US2845001A - Manual charger for a firearm - Google Patents

Description

y 1958 R. L. HILLBERG 2,845,001

MANUAL CHARGER FOR A FIREARM Filed Nov. 30, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 W 26 l 34 q IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent MANUAL CHARGER FOR A FIREARM Robert L. Hillberg, West Cheshire, Conn., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application November 30, 1955, Serial No. 550,233

3 Claims. (Cl. 89-1) This invention relates to chargers for firearms and more particularly to manual chargers for firearms having longitudinally reciprocating bolts.

With firearms wherein it is necessary to retract the bolt to charge the weapon there is generally provided an accessory device which facilitates the rearward movement of the bolt. Such devices are generally actuated to move the bolt rearwardly by hydraulic or manual means and are returnable to normal forward position by spring means.

Such spring means are generally of a compressible coil-spring type which has not been entirely satisfactory for several reasons. These reasons include the variations in the resiliency of the spring during actuation of the charger, the relatively large space required to house a spring long enough to be compressed the distance equal to the length of the travel of the bolt, and the susceptibility of the spring to damage and malfunctions by the atmosphere and foreign matter.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide for a firearm an improved manually operated charger which is positive in operation, compact in size and rugged in construction.

It is another object of this invention to provide for firearms a charger having a compact spring means which is long-lived, protected from foreign matters and which has a relatively constant resiliency during full actuation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a charger whereby the firearm bolt may be locked in an open position.

The specific 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. l is a side view showing the charger mounted to a firearm;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the charger in normal position and a tWo-to-one force is applicable against the charging arm;

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 but showing the relationship of the parts when a one-to-one force is applicable against the charging arm;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a section taken along line 6--6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the charger arm fully retracted and cammed down to return the bolt;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the bolt locked in open position by the lock switch; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective, partially cross-sectioned view of the charger.

Shown in the figures is a firearm 12 having a bolt 14 mounted for longitudinal movement between a recoil and a battery position in a receiver 15. Extending from the side of bolt 14 is a lug 16 which projects through a longitudinal hole 18 provided in the side of receiver 15.

Detachably mounted to the side of receiver immediately below hole 18, and parallel therewith, is'a charger 20 having a rectangular, hollow case 22 comprised of a top, bottom and two side walls, noted at 24, 26 and 28, respectively, which define an elongated rectangular opening in such case. Fixed within the front end of case 22 is a front trunnion 30 which is substantially L-shaped in construction and is provided with a foot portion 32 which extends rearwardly along the inside of bottom wall 26 and a leg portion 36. Foot portion 32 is terminated by a vertically disposed planar surface 34 and leg portion 36 is provided with an arcuate cut 38 which is arranged transversely through the front portion of such leg portion to provide a clearance for a spring device 40.

Spring device 40 is rotatably mounted on an axle 42, which extends transversely through case 22, by means of a cylindrical bobbin 44 having an axial hole 46 for rotatably receiving such axle. Wound around the outside perimeter of bobbin 44 and attached at one end thereto is a fiat coiled spring 48 of Negator type which is prestressed to resiliently wind itself tightly around such bobbin. The outer free end of spring 48, noted at 50, is provided with an attached eyepiece 52 and such spring is Wound around bobbin 44 so as to be unwound therefrom when such free end is pulled rearwardly from the p top of such bobbin along the inside of top Wall 24.

Mounted for slidable movement inside case 22 is an actuator member 54 having a pair of side plates 56 which are substantially of the same height as the inside of side walls 28 so as to prevent angular displacement of such actuator member when slidingly moved. Side plates 56 are spaced apart to slidingly engage side walls 28 by a base 58 which is fixed between such side plates adjacent the lower sides thereof. Base 58 protrudes upwardly, as noted at 60, at the front end and such protrusion is located approximately midway of the front and rear ends of side plates 56.

Provided longitudinally along the outside of each of the side walls 28 and adjacent the bottom sides thereof are similar rectangular channels 62 which slidingly receive the parallel arm portions 64 of a substantially U-shaped anchor member 66. Arm portions 64 are rectangular in cross-section and are connected at the rear ends by an end portion 68.

The forward positions of anchor member 66 and actuator member 54 are established by the contacts thereof with planar surface 34. When actuator member 54 and anchor member 66 are in contact with planar'surface 34, end portion 68 extends rearwardly of such actuator member which is, therefore, slidable between contacts with planar surface 34 and end portion 68. Anchor member 66 is slidable between contacts with front trunnion 30 and a rear trunnion 70 which is fixed within the rear end of case 22. Actuator member 54 is biased forwardly by spring 48 which is attached thereto by means of a pin 71 which is mounted transversely through side plates 56 and eyepiece 52.

Mounted transversely through side walls 28 above and forward of protrusion 60 is a pin 72 upon which there is pivotally mounted a charger arm 74. Charger arm 74 is essentially of V-configuration, and pin 72 is located therein at the junction of an arm portion 77 which extends downwardly forward of said protrusion and past base 58 and an actuating arm 78 which inclines upwardly and rearwardly from such junction. The end of actuating arm 78 extends through a longitudinal opening 80 in top wall 24 so as to be engageable with lug 16 for moving bolt 14 to recoil position When actuator member 54 is moved rearwardly in case 22, as hereinafter described. Actuating arm 78 is held resiliently upward by a springbiased plunger 82 mounted in protrusion 60. Upward position of actuating arm 78 is established by contact between arm 77 and the front end of base 58. The top side of actuating arm 78 provides a cam surface 84 which is slidingly co-operable with lug 16 for depressing such actuating arm downwardly to permit passage thereof past such lug during forward travel of actuator member 54 and thereby permit engagement of the rear end of actuating arm 78, noted at 86, with such lug during rearward movement of such actuator member.

Rotatably mounted between side plates 56, rearwardly of protrusion 60, is a pulley 88 which receives a cable 90. Cable 90 is anchored at one end to end portion 68 of anchor member 66 and extends upwardly and around pulley 88 and outside of case 22 through a port 92 in the upper portion of rear trunnion 70. A funnel-shaped bearing 94 is fixedly mounted to the rear side of rear trunnion 70 in line with port 92 thereby permitting cable 90, passing therethrough, to be pulled in any direction. The free end of cable 90 is terminated by a handle member 96 which is in contact with bearing 94 when actuator member 54 and anchor member 66 are in normal forward position. Whereby, the resilient forward pressure of spring 48 against actuator member 54 causes anchor member 66, through cable 90, to be pressed resiliently against planar surface 34.

Provided on the underside of case 22 for releasably holding bolt 14 in an open position is a lock assembly 98 comprised of a housing 100, a tongue 102 mounted for slidable vertical movement in such housing with the upper end being extendable into case 22, a knob portion 108 which is rotatably mounted to the outside end of such plunger and a spring 104 for biasing such tongue upwardly into case 22 until such knob contacts the underside of such housing. Tongue 102 is rectangular in configuration, and therefore nonrotatable in housing 100. and is terminated at the upper end by a cam portion 110 which inclines upwardly and rearwardly from the front side thereof. Knob portion 108 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed V-shaped detents 112 which are receivable in mating recesses 114 in the bottom of housing 100. Detents 112 are of such height that when in recess 114 tongue 102 projects upwardly inside of case 22 sufliciently to engage the end of arm 77 which, because of the engagement thereof with the front end of base 58, blocks bolt 14 from moving forwardly thereby and when pulled downward and turned to contact the bottom of housing 100 is away from engagement by such arm. A pair of shallow indentations 116 is provided in the bottom of housing 100, preferably at right angles to recess 114, for receiving detents 112 to secure knob portion 108 against rotation.

Fixedly mounted to the underside of case 22, rearwardly of lock assembly 98, is a cam block 118 which projects upwardly into such case to cammingly engage the end of arm 77 and pivot actuating arm 78 out of engagement with lug 16 when bolt 14 is adjacent recoil position, thereby permitting such bolt to return to battery position through the bias of the firearm mechanism.

Operation When it is desired to charge firearm 12, and bolt 14 is in the forward position in receiver 15, the operator pulls on cable 90 by means of handle member 96 attached thereto. The pull on cable 90 is translated to longitudinal movement of such cable within case 22 by bearing 94. The rearward force against cable 90 is translated to a forward force against anchor member 66 by pulley 88. Anchor member 66, however, is prevented from moving forwardly because of the contact between the front ends of arms 64 and front trunnion 30. Such rearward force, therefore, causes actuator member 54 to be moved rearwardly instead. During the initial travel of actuator member 54, between contacts with front trunnion and end portion 58, the mechanical advantage provided by pulley 88 causes actuator member 54 to exert a force which is double that applied to handle member 96. Thereby, extra force is applied against bolt 14, by means of the contact between actuating arm 78 and lug 16, during the 4 period when extra force is required to unlock such bolt from battery position. After actuator member 54 contacts anchor member 66, both move rearwardly together through the direct pull on cable 90.

When bolt 14 has been drawn rearwardly and is adjacent recoil position, the camming engagement of arm 77 with cam block 118 pivots actuating arm 78 downwardly out of engagement with lug 16, permitting bolt 14 to return to battery position through the bias of the firearm mechanism.

While actuator member 54 is being pulled rearwardly, spring 48, which is attached to such actuator member by means of eyepiece 52, was unwound from bobbin 44. Therefore, when firearm 12 is charged and the operator releases his pull against handle member 96 the resilience in spring 48 causes such spring to rewind itself around bobbin 44 and pull actuator 54 and anchor member 66 forwardly to their normal positions. During forward movement of actuator member 54, actuating arm 78 cammingly engages lug 16 and is pivoted downwardly thereby so as to pass forwardly of such lug and in position to retract bolt 14 again when handle member is pulled.

Oftentimes, it is desirable to lock bolt 14 between bat-* tery and recoil positions to eject jammed cartridges from the barrel chamber, etc. This is possible by the device of this invention through the rotation of lock assembly 98 to where detents 112 in knob 108 are received by the mating recesses 114 in housing 100. Whereby, tongue 102 is pressed by spring 104 upwardly in front of arm 77, after being depressed thereby through the cooperation of cam portion during rearward movement of such bolt, ready to block such bolt against forward movement. The forward pull of spring 48 presses arm 77 rearwardly and, therefore, actuating arm 78 upwardly to assume engagement between end 86 of such actuating arm and lug 16. Bolt 14 is releasable from tongue 102 by turning head portion 108 whereby the V-shape of detents 112 cam such knob, and tongue 102 attached thereto, downwardly.

From the foregoing it is clearly apparent that there is herein provided a manual charging device which is simple and rugged in construction and positive in operation and which releasably holds the firearm bolt in an open position. It is also obvious that through the use of a spring of Negator type the charger is compact in size and the tightness of the coils of the spring around the mounting bobbin prevents the intrusion of foreign particles therebetween and a resulting jamming of the spring as with conventional coil springs.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

1. For a firearm having a bolt mounted for longitudinal movement between a recoil and a battery position, a charger for retracting the bolt to the battery position including a hollow case, handle means, an actuating member mounted in said case for slidable movement responsive to a force against said handle means, an arm pivotably mounted to said actuating means for releasably engaging said actuating means to said bolt for actuation thereof to said recoil position, lock means for releasably locking the bolt between the recoil and battery positions, cam means for pivoting said arm to release the bolt from said actuating means when the bolt is adjacent the recoil position, a bobbin rotatably mounted in said case, a coil spring prestressed so as to resiliently coil tightly upon itself and around said bobbin and having an outer end attached to said actuating means for retracting said actuating means to normal position after said spring is unwound by said actuating means during actuation of the bolt.

2. For a firearm having a bolt mounted for longitudinal movement between a recoil and a battery position,

a charger for retracting the bolt to the battery position including a hollow case, handle means, an actuating member mounted in said case for slidable movement responsive to a force against said handle means, an arm pivotably mounted to said actuating means for releasably engaging said actuating means to said bolt for actuation thereof to said recoil position, means for transmitting to said arm double the force applied to said handle means during initial movement of the bolt by said arm, lock means for releasably locking the bolt between the recoil and battery positions, cam means for releasing the bolt from said actuating means when the bolt is adjacent the recoil position, a bobbin rotatably mounted in said case, and a coil spring prestressed so as to coil tightly upon itself and around said bobbin and having an outer end attached to said actuating means for retraction thereof to normal position after said spring is unwound during actuation of the bolt.

3. For a firearm having a bolt mounted for longitudinal movement between a recoil and a battery position, a charger for retracting the bolt to the battery position including a hollow case, handle means, an actuating member mounted in said case for slidable movement responsive to a force against said handle means, an arm pivotably mounted to said actuating means for releasably engaging said actuating means to said bolt for actuation thereof to said recoil position, pulley means for transmitting to said arm double the force applied to said handle means, anchor means for limiting the action of said pulley means to the initial retraction of the bolt by said arm, lock means for releasably locking the bolt between the recoil and battery positions, cam means for releasing the bolt from said actuating means when the bolt is adjacent the recoil position, a bobbin rotatably mounted in said case, and a coil spring prestressed so as to coil tightly upon itself and around said bobbin and having an outer end attached to said actuating means for retraction thereof to normal position after said spring is unwound during actuation of the bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,460,415 Gorton July 3, 1923 2,470,158 Gazda May 17, 1949 2,717,532 Ramseyer Sept. 13, 1955

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