US3484977A

US3484977A - Recoil absorbing attachment with compressed air restoring means therein

Info

Publication number: US3484977A
Application number: US733428A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roy L Younts
Original assignee: ROY L YOUNTS
Current assignee: ROY L YOUNTS
Priority date: 1968-05-31
Filing date: 1968-05-31
Publication date: 1969-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 1986-12-23

Description

Dec. 23. 1969 R. 1.. YOUNTS 3,484,977

HECOIL ABSORBING ATTACHMENT WITH COMPRESSED AIR RESTORING MEANS THEREIN Filed May 51, 1968 2 Sheets-$heet 1 INVENTOR.

m/ U y in FIG.

ATTORNEY Dec. 23. 1969 u s 3,484,977

RECOIL ABSORBING ATTACHMENT WITH COMPRESSED AIR RESTORING MEANS THEREIN Filed May 31, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.

FIG. 6

INVENTOR. ROY L. YOUNTS ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,484,977 RECOIL ABSORBING ATTACHMENT WITH COM- PRESSED AIR RESTORING MEANS THEREIN Roy L. Younts, 615 N. Mendenhall St., Greensboro, N.C. 27401 Filed May 31, 1968, Ser. No. 733,428 Int. Cl. F41c 23/00 US. C]. 42-74 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a recoil absorbing attachment and more specifically to an attachment for use with shotguns, high powered rifles and the like wherein the impact of recoil is absorbed by an air cushion, rather than by a mechanical snubbing means as heretofore known in the art.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The recoil or kick of firearms, particularly shotguns and high powered rifles, is well known among persons accustomed to handling such firearms, and various devices have been used in attempts to diminish the impact of the recoil on the shoulder of the person shooting the firearm. Such prior attempts have included resilient pads and spring-loaded snubbing mechanisms of various types, each of which is effective to a degree, but none of which have proven entirely satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention on the other hand comprises a resilient housing attached to the butt of the firearm and includes an air chamber therein which provides a cushion of air between the butt of the firearm and the shoulder of the person firing the firearm. The recoil of the firearm forces air normally within the chamber out of one or more small openings in the housing, thereby absorbing the shock normally transmitted to the persons shoulder. After the air chamber is evacuated, a fresh supply of air enters the chamber and it recuperates to its normal configuration, however the air recovery is too slow, especially in the case of rapid firing firearms. Therefore, a means is provided to replenish the supply of air in the air chamber faster than if the chamber were allowed to recuperate under normal conditions. Such means cornprises a cylinder of compressed air or other gas such as a carbon dioxide cartridge, which is triggered to release gas into the air chamber upon recoil of the firearm, or other similar means for introducing compressed air or gas into the air chamber responsive to the recoil of the firearm.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a recoil absorbing attachment for shotguns, high powered rifles and the like which comprises a resilient chamber enclosing a cushion of air positioned between the firearm butt and the shoulder of the person firing the firearm for absorbing the shock of recoil by forcing the air out of said chamber and a means for quickly returning air into the air chamber and restoring the air chamber to its normal configuration.

It is another object of this invention to provide a re coil absorbing attachment for shotguns, high powered rifles and the like which more effectively absorbs the impact of the recoil than in previously known devices.

Some of the objects of the invention having been described, other objects will appear to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an environmental view showing the man- Patented Dec. 23, 1969 ner in which the butt of a shotgun or the like is positioned against the shoulder of a person engaged in shooting the firearm;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the recoil assembly according to the present invention attached to the stock of the gun;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal view, partially in section, looking at the right hand side of FIGURE 2, with parts broken away and showing the recoil assembly in relaxed normal condition;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged longitudinal view similar to FIGURE 3, with parts broken away and showing the valve assembly in the carbon dioxide cartridge outlet;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, but showing the position of the component parts of the recoil assembly at the moment of impact; and

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation similar to FIGURE 3, except showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a small arms piece such as a shotgun or high powered rifle, to the butt end of which is attached a re'coil absorbing attachment broadly indicated at 12. The gun 10 may be of any desired style or model and for purposes of illustration, the invention will be described as though the small arms piece were a shotgun.

According to the invention, the recoil absorbing attachment 12 comprises a molded or otherwise formed piece of resilient, yet relatively stiff, material, including a rear wall 14 and a forwardly extending tubular portion 16 which is adapted to snugly fit around the stock S of the gun to fasten the attachment to the gun. A cutout 18 is provided on one side of the tubular portion 16, providing access to a hinged flap or door 20 in the stock, whereupon gas cartridges may be inserted into an inner chamber 30 within the stock for reasons to be hereinafter described.

Air chamber 24 is substantially airtight except for

openings

26, 27, and 28,

openings

26 and 27 being preferably positioned in opposite walls of tubular portion 16 between walls 14 and 22- and being small enough to provide a I means for controlling the escape of air from chamber 24 upon recoil of the gun. It may be possible that the air would escape from chamber 24 employing only one of

openings

26 or 27, however both are preferred. Opening 28 registers with bore 30 in stock S which receives and seats a carbon dioxide or other gas containing cartridge 32. The end wall 38 of cartridge 32 engages intermediate wall 22 around opening 28, so that the only outlet for the carbon dioxide gas is through the opening 39 in end wall 38 and into chamber 24. A substantially rigid valve activating pad 34 is attached to rear wall 14 within chamber 24 opposite the opening 28 in intermediate wall 22.

Carbon dioxide cartridge 32 is of the conventional type which generally includes an elongated neck portion 36 and a cap or end Wall 38 which is punctured to allow a release of the gas within. The cartridge 32, designed for use with the present invention, however, is slightly modified so that end wall 38 does not have to be punctured to release the gas. Rather a valve 40 normally closes an opening 39 in the cap 38, whereby the gas may be selectively released from within the cartridge.

Valve 40 comprises a plunger 42 extending from within the neck 36 of cartridge 32 through opening 28 in intermediate wall 22 and is reciprocal in a direction toward and away from pad 34. An end plate 44 provides an enlarged head for plunger 42 and is secured to the end of plunger 42 within the neck portion 36, normally in engagement with the inner surface of end wall 38. An inner plate 48 is positioned within neck portion 36 and covers the entire interior neck portion of the cartridge, except for an opening 50 which permits gas to pass therethrough. Springs 52 and 54 extend between end plate 44 and inner plate 48, and normally urge plate 44 into engagement with cap 38. So formed, the valve 40, in normal position prevents the release of air, since plate 44 is normally covering outlet 39.

In use, the valve operates in response to the recoil of the firearm. As the gun is fired, the impulse forces the stock S of the gun rearward, whereupon rear wall 14 and intermediate wall 22 collapse toward each other causing the air to be expelled through

openings

26 and 27, thus absorbing the shock caused by the movement of the stock rearwardly which would normally be transmitted to the shoulder of the person firing the gun.

As end wall 1-4 and intermediate wall 22 collapse toward each other, the valve activating pad 34 engages the end of plunger 42. Upon continued collapse of

walls

14 and 22 the plunger 42 overcomes the force of

springs

52 and 54 and opens outlet 39 allowing the gas to be released. Upon release of the gas, chamber 24 quickly refills and

walls

14 and 22 recuperate to their normal positions. As pad 34 returns to its normal position, it releases plunger 42, and

springs

52 and 54 urge the plunger back to its normal position, closing up the flow of gas from cartridge 32.

According to FIGURE 6, there is shown an alternate embodiment, wherein the carbon dioxide cartridge is omitted as a means for rapidly replacing the air lost in inner chamber 24. In the alternate embodiment, there is no

opening

26 or 27 in the forwardly extending portion 16 of the recoil attachment, so therefore there is no communication between the air chamber 24 and the outside atmosphere. The recoil attachment 12 of the alternate embodiment is very similar to the first embodiment, and comprises a rear wall 14', a forwardly extending tubular portion 16' providing a means for attachment to the stock of the gun, and an intermediate wall 22' spaced from rear wall 14 and forming an air chamber 24'. The only outlet for the air in air chamber 24 is through opening 28 into a much smaller chamber 30.

As the gun is fired, and the stock moves rearwardly, the walls 14' and 22' collapse and are urged toward each other as in the first embodiment. The air present in chamber 24' is expelled through opening 28', and since chamber 30' is much smaller than chamber 24', the air is compressed into the smaller chamber. The impact of the recoil is taken up by urging the air through opening 28' into chamber 30'. After the initial force is absorbed, the air compressed in chamber 30' seeks an outlet, and therefore returns through opening 28 refilling chamber 24', so that 4 there is a quick recuperation to the normal position of walls 14' and 22'.

There is thus provided a recoil absorbing attachment comprising an air cushion behind the butt of stock S and further including a means for rapidly recovering the air in said air cushion after the impact forces the air out of the cushion.

I claim:

1. A recoil absorbing attachment for shotguns, high powered rifles, and similar firearms having a stock and a butt, said recoil absorbing attachment comprising:

(a) a resilient housing defining an air chamber therein,

said housing being attached to said butt;

(b) first means associated with said housing for allowing the controlled escape of air upon recoil of the firearm, whereby the impact of the recoil is absorbed in forcing the air from said chamber; and

(0) second means associated with said housing for forcing air under compression back into said air chamber after the impact is absorbed.

2. The recoil attachment according to claim 1 wherein said first means comprises at least one opening in a wall of said housing adjacent said air chamber.

3. The recoil attachment according to claim 2 wherein said second means comprises a cartridge of compressed gas seated in the butt of said firearm, the outlet of said cartridge being in communication with said air chamber through a second opening in a wall of said housing, and a means responsive to the recoil of said firearm for releasing the gas in said cartridge into said chamber.

4. The recoil attachment according to claim 3 wherein said means for releasing gas comprises a relatively rigid pad attached to a wall of said chamber opposite said second opening, a valve at the outlet of said cartridge, said pad engaging and activating said valve upon escape of the air from said chamber and the collapse of said walls.

5. The recoil attachment according to claim 2 wherein said second means comprises a smaller chamber adjacent said air chamber, said smaller chamber having rigid walls, said opening providing communication between the air chamber and said smaller chamber, whereupon the air in said air chamber will be forced into said smaller chamber and compressed upon recoil of the firearm, then the air will be forced back into said air chamber after the impact is absorbed, so that the air chamber will resume its normal configuration.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 294,402 3/ 1884 Onderdonk 4274 2,438,142 3/1948 Brower 4274 3,176,424 4/1965 Hoge 4274 SAMUEL FEINBERG, Primary Examiner C. T. JORDAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.