US3882626A

US3882626A - Ejection selector for hinged firearms

Info

Publication number: US3882626A
Application number: US369291A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest Henri Vervier
Original assignee: FN Herstal SA
Current assignee: Browning SA; FN Herstal SA
Priority date: 1972-07-11
Filing date: 1973-06-12
Publication date: 1975-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 1992-05-13
Also published as: AU5704973A; BE786099A; CA972199A

Abstract

An ejection selector for hinged firearms allows the ejection mechanism of the weapon to be put in or out of operation at will when the firearm is broken by using a divided ejector controlling pushrod that can be shortened or lengthened by a manual adjusting mechanism.

Description

United States Patent Vervier 1 51 May 13, 1975 EJECTION SELECTOR FOR HINGED FIREARMS [75] Inventor: Ernest Henri Vervier, Oupeve,

Belgium [73] Assignee: Fabrique Nationale Herstal S.A.,

Herstal-lez-Liege, Belgium [22] Filed: June 12, 1973 I [21] Appl. No.: 369,291

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July ll, 1972 Belgium 52037 [52] US. Cl. 42/47 [51] Int. Cl. F4lc 15/04 [58] Field of Search 42/47, 48, 46

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 538,810 5/1895 Thorn et al. 42/48 754,598 3/1904 Novotny 42/47 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATlONS 15,605 7/l9l2 United Kingdom 42/47 Primary ExaminerBenjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bacon and Thomas [57] ABSTRACT An ejection selector for hinged firearms allows the ejection mechanism of the weapon to be put in or out of operation at will when the firearm is broken by using a divided ejector controlling pushrod that can be shortened orlengthened by a manual adjusting mechamsm.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures EJECTION SELECTOR FOR I-IINGED FIREARMS The present invention is concerned with an ejection selector for hinged firearm weapons of the type in which the ejector is operated when breaking open the weapon by means of, amongst others, at least one rod extending through the action. It is known that many users of such arms frequently reload the cartridges themselves, a same shell often being used several times. With the current type of ejector guns, the ejected shells must be individually picked up from the ground after each shot after the gun is broken, which is a nuisance.

The purpose of the invention is to eliminate such inconvenience. Accordingly, a selection device is proposed which permits putting the ejection mechanism into or out of operation, and such in a very simple and convenient manner.

The device according to this invention is mainly characterized by the fact that the aforesaid ejection operating is made up of two mutually aligned parts, the total length of both parts just being insufficient to allow the rod to operate the ejector, with the actual selector consisting of a mobile element provided so as to be able, at will, to move the two parts away from each other, thus bringing up the total length of the rod to the required value for operating the ejector mechanism.

The invention is hereinafter described in greater detail with reference to the appended drawings which illustrate a form of preferred embodiment which is described as an example and not intended to limit the invention beyond the scope of the appended claims.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a stripped view of a weapon equipped with a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the selector devicce according to the invention, as applied to the weapon of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the broken up weapon, after ejection;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of detail F4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a similar view to that of FIG. 3, without ejection, and

FIG. 6 is a detail view of detail F6 of FIG. 5.

In hinged firearms, the ejection of the fired shells is usually operated in one of two manners, i.e. either by means of a hammer or cock which strikes the shell puller or extractor, or by means of a spring which acts directly upon the shell extractor. The mechanism shown in the drawings is of the former type, the invention being however also applicable to mechanisms of the other type.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the conventional ejection system comprises the following elements.

One cartridge pulling assembly per barrel, this assembly consisting of one extractor-ejector l and one slide 2 fitted to the barrels; one ejection cock 5 and spring 6 fitted upon the fore-end iron 7; an ejection trigger control means 8 with its spring 9 also fitted on the foreend iron 7; and an ejection control pushrod l0 traversing the action frame 11 and in contact with a beveled pin 12 of striker cock 13 so that rod is pushed forward when striking cock 13 is released.

This well known mechanism is no part of the present invention, and consequently no detailed description of its operation is given. It will be sufficient to note that when breaking-up the gun, slide 2 is first slightly displaced by its contact with a stop (not shown) of the action, so as to assure the extraction of the shell; next, striking cock 13 having been brought back to its cocked position, does not move pushrod 10 backwards due to lost motion between pin 12 and pushrod 10 because of the slot 12a in which pin 12 rides. Rod 10 stays forward therefore as shown in FIG. 3; finally, towards the end of the opening movement, trigger 8 will strike the end 14 of aforesaid rod 10, thus rotating and freeing ejection cock 5 which pushes back slide 2 and extractor 1 (FIG. 3).

The invention consists in:

This invention comprises fabricating the rod 10 in at least two mutually aligned parts or

pieces

15 and 16, respectively, the total length of which, when the parts are juxtaposed, is just insufficient to extend end 14 into the path of the ejection trigger control means 8 when the firearm is broken and furthermore interposing between the two parts of the pushrod l5 and 16 a movable element 17, the selective displacement of which betweenn two positions ensures the spreading of

parts

15 and 16 in such a manner that the end 14 of the pushrod is brought into the path of trigger 8 when ejection is desired, or when the element 17 is in its other position, the overall length of pushrod 10 is insufficient to engage trigger 8 when the firearm is broken.

In the example shown (see FIG. 2), aforesaid mobile element is made in the shape of a wedge 17 provided with a tail piece 18 which is inserted in a bore 19 of oscillating block 20 which pivots on the action frame around pivot screw 21. Block 20 is shaped so as to have two

control tabs

22 and 23, both intended, according to circumstances, to protrude slightly from corresponding side surfaces of the hinge piece, according to the angular position of block 20. This block is maintained in either of its two positions by a detent 24 subjected to the pressure of spring 25 and guided in an appropriate bore in hinge piece 11. Alternatively,

tabs

22 and 23 may also be located within the action frame, so as to be accessible after the gun has been opened.

For a reason explained later on, wedge 17 may move axially with respect to block 20 between two extreme positions determined on the one hand by one surface of aforesaid block, and on the other hand by a pin 26, which is driven into aforesaid body 20.

As already shown, rod 10 is made up of two

parts

15 and 16, between which wedge 17 is insertable. According to the position of block 20, wedge 17 is either fully engaged between both parts 15 and 16 (FIG. 4), or merely engaged with its summit or tip (FIG. 6).

In the first position, the total length of rod 10 reaches a value which is such, that when the gun is opened, and in consequence of the pushing back of the rod due to the action of pin 12 upon the latter, extremity 14 of said rod, or respectively of part 15 of the latter, locates on the path of trigger 8, at the end of the opening operation of the gun. The ejection is then assured in the same manner as with the conventional mechanism, since the length of rod 10 when

parts

15 and 16 are separated by wedge 17 is sufficient to enable the actuation of pushrod l0 sufficiently by the action of pin 12 and cock 13 to project end 14 thereof into the path of ejector trigger 8 when the gun is broken.

In the second position, the total length of rod 10 is not sufficient, and extremity 14 does not reach the path of aforesaid trigger 8. Consequently no ejection occurs.

In order to prevent part 15 of rod 10 unduly moving about, it is provided with a thinner undercut portion 27 which acts like a spring, and upon which sufficient frictional pressure is exerted by means of screw 28, the latter also acting as a stop for part when the gun is being disassembled.

As the entire assembly of rod 10 is moved axially over a small distance when opening and closing the gun, it is essential to provide a corresponding mobility for wedge 17. This is assured as described above, by the sliding of aforesaid tail piece 18 in its bore 19.

It is quite obvious that the present invention according can be embodied in many ways, the abovedescribed example merely being given as an example. In fact, mobile element 17 may be placed at any appropriate location of the action. They may be designed so as to be brought into one or other of their two positions by a rotary movement instead of by a translatory motion as described above, or by a combination of these two movements. They could moreover also be controlled individually.

What I claim is:

1. In a hinged firearm having a hinge action, an ejector normally operable when the firearm is broken, an ejector control means, an ejector pushrod traversing the firearm hinge action and normally engaging the ejector control means when the firearm is broken, and an actuator for said pushrod; the improvement comprising an ejector pushrod formed at least in two pieces, the total length of said pieces when juxtaposed end to end being such that said pushrod is incapabble of engaging said ejector control means when said pushrod is axially displaced by said actuator when the forearm is broken; and a movable ejector selector means for selectively positively spreading said pushrod pieces apart for extending the effective length of said pushrod sufficiently to enable said pushrod to engage said ejector control means when the pushrod is axially displaced by said actuator when the firearm is broken.

2. The improvement in a hinged firearm as recited in claim 1, said firearm further having an action frame, and wherein said movable ejector selector means includes a wedge-shaped element supported on the action frame by means of a pivoted block, said block and wedge element being movable into either of two manually selectable positions for determining ejection control of said firearm, said wedge element in one of said positions only partially engaging said pushrod between said pieces thereof, and substantially totally engaging said pushrod between said pieces in its other position, the effective length of said pushrod being greater when said wedge element is in said other position than when said wedge element is in said one position for enabling the said pushrod to engage said ejector control means when said pushrod is at its greater effective length.

3. The improvement in a hinged firearm as recited in claim 2, wherein said wedge-shaped element is slidably supported on said pivoted block whereby movement of said wedge element over a predetermined distance parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pushrod is enabled.

4. The improvement in a hinged firearm as recited in claim 3, wherein said pushrod further includes an undercut, resilient portion between said wedge element and said ejector control means, and adjustable frictional restraining means contacting said undercut portion for restraining undesired free movement of said pushrod.