US3755950A

US3755950A - Cartridge loading and extractor assembly for revolvers

Info

Publication number: US3755950A
Application number: US00188433A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Gunn
Original assignee: Bangor Punta Operations Inc
Current assignee: Smith and Wesson Brands Inc
Priority date: 1971-10-12
Filing date: 1971-10-12
Publication date: 1973-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 1990-09-04

Abstract

A cartridge loading and extractor assembly includes an extractor segment carried on the rearward end of an extractor rod mounted for reciprocating movement relative to the cylinder. Rearward positioning of the assembly permits the successive placement of each cartridge partially into the respective chambers with the extractor segment engaging the extractor groove of each cartridge to retain them until forward movement of the assembly fully chambers the cartridges simultaneously.

Description

finite tates atem 91 Gunn Sept. 4, 1973 [54] CARTRIDGE LOADING AND EXTRACTOR 884,119 4/1908 Zaiser 42/68 ASSEMBLY FOR REVOLVERS 1,338,381 4/1920 Lewis 42/46 [75] Inventor: William G. Gunn, Suffield, Conn. Primary Examiner Benjamin A Borcheh [73] Assignee: Bangor Punta Operatians, lnc., Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan Gre nwi h, C AttorneyPatrick .l. Walsh [22] Filed: Oct. 12, 1971 S C Appl. No.: 188,433

Davenport 42/46 A cartridge loading and extractor assembly includes an extractor segment carried on the rearward end of an extractor rod mounted for reciprocating movement relative to the cylinder. Rearward positioning of the assembly permits the successive placement of each cartridge partially into the respective chambers with the extractor segment engaging the extractor groove of each cartridge to retain them until forward movement of the assembly fully chambers the cartridges simultaneously.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP ms 3.755950 SNEEI 1 0f 2 I NVENTOR. 11/ au GT Gu/v/y CARTRIDGE LOADING AND EXTRACTOR ASSEMBLY FOR REVOLVERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention has particular application to hand guns or pistols of the revolver type for facilitating both the loading of cartridges therein and the extraction of spent cartridges cases therefrom. Extractors for extracting cartridge cases one at a time or concurrently from the cylinder chambers of a revolver are known, however, from a practical standpoint, none has heretofore been devised to also efficiently assist in the loading of a revolver. This latter operation has, in the past, been relatively time consuming and required some degree of digital dexterity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an assembly for incorporation in a revolver which is operative to facilitate both the loading of cartridges and the extraction of spent cartridge cases in an efficient and practical manner. The loading and extraction operations, by virtue of the present invention, may be accomplished more rapidly and with greater ease.

More specifically, the cartridge loading and extractor assembly of the invention includes an extractor segment in the form of a disc mounted on the rearward end of an extractor rod. The rod, in turn, is mounted coaxially with the cylinder of the revolver for reciprocating movement relative thereto. The extractor segment lies generally in a plane normal to the axis of the extractor rod and cylinder and is provided with a spaced annular array of notches in its peripheral edge for engaging in the extractor groove formed in the case of each of the respective cartridges both during loading and extraction.

During loading, the assembly is moved rearwardly to position the extractor segment in spaced relation to the rear face of the cylinder into which each of the chambers open. A cartridge is then inserted into one of the chambers; there being sufficient clearance between the forward end portion of the cartridge and the rearward end portion of the chamber to accommodate the tilting of the former necessary to permit sliding the cartridge case over the notched periphery of the extractor segment. When the notch in extractor segment periphery engages in the extractor groove in the cartridge being loaded, the cartridge is retained in its position partially inserted in one of the cylinder chambers. The cylinder may be rotated preparatory to loading the next cartridge without fear of the previously partially loaded cartridge falling out.

After all of the cartridges have been partially loaded, the assembly is moved forwardly to position the extractor segment in juxtaposed relation to the rear face of the cylinder and in so doing the cartridges are simultaneously fully chambered.

For extraction, the assembly is moved rearwardly, substantially withdrawing the spent cartridge cases from the chambers. Since the bullets are no longer present to extend into the chambers and help stabilize the cartridges, the cases readily fall to the ground when the muzzle of the revolver is pointed upwardly.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial, longitudinal sectional view of the cartridge loading and extractor assembly of the invention, shown in its rearward position for loading;

FIG. 2 is a partial, longitudinal sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1, shown in its forward position;

FIG. 3 is a partial, elevational view of the rear end of the assembly of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the clearance between the forward portion of a cartridge and the rearward portion of a cylinder chamber; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a handgun of the present invention.

Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The cartridge loading and extractor assembly according to the present invention is incorporated into a revolver 11 of the type illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawmg.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly FIG. 1, the cartridge loading and extractor assembly of the invention includes an extractor segment 10 in the form of a disc mounted on the rear end of an extractor rod 12. The extractor rod passes through a central opening 14 in the revolver cylinder 16 and thus is mounted coaxially with the cylinder for reciprocating movement relative thereto. The extractor rod may be keyed in opening 14 such that the assembly rotates with cylinder 16. Preferably, the extractor rod is formed having a stepped diameter so as to provide a shoulder 18 which is acted against by a helical compression spring 20. The other end of the spring acts against an internal shoulder 22 surrounding the opening 14 in cylinder 16.

As is seen in FIG. 2, spring 20 normally urges the assembly to the right or in the forward direction to position the extractor segment 10 against the rear face 24 of cylinder 16 into which the various cartridge chambers 26 open. However the spring readily compresses to accommodate rearward movement of the assembly to position the extractor segment in spaced relation to the rear face 24 of cylinder 16, as is seen in FIG. 1.

It is contemplated that the disclosed embodiment of the invention be incorporated in a revolver designed to tire a rimless 9 millimeter cartridge 28 having a slightly tapered, rather cylindrical, case 30. This taper is in the direction of the case mouth such that the open end of the case has a smaller outside diameter than its closed end. The chambers 26 are each correspondingly dimensioned to provide a tapered entry bore into which the case 30 is fitted upon loading of a cartridge. The chambers are shouldered, as indicated at 32 in FIGS. 1 and 2, against which the edge of the case 30 seats when the cartridge is fully chambered. To the right of shoulder 32 the chambers have a cylindrical bore accommodating the bullet 34 held in the open end of cartridge case 30.

The peripheral edge of extractor segment 10, as best seen in FIG. 3, is formed with a series of semi-circular notches 36, one aligned with each cylinder chamber 26. The center of curvature of each notch 36 is coincident with the axis of its aligned chamber and the radius is slightly less than the chamber diameter at the rear face 24 of the cylinder 16. More specifically, the notch radius of curvature is equal to one-half the diameter of an annular extractor groove 38 (FIGS. 1 and 2) formed adjacent the closed end of the cartridge case 30. It is thus seen that the extractor segment is adapted to engage in the extractor groove of each cartridge, and thus positioning of the assembly of the invention pursuant to loading and extraction also conjunctively positions the cartridges.

During loading of the cartridges, the assembly is held against the force of spring 20 rearwardly of the cylinder 16 in the position shown in FIG. 1. It will be understood that this rearward position may be set and/or retained by a suitable stop and/r latch (not shown). A cartridge 28 is then inserted into one of the chambers 26. Since the aligned notch 36 in the extractor segment bears against the case 30 forward of extractor groove 30, the cartridge must be tilted, as indicated in phantom in FIG. 1, during insertion. This requisite tilting is accommodated by the clearance, illustrated in FIG. 4, between the case mouth and the chamber entry portion. This diametrical clearance has been found to be approximately 0.015 inch. Upon sufficient insertion, the notch 36 is aligned with the extractor groove 38, and the cartridge may be tilted back into axial alignment with the chamber as the extractor segment 10 engages in the extractor groove.

It has been found that the partial insertion of a cartridge, as shown in FIG. 1, is retained, even as the clyinder is rotated to load additional cartridges, particularly if the muzzle is pointed horizontally or downwardly. The presence of the bullet 36 in the chamber prevents excessive tilting of the cartridge such that it would fall out, even while in the bottom position when the muzzle is pointed horizontally during loading.

After all the cartridges have been partially inserted to the position shown in FIG. 1, the assembly is released and the extractor segment is urged forwardly by spring to the position shown in FIG. 2, thereby simultaneously fully inserting or chambering all of the cartridges. While chambered the cartridges are held in place by the extractor segment. The cylinder is then swung into the revolver frame.

To extract spent cartridges, the cylinder is swung away from the revolver frame and the assembly moved rearwardly to the position in FIG. 1, thereby simultaneously withdrawing all of the cartridge cases 30. Since the bullets are no longer within the chambers to help stabilize the cartridge cases, they readily fall to the ground when the muzzle is pointed upwardly, particularly if the revolver is shaken slightly. It will be understood that it may be necessary to grasp unspent cartridges in order to successfully extract them.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding de scription, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cartridge loading and extractor assembly for use in a revolver having an annular array or cylindrical chambers accommodated in a cylinder, said assembly comprising, in combination:

A. a rod mounted concentrically with the cylinder for reciprocating movement relative thereto;

B. a disc mounted on an end of said rod for movement between a forward position adjacent the rear face of the cylinder and a rearward position spaced from the rear cylinder face; and

C. means forming an annular array of curved notches in the periphery of said disc, each in axial alignment with a different one of the chambers, each of said notches having a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of its corresponding cylindrical chamber, said notches being arranged to engage extractor grooves formed in cartridge cases such as to concurrently fully insert the cartridges in the chambers when said disc is moved from said rearward position to said forward position and to concurrently extract spent cartridges from the chambers when said disc is moved from said forward position to said rearward position.

2. The assembly defined in claim 1, which further includes a spring acting on said rod to bias said disc into said forward position.

3. The assembly defined in claim I, wherein the cartridges are of the rimless type having a case tapered in the direction of its open end and the chambers have an entrance bore opening into the rear face of the cylinder tapered in conformity with the cartridge case, whereby initial clearance is provided between the cartridge and the bore to accommodate partial insertion therein of the cartridges pursuant to engaging said notches in the extractor grooves while said disc is in said rearward position.

4. In combination with a revolver having a cylinder provided with cylindrical chambers with tapered entry bores for accommodating a rimless cartridge having a case tapered in the direction of its open end, a cartridge loading and extractor assembly comprising, in combination:

C. means forming a semi-circular notch in the periphery of said disc in axial alignment with each chamber, each of said notches having a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of its corresponding cylindrical chamber,

1. said notches arranged to engage an extractor groove in the cartridge case as the cartridges are successively partially inserted in the aligned chambers while said disc is in said rearward position and to concurrently fully insert the cartridges into the aligned chambers as said disc is moved from said rearward position to said forward position,

2. said disc operating to concurrently extract spent cartridges from the chambers incident to movement from said forward position to said rearward position, the spent cartridges readily falling to the ground.

5. The assembly defined in claim 4, which further includes a spring acting on said rod to bias said disc into said forward position.

4 l l l

Claims

1. A cartridge loading and extractor assembly for use in a revolver having an annular array or cylindrical chambers accommodated in a cylinder, said assembly comprising, in combination: A. a rod mounted concentrically with the cylinder for reciprocating movement relative thereto; B. a disc mounted on an end of said rod for movement between a forward position adjacent the rear face of the cylinder and a rearward position spaced from the rear cylinder face; and C. means forming an annular array of curved notches in the periphery of said disc, each in axial alignment with a different one of the chambers, each of said notches having a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of its corresponding cylindrical chamber, said notches being arranged to engage extractor grooves formed in cartridge cases such as to concurrently fully insert the cartridgEs in the chambers when said disc is moved from said rearward position to said forward position and to concurrently extract spent cartridges from the chambers when said disc is moved from said forward position to said rearward position.

3. The assembly defined in claim 1, wherein the cartridges are of the rimless type having a case tapered in the direction of its open end and the chambers have an entrance bore opening into the rear face of the cylinder tapered in conformity with the cartridge case, whereby initial clearance is provided between the cartridge and the bore to accommodate partial insertion therein of the cartridges pursuant to engaging said notches in the extractor grooves while said disc is in said rearward position.

4. In combination with a revolver having a cylinder provided with cylindrical chambers with tapered entry bores for accommodating a rimless cartridge having a case tapered in the direction of its open end, a cartridge loading and extractor assembly comprising, in combination: A. a rod mounted concentrically with the cylinder for reciprocating movement relative thereto; B. a disc mounted on an end of said rod for movement between a forward position adjacent the rear face of the cylinder and a rearward position spaced from the rear cylinder face; and C. means forming a semi-circular notch in the periphery of said disc in axial alignment with each chamber, each of said notches having a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of its corresponding cylindrical chamber,