US3765116A

US3765116A - Cylinder for revolvers

Info

Publication number: US3765116A
Application number: US00104603A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Zaid
Original assignee: Colt Industries Operating Corp
Current assignee: CFPI Inc A CORP OF; COLT LICENSING A DE Ltd PARTNERSHIP LP; CII Holdings Inc
Priority date: 1971-01-07
Filing date: 1971-01-07
Publication date: 1973-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-16

Abstract

A preassembled revolver cylinder having preloaded projectile and propellant packages.

Description

11116 Staes laid cm 116, 11973 [5 (:YLINDER Mm REVULVIE 3,217,441 11/1965 Kerr 42/59 3,280,495 10/1966 L 42 59 7 I n Melvm 1 q an 3,453,763 7/1969 B31 21 a1 42/59 [73] Assignee: C011 Endusfiries Operating Corp, 457,653 8/1891 McCarthy 102/38 Hartford, C(Jnn. 634,826 10/1899 Masini 102/38 3,437,039 4/1969 Hawthorne 102/38 [22] 2,382,676 8/1945 Swartz 42/62 211 App! uw gg 3,598,052 8/1971 Schwartz... 102/38 3,129,664 4/1964 Reed 102/38 317,965 5/1885 Boland 1 42/62 [52] US. Cl. 92/69, 42/59 ,262 2/1969 Kincheloe 102/38 [51] 1111. C1 F42!) 39/04, F41; l/OO, F410 25/00 [58] Field of Search 12/89, 62, 59; Primary ExaminerBer1jamin A. Borchelt 102/38 Assistant Exz zmineF-C. T. Jordan Attorney1Prutzman, Hayes, Kalb & Chilton [56] References 1131111611 UN1TED STATES PATENTS [57] AJBSTRAQT 109,914 12/1870 L1ndb6l'g et a1. 42/59 A preassembled revolver cylinder having preloaded 2,082,288 6/1937 11111 16141 42/59 projectile and propellant packages, 2,790,353 4/1957 Bird 42/59 2,830,398 4/1958 Donohue 42/59 3 Chums, 3 Drawnnng Figures mm [ED w 1 61m INVENTOR MELVIN -ZAl D wfwwm/zwn ATTORNEYS CYLINDER son REVOLVERS This invention generally relates to revolvers and particularly concerns revolver cylinders.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved cylinder for revolvers facilitating rapid loading and reloading.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved revolver cylinder which is of simplified, rugged, low cost construction and which is disposable.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved projectile system for revolvers particularly suited to provide preselected revolver loads as well as quick and easy changes in revolver loads.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, properties and relationships of theinvention will be obtained from the following detailed description and accompanying drawing which sets forth certain illustrative embodiments and is indicative of the various ways in which the principle of the invention is employed.

In the drawing:

FIG. l is a schematic view showing a revolver usable with a cylinder of this invention shown in disassembled relation to the revolver;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a preferred embodimentof a revolver cylinder of this invention; and

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional view, partly broken away, showing an alternative cylinder embodiment of this invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, a revolver type hand gun is shown of conventional construction having a barrel secured to a frame 12 provided with a grip 14. A crane 16 is pivotally mounted in the usual manner in the frame 12 so that a cylinder arm 18 of the crane 16 may be swung outwardly to open position, as illustrated in FIG. 1, from a closed position, not shown, wherein the arm 18 is positioned within a cylinder opening 20 in frame 12 in parallel relation to bore 22 of the barrel 10.

To load and unload the revolver, a cylinder bearing pin 24 is retracted against a spring bias by manually actuating a latch 26, permitting cylinder arm lid to be bodily displaced angularly about the pivotal axis X-X of the crane 16 from its closed position to its illustrated open position. A cylinder, such as shown at 30 and described more fully below, is attachable to the arm 18. Upon swinging arm 18 and cylinder 30 into closed position, the spring biased bearing. pin 24 automatically moves into operative position to support the cylinder for rotary movement. Each cylinder chamber 32 is individually maintained in coaxial alignment with the barrel bore 22 by cylinder stop 34 which seats within each of a series of cylinder locking cuts such as at 36 which in turn correspond in number to the cylinder chambers 32 in a standard fashion.

The frame 12 has a trigger guard 38 within which is positioned a trigger 40. Trigger movement may be used to operate a conventional firing mechanism, not shown, serves to disengage the cylinder stop 34 and to advance a cylinder ratchet actuating pawl 42 to index each chamber 32 in turn into alignment with the barrel bore 22, as determined by subsequent seating of the stop 34 within the corresponding locking cut 36, and to cock a hammer Ml. Dropping of the hammer Ml responsive to a final trigger movement actuates a firing pin, not shown, normally contained within a recoil plate 46 of the frame 12 to fire the revolver in a well-known manner, whereupon the cylinder may again be advanced to condition the next unfired round to be fired.

To facilitate rapid loading and reloading of the revolver while additionally permitting use of cylinders having a variety of preloaded ammunition, conventional cylinders which are normally secured to the arm 11% in locked assembly are dispensed with in accordance with this invention and a preassembled combination cylinder and ammunition pack 30 is provided which is suited to be removably mounted on the revolver crane lb. While the preassembled cylinder and ammunition pack 3th of this invention may be provided in a reloadable standard metal cylinder modified for quick and easy mounting and removal relative to the crane lid to permit use of cylinders having, e.g., a variety of preloaded cartridges, the preferred embodiment of this invention is described utilizing a disposable cylinder body 52 which in itself serves as a cartridge case.

More specifically, cylinder body 52 shown in FIG. 2 is provided with different projectile/propellant loads although it will be understood that each cylinder chamber such as at 54A and 54m may be provided with the same load. The term projectile" is intended to mean any body or substance which is received in a cylinder chamber to be expelled upon firing the revolver. The cylinder chambers are formed in a symmetrical circular arrangement about a major axis YY of the cylinder body 52 and extend from their respective forward open ends rearwardly in parallel relation to the major cylinder axis Y-Y. Cylinder body 52 may be formed by casting, molding and/or machining a relatively inexpensive, tough, impact resistant, form-sustaining material.

In this regard, materials such as nylon or Delrin" have been found satisfactory in providing a high strength, lightweight, durable unit suitable for storage under extreme climatic conditions while being immediately serviceable when removed from storage and requiring no lubrication for smooth and quiet rotary movement on the cylinder arm Ml.

A metal reinforcing sleeve 56 is shown fixed in place within chamber 54A. A standard bullet 52 is shown fixed within the open end of the sleeve 56, and a propellant compartment fill is formed rearwardly of bullet 58 which defines a closure for the compartment 60. The latter is shown partially filled with a standard propellant or powder charge 62. A primer 64 is located centrally of the rear wall 66 of the sleeve 56 which is apertured to communicate with an ignition passageway 68 leading to a recess 7b in the rear face of the cylinder 52 receiving the primer 64. The primer 64 is shown having a closure 71 separating the primer charge from the open ignition passageway 68 leading to the propellant compartment 60. Primer 64 may be of any conventional percussion sensitive type which, upon being struck by a firing pin (not shown) detonates, and the shock wave and flame discharge forwardly through passageway 68 to ignite propellant 62 to expel bullet 58 from cylinder 52 and through bore 22 of barrel w.

Chamber MB in FIG. 2 is shown having a limited lethality projectile 72 formed, e.g., of wax and seated within the cylinder chamber, and a propellant 74 and primer '76 are received respectively within a compartment 78 and recess fill. The latter communicates with compartment 78 through an ignition passageway 82 of substantially the same configuration and appearance as that described above in-connection with cylinder chamber 54A.

Mounted on a rear wall of the disposable cylinder 52 is a pawl actuated ratchet 84 having a forwardly projecting, double diameter mounting portion 86 received in a counterbored opening 88 located rearwardly of an axially extending crane receiving opening 90 which terminates in a projecting annular abutment 92.

Abutment 92 provides seating engagement against a radial stop or shoulder 9 formed on cylinder arm 18 of the crane 16 upon fitting the preassembled cylinder and ammunition pack 30 over the crane 16 in open position during loading of the revolver. The crane 16 may then be swung toward closed position, and the cylinder and ammunition pack 30 is snapped into operative position within cylinder opening 20 when the spring biased bearing pin 24 automatically moves into bearing engagement with the cylinder ratchet 8 3 to support it for rotary movement responsive to actuation of the ratchet hand 42 in a well-known manner to condition the revolver for a firing operation.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a one-piece insert 96 containing a preloaded projectile and propellant package of the above-described type is shown. The insert 96 is particularly suited to be incorporated within a cylinder chamber 54C of a molded plastic cylinder body 52'. A rear neck portion 98 of reduced diameter is illustrated as being formed on the insert 96 for effectively precluding undesired relative movement between the insert 96 and the surrounding plastic cylinder body 52'. The insert 96 provides an integral preloaded projectile and propellant package in which a primer 100 and ignition passageway 102 are integrally incorporated within the body of the insert 96 behind the propellant compartment 104, the forward end of which is defined by the rear wall ofa projectile 106. The projectile R06 is shown to be that of a standard round fitted within the forward open end of the insert 96 which may be formed of any suitable metal or similar high strength reinforcing material.

Depending on the application for which this invention is intended to be used, it may be desired to preclude any reuse of a cylinder. In accordance with still another feature of this invention, portions of the cylinder body 52 or liners such as at 56 or 96 serving as the cartridge casing may be made of deformable material which, upon firing of a projectile from a cylinder chamber, will undergo defonnation. in this regard, the insert 96 in FIG. 3 could be configured and dimensioned relative to the projectile 106 to result in expansion of the insert 96 by the projectile 1106 upon its being discharged from the chamber whereby reuse of the cylinder 52' would be precluded. Should no liner be required for use with a projectile, such as a limited lethality plaster bullet, tear gas powder, etc., portions of the cylinder body surrounding one of the chambers may be made of reduced thickness to form a weakened surrounding wall portion which becomes distorted or ruptured upon firing of the projectile within its chamber to ensure that the cylinder is used only once. It is to be understood that should any chamber surrounding material be fractured or ruptured upon firing of a projectile, such a change in form is considered to be deformation.

By virtue of the above-described construction, a preloaded cylinder is provided particularly suited for low cost mass production manufacture and which is quickly and easily installed in and removed from a cylinder opening of both new and existing standard revolver frames. The disposable ammunition/cylinder packs of this invention may be provided in a variety of loads for throwaway after a single use, with standard and/or special purpose ammunition. While cylinder chamber liners may be used as illustrated for certain standard and magnum loads, even these liners may be eliminated for certain loads through use of high strength plastic with suitable reinforcing materials such as fiberglass and the like. The disclosed self-contained ammunition/cylinder packs may be supplied at economical consumer cost which when coupled with the significantly increased ease and speed of loading and reloading, provides for a wide variety of weapon and projectile concepts for different applications.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications, adaptations and variations of the foregoing specific disclosure can be made without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

1 claim:

ll. A self-contained disposable revolver cylinder removably attachable for rotation on a cylinder arm of a revolver crane and comprising a preassembled combination cylinder and ammunition pack including a cylinder body having a crane receiving central opening extending longitudinally of the cylinder coincident with its major axis and a plurality of cylinder chambers in radially spaced angularly disposed relation about the crane receiving central opening, the cylinder body being formed of a tough, impact resistant, formsustaining plastic, each of the cylinder chambers being formed in the plastic cylinder body and defined by an exposed generally cylindrical interior plastic wall surrounding each chamber, and a preloaded projectile and propellant package received in assembled relation within each of the cylinder chambers with the plastic cylinder body itself serving as a cartridge casing for each preloaded projectile and propellant package, whereby the preassembled combination cylinder and ammunition pack provides for throw-away disposal after single use.

2. The disposable cylinder of claim 1 wherein the preloaded projectile and propellant package received in each cylinder chamber includes a bullet positioned within a forwardly opening end of the chamber, a primer closing a rear end of the chamber, the bullet and primer jointly defining end closures for a compartment therebetween, and a combustible propellant within the compartment ignitable upon detonation of the primer, the primer having a portion exposed adjacent a rear wall of the cylinder for percussion detonation.

3. A disposable cylinder for revolvers comprising a cylinder body having a plurality of cylinder chambers, and a preloaded projectile and propellant package received in each of the cylinder chambers with the cylinder body itself serving as a cartridge casing for each preloaded projectile and propellant package, the preloaded projectile and propellant package received in one cylinder chamber further including a sleeve providing a reinforcing tubular liner therefor, the reinforcing tubular liner being formed with a peripheral portion of reduced size in intimate engagement with the surrounding cylinder body for precluding unintended displace ment of the liner relative thereto.

19 It: t 4 v

Claims

1. A self-contained disposable revolver cylinder removably attachable for rotation on a cylinder arm of a revolver crane and comprising a preassembled combination cylinder and ammunition pack including a cylinder body having a crane receiving central opening extending longitudinally of the cylinder coincident with its major axis and a plurality of cylinder chambers in radially spaced angularly disposed relation about the crane receiving central opening, the cylinder body being formed of a tough, impact resistant, form-sustaining plastic, each of the cylinder chambers being formed in the plastic cylinder body and defined by an exposed generally cylindrical interior plastic wall surrounding each chamber, and a preloaded projectile and propellant package received in assembled relation within each of the cylinder chambers with the plastic cylinder body itself serving as a cartridge casing for each preloaded projectile and propellant package, whereby the preassembled combination cylinder and ammunition pack provides for throw-away disposal after single use.

3. A disposable cylinder for revolvers comprising a cylinder body having a plurality of cylinder chambers, and a preloaded projectile and propellant package received in each of the cylinder chambers with the cylinder body itself serving as a cartridge casing for each preloaded projectile and propellant package, the preloaded projectile and propellant package received in one cylinder chamber further including a sleeve providing a reinforcing tubular liner therefor, the reinforcing tubular liner being formed with a peripheral portion of reduced size in intimate engagement with the surrounding cylinder body for precluding unintended displacement of the liner relative thereto.