety I1 to the left, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, until the hammer reaches a position where sear surface 21 clears both sear I6 and safety I1, whereupon sear I6 and safety I1 snap rearwardly under the force of springs 31 and 39 respectively to engage under sear surface 21. Since safety I1 is thickerthan sear I6 and since the bottom of sear I6 and safety I1 are on the same plane as previously mentioned, sear IB will underlie but not engage the sear surface 21 when safety I1 fully engages under sear surface 21.

The rocket projector is readily loaded by`inserting a rocket projectile (not shown) into the rear of tube I thru the ring I0. The rocket projectile is lproperly positioned within tube I by engagement of arm 6 of catch 2 in anannular locating groove provided on the rocket projectile (not shown) The hammer I5 is shown in the safe position in Fig. 3. As shown thus safety I1 is in engagement with surface 21 of hammer I5. 'o disengage safety I'I from surface 21 plunger 33a is pushed upwardly. The conical end surface 44 of plunger 33a strikes lug 32 of safety I1 and forces safety I1 to the left as shown in Fig. 2. Thus the end 33 of safety I1 becomes disengaged from surface 21 and the hammer pivots counterclockwise a slight amount so that sear I 6 now engages sear surface 21 and holds hammer I5 in the ready-to-iire position as' shown in Fig. 2. The plunger 33a can now be released without returning safety I1 into engagement with sear surface 21 as safety I1 now will albut against arcuate surface 24. The hammer I5 may now be released by sear I6. Sear I6 is released when trigger 41 is pulled rearwardly. The trigger 41 pulls cable 49 which in turn causes sear IE to slip o sear surface 21 against the bias of spring 31. Y

Immediately as the sear I6 slips on surface 21 the torsion springs 26 bias hammer I5 upwardly and firing pin 22 strikes the primer of the rocket Safety I1 slides against arcuate surface 24' as hammer I5 pivots upwardly to the red position. The gas blast re- 'sulting from the discharge of the projectile impinges on ham-merY I5 and strikes it with such force as to pivot it to its cocked position shown in Fig. 3 where safety I1 will again engage under sear surface 21. Sear I 6 returns to position under surface 21 when the trigger is released. It is apparent that the portion of the hammer exposed to the gas blast should have a substantial area to insure the cooking of the hammer by the gas blast.

From the foregoing description it is readily apparent that a rocket projector of simple, light, and compact construction is provided. It is also apparent that a simple dependable firing mechanism is provided which can be cocked by the discharge of a projectile. The mechanism is particularly advantageous for tWo man firing of the projector, i. e., one man aiming and firing and the other loading projectile into the rear end of the projector. By providing safety actuating plunger 33 at the rear of the projector it can be conveniently operated by only the loader and hence serves to insure that the loader is not in the path of the gas blast when the projectile is fired.

It will be noted that if safety plunger 33a is actuated and then released, the firing mechanism is self-cooking regardless of the position of the trigger. cocked position by the gas blast of a discharged rocket is engaged and held in such position by safety I1.

I claim:

1. A hammer mechanism for a firearm comprising a pivotally mounted hammer, resilient means biasing said hammer, a sear surface on said hammer, a slidably mounted safety member, said safety member arranged to engage the sear surface of said hammer to hold said hammer in a cocked position against the bias of said resilient means, means for sliding said safety member out of engagement with the sear surface, a slidably mounted sear, said sear arranged to engage the sear surface of said hammer to hold said hammer in a cocked position against the bias of said resilient means and trigger means for sliding said sear out of engagement with sear surface of said hammer.

2. A hammer mechanism as in claim 1 wherein the means for sliding the safety member comprises a spring pressed plunger, a cam surface on the end of said plunger, and a lug on said safety member, said plunger being arranged with respect to said lug so that said cam surface engages said lug to slide said safety member upon actuation `of said plunger.

3. A hammer mechanism for a rearm comprising a frame, a hammer pivotally mounted on said frame, resilient means exerting a torsion-a1 bias on said hammer, said hammer comprising a The'hammer I5, being pivoted toV striker arm and an integral hub portion, a sear surface on said `hub portion, a cam surface on said hub portion adjacent said sear surface, a sear slidably mounted in said frame, resilient means biasing said sear into engagement With said hub, said sear arranged to engage said cam surface of said hub in the non-cocked position of said hammer and to engage said sear surface of said hub to hold said hammer in a cocked position against the bias of said resilient means, trigger means for sliding said sear out of engagement with the sear surface of said hammer, a safety member slidably mounted in said frame, resilient means biasing said safety member into engagement with said hub, said safety member arranged to engage the sear surface of said hub in the cocked position of said hammer and to engage the cam portion of said hub in the noncockedposition of said hammer, and means for sliding said safety member out of engagement with said sear surface of the hammer.

4. A hammer mechanism as in claim 3 wherein the last mentioned means comprises a spring pressed plunger, a cam surface on the end of said plunger and a lug on said safety member, said plunger being arranged with respect to said lug so that said cam surface engages said lug to slide said safety member upon actuation of said plunger.

EDWARD G. UHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 639,421 Mauser Dec. 19, 1899 1,100,054 Castle June 16, 1914 1,190,653 vHughes July 11, 1916 1,359,609 Lang Nov. 23, 1920 1,376,165 Rosebush Apr. 26, 1921 1,661,091 ltiabouchinskiy Feb. 28, 1928 2,140,946 swartz Dec, 20, 193s

Images