US2729011A - Automatic cap gun mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 3, 1956 K. w. FRYE 2,729,011

AUTOMATIC CAP GUN MECHANISM Filed Sept. 27. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 KENNETH W. FRYE,

INVENTOR H UEBNER, BEEHLER, WORREL 9 HERZIG,

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 3, 1956 K. w. FRYE AUTOMATIC CAP GUN MECHANISM Filed Sept. 27, 1954 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 R6 wu a m HRH m EE UN W H 0 3 Q m BEN Ill L H a T L v. E N BM QKR mm; W0 K HW Jan. 3, 1956 Filed Sept. 27, 1954 K. W. FRYE AUTOMATIC CAP GUN MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 KENNETH W. FRYE,

INVENTOR HUEBNER, BEEHLER,

WORREL 9 HERZIG,

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent AUTOMATIC CAP GUN MECHANISM Kenneth W. Frye, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application September 27, 1954, Serial No. 458,524

4 Claims. (Cl. 42-57) The present invention relates to an automatic cap firing mechanism and particularly to an automatic cap gun mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic cap firing mechanism capable of efficiently and accurately firing rolls or strips of explosive caps.

Another object is to provide an automatic cap gun of efficient and economic design for mass production.

A further object is to provide an automatic cap gun capable of accurately and continuously firing explosive caps in rolls or strips. I

An additional object is to provide a safe toy automatic cap gun capable of firing explosive caps in rapid succession.

Additional objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

Broadly stated, the present invention is directed to an automatic cap firing mechanism comprising an anvil, a hammer operatively associated with'the anvil, means for continuously feeding caps to the anvil, and automatic means for continuously striking the hammer against the caps on the anvil.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, perforated caps from a roll or strip are fed continuously onto an anvil provided with spaced spikes. The anvil prefer ably is rotatably mounted and cylindrical in shape with the spikes spaced circumferentially on the surface of the anvil. Associated with anvil is a hold-down arm adapted to hold the caps, as they are fed to the anvil, against the surface of the anvil for engagement by the spikes. The anvil preferably is provided with a ratchet fixed thereto for rotation therewith. Operatively associated with theratchet is a pawl pivotally connected to a hammer. The hammer preferably is pivotally mounted adjacent the anvil and is coordinated with the anvil to strike and fire caps continuously as they are fed onto the anvil. Preferably connected to the hammer is a lever which'projects toward a power driven wheel. The wheel preferably is driven by a spiral power spring and preferably is provided .with projections or pins circumferentially spaced thereon.

In operation of this embodiment, a pin engages the lever of the hammer and urges it into a cocked position. When cooked, the pin automatically disengages the lever and the hammer is struck sharply against the cap explosive charge adjacent the hammer on the anvel. The hammer can be struck by the force of a tension spring. The next pin in line on the gearwheel engages the lever of the hammer and urges it back into cocked position. The hammer again is disengaged and struck against the cap, and the cycle is repeated continuously. The resulting reciprocating movement of the hammer actuates the pawl connected thereto. The pawl, in turn, actuates the ratchet and the ratchet rotates the anvil to bring a fresh cap charge into position to be fired. A trigger preferably is associated with the hammer mechanism for action.

2,729,011 Patented Jan. 3, 1956 ice A more detailed description of a specific embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is an isometric side view showing the assembled specific embodiment of the automatic cap firing gun;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View, with portions broken away, showing a specific embodiment of the mechanism of the automatic cap gun;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view with portions broken away, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing the hammer and trigger mechanism;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2, showing the spiral power spring and main gear wheel;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 2, showing the anvil ratchet and pawl, and the cap holddown arms;

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view showing the hammer, hammer lever and pawl assembly;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 2, showing the'cap roll mounting and centering arrangement;

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view showing the gunmechanism housing;

Figure 10 also is a detail perspective view showing half of the gun barrel and the cap roll mounting means; and

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the cap chamber cover showing the hold-down arm and the cap roll centering shoulder.

The power source in the illustrated specific embodiment of the cap firing mechanism is a tensioned spiral power spring of the type found in spring clock mechanisms. The outer end of the spiral power spring 1, as best shown in Figure 5, is connected to the bottom of the mechanism housing 11, as at 2. The inner end of the power spring 1 is connected to axle 3 as indicated at 4. A winding knob 5 and a ratchet 6 also are connected to axle 3. Turningknob 5 in a clockwise direction winds up spring 1. The spring 1 under tension drives the main gear wheel 13 by the transfer of energy thereto through ratchet 6 engaging gear wheel 13 at holes 7 by fingers 8. A series of pins 14 is fixed to the main gear wheel 13 at equally spaced intervals on the circumference of a circle adjacent the circumference of the gear wheel.

The pins 14 are adapted to engage, during rotation of the gear wheel 13, the lever 16 fixed to the base of the hammer 17. The hammer 17 and the lever 16 are at approximately right-angles to each other, and are fixed to an axle 18, as best shown in Figure 7. When lever 16 is engaged by a pin 14, and urged downwardly, the hammer 17 is urged in a clockwise direction a distance corresponding to that through which lever 16 moves, and is thereby cocked for firing.

Mounted on the hammer 17, on a pivot 22, about midway between the upper end of the hammer and the axle 18 is a pawl 21. When the hammer is moved in a clockwise direction, the pawl 21 engages a tooth 10 of the ratchet 23, and turns the ratchet and an anvil 19 to which the ratchet 23 is fixed, through a predetermined arc. This arc is predetermined to correspond to the dis tance between explosive charges on a strip or roll of caps 9 by properly dimensioning the distance between pins 14, the length of lever 16, the length of hammer 17, the

length of pawl 21, and the distance between teeth 10 on the ratchet 23.

A torsion spring 24 (Figures 2, 3, and 4) is provided on one side of axle 18 having one end thereof fixed to a side of case 11 in an ear 26; The other end of the spring 24, under torsion, is lodged against the side of I the hammer 17 on pin 27 (Figure 4). As one of the pins 14 depresses the lever 16, the spring 24 is additionally loaded while the hammer 17 is cocked, that is, drawn away from the anvil 19. When the pin 14 slips off the end of lever 16, the torsion in spring 24 causes the hammer 17 to strike sharply against the anvil 19. By properly designing the spring 24, the blow of the hammer is sufiicient to set off an explosive cap charge positioned between the hammer 17 and the anvil 19.

A torsion spring 28 is mounted on the pin 27 between the pawl 21 and the hammer 17. One end of the spring 28 is fixed in the side of the pawl 21 on car 29 and the other end is brought to bear under torsion against the axle 18 (Figure 4). The spring 28 is adapted to lightly force pawl 21 downward on the ratchet 23 so that in its forward movement it will slide over a long side of a tooth 16 of the ratchet, and will drop down into engagement with a short side 32 of a ratchet tooth.

The caps 33, for use in this specific embodiment of the invention, are provided with perforations 34 at intervals spaced midway between the explosive charge 35, also provided on the cap roll or strip at equally spaced intervals. In loading the gun mechanism, the end perforation of the cap strip 34 is slipped over a spike 36 on anvil 19 and the cap roll 9 is mounted on a pin 40. When the anvil is rotated by the action of pawl 21, the spike 36 moves between the bifurcated hold-down arm 37 (Figures 6 and 11). The clockwise movement of the spike 36 wraps the strip of caps around the anvil 19 and advances the first explosive charge 35 to the position at which the hammer 17 strikes against the anvil.

The striking of the hammer 17 on the explosive charge 35 in the cap produces a loud detonation and products of combustion, such as smoke and fumes. The cap is generally blown in two by the explosion, however some portions thereof often remain attached to the surface of the anvil 19. As the anvil is rotated by the action of the pawl 21 on the ratchet 23, as previously described a new explosive charge is brought into position for firing by the action of spikes 36 in perforations 35 of the caps. The hold-down arm 37 by pressing the caps against the anvil assure the engagement of fresh caps at all times by the action of spikes 36 in perforations 35. Any remnants of exploded caps sticking to anvil 19, are scraped therefrom by stripper 38 as the anvil is rotated past the blades of the stripper (Figure 2).

The structure and operation of stripper 38 is best seen by referring to Figures 2, 3, 6 and 9. The stripper 38 is provided with a central notch 39 adapted to clear the pins 36 during rotation thereof. A larger notched portion 41 (Figure 9) is provided on the stripper 38 to strip cap remnants from the cylindrical surface of the anvil 19. Two side portions 42 of the stripper 38 overhang the edges of the anvil 19, and aid in the stripping action. The clearance between the cylindrical surface or" the anvil 19, and the edges of the notch 41 of the stripper 38 is made sufliciently small so that any portions of exploded caps adhering to the surface or edges of the anvil 19 are scraped cleanly therefrom and dropped into receiver 43, as indicated by the downward movement of stripped cap portion 44.

The trigger 46 is pivotally mounted on an axle 47 to which also is fixed an elongated hook 48. The angle between the trigger 46 and the arm of the hook 48 is chosen so that when the trigger extends downward into a middle portion of the trigger guard 49 (Figure 1), the hook 48 extends upward at an angle into the housing 11, as shown in Figure 2.

The hook 48 is adapted to cooperate with a hook 50 on the inner end of lever 16 to engage the latter as shown in Figure 2. When the hook 48 is in engagement with the book 50, the downward movement of lever 16, produced by the action of a pin 14, is positively halted and the firing action is stopped or prevented.

A torsion spring 51, mounted on axle 47, has oneend area: to an car 52- forrned in the side of housing 11, and

another end under torsion bears against a pin 53 formed on the side of hook 48. Spring 51 normally urges hook 48 upward into engagement with the hook 5%) to prevent firing. When the trigger 46 is manually forced in a counter-clockwise direction against the tension of spring 51, hook 48 is slipped out of engagement with the hook 50 and the firing action is commenced.

After a burst of fire has taken place the action quickly can be stopped by releasing the pressure on trigger 46, thus permitting the tension in spring 51 to force hook 48 upward into engagement with hook 50. In thus stopping the firing action pin 14 on gear wheel 13 comes into contact with lever 16 thus forcing lever 16 in a clockwise direction around axle 18 and forcing hammer 17 away from anvil 19 as shown in Figure 2. This action on trigger 46, lever 16 and hammer 17 is resisted by torsion springs 51, 24, and 28. The initial action of these springs on lever 16 cushions the stopping action and avoids a sudden shock-stop. It will be seen that at the instant hook 48 engages hook 50, the action of pin 14 against lever 16 is resisted by the reaction of the torsion springs. By virtue of this cushion-stop action, pins 14, gear wheel 13, hook 48 and lever 16 can be made of lighter material than otherwise without the danger of breakage or failure of the mechanism.

A fresh roll or strip of caps is readily charged to the magazine in housing 11 by raising cover 55 hingedly mounted on housing 11 at 56 (Figures 2, 9 and 11). Pin 40 on centering shoulder 60 then is readily accessible for mounting a roll of caps thereon. After the end perforation 34 of the roll of caps is engaged by spike 36 of the anvil 19, the anvil can conveniently be turned in a clockwise direction to cause the caps to pass under the hold-down arm 37, because of the free-play in the ratchet and pawl arrangement. The chamber cover 55 is lowered and snapped into position thus bringing down the cap roll centering shoulder 58 (Figure 8) which can be formed in the chamber lid 55, as shown in Figure 11. The hold-down arm 37 also conveniently can be formed on chamber lid 55 to thus disengage and engage the caps in opening and closing the lid.

Anvil I9 is rotatably mounted on axle 59, and is prevented from overriding itself by a helical compression spring 61, also mounted on axle 59, and caused to bear under compression, against a side of chamber 11 and anvil 19. Thus the spring 61 acts to apply a friction brake, to the anvil so that the anvil is at all times positively driven by the action of pawl 21 on ratchet 23. The ratchet 23 also is fixedly mounted on axle 59 and anvil 19 to rotate with the anvil.

It will be seen that spikes 36 (Figures 2, 3 and 6) are tapered. The purpose of this design is two-fold. Irregularities in the spacing of the perforations 34 in the cap strip 33 are compensated for by the tapered spikes, and more certain engagement of these perforations by the spikes is assured. Secondly, during high-speed operation, any tendency of the anvil to slightly override itself is corrected by the blows of hammer 17 against the tapered sides of spikes 36, and a realignment of anvil 19 and hammer 17 is efiected. It will be observed that the top and bottom surfaces of the hammer head are tapered to assist in this realignment action. Also, the face of hammer 17 is curved and of suflicient area to substantially coincide with the curvature and area of the cylindrical surface of anvil 19 between two adjacent spikes for even and substantially' complete contact between these surfaces. This arrangement guards against misfiring during the rapid, automatic firing of the gun.

Main gear 13 is meshed with a pinion gear 62 rotatably mounted on an axle 63. Gear wheel 64 also is rotatably mounted on axle 63, and in turn is meshed with pinion gear 66. Pinion gear 66 and a governor 67 both are rotatably mounted on axle 68. Axles 63 and 68 are mounted in the side of chamber 11 and in a bracket 69, which in turn is riveted or bolted to the side of chamber 11 at 71. The governor 67 serves to level out the speed of rotation of main gear Wheel 13 to thus reduce the differential in speed thereof between the times when power spring 1 is fully wound and almost completely unwound.

The spiral power spring 1 is wound by means of knob 5. To wind the power spring 1, a safety lever 73 is set over the end of axle 68 which projects beyond the outer surface of chamber 11. The safety lever 73 bears tightly against the end of axle 68 and holdsthe gear train consisting of pinion 66, gear wheel 64, pinion 62 and gear wheel 14 stationary during the winding operation. The winding operation consists of manually turning in a clockwise direction, knob 5. By thus fixedly holding the gear train, partial unwinding'of the power spring 1 is prevented by guarding against the turning of gear wheel 13 until a pin 14 displaces lever 16 as described previously in connection with the discussion of the cushioning action on gear wheel 13 when firing action is stopped. By thus fixing the gear train against such cushioning action and slack movement, winding of the main power spring is greatly facilitated.

The cap firing mechanism is housed in chamber 11 by mounting the mechanism onto one side of the chamber. As shown in Figure 9, the chamber 11 is made of two halfportions. The main power spring and associated geartrain is mounted on the inside wall of one chamber 11 portion, with axles 63 and 66 journaled in the side of bracket 69 and the side of the chamber portion, and with axle 3 journaled in the side of the chamber portion. The knob is mounted on the end of axle 3 in conventional manner and axles 18, 47 and 59, carrying hammer 17, trigger 46 and anvil 19, are journaled in the side of the chamber portion. These three axles also are journaled in the other half chamber 11 portion which is fitted over the firstmentioned chamber half-portion. The two chamber halfportions are bolted or riveted together at 76.

The stock 77 and the grip 78 can be made of wood, plastic, compound rubber, or any other desirable material.- These are bolted to the chamber 11 by means of bolts at 79 and 81. Similarly, the barrel 82, which can be made hollow or solid, and the handgrip 83 can be made of wood, plastic or any desired material, and are bolted to the front end of chamber 11 at 84 by bolts passing through guides 86. The barrel 82 can be of one piece or two halves bolted together by bolts passing through guides 87. Cap roll mounting pin 40 and centering shoulder 60 are formed on the rear end of the barrel 83. a

In the above description, a specific embodiment of the automatic cap gun of the invention has been described in connection with the use of rolls or strips of perforated caps. It will be understood that the gun or mechanism of the invention will operate on ordinary rolls of unperforated caps. In such case, the anvil 19 is replaced by an anvil without spikes 36. The hold-down arm 37 can then be replaced by a friction roller, such as a rubber pressure roller driven by a ratchet and pawl, or other suitable drive mechanism, to engage and feed the roll or strip of caps onto the anvil and into the zone struck by the hammer. Other variations in the design of the automatic cap firing mechanism, and modifications in the details thereof will occur to one skilled in the art. It is, therefore, understood that the foregoing description is explanatory only, and given to specifically illustrate a particular embodiment of the invention.

Accordingly, although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be understood that such changes and modifications in the design, structure, and details of the illustrated cap firing mechanism and gun may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic cap gun a cap firing mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted hammer, a generally cylindrical anvil mounted for axial rotation with its circumferential surface Within striking distance of the hammer, tension means associated with the hammer for continuously urging the hammer toward the anvil with striking force, power means including an element for periodically retracting the hammer from the anvil against the tension means and periodically releasing the tensioned hammer for striking the anvil, ratchet and pawl means mounted on the anvil and hammer, respectively, for rotating said anvil 'upon retracting movement of said hammer, said anvil constituting means for feeding a strip of caps into position for consecutive firing of the units in the strip by the periodic striking action of the hammer, said hammer having an extension engageable by said element of said power means for retracting said hammer, said extension having a shoulder thereon, and a pivoted trigger having means arranged to releasably engage said shoulder and normally hold said hammer against the retracting action of said power means.

2. In an automatic cap gun a cap firing mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted hammer, a generally cylindrical anvil mounted for axial rotation with its circumferential surface within striking distance of the hammer, tension means associated with the hammer for continuously urging the hammer toward the anvil with striking force, motor means including an element for periodically retracting the hammer from the anvil against the tension means and periodically releasing the tensioned hammer for periodically striking the circumferential surface of the anvil, ratchet means mounted on the anvil for rotation therewith, pawl means mounted on the hammer for movement therewith and for cooperation with the ratchet means for rotating the anvil upon retracting movement of said hammer, said anvil constituting means for feeding a strip of caps past said hammer, pressure means pressing toward the circumferential cylindrical surface of the anvil for engaging and pressing a strip of caps onto the circumferential surface of the rotating anvil for insuring feeding of the strip upon rotation of the anvil, stripping means adjacent the circumferential surface of the anvil adapted to peel remains of fired caps therefrom, said hammer having an extension engageable by said element of said motor means for retracting said hammer, said extension having a shoulder thereon, and a pivoted trigger having means arranged to releasably engage said shoulder and normally hold said hammer against the retracting action of said motor means.

3. Cap firing mechanism comprising a generally cylindrical anvil rotatable about its axis, projections fixed in spaced relationship to the circumferential surface of the anvil adapted for engaging a strip of perforated caps, presser means conforming to the periphery of the anvil arranged to engage a strip of caps radially outwardly of said anvil and press the same radially against the anvil laterally of said projections for guiding the perforations of the caps onto the projections as a strip of caps is fed onto the anvil during rotation thereof, a pivotally mounted hammer operatively associated with the anvil for continuously striking and discharging powder charges on the caps on the anvil between the anvil projections, stripper means associated with the anvil for continuously stripping remnants of discharged caps from the anvil, ratchet and pawl means associated with the hammer and anvil for synchronizing the movement thereof, and power means for intermittently striking the hammer against the caps on the anvil.

4. In an automatic cap gun a cap firing mechanism comprising a generally cylindrical anvil rotatable about its axis, pins fixed in spaced relationship to the circumferential surface of the anvil adapted for engaging a strip of perforated caps having explosive charges between the perforations, presser means conforming to the periphery of the anvil arranged to engage a strip of caps radially outwardly of said anvil and press the same radially against the anvil laterally of said projections for guiding the perforations of the caps around the pins as the caps are fed continuously onto the anvil during rotation thereof, a pivotally mounted hammer operatively associated retracting said hammer, said extension'having a shoulder 10 thereon, and a pivoted trigger having means arranged to releasably engage said shoulder and normally hold said hammer against the retracting action of said power means.

References Cited in the file of this patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Neuhaus Mar. 28, 1893 Smith et a1. July 31, 1894 Peake Sept. 12, 1933 Rickenbacher June 23, 1936 Milne May 16, 1950 Anderson n Oct. 2, 1951

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