US3303594A

US3303594A - Firearm barrel, shroud, frame, and cylinder construction

Info

Publication number: US3303594A
Application number: US517503A
Authority: US
Inventors: Karl R Lewis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Wesson Firearms Co Inc
Priority date: 1960-11-23
Filing date: 1965-12-14
Publication date: 1967-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1984-02-14
Also published as: US3221433A; US3280495A

Description

Feb. 14, 1967 K. R. LEWIS 3,303,594

FIREARM BARREL, SHROUD, FRAME, AND CYLINDER CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Nov. 25. 1960 E E 2 '40 /0 /4 /oz 4 I8 @o 5 /0 f 4/ gg [0C 74d 1/ A m f INVENTOR KARL. F2- l-EWiS BY @AM/m7 q* ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,303,594 FIREARM BARREL, SHROUD, FRAME, AND CYLINDER CONSTRUCTIN Karl R. Lewis, 54 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield, Conn. 06109 Application Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,470which is a division of application Ser. No. 71,339, Nov. 23, 1960, now Patent No. 3,163,951, dated Jan. 5, 1965. Divided and this application Dec. 14, 1965, Ser. No.

13 Claims. (Cl. 42-59) This application is a division of rny co-pending application, Serial No. 411,470, tiled November 16, 1964, no'w abandoned, for Firearm Barrel, Frame and Cylinder Construction. This latter application is in turn a division of my previous application, Serial No, 71,339, filed November 23, 1960, for Firearm Firing Mechanism, now Patent Number 3,163,951.

The general object of this invention is to provide improvements in the barrel, frame and cylinder construction of revolver-type firearms resulting in easier assembly and disassembly of parts, ruggedness, attractive appearance and other advantages.

A more particular object of this invention is to provide a firearm having a shroud surrounding the barrel, which shroud may be made from relatively inexpensive die cast material and which, among other things, may be used to improve the appearance of the firearm, `to improve the assembly of the barrel to the main frame, to provide a simple and inexpensive front sight, to provide a convenient housing for the front end of an extractor stern and for a releasable holding means for such extractor stem, and/or to provide a convenient means for receiving one or more weights for adjusting the weight or balance of the firearm.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawing forming a part hereof.

The drawing shows preferred embodiments of the invention and such embodiments will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the constructions disclosed, and that the drawing and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the dra'wing:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a firearm embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the firearm shown in FIG. 1 with the upper portion thereof being shown in vertical longit-udinal .section and with the lower portion being shown in elevation with the grip pieces removed from the frame;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of the front portion of a firearm comprising a modified form of the invention and which firearm includes provision for adding weights;

FIG. 4 is a front end view of the firearm shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing and first particularly considering FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a firearm embodying the invention and of the revolver pistol type. The firearm comprises a frame which is provided with a mechanism cavity 12, a cylinder recess 14 and a crane recess 16 in the upper portion thereof. Between the mechanism cavity 12 and the cylinder recess 14 is a transverse or intermediate wall 18, and a longitudinal bore 20 extends between the crane recess 16 and the mechanismcavity 1.2. The mechanism cavity 12 has one side wall 22 which is integral with the other portions of the frame. The outer surface of this wall is shown facing the viewer in FIG. l. The other side wall of the mechanism cavity is provided by a removable side plate, not shown, which is attached to the side of the frame facing the viewer in FIG. 2 by means -of screws or other fasteners. Removal of the side plate provides access to all of the parts of the tiring mechanism shown in FIG. 2.

The lower por-tion of the frame includes a trigger guard 24 of conventional configuration and a depending grip portion 26 located rearwardly of the trigger guard. As shown in FIG. 1, the grip portion of the frame comprises two generally downwardly extending

arms

28, 28 that are spaced apart longitudinally of the frame. The arms 28, 2-8 have attached thereto, two side pieces, one of which is shown at 30 in FIG. 1, which are located one on either side of the frame and which are preferably made of wood or plastic, These side pieces, together with the grip portion of the frame, constitute the grip of the firearm, the grip being hollow to provide a storage chamber for holding extra cartridges or other articles. Access to the storage chamber is provided by a pivotal floor plate 32, as shown in FIG. 2, which is pivotally connected adjacent its rear end to the grip portion 26 and which at its forward end is provided with a releasable latch 34. The latch 34 normally holds the floor plate in closed position with respect to the storage chamber and is manually operable by a thumb or finger to release the floor plate for swinging movement away from the grip portion.

A crane 36 is attached to the frame 10 for outward swinging movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the frame. This mounting of the crane to the frame is obtained by providing the crane with a pivotal portion 38 which is loosely received by the longitudinal frame bore 20. As viewed in FIG. 1, the crane 36 is swingable outwardly about the axis of the longitudinal bore 20 in a direction toward the viewer from the position shown. Swinging movement of the crane in a direction away from the viewer in FIG. l is limited by engagement of the crane with the side wall of the crane recess. This side wall is not shown in FIG. 1, but is located immediately behind the crane and is integral with the frame.

A cylinder 40 of somewhat conventional construction is rotatably secured to the crane for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the firearm. Normally, the cylinder 40 is positioned within the cylinder recess 14 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but it is swingable outwardly therefrom with the crane 36 in order to displace the cylinder to an open position located to one side of the frame for loading and ejecting purposes. The cylinder 40 includes a plurality of cartridge receiving charnbers 42, 42 which are shown empty in FIG. 2. When the cylinder is in its normal position, the intermediate wall 18 of the frame and the

flanges

44, 44, one of which is formed on either side of the frame behind the cylinder, at least partially close the rear ends of the cartridge chambers 42, `42 to prevent the addition or removal of cartridges to or from the chambers; however, `when the cylinder is swung outwardly from the frame, the rear ends of the cylinder cartridge chambers are positioned away from the wall 18 and the adjacent flange 44 so that cartridges may be removed or added.

The cylinder 40 is rotatably secured to the crane 36 for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the frame. As shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder mounting means includes a sleeve 46 which is fixed to the crane 36 and extends rearwardly therefrom through the center of the cylinder 40. The outer surface of the sleeve 46 fits loosely with the center bore of the cylinder 40 t0 permit the cylinder to rotate about the sleeve. An ejector rod 48 is received within the sleeve 46 and is longitudinally slidable relative thereto, the sleeve 46 at its forward end having a reduced diameter section which engages and slidably supports the ejector rod. At its rear end, the ejector rod 48 is provided with a conventional cartridge extractor 50 which is movable rearwardly to eject the cartridges from the cylinder when the cylinder is disposed in its open position to the side of the frame. In ejecting the cartridges, the ejector engages the rims of the cartridges in the cartridge chamber and moves them rearwardly and out of the chambers. Theejector rod 48, it will be noted, extends forwardly beyond the crane 36 and this forwardly extending portion of the rod is movable rearwardly by the user to effect a rearward cartridge ejecting movement of the cartridge extractor. The ejector rod 48 and the cartridge extractor are normally held in the forward positions shown in FIG. 2 by a compression spring 52 which is located in the bore of the sleeve 46 and which at one end engages an abutment 54 in the cylinder 40 and on its other end engages an ejector rod collar 56 carried by the ejector rod 48.

The cylinder 40 is normally held in the closed position illustrated in FIGS. l and 2 by means of a cylinder bolt 58 which has arearward portion slidably received in the bore 60 of 'the cartridge extractor and in the bore of a sleeve 62 fitted into the intermediate frame wall 18, and a forward portion slidably received in the bore 64 of the 'ector rod 48. The cylinder bolt 58, as shown in FIG. 2, includes an integral collar 66 which is normally held in the rearward position shown by a spring 68. A means provided for moving the cylinder bolt 58 forwardly to unlock the cylinder from the frame for outward swinging movement thereof comprises a cam element 70 that is pivotally connected to the frame for pivotal movement about a transverse axis between active and inactive positions. On its periphery, the cam element 70 has two closely spaced faces 72, 72 and two widely spaced

faces

74, 74. In its inactive position, the cam element '70 is positioned as shown in FIG. 2 so that one of the closely spaced faces 72 faces the hammer 76 while the other face 72 enegages `a cylinder bolt release member 78 which has its forward part'positioned in the sleeve 62 and in engagement with the rear end of the cylinder bolt S8, the cylinder bolt 58 under the action of its bias urging the cylinder bolt release member 78 rearwardly and into engagement with the cam element 70. As shown in FIG. 2, the hammer 76 is engageable with the firing pin 80 when the cam element 70 is in the inactive position shown. The cam element 70 is moved to an active position by rotating it approximately 90 about its transverse axis from the position shown in FIG. 2. This brings one of the widely spaced faces 74 into opposing relation with the hammer 76 and causes the other face 74 to hold the cylinder bolt release member 78 in a forward position at which the cylinder bolt 58 is held out of the sleevey 62 so that the cylinder is freed for lateral swinging movement. The spacing of the

faces

74, 74 is such that the face which opposes the hammer 76 is engageable with the latter to hold it slightly rearwardly from its neutral position and to thereby prevent or block it from engaging the firing pin 80. The cam element 70 therefore in addition to serving as a part of the releasing mechanism for the cylinder lalso serves as a safety device for the firearm. Movement of the cam element 70 from its active to its inactive position, is produced by manual operation of a lever 82 located on the outside surface of the firearm as shown in FIG. 1, the latter being connected with the cam element 70 which extends through the side wall 22 of the mechanism cavity 12. With the lever 82 in the position marked F as shown in FIG. l, the cam element 70 is disposed in its inactive position so as to permit the hammer to engage the firing pin to cause ring of a cartridge, while with the lever in the position marked S in FIG. 1, as shown by the broken lines, the cam 70 is in its active or safety position at which position the hammer is vblocked against firing engagement with the pin and at which the cylinder bolt is released from the frame to permit lateral outward movement of the cylinder. At both the S and F positions of the lever 82 the frame 10 is provided with an indent, such as shown at 84 in FIG. 1, which cooperates with the lever to releasably hold it in the position to which it is moved.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will also be noted that the flange 44 located on the side of the frame from which the cylinder 40 swings is provided with a cam surface 86 which engages the rear end of the cylinder bolt 58 and cams the samefforwardly as the cylinder is swung from its open position back to its normal closed position. When the cylinder is in its open position, it is held in place on the sleeve 46 by a blocking element 88 which is connected with the frame and has a forwardly facing surface that abuts the rear face of the cylinder to restrain its rearward movement.

The cylinder 40 is releasably held in a fixed angular position with respect to the frame by a cylinder stop having a head 92 which is engageable'with any one of

several cylinder notches

94, 94 which are formed in rthe outer surface of the cylinder and arranged in an annular series. The number of

notches

94, 94 corresponds to the number of cartridge chambers '42, 4-2 and the notches are so located that when the cylinder stop 92 is in locking engagement with a notch 94, a corresponding cartridge chamber 42 will be in proper operative relationship with the tiring pin 80 which is located in the intermediate wall 18.

The barrel 96Vof the firearm is located in front of the cylinder 40 and has a threaded rear portion 98L which is received in a corresponding threaded opening in the frame 10. The barrel, of course, is so located with respect to the frame and the cylinder 40 that the longitudinal axis of its bore is in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the upper or active chamber 42 which is held in firing position by the cylinderstop head 92. The forward end of the barrel 96 is provided with a radially outwardly extending ange 100. A shroud 102 surrounds the barrel 96 and extends substantially the entire length of the barrel from the forward end face of the frame to the barrel which bore conforms closely to the outside surface of the barrel, but with a suciently loose fit existing between the barrel and the shroud as to permit the barrel to slide longitudinally and angularly of the shroud during assembly or disassembly of the firearm. The vshroud 102 is held longitudinally in place on the barrel by means of engagement with the forward face of the frame 10 at its rear end and by means of engagement with the barrel ange at its other end. Angular displacement of the shroud with respect to the frame is prevented by means of a locking pin 106 which extends between the frame and the shroud and which is preferably located below the barrel as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the partial section illustrating the locking pin 106 is taken on a plane located in front of or closer to the viewer than the plane on which the remainder of the view is taken. The upper front portion 'of the shroud 102 is Vprovided with a front sight 108 which is preferably formed integral with the shroud, and

a rear sight 110 is attached to the rear portion of the frame as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As best shown in FIGS. l and 2, the shroud 102 also includes a longitudinally extending recess 112 formed in one side thereof for receiving the ejector rod 48 when the crane 36 and the cylinder 40 are in their normal closed or firing positions with respect to the frame. Adjacent the forward end of the recess the shroud isprovided with a bore 114, FIG. 2, which receives a spring 116 and a ball 11S, the spring urging the ball rearwardly as shown and the ball being retained in the bore by the shroud being staked adjacent the mouth of the bore. The ball 118 extends partially from the bore 114 and normally engages the forward end of the ejector rod 48, the mouth of the bore 64 of the ejector rod forming a detent for receiving the ball. The spring loaded ball 11.55 therefore serves as a support for the forward end of the ejector rod when the cylinder is in closed or firing position.

The ring mechanism of the firearm is located in the mechanism cavity 12 and is described in detail in my above-referred to patent to which reference is made for a more detailed description thereof. For the present, it is sufficient to note that in addition to the hammer 76 the mechanism includes a trigger 120 which is supported for pivotal movement relative to the frame 1li by a pivot pin 122. The trigger 120 is movable in a conventional manner between forward and rearward positions relative to the frame and connected with the hammer is a means, indicated generally at 124 for controlling the movement of the hammer in response to the movement of the trigger. The trigger is biased in the counterclocltwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, so that the lower portion thereof is normally held in the forward position illustrated. This bias for the trigger is provided by a connecting pin 126 which is pivotally connected to the upper portion of the trigger 120 and which extends forwardly into a bore 12S formed in the pivotal portion 33 of the crane 36, there being provided in the bore 128 a helical compression spring 130 and a spring guide 132 which serve to engage the forward end of the connecting pin 126 and to urge it rearwardly. The spring guide 132 is slidably received in the bore 128 and extends forwardly through the center of the spring 130 to prevent the spring from buckling or bending in the transverse direction. The rear end of the spring guide 132 is provided with an enlarged head having a forward face which abuts the spring 130 and a rear face which abuts the connector pin 125, the latter face preferably being provided with a depression for receiving the forward end of the connector, as illustrated. The spring 130 and the connector pin therefore function to normally hold the lower poltion of the trigger in the illustrated forward position and to oppose its movement to the rear.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FGS. 3 and 4. This embodiment is similar to the firearm shown in FIGS. l and 2, except that the forward portion thereof, which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is modified to include a provision for adjusting the weight of the reman, as is often times desirable when using the firearm for target shooting purposes. As brought out in more detail in my above referred to patent, the construction of the firearm is such as to allow the interchangeability of barrels and cylinders to adapt the firearm for use with various caliber cartridges. Since the different barrels which are selectively used in the firearm are of differing weight, it is also desirable to be able to compensate for the changes of weight in the firearm brought about by the changes in the barrel and cylinder.

As shown in FIG. 3, the shroud 102 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 134 in its forward portion, the slot extending for some distance rearwardly from the front face of the shroud. In transverse cross section, the slot 134 has a shape, such as the dove-tail shape shown in FIG. 4, which has a laterally wide portion located inwardly from another laterally narrow portion so that the slot serves as a guideway which will restrain a member having a similar shaped cross section against any movement other than a longitudinal sliding movement relative to the slot when the member is positioned therein. Adjacent the rear end of the slot there is provided a spring 136 and a ball 138 located in a bore 140, the ball being retained in place in the bore 140 by the forward end of the bore which is staked inwardly to engage the ball, the spring 136 urging the ball forwardly into engagement with the staked portion so that a part of the ball extends forwardly beyond the lbore 140. The slot 134 serves to receive the head portion 142 of one of a plurality of weights such as indicated at 144, 146 and 148. The head portion 142 of each weight has a cross section corresponding to that of the slot 134 so that the weight is Slidably receivable by the slot and is restrained by the same to longitudinal movement relative thereto, the length of the weights being such that one end face thereof engages the spring loaded ball 138 while the other end face engages the radially outwardly extending flange on the forward end portion of the barrel 96. Preferably, as shown, the flange 169 is of hexagonal shape, or other shape having flats, to permit the application of a wrench for tightening or loosening the barrel when assembling or disassembling the same with respect to the frame, and it is so arranged that when the barrel is fully tightened a corner portion of the hexagon is positioned downwardly to block the forward end of the slot 134, as shown in FIG. 4, the fiange being of such size that when turned slightly from the position shown in FIG. 4 to align one of the flats of the liange with the upper surface of the slot 134, the forward end of the slot will be unblocked to permit the removal and replacement of weights thereto. In FIG. 3 the weight 144 is shown by the solid lines, while the sizes of two

other weights

146 and 14%; are shown by the broken lines, but it will be understood that any number of weights could be provided and that their sizes and shapes could differ from those shown.

As mentioned, one Weight at a time is selectively positioned within the slot 134 so as to adjust the weight of the firearm, and when it becomes necessary to replace a particular weight with one of a different mass, the interchange is conveniently performed by turning the barrel 96 until a wrench flat on the barrel fiange 100 is parallel with the dove-tail slot fiat, sliding the weight out of the slot 134, positioning a different weight in the slot 134 and thereafter repositioning the barrel 96 as before. The spring loaded ball 13S serves to urge the weight forwardly into tight engagement with the barrel flange 100 to prevent any rattling or looseness between the weight and the shroud. Gf course, the firearm may also be operated without a weight attached to the slot 134.

Also, it should be noted that the bore of the barrel 96 is preferably riiled, as indicated at 154 in FIG. 4, in accordance with conventional practice. However, since the barrel is threadably connected to the firearm frame by the external threads 9S on the rear end of the barrel, the direction or hand of the rifiing relative to the direction or hand of the threads 98 has been found to be important. More particularly, it has been found that the riiing is preferably of a hand opposite to the hand or" the threads 98. That is, if the threads 98 are righthand threads, the rifiing should be left handed. As a result of this difference in the hands of the rifling and of the threads, as a bullet passes through the bore of the barrel, the torque imposed on the barrel will tend to tighten the threaded connection between the barrel and the frame, which is a desirable condition. If the rifiing and the threads are both of the same hand, the torque exerted on the barrel by a bullet will tend to loosen the barrel and may, after repeated firings, cause the barrel to actually become loose.

It should, of course, be understood that as used herein, and in the claims which follow, the term opposite hand refers to the hands or twists of the rifling and threads as viewed from the same end of the firearm. This should not be confused by the fact that when speaking of the threading or riiiing separately the hands of the threads and rifling are often taken as viewed from different ends of the barrel. That is, the hand of the threads is often determined with reference to a person looking toward the front end of the barrel, and a righthanded thread is therefore one where the barrel is screwed in place by turning it to the right as viewed from the front. The hand of the rifiing, however, is often taken with reference to a person looking toward the rear end of the barrel, as when shooting, and a right-handed rifling is therefore one which twists to the right when so viewed. If this latter interpretation is put on the hands of the threads and rifiing this invention then could be said to involve rifling and threads of the same hand. Regardless of which terminology is used, however, the important consideration is that the arrangement is such that the passage of a bullet through the barrel during the firing of a cartridge imposes a torque on the barrel tending to tighten its threaded connection with the frame.

The 4invention claimed is:

1. The combination in a firearm of: a fra-me, a barrel connected directly with the forward portion of said frame and extending forwardly therefrom, a shroud separate from and surrounding `said barrel, means for preventing relative angular displacement of said shroud with respect to said frame and for accurately locating said shroud angularly relative to said frame, and means for restraining said shroud against displacement longitudinally of said barrel and frame, said shroud including a front sight formed integral therewith.

2. The combination in a rearm of: a frame, a barrel connected with the forward portion of said frame and extending forwardly therefrom, said barrel including means thereon providing a generally radially extending and rearwardly facing surface, a shroud surrounding said barrel and having -a bore which receives said barrel, said shroud bore being of such size and shape as to conform closely to the outside surface of said barrel while permitting said barrel to slide longitudinally and angularly with respect thereto during assembly and disassembly of said shroud :and barrel, said shroud extending substantially the entire length of said barrel and having a generally radially extending and forwardly facing surface engaging said rearwardly facing surface of said barrel, said shroud bein-g held in place on said barrel by engagement with said frame at its rear end and by engagement with said generally radial barrel surface at a point spaced forwardly of its rear end, and locking means between said frame and said shroud serving to prevent angular displacement of said shroud with respect to said frame.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 further characterized by said shroud including a front sight formed integral therewith.

4. The combination as defined in claim 2 further characterized by a crane pivoted to said frame, and movable longitudinally thereof when said shroud is removed from said frame, and said shroud having a portion which when said shroud is assembled with said frame prevents longitudinal displacement of said crane relative to `said frame.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4 further characterized by a cylinder and an ejector rod connected with said crane which ejector rod extends forwardly from said crane and is provided with a detent in its forward end, means defining `a longitudinal recess in said shroud for receiving said ejector rod, and a spring-loaded bal-l carried lby said shroud adjacent the forward end of said recess which `ball is biased toward said detent in the forward end of said ejector rod so as to releasably engage said ejector rod and provide a pivoted support for the forward end thereof.

6. The combination defined in claim 2 further characterized by said barrel being threadably connected with said frame and as part of said threadable |connection including external threads adjacent the rear end thereof, said barrel further including a rified bore, the rifling of said bore being of opposite hand to the hand of said external threads so that as a bullet passes through said bore the torque imposed on said barrel by said bullet tends to tighten said threaded connection and to thereby draw said generally radial barrel surface into tighter engagement with said `generally radial shroud surface.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 further characterized by said means providing a generally radially extending rearwardly facing surface on said barrel comprising a radially outwardly extending flange on the forward end portion of said barrel, and said generally radially extending forwardly facing surface of said shroud being located at the forward end of said shroud.

8. The combination in a firearm of: a frame, a barrel connected with the forward portion of said frame adjacent its rear end and extending forwardly therefrom, a shroud surrounding said barrel, means for preventing relative angular displacement of said shroud with respect to said frame and barrel, and means providing a forwardly facing surface on said frame and a rearwardly facing surface on said barrel between which rearwardly `and forwardly facing surfaces said shroud is clamped to restrain it against displacement longitudinally of said barrel and frame.

9. The combination defined in claim 8 further characterized `by said barrel being threadably connected with said frame.

l0. The combination in a pistol type of firearm of: a frame, a barrel connected directly to said frame adjacent the rear end of said Ibarrel and extending forwardly therefrom, a shroud surrounding said barrel and extending along a major portion of the length thereof, and means for restraining said shroud a-gainst displacement longitudinally of said barrel and frame, said shroud having an opening extending therethrough for receiving said barrel which opening is of such a size and shape as to conform closely to the -outside surface of said barrel and to engage `substantially the entire area of said outer surface to provide a rigid support for said barrel.

lll. The combination in a firearm of: a frame, a barrel connected with the forward portion of said frame and extending forwardly therefrom, a shroud surrounding said barrel, means for preventing relative angular displacement of said shroud with respect to said frame, means for restraining -said .shroud against displacement longitudinally of said barrel and frame, a crane supported for pivotal movement relative to said frame between open and closed positions about an axis generally parallel to the axis of said barrel, a cylinder 'and an ejector rod connected with said crane for movement therewith and which ejector rod extends forwardly from said crane, and means providing a laterally open lon-gitudinal recess in said shroud for receiving said ejector rod when said crane is in its closed position, said ejector rod being moved laterally out of said longitudinal recess when said crane is moved from its closed to its open position.

12. The combination as defined in claim 11 further characterized by said ejector rod having a detent in its forward end, `and a spring-loaded ball carried by said shroud adjacent the forward end of said recess, said ball being biased toward said detent in the forward end of said ejector rod so as to releasably engage said ejector rod and provide a pivotal support for the forward end thereof.

13. The combination in a firearm of: a frame, a barrel connected with the forward portion of said frame and extending forwardly therefrom, and a shroud surrounding said barrel, said barrel having a radially extending and rearwardly facing surface thereon which is enrgageable with said shroud to hold said shroud longitudinally in 3,303,594 9 1Q place between `said frame and said radial barrel surface, References Cited by the Examiner said `barrel being threadably connected with said frame by external threads on the rear end of said barrel, said UNITED STATES PATENTS barrel further including a ried bore the filling of Which 743,784 11/1903 WCSSOD 42-62 is of opposite hand to the hand of said external threads 5 1,297,240 3/1919 Pritchett 89-197 so that as a bullet passes through said bore the torque 2,150,914 3/1939 Gaidos 42-59 imposed on said barrel by said bullet tends to tighten Said 2,976,638 3/1961 Owens 42--77 threaded connection and to thereby draw said radial barrel surface into tighter engagement with said shroud, BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. THE COMBINATION IN A FIREARM OF: A FRAME, A BARREL CONNECTED DIRECTLY WITH THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREFROM, A SHROUD SEPARATE FROM AND SURROUNDING SAID BARREL, MEANS FOR PREVENTING RELATIVE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT OF SAID SHROUD WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRAME AND FOR ACCURATELY LOCATING SAID SHROUD ANGULARLY RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME, AND MEANS FOR RESTRAINING SAID SHROUD AGAINST DISPLACEMENT LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID BARREL AND FRAME, SAID SHROUD INCLUDING A FRONT SIGHT FORMED INTEGRAL THEREWITH.