US3256632A

US3256632A - Foldable butt particularly suited for rifle convertible into a grenade thrower

Info

Publication number: US3256632A
Application number: US438692A
Authority: US
Inventors: Beretta Pier Carlo
Original assignee: Fabbrica dArmi Pietro Beretta SpA
Current assignee: Beretta SpA
Priority date: 1964-03-16
Filing date: 1965-03-10
Publication date: 1966-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 1983-06-21

Description

June 21, 1966 l P. c. BERETTA 3,256,632

FOLDABLE BUTT PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR RIFLE CONVERTIBLE INTO A GRENADE THROWER Filed March 10. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheer, l

EL' h ATTORNEY June 21, 1966 P. c. BERETTA 3,256,632

FOLDABLE BUTT PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR RIFLE CONVERTIBLE INTO A GRENADE THRowER Filed March 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

E ig

l l mvENToR I-l'v, Q'ef @erg 6 claims (c1. 42-72) The present invention concerns a foldable butt particularly suited for a rifie convertible into a grenade thrower, such as for instance a riiie of the Garand 30 M-l type.

Such a butt comprises a support fixed to the rear part of the stock of the rifle, a rod hinged at one of its ends to a pin mounted on said support, a heel of elastic material fixed at the non-hinged end of said rod and a subsidiary grip tiltable around a pin mounted in the proximity of the said non-hinged end of the rod, there being provided means adapted to lock said rod selectively in one of two positions, in one of which said rod is substantially aligned with the axis of the rifle, and in the other of which said rod is folded alongside the stock of the rifle, and means to keep said subsidiary grip in a position substantially normal to said rod.

rl`he foldable butt according to the invention, in addition to permitting the use of the weapon on which it is applied, as a riiie proper, permits the use of said weapon as a grenade thrower, while avoiding the subsidiary grip interfering with the aiming with the weapon, when it is used to throw grenades, and in'particular permitting the Vfoldable butt to absorb without any damage the violent recoill occurring when a grenade is thrown. These two latter characteristics result from the fact that the subsidiary grip is tiltable on the rod, which is hinged at the support fixed to the rie stock, and also from the presence of the heel of elastic material, which absorbs violent stresses without producing any permanent deformations, as would be the case if the Whole structure of the butt were of rigid character.

From tests carried out in fact it has been found that an entirely metallic butt, after a rather limited number of rounds shot with the grenade thrower, becomes deformed irremediably when said butt is rested against a hard and rigid surface, for instance on a flooring, to absorb the recoil of the rounds.

These and other features will be clearer from the following description in which there is .illustrated merely by way of indication without limitation, an embodiment of the foldable butt, making reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 represents partly in side view and partly in longitudinal section along a plane of symmetry passing through the axis of the rie a foldable butt made in accordance with one embodiment of this invention in its extended position in which it is substantially aligned with the axis of the rifle;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line II-II of FIG- URE 1, showing the mutual connection between the stock and the rifle;

FIG. 3 illustrates a section of the rie and of the foldable butt, taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates in a section taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. l the means adapted to retain the sub- United States Patent() sidiary grip in a position substantially normal to the rod;

in which the foldable butt has been represented mounted on a rifle of the Garand 30 M-l type, a metallic support 1, for instance of duralumin, is fixed to the rear portion of the stock 2 of the rifle by means of a lscrew 3 introduced through the bore 4 for housing the loading and shooting device (not illustrated) of the rifle.l The support 1 has a milled portion forming a slot 5 with parallel opposed surfaces (see also FIG. 3) and has a bore 6 in which there is housed a push-button having one end 7 projecting from the surface of the support and the other end 8 of conical shape (FIG. 3) reacting against a spring 9 housed in the bore 6. The support 1 also has another bore 10 parallel to the bore 6, wherein there is placed a pin 11 with an enlarged head 12. In the slot 5 of the support there is housed a plate 13 possessing a bore in which there is inserted the pin 11 and having at its periph# ery two

notches

14 and 15 respectively having conically shaped profiles (FIGS. 1 and 3). The plate 13 has an arm 16 (FIG. 2) to which there is fixed the endof a rod 17 which at its other end carries rigidly a small support 18 on which there is fixed a heel 19 of elastic material, preferably hard rubber, directly vulcanized on the small support (FIG. l). That small support has a bore into which there is inserted a small pin 20 (FIGS. 1 and 5) on which there is mounted a subsidiary grip 21 which is pivotably connected at one end to the small pin by means of two lateral ears 22. In the subsidiary grip there is welded an insert 23 (see also FIG. 4) in the shape of a U and having two sides 24 with inclined upper edges in each of which there is a notch 25.

As can be seen from FIGS. l and 5, on the rod 17 there is fixed a sleeve 26 sustaining a pin 27 to which there is hinged one end of a small rod 28 which at its free end carries a T-shaped element 29 (FIG. 4) that is adapted to slide on the inclined edges 24 of the insert 23. Element '29 seats in the notches 25 when the subsidiary grip is held in a position substantially normal to the rod 17, and is disposed between two teeth 30 (FIG. 5) forming part of the small support 18 when the small rod 28 is tilted to a position substantially parallel to the rodA 17. On one side of the small support 18 there are provided two

grooves

31 and 32 respectively crossing each other at in register with the bore into which the -small pin 20 is inserted, while on that ear'22 of the subsidiary grip that faces these grooves there is provided a projection 33 of shape complementary to that of the

grooves

31 and 32, in such a way that when the projection 33 registers with the groove'31 by rotating the subsidiary grip around the small pin 20, said subsidiary grip is retained tilted in a .position substantially parallel to the rod 17 (FIG. 5)

retaining in turn the small rod 28 substantially parallel to the rod 17 with the element 29 housed between the teeth 30 and abutting against the latter. i Finally it should be noted that integral with the support 1 and in the lower part thereof there is provided an extension 34 with a threaded bore in which there engages a screw 35 securing the handgrip 36 rigidly to the body of the rie.

To assemble the foldable butt on the stock 2 of the rilie, one tirst fastens the support 1 to the rear portion thereof by means of the screw 3; then one introduces the push-button 7 into the bore 6 and holds it presseddown from the outside as is indicated in FIG. 3; then one introduces into the slot 5 the plate 13 fixed at the end of the rod 17 and then one introduces from the bottom (examining FIGURES 1 and 3) the pin 11 into the bore 10 of the support 1 and into the bore of the plate 13. By means of the screw 35 one then blocks on the support the handgrip 36 which rests on the head 12 of the pin 11 so as to prevent extraction thereof thereby preventing the plate 13 from leaving the slot 5. The plate 13 has suchv a shape as to prevent the push-button 7 from coming out of the bore 6, since the shaped portion of the push-button always engages with the plate 13 when it is left free to respond to the action of the spring 9. Only when one of the two

notches

14 and 15 registers with the coneshaped part S of the push-button, can the latter project from the surface of the support. When the cone 8 seats in the notch 14, the rod 17 is locked against rotation around the pin 11 in a position substantially aligned with the axis of the rilie (FIGS. l and 2). When cone 8 instead `seats in the notch 15, the rod 17 is locked in a position resting on the stock of the rifle (FIG. By giving cone 8 a conicity a little more pronounced than the conicity of the

notches

14 and 15, one obtains the result of avoiding the creation of a clearance between the cone and the notches as a consequence of unavoidable wear.

Since the pin 11 cannot be held too close to the external lateral surface of the rifie and since it is desirable that the butt-when it is in folded position as illus- `trated in FIG. 5 should lie as close as possible to the stock of the rifle in order to reduce to minimum the space requirement of said butt, it becomes necessary to displace the axis of the rod 17 from the pin 11; that is to say, the presence of arm 16 becomes necessary. The existence of said arm is the result of the fact that ,the axis of the rod 17 cannot be accurately coincident with the axis of the rifle and should necessarily form a certain angle of about 3 to 4, with respect to the axis of the rifle. volve the fact that the two

notches

14 and 15 on the plate 13 cannot 'be aligned with each other and with the pin 11 but form with said pin an angle that is a little smaller than 180 if considered from the side of plate 13 in which the rod 17 is fixed. The angularity and the lateral shift of the rod 17 have been exaggerated in FIG. 2, but it should be noted at once that these angles, though they exist, do not cause any dangerous lexions in the structure of the rifle at the time of throwing a grenade, since the centre of the rubber heel 19 concides with the axis of the rifle. To fold the rod 17 from the position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 to that shown in FIG. 5, one depresses the push-button 7 thereby clearing (FIG. 3) the plate 13, which is thus rotated around the pin 11 until the rod 17 folds alongside the stock of the rilie. If then the push-button is released, the conical part 8 seats in the cavity 15 thereby locking the rod against rotation.

If the rifle is used as a grenade thrower, the butt is held in its folded position along the stock of the riiie, and the subsidiary grip 21 and the small rod 28 are held in folded position substantially parallel to the rod 17 (FIG. 5), in which position they are retained owing to the fact that the projection 33 provided on the ear 22 of the subsidiary grip is pressed down into the groove 31 of the small support 18. To use the foldable butt as a rie, after having locked the rod 17 in a position of substantial alignment with the axis of the rifle, one pivots the subsidiary grip about the pin 20, expelling the projection 33 from the groove 31 and causing said projection to register with the groove 32. Then one rotates the small rod 28 away from the teeth 30 of the small support 18, until the T-shaped element 29 comes into contact with the inclined edges 24 of the insert 23 Welded in the subsidiary grip 21. Said element 29 is then forced to ride along the inclined edges 24 until it seats in the notches 25 provided in said edges (FIGS. 1 and 4). Under such conditions, the subsidiary grip is normal to the rod 17 and reactselastically with its upper portion against the rubber insert 19, permittingthe attainment of a safe locking of said subsidiary grip in the position illustrated in FIG, l, in which position the weapon is in condition for use as a rifle. The rubber insert 19 provides an ideal rest for the subsidiary grip on the shooters shoulder.

The aforementioned requirements also in- By pressing the small rod 28 toward the rod 17, one j causes the element 29 to leave the notches 25 and to be seated between the teeth 30 of the small support 18. Then by forcing the subsidiary grip 21 to rotate counterclockwise (FIG. 1) about the pinZt), the projection 33 is made to register with the groove 31, thereby holding the subsidiary grip in. a position substantially parallel to the rod 17, with the small rod 28 too being held substantially parallel to said rod 17 by the subsidiary grip. In these conditions the rifle can be used as a grenade thrower. To do that, it sufiices to rest the rubber 19 4on the ground or on any other fixed surface, whereby the shot of the grenade is totally absorbed by the rod 17 and the rubber heel, the presence of which is esstential to avoid very rapid wear and the inevitable deformations that would be produced in the foldable butt if said heel were not applied at the end of the rod. When one uses the rifle as a grenade-thrower bearing against soft ground, the recoil due to the shot causes the rubber heel to sink into the ground. To prevent the reaction of the shot from being partly absorbed by the small rod 28 as the T-shaped element 29 thereon sinks into the ground, said T-shaped element seats between the teeth 3) in such a manner that any possible reaction of the ground upon the element 29 is discharged through the teeth 30 and the small support 18 on the rod 17.

I claim:

1. A foldable butt particularly suited for a riiie convertible into a grenade-thrower, comprising a support fixed to the rear portion of the stock of a riiie, a rod hinged at one of its ends to a first pin mounted on said support, a heel of elastic material fixed to the opposite end of said `rod, a grip pivotal around a secondv pin mounted on said rod adjacent said opposite end thereof, means to hold said rod against rotation around said first pin selectively in one of two positions in one of which said rod projects rearwardly of the stock of said rifle in substantial alignment with the axis of the rifle, and in the other of which said rod is positioned alongside the stock of said rie, means for holding said grip substantially normal to said rod, said one end of said rod having a plate integral with it in which a bore is provided and in the perimeter of which there are provided two notches, said plate being mounted in a slot provided in said support with said first pin extending through said bore, said support having a bore in which there is 'mounted a reciprocable push-button having one end projecting from the surface of the support and its -other end seated against a spring housed in the second-named bore, said push-button having a portion Shaped in a manner substantially complementary to the shape of each one of said two notches, the position of said notches on said disc and the position of the shaped portion of said push-button being such that the shaped portion engages, when the push-button is released, with one of said two notches thereby preventing said plate from rotating when said rod is in either of said two positions, said push-button not being in contact with said plate when it is depressed.

2. A foldable butt particularly suited for a rifle convertible into a -grenade-thrower, comprising a support fixed to the rear portion of the stock of a rifie, a rod hinged at one of its ends to a rst pin mounted on said support, a heel of elastic material fixed to the opposite end of said rod, a grip pivotal around a second pin mounted on said rod adjacent said opposite end thereof, means to hold said rod against rotation around said first pin selectively in one of two positions in one of which said rod projects rearwardly of the stock of said rifle in substantial alignment with the axis of the rifle, and in the other of which said rod is positioned alongside the stock of said rifle, means for holding said grip substantially normal to said rod, the last-named means comprising an insert fixed to said grip and having an inclined surface, a third pin mounted on said rod, and a second rod hinged at one of its ends to said third pin, and releasably engageable at its other end in a notch formed in said inclined surface to retain said grip in its position substantially normal to the first-named rod.

3. A foldable butt as defined in claim 2, wherein said grid resiliently engages said heel, when it is held in said position substantially normal to said iirst rod.

4. A foldable butt particularly suited Vfor a rie convertible into a grenade-thrower, comprising a support fixed to the rear portion of the stock of the rie, a iirst pin mounted on said support, a iirst rod one end of which has a plate integral therewith having therethrough a bore and having in its -perimeter two notches, said one end of said iirst rod being housed in a slot provided in said support with said pin inserted in said bore to provide a pivot for said iirst rod, a heel of elastic material iixed at 4the opposite end of said rst rod, a subsidiary grip mounted to pivot around a second pin mounted in said first rod adjacent said opposite end thereof, and a reciprocable push-button housed in a bore provided in the support, said push-button having one end projecting from the surface of the support and the other end seated against a spring housed in the bore provided in the support, the push-button having a portion shaped in a substantially complementary manner with respect to the shape of each of said two notches, the position of said notches Von said plate and the position of the shaped portion of said push-button being such that said 30 shaped portion engages, when the push-button is not held depressed, selectively with one of said two notches l.thereby preventing rotation of said plate when said first rod is in one of its said two positions, the said pushbutton not contacting, when it is held depressed, said plate thereby permitting rotation about said tirst pin, said subsidiary grip having fastened thereon an insert having an inclined surface, and said rst rod supporting a third pin to which there is hinged, at one of its ends, a second rod, the other end of which is removably engageable in a notch in said inclined surface to retain said subsidiary grip in its position substantially normal to said iirst rod.

5. A foldable butt according to claim 1, wherein said notches and said portion of the push-button which is shaped complementary to said notches having profiles of conical shape.

6. A foldable butt according to claim 4, wherein said heel is of hard rubber directly vulcanized on a second support which is rigidly mounted on said opposite end of said first rod.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 961,511 6/1910 Marble 42-72 1,096,861 5/ 1914 Redfield 42--72 2,400,349 5 1946 Haberstump 42--72 2,405,758 8/ 1946 Sampson 42-72 2,462,091 2/ 1949 Garand 42-72 3,100,357 8/1963 Tellie 42-72 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A FOLDABLE BUTT PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR A RIFLE CONVERTIBLE INTO A GRENADE-THROWER, COMPRISING A SUPPORT FIXED TO THE REAR PORTION OF THE STOCK OF RIFLE, A ROD HINGED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS TO A FIRST PIN MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT, A HEEL OF ELASTIC MATERIAL FIXED TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID ROD, A GRIP PIVOTAL AROUND A SECOND PIN MOUNTED ON SAID ROD ADJACENT SAID OPPOSITE END THEREOF, MEANS TO HOLD SAID ROD AGAINST ROTATION AROUND SAID FIRST PIN SELECTIVELY IN ONE OF TWO POSITIONS IN ONE OF WHICH SAID ROD PROJECTS REARWARDLY OF THE STOCK OF SAID RIFLE IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF THE RIFLE, AND IN THE OTHER OF WHICH SAID ROD IS POSITIONED ALONGSIDE THE STOCK OF SAID RIFLE, MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID GRIP SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID ROD, SAID ONE END OF SAID ROD HAVING A PLATE INTEGRAL WITH IT IN WHICH A BORE IS PROVIDED AND IN THE PERIMETER OF WHICH THERE ARE PROVIDED TWO NOTCHES, SAID PLATE BEING MOUNTED IN A SLOT PROVIDED IN SAID SUPPORT WITH SAID FIRST PIN EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BORE, SAID SUPPORT HAVING A BORE IN WHICH THERE IS MOUNTED A RECIPROCABLE PUSH-BUTTON HAVING ONE END PROJECTING FROM THE SURFACE OF THE SUPPORT AND ITS OTHER END SEATED AGAINST A SPRING HOUSED IN THE SECOND-NAMED BORE, SAID PUSH-BUTTON HAVING A PORTION SHAPED IN A MANNER SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SHAPED OF EACH ONE OF SAID TWO NOTCHES, THE POSITION OF SAID NOTCHES ON SAID DISC AND THE POSITION OF THE SHAPED PORTION OF PUSH-BUTTON BEING SUCH THAT THE SHAPED PORTION ENGAGES, WHEN THE PUSH-BUTTON IS RELEASED, WITH ONE OF SAID TWO NOTCHES THEREBY PREVENTING SAID PLATE FROM ROTATING WHEN SAID ROD IS IN EITHER OF SAID TWO POSITIONS, SAID PUSH-BUTTON NOT BEING IN CONTACT WITH SAID PLATE WHEN IT IS DEPRESSED.