US2961792A

US2961792A - Self-contained action unit for firearms of the breakdown type

Info

Publication number: US2961792A
Application number: US10750A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ii Harry H Sefried
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-02-24
Filing date: 1960-02-24
Publication date: 1960-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 1977-11-29

Description

Nov. 29, 1960 H. H. sEFRn-:D n 2,951,792

SELF-CONTAINED ACTION UNIT FOR FIREARMS 0F THE BREAKDOWN TYPE Filed Feb. 24, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. H. SEFRIED Il SELF-CONTAINED ACTION UNIT FOR FIREARMS OF' THE BREAKDOWN TYPE Nov. 29, 1960 Filed Feb. 24, 1960 2,961,792 SELF-CONTAINEDACTIoNUNT FOR FIREARMS or rnn BREAKDOWN TYPE HarryH; Serried'll, 5 Sheidon Terrace,

New Haven, Conn; ruta Feb. 24,1960, ser'. No. 10,750

zo claims. (c1. 42..-41)

This invention relates to firearms in general, and to actions for firearms of break-down type in particular.

It is the primary aim and object of the present invention to provide for a firearm of break-down type an action which is of simple construction and lends itself to highly efficient and low-cost mass production, yet is most reliable in its performance.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for a firearm of this type an action of which all parts are readily assembled and mounted on a bracket to form therewith a self-contained action unit outside the receiver, and to assemble this unit with the receiver on merely sliding the unit intact into and locking it in the receiver.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a firearm of this type the aforementioned action unit of which the mounting bracket is advantageously an integral eXtension of the trigger guard and not only carries all the operating and other parts of the action, including the barrel lock and release part and the necessary power spring parts, but also retains all of these parts in operative relation with each other. With this arrangement, the complete assembly of the action unit outside the receiver is achieved with the utmost facility and speed, and the assembled unit is fully operative even before it is placed in the receiver and, hence, may advantageously be tested as to its proper performance directly on completion of its assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a firearm of this type with a low-cost die-cast receiver which permits perfectly safe use and reliable performance of the firearm for the longest time regardless of its caliber, and which requires no machining other than a few exceedingly'simple and quick machiney operations. To the end of attaining safety in the use of thel firearm, the die-cast is provided with a recoil interceptorV in the` form of a simple steel blank which is in backing relation with the chamber end of the unbroken barrel and distributes the recoil forces over a sufiiciently large area of the receiver to eliminate any possible damage to the latter. On the other hand, the aforementioned action unit makes for reliable performance and enduring use of the firearm because no operating parts of the action unit are supported or mounted on the die-cast receiver and, hence, are in their performance in no wise dependent on the structural strength ofthe receiver.

It isa further object of the present invention to provide for a firearm of this type the aforementioned action unit of which the bracket extension of the trigger guard is of general channel shape in which are received and also confined in operative relation with each other the primary fire-controlling trigger, searand firing-pin parts as well as the manual action part for cooking the former parts and preferably also for operating the barrel lock and release part, with the manual action part being advantageously a lever pivoted about an axis transversely of the receiver and having an accessible handle outside the receiver for operational movement of this lever directly in the longitudinal plane of the'receiver in which the primary firenite States Patent controlling` parts operate. With these primary fire control parts and the manual actiony part thus arrangedv ink the channeled bracket extension of the trigger guard,` the channel may be relatively narrow and the assembled action unit easily kept within the accustomed width of the -trigger guard plate for the reception of the latter and of the entire action unit in an aperture of preferred uniform Width in the receiver, yet the operational movability of the manual action part longitudinally of the receiver may be over most any convenient range best Suited for accurate and reliable co-actiou of the aforementioned primary fire-controlling parts at their most convenient and least crowded relative locations in the channeled bracket extension.

Other objects andr advantages will appear to those skilled in the art from the following, considered in conjunction With the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view of a firearm of breakdown type having in its receiver an action unit embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top view of the same firearm;

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary longitudinal sections through the receiver of the firearm as taken on the lines 3 3 and 4 4 of Fig. 2, and showing the featured action unit therein in elevation;

Fig. 5 is a section through the firearm similar to Fig. 3, but carrying the section through the featured action unit;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the firearm taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are cross-sections through the firearm taken substantially on the lines 7 7, 8 8 and 9 9, respectively, of Fig. 5; i

Figs. 10 and 11 are fragmentary longitudinal sections through the firearm taken substantially on the lines 10 10 and Il ll, respectively, of Fig. 3;

Fig. l2 is a section through the firearm similar to Fig. 5, but showing the featured action unit in a different operative position;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section through the firearm similar to Figs. 5 and 12, but showing the featured action unit in still another different operative position; and

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary section through a firearm with a featured action unit of modified form. v

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 11 thereof, the reference numeral 20 designates a firearm of well-known break-down type, herein some-. times referred to more specically as a firearm of barrel break-down type. To this end, the barrel 22 and forestock 24 are pivoted at 26 to. a frame part or extension 28 of the receiver 30 (Fig. 1) to permit tilting of the barrel` from its firing position for the extraction of a fired shell s from and placement of a loaded shell in the chamber 32 of the barrel (Fig. 3). The barrel 22V is in its firing position customarily releasabrly locked to the frame part 28V of the receiver 30 by means of a lock element 34 which presently is a bar Yactuated from within the receiver. Thus, the present bar V3d. is in its forwardly projectedV barrel-locking position (Figs. 3 and 11)' inter-- locked with notches 36 in theopposite walls V33 of4 aA barrel lug 40 which is customarily secured to the barrel, 22 and houses aV suitable shell-ejecting mechanism. including an ejector with an action head 42 (Fig. 3). The.. barrel 22 is thus securely locked in its firing position to the frame part 28 of the receiver 30, and may beV tilted about the pivot`26 for reloading purposes on reardescribed fully hereinafter, the bar 34 is also actuated hom Within the receiver 30 for its retraction from barrel-locking position.

The receiver 30 presently houses a self-contained action unit 44 which forms a distinct feature of the present invention. This action unit 44, which is received and presently releasably mounted in an aperture 46 in the receiver 30, is fully assembled outside the receiver and is fully operative on its mere insertion into the receiver aperture 46. To this end, all the parts of the action, including the necessary power springs, are mounted exclusively on a bracket 48 which in the present instance is advantageously formed integrally with the mounting plate 50 of a trigger guard 52. The bracket 48 has uplright walls 54 dening between them a channel 56 of presently uniform width throughout. Mounted in the channel 56 of the bracket 48 are the primary lire-controlling parts, namely a firing pin 58, a sear 60 and a trigger 62, as well as a manual fire-control restoring member 64. The firing pin 58 and sear 60 are mounted in the bracket channel 56 for joint excursions into the ring and cocked positions shown in Figs. andY l2, respectively, and they are in their excursions confined to movement in the median plane x-x of the bracket channel 56 (Fig. 7) which coincides with the median plane y-y of the receiver 30 (Fig. 2). The trigger 62 is movable into the tiring and cocked positions shown in Figs. 5 and 12, respectively, and its operational movement is similarly confined to the median plane x-x of the bracket channel 56. The manual member 64 is movable into the inoperative and operative positions shown in Figs. 5 and 13, respectively, and its operational movement is also confined to the median channel plane x-x.

.The firing pin 58 is presently of a thickness smaller 'than the width of the bracket channel 56 (Fig. l0), and is nevertheless confined in the bracket channel to operational movement in the median channel plane x--x. To this end, the firing-pin 58 is intermediate its ends provided with opposite spacers or washers 66 which may simply be pinned thereto as at 70 and which have a relatively loose guide iit in the bracket channel 56 (Fig. Further to the same end, a length of the ring pin 58 is in the mounted condition of the action unit 44 received with a sliding fit in a narrow guide slot 68 in the receiver which leads from the relatively wide receiver 4aperture 46 to a small opening 72 through which passes the tapered action end 65 of the firing pin into and from firing position (Figs. 3, 6, 10 and 12). The firing pin 58 is otherwise guided in the bracket channel 56 for rectilinear movement in a manner described hereinafter.

The sear 60, with its conventional cock and stop

shoulders

74 and 76 for the trigger 62, is pivotally mounted on a crosspin 78 in the bracket 48 (Figs. 5 and 8). While the sear 60 is presently of the sarne thickness as the firing pin 54, i.e., less than the width of the bracket channel 56, the sear is nevertheless conned in its operational movement to the median plane x-x by virtue of the interposition of spacers 80 between the sear and the opposite walls 54 of the bracket 48 (Figs. 5, 8 and 11). The sear 60 and firing pin 58 vare for their joint excursions into tiring and cocked positions operatively connected, presently by a single meshing gear tooth connection 82 between them (Fig. 5).

The trigger 62, which is pivoted on a crosspin 84 in the bracket 48 (Figs. 3 to 5 and 7), extends with its handle part 62a through a bottom aperture 86 in the mounting plate 50 of the trigger guard, with this handle part being of greater width than the remainder of the trigger inside the bracket channel 56 and having a sliding it therewith near the bottom aperture 86 (Figs. 5 and 8), thus confining at least the handle part of the trigger in the bracket channel 56 to operational movement in the median channel plane x-x. The remaining narrower part of the trigger 62 within the bracket channel 56 is confined to operational movement in the same 75 median plane x-x by the manual member 64 in a manner described hereinafter. j

The manual member 64, which is in the form of a lever having spaced opposite arms 88 joined by integral webs 90 (Figs. 5, 7 and 11), is received with a loose tit in the bracket channel 56 and is pivoted on the same pin 84 on which the trigger 62 is pivoted. The manual levei 64 is thus confined in its operational movement to the median channel plane x-x, andthe narrower part of the trigger 62 inside the bracket channel 56 is also contined in its operational movement to the same plane x-x by virtue of its substantially fitted reception between the straddling arms 88 of the lever 64 (Fig. 11).

The lever 64, hereinafter sometimes referred to as manual action lever, is normally urged into the inoperative position of Fig. 5 by a preloaded torsion spring 92 which is anchored to a crosspin 94 in the lever 64 and has one leg `96 .bearing against one of the connector webs 90 of this lever (Figs. 5, 7 and 11). The other leg 98 of the spring 92 bears against the trigger 62 and urges the same into its cocked position in which it is locked to the cock shoulder 74 of the sear 60 (Fig. 12). The manual action lever 64 extends through the widthwise reduced top 100 of the receiver aperture 46 to the outside of the receiver 30 and is there provided with a' thumb grip 102 with which to manipulate the l'ev'erI 6 4 (Figs. 2, 5 and 7). Thus, after having lired the shell s (Fig. 3), the fire control is restored by manually retracting the action lever 64 from the inoperative position in Figs. 3 to 5 into the position in Fig. 12, thereby returning the tiring pin 58, sear 60 and trigger 62 into their cocked position by virtue of the coupling relation between the spaced arms 88 of the action lever 64 and the washers 66 on the tiring pin (Fig. 10). On release of the retracted manual action level 64 the same is spring-returned to its inoperative position in which it bears against the end 104 of the receiver aperture 46 next to the guide slot 68 in the receiver.

The tiring pin 58 and Sear 60 are normally urged into their firing position by a preloaded torsion spring 106 which is presently anchored on the pivot pin 7S of the sear 60 advantageously outside the bracket channel 56 for its ready mounting on the bracket 48 outside the receiver 30 (Figs. 3, 8 and 11). One leg 108 of the spring 106 bears against the bottom surface of a lateral ledge 110 formed on one of the upright walls 54 of the bracket 48 (Figs. 3 and 7)', while the other leg 112 of the spring normally bears against a crosspin 114 in the sear 60 which extends through clearance apertures 116 in the bracket walls 54. It will be noted in Fig. 3 that the acting leg 112 of the spring 106 is presently stopped short of the tiring position of the sear 60 and ring pin S8 by a lateral shoulder formation 118 on the adjacent bracket wall 54, meaning that this spring leg will power the sear and tiring pin over the greater part of their excursion toward iin'ng position, with the sear and tiring pin completing the last part of their excursion into firing position by inertia. However, it is fully within the purview of the present invention to rely solely on the power of the spring 106 for the full excursion of the sear and firing pin into firing position by simply locating the crosspin 114 differently on thc sear or by shortening the spring leg 112 so as to keep it out of reach of the shoulder formation 118, for example.

The barrel lock bar 34 is slidably supported on lower front parts 120 of the bracket walls 54 (Figs. 3 to 6 and ll) and is guided in a widthwise reduced front part 122 of the receiver aperture 46 into and from barrel locking position (Fig. l1). The lock bar 34 has a rearwardly extending side leg 124 which is slidably received between the lateral ledge 110 on one of the bracket walls 54 and a lateral formation 126 on the Same bracket wall (Figs. 3, 7 and 1l), and which has a lateral inward formation 128 extending through a clearnceapertre 130 n the same bracket wall intolcoupling alignment with the adjacent arm 88 ofthe manual action lever 64 (Fig. 11). The lock bar 34 has another, shorter side leg 132 (Figs. 4, 7 and 1l) which is slidably received between

lateral ledge formations

134 and 136 on the adjacent bracket wall 54, and which at its end is engaged by the leg 138 of a preloaded action spring 140 of torsion type that urges the lock bar 34 vinto its barrel locking position. The `spring 140 is releasably anchored on the outside of the bracket channel 56 on the common pivot pin 84 for the trigger 62 and manual action lever 64, and its other leg 142 bears against a cut-away shoulder 144 on a lateral formation 1'46 on the adjacent bracket wall 54 (Figs. 4 and 11). Thus, on retracting the manual action lever 64 from its inoperative position (Fig. into its operative position (Fig. 13) the same will not only cock the firing pin 58, sear 60 and trigger 62 but will also retract the lock bar 34 from interlock with the barrel lug 40 and thus permit the barrel 22 to be tilted for extraction of a fired `shell from and insertion of a loaded shell into the barrel chamber 32, whereupon the barrel may be returned to its firing position. The manual action lever 64 will ordinarily have been released in the meantime for spring-return to its inoperative position (Fig. 5) with ensuing spring-return of the lock bar 34 into its barrel locking position, so that on the return of the barrel into its tiring position the lock bar will at first be cammed by the barrel lug 40 backwards from its lock position against the force of its spring 140 and will snap into interlock with the barrel lug 40 when the barrel reaches its firing position, aswill be readily understood.

The action unit 44 presently also includes a safety 150 which is received with a loose iit in the bracket channel 56 (Figs. 5 and 9) and pivoted on a crosspin 152 in the bracket 48. The safety 150 projects through the open top 100 of the receiver aperture 46 to the outside of the receiver and is there provided with a thumb grip 154 for its manipulation into the off and on positionsV shown in Figs. 5 and 13, respectively. The safety 150 has a lower widthwise reduced end 156 which in the safety-on position projects between the opposite spacers 80' on the trigger 62 and cooperates with a tail 158 on the trigger in locking the latter in its cocked position against pull into its tiring position (Fig. 13). The safety 150 is yieldingly locked in either of its positions by a leaf-type `spring element 160 having presently three spring legs 162 and a connecting yoke 164 at one end thereof. The spring yoke 164 is presently received and located in shallowv grooves 166 in the topsurfaces of the bracket walls54', and the outer spring legs 162 project underneath lateral lugs 16S on the bracket walls 54 and rearwardly to the safety'150 and have intermediate V-formations 170 (Figs. 3, 4 and 10) which cooperate with a ycrosspin 172V on the safetyr150 yieldingly to lock the latter in its off position (Figs. 3 and 5) as well as in its on position (Fig. 13).

In the present exemplary action unit 44, the lock bar 34, manual action lever 64, firing pin 58 and safety 150 are so coordinated that only on full retraction of the action lever 64 into its operative position (Fig. 13) will the lock bar 34 have been retracted from interlock with the barrel lug 4()l and thus released the barrel 22 for break-down, while the firing pin 58 has at the same time been retracted beyond its cooking position (Fig. l2) and moved the safety 150 into its on position (Fig. 13). Hence, on releasing the manual action lever 64 in its operative position for spring-return to its inoperative position, the safety 150 will remain in its on position while the Jtiring pin 58 and sear 60 will be backed by their action spring 106 into their cocked position (Fig. 12). Accordingly, the safety 150 is automatically shifted into its on position with each break;L down of the barrel 22, and the safety must be manipulated into its. off position before the. rearm can be fired the next time. Of course',` it is fully within the purview of the present invention to provide( for s'elec tive automatic shift of the safety into its on position by ycoordinating the lock bar 34 and the manual action lever 6-4 so that the former is fully retracted from interlock with the barrel lug 40`when the action lever is retracted to the extent shown in Fig. 12 for mere cocking o-f the firing pin, sear and trigger, the cooking of these parts being readily indicated by an audible click when the trigger snaps into interlock with the cock shoulder 74 on the sear. With the latter arrangement, it is left to the discretion of the user ofthe firearm whether to apply or not to apply the safety, and if it is desired to apply the safety the same may be shifted into its on position either by manipulatingV the same at its thumb grip 154 or on retracting the manual action lever 64 beyond its position in Fig. 12 toward or into a position such as that shown in Fig. 13, as Will be readily understood.

The action unit 44, on its insertion as al self-contained unit in the receiver aperture 46, is simply locked therein by a pin 176 which extends transversely through the receiver 30' and the bracket 4S of the action unit therein, the receiver 30 and the bracket 48 having to this end aligned holes 178 and 180 (Figs. l, 3, 4 and 10), and the pin 176 having preferably a peripheral groove 182l into which snaps the leg 142 of the preloaded action spring 140 when the pin 176 is fully driven into the receiver, whereby this pin is releasably locked in position (Figs. 4 and 10). The lock pin 176 also assists in guiding the ring pin 58 in a rectilinear pathV on its excursions into its firing and `cocked positions. Thus, the firing pin 58 has spaced portions of its lower surface 184 resting on the lock pin 176 and on the concentric periphery 186 `of the sear 60, and the firing pin is thus held against the pin 176 and the concentric periphery 186 of the sear by the intermediate resilient leg 162 o-f the leaftype spring (Fig. 5).

The action unit 44 is also provided withV a cover plate 190 which not only closes the bracket channel 56 on top and is preassembled with the rest of the action unit outside a receiver, butwhich also closes the open top 100 of the receiver aperture 46 when the action unit is inserted and locked in the receiver. The cover plate 190 is of substantially the same contour as the open top 1011 of the receiver aperture so as to be substantially form-fitting therein (Figs. 2 to 9), and the same is over its longitudinal extent transversely curved (Figs. 7 and 8) so as to be mountable at its center on top of the bracket 43 and extend with its sides upwardly into full closing relation with the open top 100 of the receiver aperture l46. The cover plate 190 is over a front length thereof provided with two spaced longitudinal slots 192 (Figs. 2 and 5) through which extend the opposite arms 88 of the manual action lever 64, and which are of sufficient lengths to permitfull operational movement of the latter Without any impediment. The cover plate 190 is at its rear also slotted at 194 over a suicient length to permit full operational movement without impediment of the safety 1513 of which a widthwise reduced part 196 extends through the slot 194 (Figs. 2, 5 and 9). The cover plate 19t)` is readily assembled with the rest of the action unit 44 outside the receiver by merely sliding the 4slotted front length of the cover plate across the opposite arms 83 of the manual action lever 46 while the latter is spring-urged into a position on the bracket 48 forward of that shown in Fig. 5 in which it is held by the receiver only on insertion of the action unit therein. After thus sliding'the slotted front length of the cover plate 190 forwardly across the arms of the manual action lever sufficiently so that the rear of the. cover plate will lclear the thumb grip 154 on the safety 150, the cover` plate is first tilted downwardly at the rear past this thumb grip and into line withl the widthwise reduced portion 196 of the safety, whereupon the cover plate is slid with its slotted -rear end across this reduced safety portion 196 intoa position approximately like that shown in Fig. 5. The cover plate 190 is now adequately held on top of the bracket 48 by the overlying thumb grips 102 and 154 of the action lever 64 and safety 150 until the action unit 44 is inserted and locked in the receiver, the cover plate 199 then becoming even more firmly mounted in relation to both, the bracket 48 and receiver 30, by having its tongue 198 between the front slots 192 therein project into, and rest against the top of the guide slot 63 in the receiver (Figs. 2 and 5), and by having side wings 209 at its rear resting against the surface 202 which joins the receiver aperture 46 of uniform width with its widthwise considerably reduced open top 18) thereat (Fig. 9).

. As already mentioned, the action unit 44 is entirely assembled outside the receiver. In fact, the described construction of the action unit is such that any and all parts thereof must indeed be assembled with the bracket 48 if they are to reach the interior of the receiver in their cooperative relation at all. Of course, this compulsory total assembly of the entire action unit 44 outside the receiver is of great advantage since it eliminates, among other things, cumbersome assembly of action parts in a receiver within the relatively small space of its apertu're. Thus, the assembly outside of the receiver of the manual action lever 64, firing pin 58, sear 60, trigger 62 and safety 150 in the channel 56 of the bracket 48, including the mounting of the common action spring 92 for the action lever and trigger, is a comparatively simple task requiring little skill and time. The lock bar 34 is even more quickly assembled with the bracket 48 by merely sliding it onto its described support thereon with its lateral formation 128 extended through the clearance aperture 130 in the bracket and into coupling alignment with the action lever 64 in the bracket channel 56 (Fig. 1l). An equally simple and quickly performed task is the mounting on the bracket 48 in readily accessible manner outside the channel therein of the action springs 106 and 140 for the sear and firing-pin parts and for the barrel lock bar. The leaf-type spring 160 is assembled in the action unit by merely sliding the same with its intermediate spring leg 162 over the ring pin 58 and with its outer spring legs 162 under the lateral lug formations 168 on the bracket walls 54 until the connecting yoke 164 of the spring snaps into the receiving notches 166 in the top surfaces of these bracket walls. Finally, the cover plate 190 is applied to the action unit by the few simple manipulations already described hereinbefore. In thus assembling the parts of the action unit outside a receiver, these parts are also held in fully cooperative relation on the bracket 48, as is quite evident from the foregoing description. In this connection, even the ring pin 58 is in its operational movement confined to the median plane x-x, by the opposite spacers 66 thereon with their guide fit in the bracket channel 56 on the one hand, and by the action lever 64 on the other hand, of which the opposite arms 88 receive the ring pin with a sliding fit.

With the action unit 44 thus assembled, the same is even fully operative outside a receiver and may, if desired, be tested in its action immediately on finishing its assembly. To do so, it is merely necessary to hold the assembly with one hand so as to assume the lateral lockbar guiding function which the receiver assumes when the action unit is mounted therein (Fig. ll). The action lever 64 may then be manipulated with the other hand through its full rearward excursion for cooking the tiringpin, sear and trigger, shifting the safety into its on position, and retracting the barrel lock bar, whereupon on release of the action lever and on manual shift of the safety into its off position and subsequent pull on the trigger, the sear and firing pin will eXcurse into their firing position.

a The trigger-guard plate 50, from which the bracket 48 extends, is preferably fittingly received in the open bottom of the receiver aperture 46 so as not only to close the latter at its bottom but also to locate the action unit 44 in the receiver aperture, including line-up of the hole 180 in the bracket 48 with the hole 178 in thereceiver 30 for the reception of the lock pin 176. To this end, the trigger-guard plate 50 is over its longitudinal extent ttingly received in the bottom of the receiver aperture (Figs. 6 to 9), and also rests against locating

shoulders

210 and 212 in the receiver (Fig. 5), with this plate presently having also a dove-tail connection 214 with the receiver up to the shoulder 212 (see also Fig. 3).

In inserting the self-contained and fully assembled action unit 44 into the receiver aperture 46 through the open bottom thereof, the manual action lever 64 is held retracted in a position like or similar to that shown in Fig. 13 in order that the firing pin 58 may pass with its action end 65 into the receiver through the guide slot 68 therein and the barrel lock bar 34 may with its forward lock end pass into the receiver within the longitudinal contines of the receiver aperture 46. With the action unit 44 fully inserted in the receiver, it is merely necessary to force the lock pin 176 into the then aligned

holes

178 and 180 in the receiver and action unit to com'- plete the assembly of the latter with the former.

It appears from Figs. 6 to ll that the mounting bracket 48 and all action parts thereon are conned within the widthwise contines of the trigger-guard plate 50 which is intertted with the open bottom of the receiver aperture 46, thereby permitting the receiver aperture to be advantageously of uniform width, except at its constricted open top (Fig. 2) and at its widthwise reduced guide portion 122 for the barrel lock bar 34 (Fig. 1l). Further, since the action unit 44 is entirely selfcontained with all the parts thereof mounted exclusively on the bracket 48 and completely independently of the receiver, the latter requires no machining whatsoever for the mount of these action parts. It is for this reason that the receiver 30 with its frame extension 28 may advantageously be a low-cost die-casting having its aperture 46 and all other inner configurations cast within the conventional tolerances which are entirely adequate for accurate mounting of the action unit 44 in the receiver without any machining of the latter. In this connection, even the open bottom of the receiver aperture 46 and the

shoulders

210, 212 and dove-tail formation 214 thereat (Figs. 3 to 9) are within their cast tolerances entirely adequate to intert with the plate 50 of the action unit, so that this plate will not only fully close the receiver aperture at the bottom but will also correctly locate the action unit Within the receiver aperture. Even the hole 178 in the receiver for the reception of the lock pin 176 may be cast, and may briefly be reamed for a desired iit of the lock pin. The same holds true of the hole in the frame extension 28 of the receiver for the reception of the pin 26 on which the barrel unit is pivoted (Fig. l).

The receiver 30 with its frame extension 28 may even be die-cast from relatively soft metal, such as a zinc alloy, for instance. To render such a die-cast receiver safe as Well as enduring in its use, the same is provided with a recoil interceptor 216 in the form of a simple steel blank which is seated in a cast recess 218 in the receiver and held therein by simple staking. The interceptor 216 is in full backing relation with a chambered shell in the barrel in its firing position, and is of a size to distribute the recoil forces over a suiciently large area of the receiver to eliminate any possible distortion of or other damage to the latter.

Reference is now had to Fig. 14 which shows a modified action unit 44 which has all the advantages of the described action unit 44 insofar as its self-contained construction is concerned, but embodies a different action. The present action differs from that previously described in that the firing pin 58 itself is manipulated for cock.

samba 9 ing the re controlling parts 58', 60 and 62', the manual action lever 64 merely functioning to retract the bar 34" from barrel-locking position. To this end, the firing pin 44" is provided at its rear and ou top of the action with a readily accessible thumb grip 220. Also, the present action has a conventional automatic safety which is incorporated in the sear 66'. To this end, there is provided on `the sear .60' an intermediate safety shoulder 222 and an inclined surface 224 which joins the stop shoulder 76' with the safety shoulder 222. On pulling the cocked trigger 62', a short inclined sear surface 226 next to the cock shoulder 74' will positively deflect the trigger 62 into the path of the stop shoulder 76 on the sear so as to be struck by this stop shoulder when the firing pin 58 reaches its firing position, the firing pin being powered by the leg 112' of the action spring 106 through part of its' excursion. into firing, position and finishing the remainder of4 its excursion into firing position under its own inertia. To the end of compelling the firing-pin S8 to complete the remainder of its excursion into firing position under its own intertia, the shoulder 118 on the bracket 48 will intercept the spring leg 112 before the firing pin reaches its firing position. As soon as the stop shoulder 76 on the Sear 6d strikes against the pulled trigger 62 in the firing position of the pin 58', the trigger will, on its release and by virtue of its spring urgency into cocked position, cooperate with the inclined sear surface 224 and cam the Sear 60', and hence also the firing pin 58', into the safety position shown in which the firing pin is sufficiently retracted to be out of reach of a loaded shell in the barrel on closing the latter on the receiver. Th'e trigger 62' andl inclined sear surface 224 cooperate in reti-acting the firing-pin toward its safety position untilV the trigger snaps into interlock with the intermediate or safety sear shoulder 222. The spring-urged trigger 62' thus overpowers the sear 60 and firing-pin 58' and cams them into the safety position shown, by virtue of the fact that the retraction of these parts into safety position is within the region through which the firing-pin finishes its excursion into firing position under its own inertia and, hence, is not opposed by the leg 112 of the action spring 106.

All of the operating parts of the present modified action unit 44 are exclusively mounted on the bracket 4S', and the present action unit is in all respects like the previously described action unit 44 with the few exceptions noted above. The present modified action unit 44 may have its bracket 48 identical with that of the unit 4'4, and' all the operating parts of the present unit are mounted on the bracket identically as their exact or different counterparts of the unit 44, except that the present unit entirely lacksY the safety 15G of the unit 44. Thus, the mountingl of the firing pin 58 of the present unit- 44 may. be exactly the same as the mounting of the firing pin 58 of the unit 4'4, though the spacers 66' on the present firing pin serve solely for guidance of the latter in theT bracket channel S6 and are sufficiently spaced rearwardly from the action lever 64' to remain out of coupling relation with the latter regardless of its position. The present unit 44 also has a slightly different cover plate 190` with a longer rear slot 194 for adequate clearance of the thumb grip 220 throughout its operational movement with the firing pin. Further, the leaf-type spring 160 is somewhat modified by having a shorter intermediate spring leg 162 which will not interfere with the operational movement of the thumb grip 220 on the firing pin 58'.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways` than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and', all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

iti

I claim:

l. A self-contained action unit for the receiver of a firearm of barrel break-down type, comprising a bracket adapted for insertion and mounting in a receiver; firing mechanism including trigger, scar and firing-pin parts, and

preloaded spring means and a manual member for powerv ing and cocking said parts; and a device including a lock element for moving the latter into and from a barrel-lock'- ing position, said mechanism and device being mounted exclusively on said bracket and being fully operative on mere insertion of said bracket into a receiver.

2. A self contained action unit as set forth in claim 1, in which said bracket has formed integrally therewith a trigger guard.

3. In a firearm of barrel break-down type, the combination of a receiver with an aperture; and a self-contained action unit in said aperture, said unit comprising a bracket inserted and mounted in said aperture, firing mechanism including trigger, sear and firing-pin parts, and preloaded spring means and a manual member for powering and cocking said parts, and a device including a lock element for moving the latter into and from a barrel-locking position, said mechanism and device being mounted exclusively on said bracket and being fully operative on mere insertion of said bracket into said receiver aperture, with said member being accessible outside the receiver aperture.

4. The combination in a firearm as set forth in claim 3, in which said receiver is a die-casting having its aperture cast.

5. The combination in a firearm as set forth in claim 3, in which said bracket has a base plate with an integrally formed trigger guard, said receiver aperture has an open bottom formation fittingly receiving said base plate to locate said bracket in its mounting position in said aperture, and said receiver is a die-casting having its aperture including said open bottom formation cast and non-machined.

6. The combination in a firearm as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a crosspin removably received in said receiver and extending through said bracket therein to lock the latter in its mounted position to said receiver.

7. A self-contained action unit for the receiver of 'a firearm of barrel break-down type, comprising a bracket adapted for insertion and mounting in a receiver; firing mechanism including trigger, Sear and firing-pin parts; a lock element movable into and from a barrel-locking position; preloaded spring means for powering said parts and for uring said element into said barrel-locking position; and a member manually operable to cock said parts and to move said eiement from said barrel-locking position, said mechanism, element, preloaded spring means andmember being mounted exclusively on said bracket and being fully operative on mere insertion of said bracket into a receiver.

8. A self-contained action unit for the receiver of a firearm of barrel break-down type, comprising a bracket adapted for insertion and mounting in a receiver; firing mechanism having trigger, sear and firing-pin parts; a l-ock element; a manual member, said parts being exclusively mounted on said bracket in cooperative relation and for movement into firing and cocked positions, and said element and member being also exclusively mounted on said bracket for movement into and from a barrellocking position and into and from an operative position, respectively, with said member being only on movement into said operative position in coupling relation with said sear and firing-pin parts and with said element to move them into said cocked position and from said barrellocking position, respectively; and preloaded spring means anchored solely on said bracket 4and acting on said trigger part and on said sear and firing-pin parts to urge them into said cocked and firing positions, respectively, and acting on Vsaid element and member to u-rgethem into said barrel-locking position and from said operativeposition, respectively, with said action unit being fullyoperative outside a receiver. Y

9. A self-contained action unit as Set forth in claim 8, further comprising a safety element also exclusively mounted on said bracket for movement into and from a safety position in which it locks said parts against movement into said firing position, said safety element being in coupling relation with said member and moved into said safety position on movement of the latter into said operative position only, and said safety element being manually movable from said safety position.

10. A self-contained action unit for the receiver of a firearm of barrel break-down type, comprising a bracket adapted for insertion and mounting in a receiver and having a channel with a median plane; firing mechanism having trigger, sear and tiring-pin parts mounted in said channel in cooperative relation and for movement in said plane into tiring and cocked positions; a lock element mounted on said bracket for movement into and from a barrel-locking position; a manual member provided with a iixed handle and being mounted in said channel for movement in said plane into and from an operative position, said member being only on movement into said operative position in coupling relation with said look element and with said sear and firing-pin parts to move them from said barrel-locking position and into said cocked position, respectively; and preloaded spring means anchored solely on said bracket and acting on said trigger part and on said sear and tiring-pin parts to urge them into said cocked and tiring positions, respectively, and acting on said lock element and member to urge them into said barrel-locking position and from said operative position, respectively, with said action unit being fully operative outside a receiver.

ll. A self-contained action unit as set forth in claim 10, in which said bracket channel is of uniform width, said member and said trigger and sear parts are pivoted in said channel and said firing-pin part is guided for linear movement in said channel, with said parts Iand member being confined in said channel against lateral movement.

12. A self-contained action unit as set forth in claim l1, in which said membe-r has a slot through which said tiring-pin part extends with clearance for operational freedom of said member, and said firing-pin part has a .Shoulder in coupling alignment with said member, and said sear and firing-pin parts are permanently coupled by a single meshing gear tooth connection between them.

13. A self-contained action unit for a firearm of barrel break-down type having a longitudinal receiver with an aperture open at the top and bottom, comprising a bracket adapted for insertion into a receiver aperture from the bottom thereof and for mounting therein and having a longitudinal channel with a median plane; tiring mechanism having trigger, sear and firing-pin parts mounted in said channel in cooperative relation and for movement in said plane into tiring and cocked positions; a lock bar mounted on said bracket for movement in said plane into and from a barrel-locking position; a manual member mounted in said channel for movement in said plane into and from an operative position and being only on movement into said operative position in coupling relation with said bar and with said sear and firing-pin parts to move them from said barrel-locking position and into said cocked position, respectively; first preloaded spring means anchored solely on said bracket and acting on said bar and on said sear and tiring-pin parts to urge them into said barrel-locking position and into said firing position, respectively; and a single prel-oaded spring mounted in said channel and acting on said member and trigger part to urge them from said operative position and into said cocked position, respectivelynwith said action unit being fully operative outside a receiver.

.14. A self-contained action unit as set forth in claim 13,

in which said first preloaded spring means are removablyl anchored on said bracket on the outside of said channel.

15. A self-contained action unit as set forth in claim 13, in which said bracket has a longitudinal ledge outside of said channel and lateral apertures in said channel, said bar is slidably supported on said ledge and has a lateral formation extending through one of said channel apertures into coupling alignment with said member, one of said sear and firing-pin parts has a lateral formation extending through another channel aperture to the outside of said channel, and said first preloaded spring means are two separate springs removably anchored on said bracket on the outside of said channel and acting on said bar and on said lateral part formation, respectively.

16. -A self-contained action unit as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a cover member also mounted on said bracket and adapted to close the top of a receiver aperture on inserting and mounting said bracket in the latter.

17. A self-contained action unit as set forth in claim 13, in which said bracket has a base plate with an integrally formed trigger guard, with said base plate formed for inter-fitting reception in the bottom of a receiver aperture to close said aperture bottom and locate said bracket in its mounted position in the receiver aperture, and there is further provided a cover member also mounted on said bracket and adapted to close the receiver aperture at the top when said bracket is mounted therein, with said cover member having a slot for the extension therethrough of said manual member with suilicient clearance for its unimpeded operational movement.

18. A self-contained action unit as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a safety element also mounted in said channel for movement in said plane into a safety-olf position and into a safety-on position in which it locks said trigger part against movement into said ring position, said safety element being manually movable into said safety-off position, and being in coupling relation With one of said sear and firing-pin parts and moved into said safety-on position on movement of said member into its operative position only, and there is further provided spring means mounted on said bracket and acting yieldingly to lock said safety element in either of its positions.

19. In a firearm of barrel break-down type, the combination of a receiver with an aperture open at the top and bottom; and a self-contained action unit in said aperture, said unit comprising a bracket inserted through the open bottom of said receiver aperture and mounted in the latter, a lock element movable into and from a barrellocking position, a manual member movable into and from an operative position and being only on its movement into said operative position in coupling relation with said element to move it from said barrel-locking position, a rectilinearly guided firing-pin part, a pivoted sear part coupled with said firing-pin part for joint excursions into tiring and cocked positions, a pivoted trigger part projecting through the open bottom of said receiver aperture and movable into tiring and cocked positions, preloaded spring means arranged to urge said element, trigger part and member into said barrel-locking and cocked positions and from said operative position, respectively, and to urge said sear and tiring-pin parts toward, but a certain distance short of, their firing position with sutiicient force to complete their excursion into firing position solely by inertia, said sear part having peripherally spaced first, second and third radial shoulders successively offset from each other radially inwardly of said sear part, respectively, and a peripheral surface joining said iirst and second shoulders and being inclined from the former inwardly toward the latter, with said rst and third shoulders engaged by said trigger part in the tiring and cocked positions, respectively, of said parts, and said spring-urged trigger part cooperating, on its release in firing position,l with said inclined peripheral sear surface 1n camming said sear and tiring-pin parts from their firing position into a safety position within said certain distance from their firing position, with said trigger part coming to rest against said second sear shoulder, `and a handle on said tiring-pin part extending through the open top of the receiver aperture for moving said firing-pin part into its cocked position, said element, member, parts and preloaded spring means being mounted exclusively on said bracket and being fully operable on merc insertion of said bracket into said receiver aperture.

20. A self-contained action unit for a firearm of barrel break-down type, comprising a bracket adapted for insertion and mounting in la receiver; a lock element movable into and from a barrel-locking position; a manual member movable into and from an operative position and being only on movement into said operative position in coupling relation with said element to move it from said barrel-locking poistion; a rectilinearly guided firing-pin part; a pivoted sear part coupled with said ring-pin part for joint excursions into firing and cocked positions; a pivoted trigger part movable into ring and cocked positions; preloaded spring means arranged to urge said element, trigger part and member into said barrel-locking and cocked positions and from said operative position, respectively, and to urge said sear and firing-pin parts 14 toward, but a certain distance short of, their firing position with sufficient force to complete their excursion into firing position solely by inertia, said sear part having peripherally spaced lirst, second and third, radial shoulders successively oiset from each other radially inwardly of said sear part, respectively, and a peripheral surface joining said Erst and second shoulders and being inclined from the former inwardly toward the latter, with said first and third shoulders engaged by said trigger part in the r'mg and cocked positions, respectively, of said parts, and' said spring-urged trigger part cooperating, on its release in tiring position, with said inclined peripheral sear sur-` face in camming said sear and firing-pin parts from their firing position into a safety postion within said certain distance from their tiring position, with said trigger part coming to rest against said second sear shoulder; and a handle on said tiring-pin part for moving the latter into its cocked position, said element, member, parts and preloaded spring means being mounted exclusively on said bracket, with said action unit being fully opertive outside.

a receiver.

No references cited.,