US3783545A

US3783545A - Loading lever arrangement for muzzle loading revolver

Info

Publication number: US3783545A
Application number: US00252046A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Sefried
Original assignee: Sturm Ruger and Co Inc
Current assignee: Sturm Ruger and Co Inc
Priority date: 1972-05-10
Filing date: 1972-05-10
Publication date: 1974-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-08

Abstract

A loading lever arrangement for muzzle loading revolvers comprises a loading lever having an integrally formed transverse pivot pin located adjacent the rearward end of the lever and an integrally formed rammer engaging lug located below the pivot pin, a cylinder base pin having a transverse pivot pin receiving groove formed in the upper surface thereof and a transverse retaining pin receiving groove formed in the lower surface thereof, a base pin retaining pin releasably engaging the cylinder base pin, and a bullet rammer having a T-shaped vertical slot formed in the forward end portion of the rammer. The transverse pivot pin of the loading lever is received in the pivot pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin, the bullet rammer engaging lug of the loading lever is received in the Tshaped vertical slot of the bullet rammer, and the base pin retaining pin is received in the retaining pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin. As a result, the cylinder base pin is retained in the frame by the base pin retaining pin, the loading lever is pivotally secured to the cylinder base pin and the bullet rammer is connected to the loading lever.

Description

llnited States Patent [191 Sefried, H

[ LOADING LEVER ARRANGEMENT FOR MUZZLE LOADING REVOLVER [75] Inventor: Harry H. Sefried, H, New Haven,

Conn.

[73] Assignee: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.,

Southport, Conn.

22 Filed: May 10, 1972 21 Appl.No.:252,046

[52] US. Cl 42/61, 42/59 [51] Int. Cl. F4lc l/00 [58] Field of Search 42/61, 59

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7,613 9/1850 Colt 42/61 22,905 2/1859 Walch 42/61 30,843 12/1860 Starr OTHER PUBLICATIONS Triggs, James M., Remington New Model Cal. 44 Army Revolver" The American Rifleman, Apr. 1961, pages 34-35.

Primary Examiner-Samuel Feinberg Assistant Examiner-C. T, Jordan .Ean. 8, 1974 57 ABSTRACT A loading lever arrangement for muzzle loading revolvers comprises a loading lever having an integrally formed transverse pivot pin located adjacent the rearward end of the lever and an integrally formed rammer engaging lug located below the pivot pin, a cylinder base pin having a transverse pivot pin receiving groove formed in the upper surface thereof and a I transverse retaining pin receiving groove formed in the lower surface thereof, a base pin retaining pin releasably engaging the cylinder base pin, and a bullet rammer having a T-shaped vertical slot formed in the forward end portion of the rammer. The transverse pivot pin of the loading lever is received in the pivot pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin, the bullet rammer engaging lug of the loading lever is received in the T-shaped vertical slot of the bullet rammer, and the base pin retaining pin is received in the retaining pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin. As a result, the cylinder base pin is retained in the frame by the base pin retaining pin, the loading lever is pivotally secured to the cylinder base pin and the 1 bullet rammer is connected to the loading lever.

Attorney- Pennie & Edmonds 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures LOADING LEVER ARRANGEMENT FOR MUZZLE LOADING REVOLVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to muzzle loading percussion cap revolvers, and in particular to an improved loading lever arrangement for such revolvers.

2. Prior Art Muzzle loading percussion cap revolvers, as exemplified by the classic Army Model revolver of the Civil War era, comprise a frame, a barrel mounted on the frame, a cylinder rotatably mounted on the frame by means of a removable cylinder base pin, the cylinder being formed with five or six muzzle loading chambers and having percussion cap nipples mounted at the rearward end of each chamber, and a removable base pin retaining pin that releasably engages the cylinder base pin and retains the base pin and cylinder on the frame. A hammer is pivotally mounted on the frame, and a trigger releasably engages the hammer when the hammer is cocked. A pawl rotates the cylinder when the hammer is being cooked, and a cylinder latch holds the uppermost chamber of the cylinder in alignment with the bore of the barrel when the revolver is cocked. A bullet rammer is slidably mounted in a longitudinal bore formed in the frame in front of the cylinder, and a loading lever is pivotally secured to the frame beneath the barrel by means of a removable pivot pin or screw and is also secured to the forward end of bullet rammer by means of another removable pivot pin or screw. Arcuate movement of the loading lever causes the bullet rammer to travel rearwardly in the bore and then to enter and travel part way into the lowermost chamber of the cylinder. To prepare the revolver for firing each chamber of the cylinder is individually loaded with a measured quantity of loose black powder, and a lead bullet is then rammed or compressed against the charge of powder in the chamber by means of the loading lever and bullet rammer combination. A percussion cap is placed on each percussion cap nipple to complete the loading operation. The hammer is then manually cocked, and the revolver is ready to be tired by pulling the trigger.

As noted, in a conventional muzzle loading revolver the cylinder base pin is releasably retained in the frame by means of a removable base pin retaining pin, the loading lever is pivotally secured to the frame by means of a removable loading lever pivot pin or screw and the longitudinally movable bullet rammer is secured to the loading lever by means of a removable bullet rammer pin or screw. When the revolver is fired the recoil of the revolver frame subjects the base pin retaining pin, the loading lever pivot pin and the bullet rammer pin to enormous stresses that cause excessive wear and eventually require replacement of these key parts. Moreover, the fact that the loading lever is secured to the frame and the bullet rammer is secured to the loading lever by removable pins or screws adds significantly to the cost of manufacture of the revolver and to the complexity of assembling and disassembling the revolver.

After intensive investigation of the aforementioned problems of conventional muzzle loading revolver construction, I have now devised an improved loading lever arrangement which eliminates the troublesome loading lever pins and which greatly improves the revolvers resistance to destructive stresses due to the recoil of the frame when the revolver is fired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved loading lever arrangement of the invention is applicable to a muzzle loading revolver having a frame, a cylinder rotatably mounted on the frame by means of a longitudinally extending cylinder base pin that is removably received in a longitudinal bore formed in the frame, and a cylinder base pin retaining pin mounted on the frame and releasably engaging the cylinder base pin to retain said base pin on the frame. A bullet rammer is slidably mounted in a longitudinal hole formed in the frame in front of the cylinder, and a loading lever is pivotally mounted on the revolver in front of the cylinder and is connected to the bullet rammer for moving the rammer longitudinally in said longitudinal hole. The improved loading lever has an integrally formed transverse pivot pin disposed adjacent the rearward end thereof and an integrally formed rammer engaging lug disposed below said pivot pin, the cylinder base pin has a transverse pivot pin receiving groove formed in the upper surface thereof and a transverse retaining pin receiving groove formed in the lower surface thereof, and the bullet rammer has a T- shaped vertical slot formed in the forward end portion of the rammer. The transverse pivot pin of the loading lever is received in the pivot pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin, the bullet rammer engaging lug of the loading lever is received in the T-shaped vertical slot of the bullet rammer, and the base pin retaining pin is received in the retaining pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin, whereby the cylinder base pin is retained in the frame, the loading lever is pivotally secured to the cylinder base pin and the longitudinally movable bullet rammer is connected to the loading lever.

The base pin retaining pin is advantageously rotatably mounted in the frame with the long axis thereof perpendicular to the long axis of the cylinder base pin, the retaining pin being rotatable from its base pin retaining position to its base pin release position. The retaining pin is formed with a base pin receiving groove that is disposed transverse to the long axis of the retaining pin and that coincides with the retaining pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin perpendicular thereto, the base pin receiving groove being turned away from the base pin so that the body of the retaining pin is received in the retaining pin receiving groove of the base pin when the retaining pin is in its base pin retaining position, and the base pin receiving groove being turned toward the base pin to permit the base pin to be removed from the frame when the retaining pin is in its base pin release position. Other advantageous features of the loading lever arrangement of the invention will be apparent from the following discussion thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The loading lever arrangement of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a muzzle loading revolver embodying the improved loading lever arrangement of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the loading lever, cylinder base pin and bullet rammer which together comprise the major components of the improved loading lever arrangement,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view along line 33 of FIG. 1 showing the base pin retaining pin in its base pin release position,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line 44 of FIG. 3 showing the retaining pin in its base pin release position,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing the retaining pin in its base pin retaining position, and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line 6-6 of FIG. 3 showing the detent means associated with the base pin retaining pin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As best shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the muzzle loading revolver to which the present invention relates comprises, in its major components, a frame 10, a barrel 11 secured to the frame 10, a cylinder 12 rotatably mounted on the frame by means of the cylinder base pin 13, a base pin retaining pin 14, a loading lever 15, a bullet rammer 16, a spring loaded hammer 17 pivotally mounted on the frame 10, a trigger l8 releasably engaging the hammer 17, and hand grips 19. Also provided, but not shown in the drawing because they comprise no part of the present invention, are a cylinder pawl for rotating the cylinder when the hammer 17 is being cocked and a cylinder latch for holding the uppermost chamber of the cylinder 12 in alignment with the bore of the barrel 11 when the hammer 17 is fully cocked.

The cylinder 12 is formed with a plurality (usually six) of muzzle loading chambers 21 and percussion cap nipples 22 are mounted on the cylinder 12 at the rearward end of each chamber 21, the nipples 22 being formed with a small diameter hole that communicates with the other closed rearward ends of the chambers 21. The cylinder 12 has a center bore 23 by means of which it is rotatably mounted on the cylinder base pin 13. The frame It) is formed with a longitudinal bore 24 in which the cylinder base pin 13 is removably received, the base pin 13 being retained in the bore 24 by means of the base pin retaining pin 14 in the manner hereinafter described. The rearward end of the cylinder 12 is formed with a plurality of safety notches 25 which are adapted to receive the nose of the hammer 17 when the loaded revolver is being handled or carried about. A cylinder ratchet (not shown) is engaged by the cylinder pawl to rotate the cylinder 12 when the hammer 17 is being cocked, and cylinder notches 27 are engaged by the cylinder latch to hold the uppermost chamber 21 in alignment with the bore of the barrel 11 when the hammer 17 is cocked.

The cylinder base pin 13 has a rearward shaft portion 13a that is adapted to be received in the longitudinal bore 24 of the frame and the center bore 23 of the cylinder, and it has a forward end portion 13b of somewhat greater diameter that is adapted to receive the rearward end of the loading lever as hereinafier described. The upper surface 31 of the forward end portion of the base pin 13 has a slightly concave configuration which conforms to the cylindrical surface of the barrel 11 adjacent the frame 10 as shown in FIG. 1. The

upper surface 31 is formed with a transverse pivot pin receiving groove 32 that is perpendicular to the long axis of the base pin 13, and a vertical loading lever receiving slot 33 extends longitudinally from the forward end of the base pin 13 to the pivot pin receiving groove 32. A retaining pin receiving groove 34 is formed in the lower surface of the cylinder base pin 13 (that is, the surface of the base pin 13 opposite the upper surface 31 thereof). The retaining pin receiving groove 34 has a generally semi-cylindrical configuration, the forward segment of the groove 34 being occupied or blocked off by a retaining pin stop element 35 that is integrally formed with the base pin 13.

The cylinder base pin retaining pin 14 is rotatably mounted in a bore 37 which extends transversely through the frame 10 perpendicular to the longitudinal bore 24, the upper portion of the bore 37 intersecting the lower portion of the bore 24 and also intersecting the retaining pin receiving groove 34 when the cylinder base pin 13 is inserted in the longitudinal bore 24. As shown best in FIG. 3 of the drawing, the base pin retaining pin 14 is formed with a base pin receiving groove 38 that is disposed transverse (i.e. perpendicular) to the long axis of the retaining pin 14 and that coincides with the retaining pin receiving groove 34 of the cylinder base pin. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, one end of the bore 37 is chamfered to provide an annular chamfer surface 40, and the corresponding end of the base pin retaining pin 14 is provided with a spring loaded detent plunger 41 that rides on the chamfer surface 40 to detain the retaining pin 14 in the bore 37. In addition, a base pin release detent recess 42 and a base pin retaining detent recess 43 are formed in the chamfer surface 40 to detain the rotatable retaining pin 14 in the base pin release position or in its base pin retaining position, respectively, as hereinafter more fully described.

The base pin retaining pin 14 is rotatable in the bore 37 from its base pin release position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to its base pin retaining position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. When the retaining pin 14 is at its base pin release position, the base pin receiving groove 38 is turned toward the base pin 13 so that the base pin 13 may be withdrawn from the bore 24 as shown best in FIG. 4. When the base pin retaining pin 14 is in its base pin retaining position, the base pin receiving groove 38 is turned away from the base pin 13 so that the main body of the retaining pin 14 is received in the retaining pin receiving groove 34 thereby blocking removal of the base pin 13 from the bore 24 as shown in FIG. 5.

When it is desired to remove the cylinder base pin 13 from the cylinder 12 and frame 10, the base pin retaining pin 14 is rotated counter clockwise to its base release position at which point the detent plunger 41 is received in the base pin release detent recess 42 as shown in FIG. 6. Rotation of the retaining pin 14 in the counter clockwise direction beyond its base pin release position is prevented by the retaining pin stop element 35 which blocks further rotation of the retaining pin in this direction as shown in FIG. 4. When it is desired to retain the cylinder base pin 13 in the cylinder and frame, the base pin retaining pin 14 is rotated clockwise to its base pin retaining position at which position the detent plunger 41 is received in the base pin retaining detent recess 43. Rotation of the retaining pin 14 in the clockwise direction beyond its base pin retaining position is prevented by the retaining pin stop element 35 which blocks further rotation of the retaining pin 14 in this direction as shown in FIG. 5.

As previously mentioned, the loading lever of a conventional muzzle laoding revolver is pivotally secured to the frame by means of a removable pivot pin. The loading lever of the present invention is pivotally secured to the cylinder base pin 13 by means of a transverse pivot pin 45 that is an integrally formed part located at the rearward end of the loading lever 15. The integrally formed pivot pin 45 is received in the pivot pin receiving groove 32 of the cylinder base pin 13 and it is held in the groove 32 by the undersurface of the barrel 11 when the base pin 13 is received in the longitudinal bore 23 as shown in FIG. 1. The loading lever 15 is also provided with an integrally formed bullet rammer engaging lug 46 located at the rearward end of the loading lever 15 below the pivot pin 45, the lug 46 engaging the bullet rammer 16 as hereinafter described. A spring loaded latch 47 is mounted on the forward end of the loading lever 15, the latch 47 releasably engaging the latch catch 48 mounted on the underside of the barrel 11 when the loading lever 15 is in the position shown in FIG. 1.

The bullet rammer 16 is slidably mounted in the longitudinal bore 50 formed in the frame 10in front of the cylinder 12 and below the cylinder base pin 13. The longitudinal bore 50 is in alignment with the lowermost chamber 21 of the cylinder 12 so that when the bullet rammer 16 is moved rearwardly in the bore 50 it will enter the lowermost chamber 21 to ram or compress the bullet 52 against the charge of loose power in the rear of the chamber. The forward end of the bullet rammer 16 is formed with a T-shaped vertical slot 54 that is adapted to receive the bullet rammer engaging lug 46 of the loading lever 15 as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, it will be seen that when the revolver is assembled as shown.

in FIG. 1, the retaining pin 14 retains the cylinder base pin 13 in the bore 24 of the frame 10, the loading lever 15 is pivotally secured to the cylinder base pin 13 by means of the integral pivot pin 45, and the bullet rammer 16 is movably secured to the loading lever 15 by means of the integral rammer engaging lug 46, these parts together comprising the improved loading lever arrangement of the invention.

To assemble the loading lever arrangement, the base pin retaining pin 14 is inserted in the lateral bore 37 and is rotated to its base pin release position shown in FIG. 4. The transverse pivot pin 45 of the loading lever 15 is inserted in the pivot pin receiving groove 32 of the cylinder base pin 13 and the bullet rammer engaging lug 46 is inserted in the T-shaped vertical slot of the bullet rammer 16. The rearward ends of the cylinder base pin 13 and the bullet rammer 16 are then inserted in the longitudinal bores 24 arid 50, respectively, and the assembly is moved rearwardly to the position shown in FIG. 1. The base pin retaining pin 14 is then rotated to its base pin retaining position shown in FIG. 5 to retain the loading lever arrangement in position. The loading lever 15 and bullet rammer 16 can now be employed to load the lowermost chamber 21 of the cylin-' der 12 in the manner well known in the art.

When the revolver is fired, the revolver recoils quite sharply and this subjects the retaining pin 14, the pivot pin 45 and the rammer engaging lug 46 to severe stresses. The retaining pin 14 in particular is subjected to great stress because it is required to retain the entire loading lever arrangement in position on the frame.

However, because of the large area of contact between the cylindrical surface of the retaining pin 14 and the cylindrical surface of the retaining pin receiving groove 34 of the base pin 13, the great stresses to which the retaining pin 14 are subjected during recoil are so well and so widely distributed that no damage to the retaining pin 14 is occasioned thereby. Moreover, the wear and damage to the removable pins or screws formerly used to secure the loading lever to the frame and to the bullet rammer previously experienced as a result of recoil are virtually eliminated by the provision of the strong, integrally formed pivot pin 45 and rammer engaging lug 46 of the loading lever 15. In addition, although the base pin retaining pin 13 has been described in connection with the base pin and loading lever of a muzzle loading revolver, it will be apparent that this feature of my new loading lever arrangement can equally well be used in connection with non-muzzle loading revolvers having a cylinder mounted on a removable base pin of the type herein described.

I claim:

1. In a revolver having a frame, a cylinder rotatably mounted on the frame by means of a longitudinally extending cylinder base pin that is removably received in a longitudinal bore formed in the frame, a cylinder base pin retaining pin mounted on the frame and releasably engaging the cylinder base pin to retain said base pin on the frame, a bullet rammer slidably mounted in a longitudinal hole formed in the frame in front of the cylinder, and a loading lever pivotally mounted on the revolver in front of the cylinder and connected to the bullet rammer for moving the rammer longitudinally in said longitudinal hole, the improvement in which the loading lever has an integrally formed transverse pivot pin disposed adjacent the rearward end thereof and an integrally formed rammer engaging lug disposed below said pivot pin, in which the cylinder base pin has a transverse pivot pin receiving groove formed in the upper surface thereof and a transverse retaining pin receiving groove formed in the lower surface thereof, and in which the bullet rammer has a T-shaped vertical slot formed in the forward end portion of the rammer; the transverse pivot pin of the loading lever being received in the pivot pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin, the bullet rammer engaging lug of said loading lever being received in the T-shaped vertical slot of the bullet rammer, and the base pin retaining pin being received in the retaining pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin, whereby the cylinder base pin is retained in the frame, the loading lever is pivotally secured to the cylinder base pin and the longitudinally movable bullet rammer is connected to the loading lever.

2. The revolver according to claim 1 in which the base pin retaining pin is rotatably mounted on the frame with the long axis thereof perpendicular to the long axis of the cylinder base pin, said retaining pin being formed with a base pin receiving groove that is disposed transverse to the long axis thereof and that coincides with the retaining pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin perpendicular thereto, said retaining pin being rotatable to its base pin retaining position at which the base pin receiving groove is turned away from the base pin and the body of the retaining pin is received in the retainingpin receiving groove of the base pin and being rotatable to its base pin release position at which the base pin receiving groove is turned toward the base pin to permit the base pin to be removed from the frame.

3. The revolver according to claim 2 in which the retaining pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin has an integrally formed retaining pin stop element located in the forward segment of said groove, said stop element blocking further rotation of the retaining pin when the retaining pin is rotated in one direction to its base pin retaining position and also blocking further rotation of the retaining pin when the retaining pin is rotated in the opposite direction to its base pin release position.

4. The revolver according to claim 2 in which the base pin retaining pin is provided with a spring loaded detent plunger and in which the frame is formed with two detent recesses adjacent said retaining pin, one detent recess being adapted to receive the detent plunger when the retaining pin is rotated to its base pin retaining position and the other detent recess being adapted to receive the detent plunger when the retaining pin is rotated to its base pin release position.

5. The revolver according to claim 2 in which the base pin retaining pin is provided with a spring loaded detent plunger and in which the rotatable retaining pin is received in a bore that extends transversely through the frame, one end ofsaid bore being chamfered and the detent plunger of the retaining pin engaging said chamfer whereby the retaining pin is detained in said bore.

6. in a revolver having a frame, a cylinder rotatably mounted on the frame by means of a longitudinally extending cylinder base pin that is removably received in a longitudinal bore formed in the frame, a cylinder base pin retaining pin mounted on the frame and releasably engaging the cylinder base pin to retain said base pin on the frame, a bullet rammer slidably mounted in a longitudinal hole formed in the frame in front of the cylinder, and a loading lever pivotally mounted on the revolver in front of the cylinder and connected to the bullet rammer for moving the rammer longitudinally in said longitudinal hole, the improvement in which the cylinder base pin has a transverse retaining pin receiving groove formed in the lower surface thereof, and in which the base pin retaining pin is rotatably mounted on the frame with the long axis thereof perpendicular to the long axis of the cylinder base pin, said retaining pin being formed with a base pin receiving groove that is disposed transverse to the long axis thereof and that coincides with the retaining pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin perpendicular thereto, said retaining pin being rotatable to its base pin retaining position at which the base pin receiving groove is turned away from the base pin and the body of the retaining pin is received in the retaining pin receiving groove of the base pin and being rotatable to its base pin release position at which the base pin receiving groove is turned toward the base pin to permit the base pin to be removed from the frame.

7. The revolver according to claim 6 in which the retaining pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin has an integrally formed retaining pin stop element located in the forward segment of said groove, said stop element blocking further rotation of the retaining pin when the retaining pin is rotated in one direction to its base pin retaining position and also blocking further rotation of the retaining pin when the retaining pin is rotated in the opposite direction to its base pin release position.

8. The revolver according to claim 6 in which the base pin retaining pin is provided with a spring loaded detent plunger and in which the frame is formed with two detent recesses adjacent said retaining pin, one detent recess being adapted to receive the detent plunger when the retaining pin is rotated to its base pin retaining position and the other detent recess being adapted to receive the detent plunger when the retaining pin is rotated to its base pin release position.

9. The revolver according to claim 6 in which the base pin retaining pin is provided with a spring loaded detent plunger and in which the rotatable retaining pin is received in a bore that extends transversely through the frame, one end of said bore being chamfered and the detent plunger of the retaining pin engaging said chamfer whereby the retaining pin is detained in said bore.

Claims

2. The revolver according to claim 1 in which the base pin retaining pin is rotatably mounted on the frame with the long axis thereof perpendicular to the long axis of the cylinder base pin, said retaining pin being formed with a base pin receiving groove that is disposed transverse to the long axis thereof and that coincides with the retaining pin receiving groove of the cylinder base pin perpendicular thereto, said retaining pin being rotatable to its base pin retaining position at which the base pin receiving groove is turned away from the base pin and the body of the retaining pin is received in the retaining pin receiving groove of the base pin and being rotatable to its base pin release position at which the base pin receiving groove is turned toward the base pin to permit the base pin to be removed from the frame.

5. The revolver according to claim 2 in which the base pin retaining pin is provided with a spring loaded detent plunger and in which the rotatable retaining pin is received in a bore that extends transversely through the frame, one end of said bore being chamfered and the detent plunger of the retaining pin engaging said chamfer whereby the retaining pin is detained in said bore.