US2933983A

US2933983A - Semi-automatic pistol

Info

Publication number: US2933983A
Application number: US722669A
Authority: US
Inventors: William B Ruger
Original assignee: Sturm Ruger and Co Inc
Current assignee: Sturm Ruger and Co Inc
Priority date: 1958-03-20
Filing date: 1958-03-20
Publication date: 1960-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 1977-04-26

Description

P 1960 w. B. RuER 2,933,983

-' SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL Filed March 20', 1958 FIG. I 3

ATTORNEYS 2,933,983 SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL William B. Roger, Southport, Conn., assignor to Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., Southport, Conn., a corpora tion of Connecticut Application March 20, 1958, Serial No. 722,669 7 Claims. (Cl. 89-194) This invention relates to semi-automatic pistols of the blow-back type, and has for its'object the provision of certain improvements in such pistols. The invention provides an improved receiver and breechblock mechanism in combination.

The receiver of the invention is preferably a unitary structure having adjacent longitudinal holes, such as cylindrical bore holes, one for the operation therein of a reciprocating breechblock, and the other for a return spring and rod means for operatively connecting the return spring to the breechblock. A reciprocal striker having a contained spring and integral firing pin is mounted in the breechblock. One important feature of the invention is the provision of a cross-pin, removably inserted into a transverse hole in the receiver that performs at least three important functions: (1) as a guide and stop for the breechblock, (2) as a base against which the striker spring is compressed, and (3) as a'stop for the return spring.

The breechblock is generally cylindrical and has a flattened upper surface at the rear which slides under the cross-pin and is prevented from turning. The forward edge of the flattened portion is a shoulder which strikes the cross-pin to arrest the rearward movement of the breechblock. The'striker has a longitudinal bore at the rear for receiving its spring and follower rod which has an enlarged rearward base having a transverse slot. The striker, together with its operating spring and follower rod, are mounted in a longitudinal hole in the breechblock and the cross-pin is inserted in the slot in the base to secure the follower rod in position. The breechblock has a knob projecting at the rear for hand operation and the rod for the return spring is attached to this knob. The return spring bears at one end on a collar surrounding the rod, and at the other end, on a head on the rod. The cross-pin has a notch which engages a shoulder in the collar for holding the collar in position and providing a locking means for holding the cross-pin in position. The cross-pin can be removed simply by turning it onequarter turn and pushing it out of its hole thereby freeing the breechblock, striker, return rod and return spring, for their individual removal. The cross-pin provides a safety feature since the gun cannot be fired unless the cross-pin is in its locked position.

Another important feature of the invention is the combination of a striker and an indicator for showing when the striker is cocked which are mounted in the breechblock. The striker has an integral and depending lug projecting through an opening in the breechblock which has a surface for engaging the scar and a shoulder for operating the indicator.

In its more complete aspects the pistol comprises a removable grip member, a magazine, a trigger, sear and trigger disconnector which will be discussed only generally to the extent necessary to describe the functions of the aforementioned elements.

These and other novel features of the invention will be better understood after considering the following discussion with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a semi-automatic pistol of the invention with parts shown in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 with parts shown in se n;

Pent

" 2,93,983 Patented Apr. 26, l96l) Fig. 3 is a sectional view at 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view at 4-4 of Fig. 2.

The automatic pistol illustrated in the drawings comprises a barrel 1 screwed into thereceiver 2 which has an integral trigger guard 3. The rear part of the receiver has an upright recess into which is inserted the heel plug 4. A plastic grip member 5 is held in position on the receiver and heel plug by the screw 6 which extends to the butt end of the grip member (not shown). The magazine 7 is inserted into the grip member andis held in position by the release-catch 8. As shown, the magazine is in a partly withdrawn position. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the receiver has two adjacent cylindrical holes, preferably bores, 10 and 11, the bore 10 being in an extension at the left side of the receiver. The breechblock 12, generally cylindrical and reciprocal in the hole 11,

g has a knob 13 on the exterior for operating the breechthe cartridge chamber for the head of a rim-fired .car

tridge. The striker 22 has a cylindrical hollow part 23 and a flat projecting part 24 the end of which functions asthe firing pin. Within the hollow striker 22 the strikerv spring 25 is inserted. The guide rod 26 for the spring has a head 27 forming a base for the spring. The head has a transverse half-round cut 28 the function'of which will appear later. The striker has a depending lug 29 the forvrilard face of which is a polished face for the sear to catc V The knob 13 of the breechblock is bored and threaded to receive the rod 32 which is reciprocal in the cylindrical bore hole 10 by movement of the breechblock. One end of the rod has a head 33 which provides a stop for the return spring 34 the other end of which bears against the collar 35. This collar has a right angle and also an arcuate cut which leaves the upright shoulder 36 the function of which will appear later. The rod is flattened at 37' to permit it to slide under the cross-pin, thus pro viding for the use of a relatively large rod, and preventing it from turning.

The breechblock also has the longitudinal bore hole 37 which is partly threaded to receive the hollow screw 38. Within the hole 37, the indicator pin 40 and its spring 41 are mounted, and the end 42 of the pin extends through the screw 38. The head of the pin is engaged by the lug 29 of the striker when the striker is cocked as shown in Fig. 1 to push the end 42 beyond the knob 13 to indicate that the gun is cocked. When the striker is released, the spring 41 moves the pin inward to indicate that the gun is not cocked.

The receiver has a transverse bore hole 54 into which the cylindrical cross-pin Si is mounted. This pin is pushedinto position and turned by a coin or the like in the slot 52 to position the right-angle notch 53 of the cross-pin in engagement with the edge 36 of collar 35. This secures the cross-pin in position from which it may be removed by reversing the operation. The cross-pin serves three important functions:

First, the flat surface 15 slides under the cross-pin and holds the breechblock in its proper position, and the shoulder 16 forms a stop to arrest the rearward travel of the breechblock.

econd, the cross-pin is inserted across and in the curved slot 28 of the head 27 thereby providing a secure base for the striker spring 25.

Third, the cross-pin secures the collar 35 and provides a secure base for the return spring 34 thereby also locking the cross-pin in position.

.13 Bysimply turning the cross-pin clockwiseas shown in Fig. 4, the collar is moved to the left against the spring 34 thereby removing the notch of the cross-pin from engagement-withthe collar, and the cross-pin may be pushed out of its hole 50. The breechblock audits attachedrod 32,*striker,-return spring, and-related elements canthen be removed from the receiver.

The heel-plug 4 has a transverse open-slot55 which is hooked over the pin 56 in the receiver. The heel plug 4 is then swung to the position shown inKFig. 1 andthe pin 57 is inserted through 'ahole in.the receiver and heel plug to secure the heel "plug in position. 'As shown in broken lines, the heel plug projects "up-into the hole 11 andhas a terminal snout 58 that is the-ejector for throwing. the cartridge cases through the port 59. Thebreechblock is cut out underneath to clearthis snout-as it moves back and forth.

Sincethe pistol is a semi-automatic, the trigger, trigger release or disconnector, sear and safety-will be-described only generally as-they are not claimed in this applica tion. The trigger 65 is pivotally mounted in the receiver on pin 66 which is heldin position by the spring catch 67. The trigger has a bore hole-in which the spring 68 and plunger 6% are inserted. The plunger bears on a fiat surface of the receiver and the spring opposes the trigger'pull. The trigger rod 70 is a fiat bar mountedina slot in the receiver and ispivotally'cq nected'to the trigger by'the;pin"71. Itis also pivotally connected to thereceiverby'the pin 72 in thee longated hole 73. The right end 740fthetrigger rod isbent inwardly as shown in Fig. l. The scar 7-5 is a fiat plate mounted in a slot in the heel plug 4 and is pivotally'connected thereto by-the pin '57. As shown in Fig. 1, the

sear is in engagement with the catch surface on lug 22 of the striker. 'The-right lower edge of the sear is in engagement with a plunger 76 mounted in the heel plug 4 with a spring 77 which urges the sear'in a'counterclockwise position. The fiat curved disconnector plate 78 is pivotally connected to thereceiver on the pin 79. (This pin may include safety means for preventing accidental firing.) The lower portion of plate 78 has a coupler bar 80 pivoted thereto on pin31. The coupler bar has a rounded end 82 (inwardly as viewed in Fig. 1) which operates in the slot33 of the sear plate 75. and asquare-cut end 84 which is engaged by thebentend 74 of the trigger rod 79. The-plate 7.8 and the coupler bar 80 are constantly urged in a clockwise. turningaction by'the plunger'87 and spring 88whieh-are mounted in a'hole in'the' heel plug 4.

When the'trigger is pulled from the position ..of Fig.

l 'the spring 68 is compressed, therod 7il pivots on pin 72'and the end 74 moves downwardonthe. squareend 84 of the coupler bar 89' thereby causing the rounded end 82 to push the sear 75 clockwise against theplunger 76 and spring 77. This moves the'sear out of engagement with the striker lug 29 and thestriker is released to ignite the cartridge. When the breechblock moves rearward following the explosion, the curved upper end of the disconnector plate 78 is engaged by the curved shoulder 85 on the breechblock and is depressed in which place it remains until the breechblock returns to the closed position of Fig. 1. When the breechblock is rearward and the disconnector plate 73 is depressed at its upper end, the couplerbar '86 is drawn to the right or rearward and the end 84 is'removed from the possibility of' engagement with'the end 74 of the trigger rod. Accordingly, if the shooter hangs onto the trigger after shooting, the action of the breechblock effects. a disconnection of the trigger from the sear,.enabling the sear to engage' the notch 29 and hold the striker cocked. When the breechblock is returned to its firing position, the relief area under the curved opening 86 is over the disconnectorplate-and the curved upper end may-rise to the positionshown in Fig. 1 due to thepressure exerted by plunger 87 and spring 88. When-the trigger is released, the breechblock being closed, the end 74 of the trigger rod moves up to the position shown in Fig. 1 and the plunger 87 and spring 88 push the coupler bar forward to the position shown in Fig. 1, in which position firing may be resumed.

1. A semi-automatic blow-back pistol which 'comprises a receiver, adjacent longitudinal holes in the receiver, a breechblock reciprocally mounted'in one hole, a breechblock return spring mounted in the other hole, means operatively connecting the return spring to the V breechblock, a striker and spring therefor in the breechblock, a removable cross-pin in the rearward portion of the receiver, means providing a stop for the striker spring which bears against the cross-pin, means on the breechblock to engage the cross-pin on the rearward travel of the breechblock, and means engaging the cross-pinforming abase for the return spring.

2. A semi-automatic pistol according to claim 1 which comprises a follower rod for the return spring attached at one end to the breechblock and havinga head. at the opposite end against which the spring bears.

3. A semi-automatic pistol according to claim 2 which comprises a collar around the follower rodhaving .a shoulder into which a notchof the cross-pin makes looking engagement.

4. A semi-automatic pistolaccordingtoclaiml which comprises a strikerhaving a. longitudinal holein which the striker spring is mounted, afiring pin at one end of the striker, a lug dependingfrom the striker having a surface for engaging asear and aspring-pressed indicator adapted to project rearward of the breechblock when engaged by the lug in the cocked position to indicate that the striker is cocked.

5. A semi-automatic blow-back pistol which comprises a receiver, adjacent longitudinal holes in the receiver, a breechblock reciprocally mounted in one hole, a breechblock return spring mounted in the other hole, means operatively connecting the return spring to the breechblock, a striker in the breechblock, a transverse hole in the receiver which cuts across the holes for'the breechblock and the return spring, the breechblock having a cut out flattened portion and a shoulder, said striker having a spring and follower rod mounted therein, a head on the follower rod having a transverse groove, acrosspin inserted in thetransverse hole over the flattened portion of the breechblock andagainst which the shoulder makes .contact when the breechblock travels :rearward, the cross-pinbeing inserted inthe groove of the. follower headto securethe follower head and provide a base for the striker spring, and locking means on thecross pin to secure itin position, saidcross-pin beingrernovable from its locking engagement when turned.

6. A semi-automatic pistol according to claim 5' which comprisesaknob .on the rearwardendof the breech-- block for manual operation, .a spring 'pressedindicator pin projectable from the knob, and means on the striker for engaging the indicator when the striker is cocked to push it to an indicating position.

7. A semi-automatic pistol according to. claim 5 which comprises a follower rod for the return spring operatively connecting the return spring-to the breechblock, and. means on the follower rod for the return spring to engagev the cross-pin to hold it in its locked position.

References Cited in the. file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS l;l31',360 Fyrberg Mar. '9, -1915 1,143,472 Whiting June 15, 1915.

1,403,133 Stokke Jan. 10, 1922 2,655,839 Ruger Oct. 20, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS.

554,500 France Mar. 2, 1923