US2571132A

US2571132A - Fire control mechanism for firearms

Info

Publication number: US2571132A
Application number: US771289A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earle M Harvey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-08-29
Filing date: 1947-08-29
Publication date: 1951-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1968-10-16

Description

Oct. 16, 1951 E. M. HARVEY FIRE CONTROL MROHANISM ROR FIREARMS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 29, 1947 Syvum/vbo@ arle M Harv EH AWNIAV@ MV? Oct. 16, 1951 E M, HARVEY 2,571,132

FIRE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS Filed Aug. 29, 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tj g5 "-43 e4 ELPIB Han/EH 1.55m a/wmf Mgg Oct. 16, 1951 E. M. HARVEY FIRE CONTROL MEOHANISM FOR FIREARMS Filed Aug. 29, 1947 Earle M www Oct. 16, 1951 E. M. HARVEY 2,571,132

FIRE coNTRoL MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS Filed Aug. 29, 1947 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented ct. i6, i951' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS Earle M. Harvey, Arlington, Va.

Application August 29, 1947, Serial No. '771,289

1 Claim. (Cl. l2-69)k (Granted under theY act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a caliber .30 rifle designed for semi-automatic fire and embodying certaininovel features constituting marked improvements over the correspondingV parts of the standard rifle now used. The particularly valuablenovel features of the improved rifle are an operating rod catch for automatically holding the action open after the firing of the last one of the rounds which have been loaded in the magazine, a novel rocker between the sear and Vhammer of the firing action, the co-acting hammery and ring pin, a magazine and its associated mechanism for mounting and loading, means for assembling the stock to the action, and a safety slide for the action.

While one speciiic'embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and is hereinafter described, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not considered to be limited to said specific embodiment, and that its scope is defined by the claim appended hereto.

the drawings: y

Figurel is a longitudinal vertical section of the riiie, stock and barrelbeing broken away, a partiallyloaded magazine being in the rie, a round chambered and the hammer cocked with the safetyslide in on position,

.Figure 2is a longitudinal vertical section of the riiie action, the trigger being squeezed and the hammer striking the ring pin which is projected tore the chambered round,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, the bolt being retracted, and rounds being fed from a clip Into the magazine,

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section, on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 in the direction of the arrows,

. Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan, parts being broken out, of the stock, the receiver and the magazine,

Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation, parts being broken away, of the operating rod and the catch therefor, the rod being retracted and the catch disengaged,

Figure 7 is a transverse, vertical section, on the line 1 1 of Figure 6, in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6, the catch engaged, Y

VFigure 9 is a transverse Vertical section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the catch for the operating rod,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary bottom plan of the stock, the trigger housing andthe magazine,

Figure 12 is a rear elevation of the bolt disposed as shown in Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12, the bolt 'being disposed as shown in Figure 3,

Figure 14 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective View of the upper end of the hammer,

Figure 15 is a fragmentary side elevation of the hammer and the bolt related as shown in Figure 2,

Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 15, the bolt being disposed as shown in Figure 13 and the hammer cammed rearwardly by rotation of the bolt.

As illustrated in the drawings, the rifle has a stock I, a receiver 2, a barrel 3 threaded into the forward end of the receiver 2 and a trigger housing 4 depending from the receiver 2. The stock I has a suitable slot 5 in which the housing 4 is received and a magazine well 6 forward of the slot 5 (Fig. 11). The receiver 2 has an opening 1 in its top at the forward end co-axial with the well 6, and a transverse tie bar 8 immediately rearwardly of the opening 1. A cylindrical bolt 9 slidable axially of the receiver 2 has its forward end I0 seated in socket II on the rear face I'2 of the barrel 3, and its rear end I3 seated in a concave upper face I4 of the tie bar 3 when the bolt 9 is in battery (Fig. 1). The bolt 9 is reciprocated and rocked by means of an operating rod I5 (Fig. 6) slidable axially of receiver 2 and provided on its rear end I6 with a depending lug I1 sliding in` a groove I8 between wall I9 and rail 20 of the receiver 2, The rod I5 has an enlargement 2| adjacent its rear end I6 provided with a suitably configured cam slot 22 in which is disposed a radial lug 23 on the forward end I0 of the bolt 9. A diametrically opposed radial lug 24 is provided on the end I0 of the bolt 9 (Fig. 4). The lugs 23 and 24 co-act with lugs (not shown) on the inner surface of the receiver 2 to lock the bolt Qin battery, in the well known manner. The rod I5 is provided at its forward end with suitable means (not shown) for retracting rod I5 on recoil by the force of the expanding gas of the propellent charge of the round.

The rod I5 has a housing 25 for the forward end of an operating spring y26 with its rear end seated in socket 21 in the forward end of receiver 2 and received about a guide rod 28 mounted in a socket 29 in receiver 2. The spring 26, compressed on recoil, expands to cause counter-recoil. The rod I'5 is provided on its rear end I6 with a radial finger 3D for manual retraction of rod I5.

The receiver 2 has a rear wall 3l provided at its lower edge with a shoulder 32 seated on the top 33 of the stock I immediately rearwardly of its slot 5, and a central depending lug 34 received in a slot 35 in the upper edge of a transverse rear wall 36 of the trigger housing 4 which is disposed against the face 31 of stock I at the rear end of slot 5. A pin 38 xes lug 34 in s1ot35.

The housing 4 has lateral walls 39l extending forwardly from its rear wall 36 to its transverse forward wall 49 which is substantially the height of walls 39. A wall 4| projects upwardly from wall 49 and is of less width than wall 49. The wall 4I has on its edges lugs 42 seated in slots 43 in flanges 44 extending inwardly from depending lateral walls 45 of the receiver 2 disposed in the magazine well 6 of the stock I (Fig. 4).'. The housing 4 has lateral walls 49 projecting forwardly from wall 49 in wellr 6 and connected by a transverse forward wall 41 having its upper edge 48 seated against the lower edge 49 of the forward end 59 of the receiver 2 (Fig. 1). The housing 4 has a bottom wall 5| extending between its rear wall 36 and its forward wall 49, in slot 5, and having a head portion 52 of greater width than wall 49 received in the rear end of the magazine well 6' (Fig. 1l). Pivotally mounted on the bottom of portion 52 there is a latch 53 having lateral wings 54 to engage the lower surface 55 of the stock I on either side of the slot 5. A bolt 56 is passed through latch 53; and threaded into wall 5|, to draw latch 53 against stock I which is thereby confined between wings 54 on latch 53 and lateral lugs 51 on receiver 2 bearing on upper surface 58. of. stock I' on either side of Well 6 (Fig. 4).

The. bottom wall5| of the trigger housingl 4 is provided at its rear endwith a slot 59 in which is disposed a trigger 69 pivoted on a pin 6I mountedl in the lateral walls 39 of the housing 4. The trigger 69 is provided at its forward end with a slottedV portion 62- havingr a bridge 63 at its. forward bottom end. At its rear end, the

trigger 69 has an. upstanding lug 64. A sear 65 is pivoted on pin- 6I1 passed through an ovate orice 66m sear 65.. The portion of the sear 65 forwardr of the pin 6Il passes through the slotted portion62 of trigger 60 andrhasv a depending headv 61 bearing on the bridge 63. The rear portion 69.03 the sear 65. extends toward lug 64 on trigger' 60.. Thesear 95 has a depending lug 69 against which bearsv a coil spring 1.9 seated in a socket 1Iv in the trigger 69 and tending to bias sear 65 forwardly, and its forward end 12 upwardly.v

A rocket 13 is pivoted on a pin 14 mounted in walls 39. of housing 4. and has the form of a bell crank having armsA 15 and 16. The arm 15 is provided on its outer end with a convex edge 11 concentric with pin 'I4' and a` second convex edge 'I8 concentric with pin 14; are on different radii to provide a shoulder 19. therebetween, edge 11 on the superior radius being forward of edge 18; The arm 16 is provided on` its outer end with a concave edge 80. The arm 15 has on its rear face a socket 8| in which is disposed a ball head 82 on a guide rodl 83 slidable in a sleeve 8.4 projecting upwardly from the trigger 69. A coil spring 85 about rod 83 is confined between head 82 and sleeve 84 to bias the rocker 13 forwardly and the trigger 69 downwardly (Fig. 2).

A hammer 86 is pivoted on a pin 81 mounted in walls 39 of housing 4 and has the form of a` bell-crank having

arms

88 and 89. Arm 88 forming the foot of the hammer 89 is provided on its' outer end with a Convex edge 99 concentricwith pin 81 and a rectilinear edge 9| disposed nearer to pin 81 to forman oblique rectilinear shoulder 92. Arm 89, forming the head of the hammer 85, hasinv its rear face a concave socket 93 in which iS disposed a cylandrical head-94 on a rod" 95 slid- The edges 1.1. and V18.`

able in a sleeve 96 on wall 36 of housing 4. A hammer spring 91. about rod 95 is confined between a flange-95a on rod- 95 and sleeve 96 to bias the hammer head 89 forwardly. A peripheral groove 93a, is provided in socket 93 in which is slidable a lug 94a on the head 94 to prevent lateral movement thereof in socket 93 and thereby maintain the relative coaxial positions of rod 95 and hammer 86 (Fig. 2).

The trigger housing 4 has the usual trigger guard` bow 98 extending downwardly from its bottom wall 5| below the slot 59 and the trigger 69 therein. A safety slide 99 is disposed in a slot 98a in the forward end of the bow 98. The slide 99 has a tongue |99 disposed in a groove I9I in the lower face of bottom wall 5I withlateral ribs (not shown) in cooperating grooves in wall?. 5|. The slide 99 has al head. |92, received. in yaslot |93 in the wall 5|, and an abutmentv |94 on` Y head |92 projects into .an opening |95 through the wall 5|, to co-act with the bridge 63. of. thetriggerl 69 to prevent squeezing of the trigger 69 when the slide 99 is moved rearwardly to the on or safe position. (Figs. 1 and 3) and a. recess. |96 to admit the bridge 63. thereinto to permit squeezing of the trigger 69 when the slide 99. is movedv forwardlyr to the off position (Fig. 2);.. The tongue |99 has twoV seats |91 for a springpressed detent |98 slidable in wall 5| to retain the slide 99 in its adjusted positions, respectively'.

A magazine |99, disposed in the well 6, corn.-I prises side walls I9 received against the wall's I5Y of the receiver 2 and the walls 46 of. the trigger housing 4, a front wall III received against the forward wall 41 of the housing 4. and the end 59 of the receiver 2,. anda rearv wall.A I.I2 received. against the wall 40 and the wall 4| of rvthe housing 4.

1t win be notedV (Fig. 5a. therme. above-ca scribed parts of. the magazine |99. are fabricatedV from a single niece of suitable material such as sheet metal. The rear wall |I2 is formed by -closely folding, in an interlocking. engagement,`

the ends I- I3` and II4 of thesingle pieceof. material, forming an enlargement IiI5 projecting rearwardly from the magazine i991. The. rear wall. |'I2 is formed with aflongitudinal enlargement |I6-v to provide a groove I|1 in the. inner facey of thevrear wall IIB. Thisfenlargement IIGhas its upper end spaced below. thetop of the magazine` |99 to provide an. opening in. the rear wall I|.2. The wall II2. is provided. with. a suitable: trans.. verse slot IIB (Fig. l) in which isengaged abolt.y |'I9 slidable transverselyin the wallI 4I)I of the housing 4. Ther bolt I I9. has a transverse slot |29 therein to admit the enlargements ||5 and. |.|.6 of wall- II2 therethroughk (Figui) The partgare so dimensioned and-i related that whenthe-bolt I I9 is positioned to register slot |29 with` enlarge;- ments I I5 and H6, thev magazine |99 can be mounted and dismounted. and that when the bolt |I'9 is positioned to move slot |29 out ofv register with enlargements I I5 and I I6, themagazine |109 is bolted in operative position. Whengthe magazine |99 is so disposed'the-aforesaid opening 'inrits'l rear wall I I2 registers with the space between theI tie-bar 8 of the receiver 2- and the top'of the wall 4| of the housing 4. Seats |2| are provided in bolt I I9 for a spring-pressed detent |22 slidable in wall 49to retain the bolt I I9 in its adjustedpositions, respectively. The magazine |99 has a bottom Vwall |23 cornprising a slide retained by bent-over spring' ilanges |24 on the bottom edges of side walls |I9 and front wall II I.` T-he magazine |99' hasA a follower plate |25 pressed upwardly by a suitable spring |26 conned between the slide |23 and the plate |25. The plate |25 has on its rear end a n'ger |21 received in the groove II'1. The plate |25 has a struck-up portion |28 serving to position the rounds |29 in the proper staggered relation in the magazine |09. The side walls I are provided on their upper edges with the usual ears (not shown) to properly position each round |29 relative Ato the bolt 9 as the round |29 is fed upwardly from the magazine |09.

The rifle is assembled as follows. The bolt 9, operating rod I5, catch and barrel 3 are mounted in the receiver 2. The trigger 60, sear 65, rocker 13 and hammer 86 are mounted in the trigger housing 4. The receiver `2 and the trigger housing 4 are connected by sliding the housing 4 forwardly relative to the receiver 2 to seat lugs 42 on wall 4| in slots 43 on flanges 44, and dispose lug 34 of the receiver 2 in the slot 35 of the housing 4 and dispose the forward wall 41 of the housing 4 against the bottom of the forward end 59 of the receiver 2. The parts are then fastened in this relation `by inserting the pin 38 through the position of rear wall 36 defining slot 35, and lug 34 in slot 35. The connected receiver 2 and p trigger housing 4 are mounted in stock by lowering them through slot 5 and well 6. To do this, latch 53 is swung downwardly so that its wings 54 lie below the head portion 52 of bottom wall 5| of the housing 4 in order for them to pass through the rear end of well 6. When shoulder 32 of receiver 2 is seated on top 33 of stock I, the latch 53 is swung rearwardly and upwardly and secured, to clamp the receiver 2 and housing 4 in the stock as above described.

The magazine |09 can be loaded, before being mounted, or it can be loaded by using Vthe loading clip |43 as above described after it is mounted by insertion upwardly in well 6.

After the magazine |09 has been loaded, the catch |30 can be released by manually depressing the lug |40 or by slightly retracting rod I5 to relieve the pressure on catch |30 which is then depressed by its spring I4I. The rod I5 being moved forward by spring 25 drives the bolt 9 forward chambering the top round |29 (Fig. 1).

If a loaded magazine |09 is mounted, it is obvious that manual retraction of rod I5 and its permitted forward movement by spring 26 will chamber the first round A| 29.

When the bolt 9 is retracted (Fig. 3), it rocks the hammer 86 in a counterclockwise direction, its lower edge sliding on cam surface I 58 of hammer 85. This causes arm 83 to move forward suniciently for edge of the rocker 13 to bear on edge 9|. The spring 85 presses arm 15 kforward and trigger 60 downward when trigger 60 is asn-,isa

released. The sear 65 is -pressed forward by spring 19, so that its end l2 bears on edge 18.

When the bolt 9 is returned to battery, it passes Oi of the hammer 86 which is rocked by its spring 91 to cocked position (Fig. 1). This causes arm 88 to move rearwardly until shoulder 92 contacts the extreme forward end of rocker arm 16. Rearward movement of arm 88 rocks the rocker 13 so Ythat shoulder 19 engages 19 with end 'I2 of seal' 55 which is thereby retracted suiciently for its rear portion 68 to be disposed over lug 64 on trigger 69.

The safety slide 99 being in off position (Fig. 2), the trigger 60 can be squeezed to fire the chambered round |29. This causes lug 64 to raise the rear portion 98 of sear 65 and depress its end 12 which moves downwardly off of shoulder 19 releasing the rocker 'i3 which being rocked by pressure of arm 88 releases the hammer 89, the edge 90 moving along the edge 80 which, when the rocker F3 is so positioned, is concentric with edge 90.

- When the hammer 86 is released, it is rocked by its spring Si to strike the firing pin |98 which impacts the primer to re the round.

It will be noted (Fig. 15) that the cam surfaces and |59 on the bolt 9 and the hammer. 86 are so related that the face |60 of the hammer' 86 can strike the firing pin |98. This precise relation is erected by rocking of bolt 9 to lock it in battery. It is obvious, therefore, that should the hammer 89 be rocked when the bolt 9 is not properly locked, the lug |56will prevent the hammer 89 from striking the firing pin |48, thereby preventing firing.

1t will be noted (Fig. l) that, when the hammer 83 is cocked, the end of arm 1B of the rocker 13 bears against the oblique edge 92 of the foot 88 of the hammer 93, tending to force arm 'I9 downwardly to rock the rocker 13. Consequently the force exerted by the arm '15 of the rocker 'E3 on the end l2 of the Sear 55 is determined by the angle of edge 92. By varying this angle the amount of pressure on the sear 65 can be Varied and consequently the weight of trigger pull to release sear 65.

From the foregoing description of the structure and operation of the rie, it will be understood that, when the magazine |05 is loaded and the first round |29 has been fired, the bolt 9' recoils, thereby extracting and ejecting the case of the fired round 29 and retracting the hammer 99. The bolt 9 is then projected by rod I5 under impulse of its spring 26, in counter-recoil, thereby chambering the next round |29 fed from the magazine |09, and the hammer 95 is cocked. The rifle is thus conditioned for ring the next round |29. This cycle is repeated, so long as there are rounds |29 in the magazine |09. It is obvious from the foregoing'description of the operation of the catch |30 that when the case of the last round |29 fed from the magazine |99 has 'been ejected, the finger |31 on the follower |25 engages the trip lug |35 of the catch |30 to cause lug |39 of the catch 30 to enter slot Z2 of rod |5, thereby locking rod |5 and bolt 9 in retracted position to permit reloading either by charging the maga- (ifi aineV |09 in the well 6 with rounds |29 from a clip Y |53, or by replacing the empty magazine |09 with a loaded one.

Having described my invention, what I claim is: n a firearm, the combination of, a trigger, a

pivotal sear, a pivotal rocker shapedlto form a k bell-crank having a vfirst and second arm, saidY first arm having a vertical shoulder at the freeV end thereof arranged to be engaged by the front end of said scar,- said secondarm terminating in an arcuate concave surface and adjacent angular surface, a pivotal hammer disposed forwardly of said rocker,y said hammer shaped to form a bellcrank having a head portion and a foot portion, a slidably mounted iring pin arranged to be actuated by impact with said hammer head portion, said hammer foot portion terminating in a first and second convex surface, said first convex surfacebeing disposed closer to the pivot pointoff said hammer than vsaid second convex surface and rearwardly thereof, an angular cam surface connecting said convex surfaces and arranged toA mate with said angular surface on said second rocker arm when said hammer is in a cocked position, means on said trigger for actuating said scar to disengage from said shoulder on said first rocker arm when said trigger is pulled whereby said rocker is free to pivot rearwardly, first spring means for biasing said hammer head portion to actuate said firing pin, said angular surfaces on said hammer and said rocker arranged to disengage during the firing movement of said hammer whereupon said second convex surface slidably engages with said arcuate concave surface on said rocker, means for pivoting said hammer rearwardly against the bias of said first spring means whereby said first convex surface on said hammer foot portion engages Vsaid arcuate concave surface on said rocker second arm, said hammer angular cam surface being thereby positioned in front of said rocker angular surface, and second spring means disposed between said trigger and said first rocker arm for biasing said rocker forwardly whereby said angular surfaces engage in mating relationship, said sear arranged to engage said shoulder on said first rocker arm when said trigger is released whereby said angular surfaces maintain saidhammer in a cocked position until said trigger is pulled.

EARLE M. HARVEY.

RrrruarnCEsV CITED The following references are of recordin the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 841,807 McGillivray Jan. 22, 1907 1,233,096 Martinez-Silva July 10, 1917 1,360,950 Herren Nov. 30, 1920 1,400,252 Weed Dec. 13, 1921 1,786,536 T -Iolek Dec. 30, 193.0 1,854,064 Revelli Apr. 12, 1932 1,886,609 Frommer Nov. 8, 1932 2,100,410 Pugsley Y Nov. 30, 1937 2,136,511 Jones Nov. 15, 1938 2,195,693 Clifton Apr. 2, 1940 2,270,683 Janecek Jan. 20, 1942,` 2,324,125 Van Horn et al. July 13, 1943 2,325,395 Hammond July 27, 1943 2,365,306 Swebilius Dec. 19, 1944 2,409,568 Johnson Oct. 15, 1946 2,457,001 Smith Dec. 21,