US3727557A

US3727557A - Wad for shotgun shells

Info

Publication number: US3727557A
Application number: US00191382A
Authority: US
Inventors: S Starcevich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-10-21
Filing date: 1971-10-21
Publication date: 1973-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 1990-04-17

Abstract

A shotgun shell wad in the form of a one piece structure formed from polyethylene or the like including an obturating disc or cup and a shot cup or protector in spaced apart relation axially of the shell in which the side wall of the cup is segmented petal fashion; a shock absorbing filler connects the disc and cup in the form of pairs of angled struts on either side of the axis of the shell, with the struts of each pair being respectively parallelly angled inwardly of the shell axis to define folding apexes therein, and with such folding axes being spaced apart axially of the shell, whereby on firing of the shell in which the wad is placed, such struts fold free of interference with each other in cushioning the accelerating forces acting on the shot and recoil acting on the gun. The connection of the struts to the cup is such that the folding action of the struts arcs the floor of the cup to fling wide open the cup petals when the wad leaves the gun muzzle, making for quick drop away of the wad from flight.

Description

United States Patent [191 Starcevich (4 1 Apr. 17, 1973 [22] Filed:

[ WAD FOR SHOTGUN SHELLS [76] Inventor: Samuel Starcevich, 306 Mills Road,

Joliet, lll. 60433 Oct. 21, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 191,382

52 U.S. c1. ..102/95, 102/42 c 51 int. Cl ..F42b 7/08 58 Field oi Search ..102/42 c, 95

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,217,648 11/1965 Foote et alum, 102/42 C 3,402,664 9/1968 Cramer 102/42 C Primary Examiner-Robert F. Stahl AttorneyRobert C. Brown, Jr. et a].

' 57 ABSTRACT A shotgun -shell wad in the forth of a one piece structure formed from polyethylene or the like including an obturating disc or cup and a shot cup or protector in spaced apart relation axially of the shell in which the side wall of the cup is segmented petal fashion; a shock absorbing filler connects the disc and cup in the form' of pairs of angled struts on either side of the axis of the shell, with the struts of each pair being respectively parallelly angled inwardly of the shell axis to define folding apexes therein, and with such folding 3 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 1 3.727. 557

lNVEN TOR SAMUEL STARCEVICH %m, gazi g/W1.

ATTORNEYS WAD FOR SHOTGUN SHELLS This invention relates to a wad for shotgun shells, and more particularly, to a one piece wad structure combining an obturating disc or cup, a shot cup or protector, and a filler in the form of a shock absorbing strut structure of special folding characteristics.

Moehlman et al. US. Pat. No. 3,285,174 and Cramer US. Pat. No. 3,402,664 are illustrative of recent efforts to combine in one wad structure the obturating cup, the shot protector, and filler. Combinations of this type, to be successful, have a rather critical requirement that the filler be sufficiently collapsible or contractible to adequately cushion the shot and reduce recoil, but yet to sufficiently stiff to transfer to the shot the acceleration required to effect the desired projection of the shot from the gun muzzle in a stable pattern.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a wad for shotgun shells that has a novel filler portion arranged to compress or contract under firing of the shell without material interference in providing the shot cushioning desired.

Another principal object of the invention is to provide a wad for shotgun shells in which the filler portion of same is composed of a folding strut structure arranged to insure I interference free folding action thereof in collapsing or compressing to cushion the shot, and in so doing, conditions the wad for quick fall out from flight.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a wad for shotgun shells that is economical of manufacture, convenient to use, and effective in operation.

In accordance with this invention, the wad comprises in one piece form an obturating cup and shot protector integrally united by a filler in the form of angled struts in which the struts define folding apexes arranged so that the struts on either side of the wad longitudinal axis fold in opposite directions in the same plane, and about apexes that are spaced apart longitudinally of the axis of the wad. The shot protector has its side wall in the form of sections or petals extending generally longitudinally of the wad, and the connection of the struts to the cup floor are such that the folding of the struts arcs the cup floor in a manner that when the wad leaves the gun muzzle, the cup petals fling wide open or, which, when unrestrained, outwardly of the axis of the wad for effective shot release and flight drop out.

Still other objects, uses and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings. I

In the drawings: FIG. I is a longitudinal sectional view through a shotgun shell equipped with the wad of this invention, diagrammatically illustrating familiar components of the shell and the wad of this invention as associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the wad shown in FIG. I; g

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, but taken from the right hand side of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is atop plan view ofthe wad shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the action of the wad in moving through a shotgun barrel on firing of the shell of which the wad forms a part; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views (on a reduced scale) along lines 66 and 77, respectively, of FIG. 4, showing the wad after it has been used.

However, it is to be understood that the drawing illustrations provided are supplied primarily to comply with the requirements of the Patent Code, and that the invention may have other embodiments that are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Reference numeral 10 of FIG. 1 generally indicates a shell equipped with a wad 12 of this invention. As is conventional, the shell 10 generally comprises cylindrical casing 14 and metallic base 16 in the form of a cylindrical portion 18, an end wall portion 20 receiving the end 22 of the casing 14, and defining a primer receiving opening 24 in which primer 26 is received.

In the particular shotgun shell illustrated, the powder charge 28 is received within the end 22 of the casing 22, which casing is in turn received within wall 18 of base 16. As suggested by Comerford US. Pat. No. 3,266,421, a base wad 30 is provided in the lower end of casing 14 through which extends a firing channel 32 that opens into powder receiving cavity 34. Primer 26 extends axially of the shell into the firing channel 32, the primer 26 igniting the powder charge 28 in the usual manner of a central fire type shotgun shell.

The wad 12 is telescoped within the casing 14 over the powder charge 28 and receives the individual shot elements 36. The terminal portions 37 of the end 38 of easing l4-are folded over against the shot and wad in a conventional manner, as indicated at 40 to retain the shell in assembled condition in the usual and conventional manner.

The wad 12 itself is more specifically illustrated in I FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 and generally comprises an obturating cup 42 connected to a shot protector or cup 44 by a strut type filler structure 46 of special significance.

In accordance with this invention, the filler structure 46 comprises, in the form shown, a first pair 50 of struts or

columns

52 and 54 on one side of the axial center line 56 of the wad, and a second set 58 of struts or

columns

60 and 62 on the other side of the said axis 56.

As indicated in FIGS. 1 3 and 5, the

struts

52, 54, 60 and 62 are of ribbon or strip like configuration of generally elongate quadrilateral configuration in transverse cross section. The struts of the pairs of

struts

50 and 58 are oriented relative to the obturating disc and shot cup such that the long dimensions of their said transverse cross-sectional configurations are in substantialparallelism. In other words, the

struts

52, 54, 60 and 62 extend generally longitudinally of the axis of the wad in generally parallel relation, as distinguished from having their transverse cross-sectional configurations at right angles to each other.

However, in accordance with this invention, the struts of the pairs of

struts

50 and 58 are not rectilinear throughout their lengths, but are angled inwardly of the wad. Thus, the

struts

52 and 54 each comprise rectilinear portions 64 merging into rectilinear portions 66 at the respective folding apexes 68 while the

struts

60 and 62 each comprise rectilinear portions 70 merging into rectilinear portions 72 at the respective folding apexes 74.

In addition, it is to be noted that the apexes 68 of the

struts

52 and 54 are at the same location axially of the wad along the lengths of the struts, but are spaced axially of the wad from the corresponding apexes 74 of

struts

60 and 62. The apexes 74 of the

struts

60 and 62 are equivalently located longitudinally of the axis of the wad.

In a commercial embodiment of the invention, the apexes 68 of the struts 52 and 54 (in the unstressed condition of same) are located about one-third of the distance from the shot cup 44 to the obturating disc 42. The apexes 74 of the

struts

60 and 62, however, are located about two-thirds of this distance.

As indicated in FIG. 3, the

inner struts

54 and 62 are of greater width than the

outer struts

52 and 60.

The obturating disc or cup 42 is in the form of planar wall 80 equipped with a depending annular lip or skirt 82 that is relatively thin in cross-sectional dimension so that it obturates or expands outwardly readily to form a gas seal, initially with the inner surface 84 of the shell casing 14, and then with inner surface 86 of the gun barrel 88.

The shot protecting cup 44 generally comprises a generally planar base wall 90 having integrally united with same an upstanding side wall 92 that is segmented longitudinally of the axis of the wad to define sections or petals 94, which preferably are formed to have the conventional built in flare outwardly of the axis of the wad, in their unstressed condition on the order of 5 to degrees off of parallelism with the axis of the wad (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Reception of the wad in the shell 14 brings the petals or sections 94 into close cylindrical adjacency for receiving the individual shot elements 36 in the manner indicated in FIG. 1.

The

struts

52, 54, 60 and 62 are integrally united with cup wall 90, and in accordance with this invention, the improved folding action achieved by these struts arcs the cup wall in the manner indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7 such that as the wad leaves the gun muzzle, the cup petals are literally flung outwardly or open wide, under the bias applied by the arced configuration of wall 90 after firing of the shell. This petal flinging action positions the cup petals wide open for quick flight drop out. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the wad in its condition after use, with the cup wall arced and petals 94 outwardly flared at angles on the order of to or more.

The wad 12, in the preferred form of the invention, is of one piece constructure formed by a suitable injection molding procedure employing a suitable plastic material such as polyethylene or the like. In a commercial form of the invention, the wad 12 is made from Eastman Chemical Products, Inc.s low density polyethylene 811A. The

walls

80 and 90 and the pairs of

struts

50 and 58 are made of sufficient thickness to be relatively stiff though not rigid, while skirt 82 and petals 94 are sufficiently thin in thickness to be pliant in a relatively flexible manner.

The wad 12 is assembled in the shell 10 in the manner indicated in FIG. 1 following standard loading procedures. On firing of the shell 10, the expanding gases resulting act upon the obturating cup 42 to cause its seal 82 to flare outwardly against the inner surface 84 of the casing 14 in sealing relation therewith, with the propellant forces involved being transmitted wad from the apexes 74, the pairs of struts S0 and 58 through the strut structure 46 to the base wall 90 of the shot cup 44 and thence to the column of shot elements that are contained in the shot cup. During the transmisfold towards each other without any interference what soever even though they do fold in the same plane. As indicated in FIG. 5, the pairs of

struts

50 and 58 could fold substantially flat without interference, but in practice the folding action is not greatly in excess of that indicated in FIG. 5.

The material from which the wad 12 is formed is sufficiently stiff so that the strut folding action indicated is accomplished with absorption of an adequate amount of the accelerating forces applied to the shot to adequately cushion the shot and reduce recoil. The struts are stiffly flexible, with the folding apexes 68 and 74 defining the folding action hinge point of the respective struts. As already indicated, the folding action of the struts arcs wall 90, tending to tilt its outer rim outwardly, and thus sugnificantly increasing the cup petals for outwardly flinging action that is provided by the conventional outward flare that is built into the petals (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The tilting action provided is relatively uniform about the rim of wall 90, so that all the petals 94 have substantially the same outward flare after the wad has been used (see FIGS. 6 and 7) even though strut pairs 50 and 58 fold in a coplanar relation.

As the wad leaves the shell, and travels down the barrel 88 of the shotgun, the shot remain inside the shot cup 44 and the lip 82 of the obturating disc flares outwardly against the inner wall 86 of the barrel 88. This maintains the propellant forces on the wad and prevents leading of the barrel or distortion of the shot elements. Petals 94 remain confined in closed relation as the wad moves up the gun barrel.

As the wad 12 leaves the gun barrel 88, the petals or sections 94 of shot cup 44 are freed to respond to the substantial outward tilting bias that is applied to them by the tilting of wall 90 and fling outwardly, thus shaping the cup 44 so that air resistance will tend to immediately fully open same up for ready drop out of the wad from the air to leave the shot to move on toward the target in a favorable pattern. Wad 12 thus drops to the ground close to gun user.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a wad for shotgun shells in which the wad is of the type including an obturating disc and a shot cup in substantial axial alignment along the longitudinal central axis of the wad, and shock absorbing means for connecting said disc and cup together in spaced apart relation, the improvement wherein said shock absorbing means comprises:

a first pair of struts on one side of said wad axis connected and extending between said disc and said cup,

and a second pair of struts on the other side of said wad axis connected and extending between said disc and said cup,

said struts each being of strip form having an elongate quadrilateral configuration in transverse cross section along their lengths and being oriented relative to said disc and said cup such that the long dimensions of their said cross section configuration are in substantial parallelism,

said pairs of struts being respectively parallelly angled inwardly of said axis to define folding apexes therein that are in parallelism,

said folding apexes of said first pair of struts being spaced axially of said wad from said folding apexes of said second pair of struts and said struts of each pair of struts each comprising substantially parallel rectilinear portions in which the rectilinear portions of the respective struts merge at the apex of the strut,

said improvement further comprising said cup being in the form of a base to which said struts are respectively connected and a side wall defining petals extending longitudinally thereof,

whereby, on firing of a shell containing said wad,

propellant forces acting on said disc fold the struts of the respective pairs of struts about their respective folding apexes free of strut interference,

with the portions of said struts extending between the respective folding apexes and said cup base being made fast to said cup base with said strut portions of the respective strut pairs being in spaced relation whereby the folding of said struts angles said strut portions relative to said wad axis to effect arcing of said cup base in the direction of the wad disc whereby said cup petals are under substantial bias to flare outwardly of the cup for outward flinging thereof relative to said wad axis as the wad leaves the gun nozzle.

2. The wad set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the folding apexes of said first pair of struts are equally spaced from said disc,

and the folding apexes of said second pair of struts are equally spaced from said cup.

3. The wad set forth in claim 2 wherein:

the inner struts of the respective pairs of struts are of greater dimension parallelly of said apexes than the outer struts thereof.

Claims

1. In a wad for shotgun shells in which the wad is of the type including an obturating disc and a shot cup in substantial axial alignment along the longitudinal central axis of the wad, and shock absorbing means for connecting said disc and cup together in spaced apart relation, the improvement wherein said shock absorbing means comprises: a first pair of struts on one side of said wad axis connected and extending between said disc and said cup, and a second pair of struts on the other side of said wad axis connected and extending between said disc and said cup, said struts each being of strip form having an elongate quadrilateral configuration in transverse cross section along their lengths and being oriented relative to said disc and said cup such that the long dimensions of their said cross section configuration are in substantial parallelism, said pairs of struts being respectively parallelly angled inwardly of said axis to define folding apexes therein that are in parallelism, said folding apexes of said first pair of struts being spaced axially of said wad from said folding apexes of said second pair of struts and said struts of each pair of struts each comprising substantially parallel rectilinear portions in which the rectilinear portions of the respective struts merge at the apex of the strut, said improvement further comprising said cup being in the form of a base to which said struts are respectively connected and a side wall defining petals extending longitudinally thereof, whereby, on firing of a shell containing said wad, propellant forces acting on said disc fold The struts of the respective pairs of struts about their respective folding apexes free of strut interference, with the portions of said struts extending between the respective folding apexes and said cup base being made fast to said cup base with said strut portions of the respective strut pairs being in spaced relation whereby the folding of said struts angles said strut portions relative to said wad axis to effect arcing of said cup base in the direction of the wad disc whereby said cup petals are under substantial bias to flare outwardly of the cup for outward flinging thereof relative to said wad axis as the wad leaves the gun nozzle.

2. The wad set forth in claim 1 wherein: the folding apexes of said first pair of struts are equally spaced from said disc, and the folding apexes of said second pair of struts are equally spaced from said cup.

3. The wad set forth in claim 2 wherein: the inner struts of the respective pairs of struts are of greater dimension parallelly of said apexes than the outer struts thereof.