US3609901A - Operating mechanism for explosion-operated devices - Google Patents

Abstract

AN OPERATING MECHANISM FOR AN EXPLOSION-OPERATED DEVICE, SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, AN ANIMAL-SLAUGHTERING DEVICE. THE CONTROL MECHANISM INCLUDES A BREECH BODY IN WHICH A FIRING PIN IS GUIDED FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT. A SWINGABLE HAMMER COACTS WITH THE FIRING PIN TO DIRVE THE LATTER WHEN THE HAMMER IS RELEASED TO THE FORCE OF A DRIVING SPRING. THE HAMMER ITSELF IS PROVIDED WITH A COCKING TOOTH, AND A CATCH TOOTH COACTS WITH THIS COCKING TOOTH TO COCK THE HAMMER UNTIL THE CATCH TOOTH RELEASES THE COCKING TOOTH. THIS CATCH TOOTH FORMS PART OF A SWINGABLE OPERATING LEVER WHICH HAS AN ARM PROJECTING LATERALLY THEREFROM. A SPRING ASSEMBLY IS LOCATED BETWEEN THIS LAT-

TER ARM AND THE HAMMER AND AS A RESULT OF ITS COMPRESSION BETWEEN THESE COMPONENTS ACTS TO MAINTAIN THE CATCH TOOTH IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COCKING TOOTH UNTIL THE LEVER IS TURNED TO COMPRESS THE SPRING ASSEMBLY TO AN EXTENT SUFFICIENT TO DRIVE THE HAMMER. AT THIS TIME, THE CATCH TOOTH AUTOMATICALLY MOVES AWAY FROM THE COCKING TOOTH.

Description

Oct. 5

, 1971 A NECAS 3,609,901

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSION-OPERATED DEVICES Filed March 21, 1969 v v v 20202020 NVENTO l Avgub'm NEAS ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,609,901 OPERATING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSION- OPERATED DEVICES Augustin Necas, Praha, Czechoslovakia, assignor to Zbrojovka, narodni podnik, Brno, Czechoslovakia Filed Mar. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 809,181 Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia, Mar. 25, 1968, 2,263/68 Int. Cl. F41c 19/00 U.S. Cl. 42-69 R 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An operating mechanism for an explosion-operated device," such as, for example, an animal-slaughtering device. The control mechanism includes a breech body in which a ring pin is guided for longitudinal movement. A swingi able hammer coacts with the ring pin to drive the latter when the hammer is released to the force of a driving spring. The hammer itself is provided with a cocking tooth, and a catch tooth coacts with this cocking tooth to lcock the hammer until the catch tooth releases the cocking tooth. This catch tooth forms part of a swingable operating lever which has an arm projecting laterally therefrom. A spring assembly is located between this latter arm and the hammer and as a result of its compres- Sion between these components acts to maintain the catch tooth in `engagement with the cocking tooth until the lever is turned to compress the spring assembly to an extent sufcient to drive the hammer. At this time, the catch tooth automatically moves away from the cocking tooth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to explosion-operated devices. For example, the present invention relates to tirearms similar to the type used in particular for driving an anesthetizing instrument into an animal for anesthetizing the" animal in connection with the slaughtering thereof.

However, the structure of the invention can be used with other types of explosion-operated devices such as any type of pistol or the like used to drive a projectile with the force of an explosion.

Among the known operating mechanisms for this type of device, the simplest includes a ring pin drive longitudinally along the breech by a spring. This pin terminates at its front end in a tip which extends into the cartridge chamber to engage the firing cap at the rear end of a cartridge therein. At its rear end the firing pin is provided with a nut which is formed with a recess in which a springactuated two-armed control lever is received, this lever being supported for swinging movement by the breech body. Prior to firing, the tiring pin is displaced out of the breech and is releasably maintained in its cocked position by an arm of the operating lever which is received in the recess of the nut. To effect tiring, the second arm of the operating lever is depressed so as to bring about the release of the firing pin which is driven forward to strike against the tiring cap of the cartridge. This known mechanism is extremely simple as well as reliable. However, it has no safety structure and is incapable of preventing accidental or unintentional firing.

There are also `known iirearms where a tiring pin is cocked prior to tiring, the pin being held in its cocked position by a trigger which is actuated to release the firing pin. However, there are also devices which have xed firing pins provided with hammer elements which by way of complex mechanisms are released to strike against the liring pin after pressure is applied to a manually operable element. Structures of this type are exceedingly complex and expensive and are constantly beset by faulty operation.

3,609,901 Patented Oct. 5 1971 ICC SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a mechanism which will avoid the above drawbacks.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a construction of this type which is exceedingly simple as well as reliable in operation and at the same time capable of providing an exceedingly reliable and simple safety against unintentional or accidental tiring.

In addition, it is an object of the invention to provide a compact assembly wherein both for esthetic reasons as well as for achieving small volume and small size the safety structure is housed within and does not project from the breech body.

It is particularly an object of the invention to provide a construction of this type which is adapted for use with an explosion-operated structure capable of driving an anesthetizing device into an animal in connection with the slaughter thereof.

Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a construction which is exceedingly simple, which requires only a relatively small number of rugged elements to achieve the required operation, and which can be very easily operated.

In accordance with the invention a breech body supports a tiring pin for longitudinal movement and a hammer means coacts with the firing pin to drive the latter. This hammer means is provided with a cocking tooth with which a catch tooth coacts. The catch tooth forms part of a swingable operating lever which is supported for pivotal movement by a pin carried by the breech body, and this body also carries a pin which supports the hammer means for swinging movement. The operating lever has an arm which denes with the hammer means a space in which a spring means is accommodated. This spring means is compressed between this latter arm and the hammer means to resiliently and releasably maintain the catch tooth in engagement with the cocking tooth in such a way that during manual turning of the 'operating lever the spring means, which drives the hammer means, will be compressed until the catch tooth becomes displaced beyond the cocking tooth whereupon the compressed spring means expands to drive the hammer means into engagement with the tiring pin.

Thus, it will be seen that one of the most important advantages achieved with the invention is the complete safety of the operation. This safety is brought about because the hammer is only cocked in connection with an actual firing operation just prior to tiring. It is of course possible, although not necessary, to provide an even further safety by locating the catch tooth in a rest position away from the cocking tooth of the hammer. This arrangement may be used as a further safetyI feature to serve to prevent operation of the loaded device by unauthorized personnel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE. DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which form part of this application and in which:

FIG. l is a partly schematic longitudinal sectional elevation fragmentarily illustrating an explosion-operated device which includes the structure of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation showing the structure of FIG. 1 in the position it takes just prior to release of the hammer means which is shown in PIG. 3 in the position it takes when it is almost fully cocked, and

FIG. 4 is an end view of the structure of FIG. l as seen in the direction of the arrow P and illustrating how the 'breech body, and the structure carried thereby, can be tilted to a position which will expose the chamber of the cartridge-carrier to enable a shell to be removed therefrom and a new cartridge to be inserted into the cartridge chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As may be seen from the right end of FIG. 1, the illustrated structure includes a breech body 1 extending rearwardly beyond and operatively connected with a cartridgecarrying body 3 which is formed with an axial bore 2 which forms the cartridge chamber. The body 1 is itself formed with an axial bore in which a firing pin 4 is guided for axial movement, this pin being acted upon by a coil spring 5 which is coiled about the pin and situated in the bore of the -breech body 1 which also receives the firing pin. The extent of axial movement of the ring pin 4 is limited by a cross pin 6 which is carried by the breech body and extends across a downwardly directed elongated recess 7 which is formed in the lower surface portion of the pin 4.

The breech body 1 is formed with a cutout or recess 8 having the stepped configuration apparent from FIGS. l and 3. The body 1 carries a pivot pin 9 which extends across the recess 8, and this pin 9 serves to pivotably support the pivotable hammer means 10. At its rear surface at approximately the elevation of the pin 9 the hammer 10 is formed with a cocking tooth 11 while at its opposed forwardly directed surface, also at the region of the elevation of the pivot pin 9, the hammer is formed with grooves 12. Also at its forwardly directed surface, but just above the ring pin 4, the hammer 10 is provided with a projection 13 adapted to engage the rearwardly directed surface 14 of the body 1 which defines part of the stepped recess 8, so that the surface 14 coacts with the projection 13 to act as a stop for limiting the extent of pivotal movement of the hammer 10. Thus, upon tiring of a cartridge the projection 13 will engage the surface 14 to limit the pivoting of the hammer 10.

A catch tooth 15 coacts with and engages the cocking tooth 11 of the hammer means 10. This catch tooth 15 forms part of a pivotable operating lever 16 which is formed with an elongated slot 17 through which a second pivot pin 18 extends, this pin 18 also extending across the recess 8 and being xedly carried by the body 1. This operating lever 16 is actually a two-armed lever having a rear arm 19 which carries the catch tooth 15 and a front arm 20 provided with an upwardly directed projection 21 which can be pressed downwardly lby the operator. At its lower side this front arm 20 has a downwardly directed tooth 22 received in an elongated depression 23 formed in the body 3 and in the body 1. Below the elongated slot 17 through which the pin 18 extends the lever 16 includes a downwardly directed arm 24 which extends into the recess 8 downwardly beyond the elongated horizontal portion of the body 1 which carries and interconnects the pivot pins 18 and 9. This downwardly directed arm 24 is formed with an aperture 25 extending therethrough, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3.

A spring means is compressed between the arm 24 and the hammer means 10. This spring means includes an elongated rod 26 one end of which is received in the aperture 25 and the opposite end of which is provided with projections in the form of ribs respectively received in the grooves 12 of the hammer 10. Thus, at its rear end the rod 26 has a head 27 provided with the transverse ribs which are received in the grooves 12, respectively. The spring means includes a coil spring 28 coiled about the rod 26, engaging the forwardly directed shoulder, formed by the front end of the head 27 where it surrounds the rod 26, and pressing against the arm 24. Other types of connections between the arm 24 and the hammer 10 can be provided such as telescopic connections, for example. However, the illustrated construction is preferred because of its simplicity and reliability in operation.

The body 1 is formed with a bore 48 extending up to the junction between the cartridge chamber and the front end of the bore in which the tiring pin is guided, so that gases can escape through this bore 48 in the event of an accidental ignition of the igniting cap situated approximately at the location of the front tip of the tiring pin.

The breech body 1 is formed at the region of its front end with an arcuate groove 29 receiving the rear ange 30 situated at the rear end of the body 3, the latter being formed just in front of the flange 30 with an arcuate groove which receives a front flange directed inwardly at the front end of the breech body 1. The breech body 1 is capable of being tilted between the open position shown in FIG. 4, where the axis of the breech body is laterally displaced from the axispof the bore 2, and a closed position where the breech 1 and body 3 are coaxial. For this purpose the rearwardly directed surface of the outwardly directed flange situated at the end of the body 3 is formed with an arcuate groove 31 (FIG. 4) and this groove receives a matching arcuate rib 32 projecting forwardly Ifrom the front end surface of the breech body 1, the rib 32 and groove 31 extending along a common circle so that it is possible to circumferentially displace the rib 32 in the groove 31 to tilt the breech between its open and closed positions. In order to limit the swinging of the breech body 1 between its open and closed positions, the breech body is formed at the upper part of its front face with an arcuate groove 34 extending along a circle concentric with that along -which the rib 32 extends, and the body 3 carries a pin 33 which is received within the groove 34 so as to coact with the latter to limit the extent of tilting of the body 1. Referring to the right portion of FIG. 4, there is schematically indicated an ejecting lever 35 which can be manipulated by the operator, in a manner forming no part of the present invention, to displace an ejector 36 rearwardly so as to eject an empty shell out of the cartridge chamber 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, it will be seen that a barrel 37 is fixed to and projects forwardly from the body 3. At its front end the barrel is provided with an axially bored muzzle 38 carrying a circumferential seal 39 which -uid-tightly but slidably engages the exterior surface of an anesthetizing instrument 40 of known construction. This instrument 40 has adjacent its rear end a piston 41 provided with a piston ring 42 which forms a seal with the inner surface of the barrel 37, and forwardly of the rear position of the piston 41 the barrel is provided with inner axial grooves 43 through which gases may tlow around the piston 41 to cushion the movement of the instrument 40 in a manner which does not form part of the present invention. The barrel is also formed with discharge apertures 41 through which the gases can pass into an elongated cylindrical chamber 45 delned between an outer casing 46 and the exterior sur-face of the barrel 37. This gas discharge chamber 45 communicates with discharge bores 47 extending axially through the outer peripheral portion of the muzzle 38.

During operation of the mechanism of the invention, pressing downwardly on the front arm 20 of the operating lever 16 will cause the rear arm 19 thereof to turn so that the catch tooth 15 acts through the cocking tooth 11 on the hammer 10 to pivot the latter from the position of FIG. l toward the position of FIG. 3. The hammer acts on the rod 26 of the spring means to displace the front end of the rod 26 into the opening 25 of the army 24 while the spring 28 of the spring means becomes compressed to an increasing extent. This compression of the spring means is achieved also in part by the arm 24 which during downward movement of the arm 20 tends to move rearwardly toward the hammer 10. The cocking of the hammer with accompanying increasing compression of the spring means 26, 28 continues until the catch tooth 15 slides beyond the cocking tooth 11 of the hammer 10. At this instant the hammer 10 is released to the force of the compressed, spring means `26, 28 which expands at its 5 spring 28 so as to drive the hammer 10 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. l and 3, so that it will strike against the rear end of the firing pin 4. In this Way the firing of a cartridge and the driving of the anesthetizing instrument 40 is achieved. The operating cycle of the instrument 40 within the barrel 37 is not described because it doe's not form part of the present invention.

After ring, the spring 28 acts on the arm 24 to bring about the downward pressure on the front arm 20 of the lever 16 and the seating of the rear arm 19 on the hammer 10. Thus, the catch tooth 15 will not at this time engage the cooking tooth 11. Thus, before the next ring operation, a downward pressure is applied to the projection 21 to displace the lever 16 rearwardly along the pin 18, for which purpose the slot 17 is provided. This shifting of the le'ver 16 will bring about the snapping of the catch tooth 15 behind the cocking tooth 11 of the hammer 10 so that it is now possible again to carry out a firing of a cartridge in the above-described manner.

This shiftable arrangement of the operating lever 16 is provided for the situation when the cartridge chamber 2 of the body 3 receives a cartridge and for any given reason the firing thereof is not to be carried out. Thus, this arrangement serves as a safety against accidental, unintentional firing.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to one preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such a preferred embodiment, but is capable of numerous modications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mechanism for controlling the operation of an explosion-operated device, a breech body ring pin means carried by said breech body for longitudinal movement with respect thereto, hammer means pivotably carried by said breech body and coacting with said ring pin means for driving the latter, said hammer means having a cocking tooth, actuating lever means pivotafbly carried by said breech body and having a catch tooth coacting with sai cooking tooth, said operating lever means having an arm spaced from said catch tooth thereof and extending laterally from the remainder of said lever means, spring means extending between and pressing against said arm and said hammer means for releasably retaining said catch tooth in engagement with said cooking tooth, said breech body carrying a pair of pivot pins on which said hammer means and actuating lever means are respectively pivotable, said lever means being formed with an elongated slot through which one of said pivot pins passes and said breech body having an elongated connecting portion extending between and interconnecting said pivot pins, and said arm of said lever means extending downwardly beyond the portion of said breech body which extends between and interconnects said pivot pins.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said spring means includes a rod extending between said arm and hammer means and a coil spring extending around said rod, said rod has one end directly engaging said hammer means, said arm being formed with an opening freely receiving the opposed end of said rod, and said rod being formed in the region of said hammer means with a shoulder directed toward said arm, said coil spring being coiled about said rod between said shoulder thereof and said arm, and said rod and said hammer means, respectively, have a rib-and-groove interengagement with each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 591,291 l 0/ 1897 Pieper 42-69 644,402 2/ 1900 Bye 42-69 2,069,293 2/ 1937 Wiley 42-69 2,448,810 9/ 1948 Koucky et al 42-69 B BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner C. T. I ORDAN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 17-1 B; 42-1 M

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