US975967A - Trap-gun. - Google Patents

Description

C. D.V LOVELAGE.

TRAP GUN.

APPLICATION IILBD rBB.15.1909.

Patented N0v.15,191o.

. A ...sii A being intended I FI@ CHARLES D. LOVELACE, 0F SAN ANGELO, TEXAS.

TRAP- GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratentednov. 15, 1ero.

Application filed February 15, 1909. Serial No. 478,089.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. LovELAcE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in San Angelo, in the county of Tom Green and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trap-Guns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. Y

My invention relates to a trap gun designed to be supported in a set position at an elevation above the ground and having a trigger operating member to which bait may be applied, the set trigger operating member to be operated by an animal in an effort to secure the bait thereon, whereby the gun is fired and a charge from the gun is delivered into the animal to kill it.

The main objects in the present improvement are to provide in a gun of the character named a single piece receiver that serves to fully protect the firing mechanism therein from the elements; a longitudinally movable hammer loosely supported in the receiver and so constructed as to be susceptible of being engaged by the trigger of the gun irrespective of rotation of the hammer; adjustable means against which the trigger controlling spring rests whereby the trigger may be maintained more or less-firmly in engagement with the hammer; and a slidable hammer setting rod movable longitudinally in the receiver and also in the hammer whenthe hammer is set, whereby said rod may be moved to an inner position after the hammer has been set to avoid unnecessary projection of the hammer rod at such time and obviate the exposure thereof to the elements.

Figure I is a longitudinal section of my trap gun. Fig. II is a verticalcross section taken on the line II-IL Fig. I. Fig. III is in part an elevation and in part a longitudinal section of the hammer and hammer setting mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings 1 designates the barrel of my trap gun to the muzzle of which is attached a guide member 2 having a plurality of perforations 3 in any of which the bait rod 4 is operable. The bait rod is provided at its forward end with a hook 5 and extends approximately parallel with the barrel above it.

6 designates a post adapted to be set into the ground at the pointat which the gun is to be used and which has rotatably fitted to its upper end a swivel fork 7 that serves as a support for the receiver-of the gun which is hinged thereto at 7a.

8 designates the receiver to the forward end of which the barrel 1 is pivoted at 9, (see Fig. I.) The barrel is held in a closed position by suitable means, such as shown in the drawings, and for which no invention is herein claimed. The receiver 8 is closed made in a single piece and is provided with a chamber 10 in which the hammer andlock mechanism of the gun are operable. The rear end of the receiver is closed by a hollow plug 1l that also serves as a guide for a part to be hereinafter more particularly named.

12 designates a cylindrical and hollow hammer that is movable longitudinally of the receiver in its chamber 10. The hammer is provided intermediate of its ends with an exterior annular groove 13 having a rear shoulder 14, and the cavity within the hammer is closed at the rear end of the hammer by a bushing 15. g

16 designates a hammer cooking or setting rod provided at its outer end with a knob 17 and operable in the plug 11 at the rear end of the receiver 8. ThisA cooking rod extends through the bushing 15 in the rear end of the hammer 12 and is provided within said hammer with a head 18 that engages the inner end of said bushing when the cocking rod is drawn rearwardly and whereby the hammer is retracted against the action of the impelling spring 19 surrounding the cooking rod and interposed between the hammer and the plug 11. The forward end of the hammer is presented toward the head 20 of a firing pin 21 that is operable in the breech head of the receiver 8.

22 designates a trigger to which the pull rod 4 is pivoted at 28 and which is pivoted at 24 to the receiver at its lower side so as to be operable in said receiver. The trigger is provided at its upper end with a sear 25 that is adapted to engage the shoulder 14 at the back of the annular groove 13 in the hammer 12 when said hammer is retracted.

26 is a trigger controlling coil spring located beneath t-he sear of the trigger and interposed between said Sear and an linclined adjusting screw 27 mounted in the bottom of the receiver 8. The controlling spring 26 is intended to hold the sear of the trigger in position in the annular groove in the hammer and by providing the adjusting screw against which this spring rests, I am enabled to alter the tension in said spring in order that it will act more or less forcibly upon the sear to maintain it in engagement with the hammer. This is desirable inasmuch as it provides for the spring being held under such tension as to necessitate a strong pull upon the trigger when it is desired that the trap gun be fired by a large animal, or to permit of the trigger being actuated at the will of the user of the gun by an animal having less strength than a large animal for which the trap gun would be set at another time.

When my trap gun is to be set ready to be discharged by an animal attempting to secure a bait placed upon the hook of the bait rod 4f, a cartridge is placed in the barrel of the gun and the hammer is set or cocked by drawing rearwardly upon the cooking rod 16 so that the hammer is retracted to the position illustrated in Fig. I and engaged by the sear of the trigger Ilich serves to maintain it in its retracted position pending a pull upon the bait rod. In cocking the hammer, the cocking rod is drawn outwardly so that it projects beyond the rear end of the receiver, as will be obvious, but inasmuch as the head 18 of this cocking rod is slidably fitted in the hammer, and the rod passes loosely through the rear end of the hammer, said rod is readily returned to the position shown in Fig. I, in order that only its knob or handle will extend beyond the receiver and be exposed, and that it may not check the movement of the hammer should it become stuck or warped by weather conditions. The purpose of loosely fitting the cocking rod in the hollow hammer is to permit free movement thereof independently of said hollow hammer. If it were a tight fit, the cocking rod could not be moved forwardly after the gun had been cocked to the abnormal position shown in Fig. I.

28 designates a shell ejector, which is slidably mounted in an opening formed through the barrel extension 1a, its outer end being designed to bear against the element 29 located at the forward end of the said barrel extension when the gun is broken for the extraction of the exploded shell and replacement of a loaded shell.

30 designates a screw designed to limit the outer movement of the shell ejector when the gun is broken.

I claim 1. In a trap gun, the combination of a receiver, a spring actuated hammer in said receiver, a trigger having a sear for engagement with said hammer, a trigger controlling coil spring bearing against the sear and an inclined adjusting screw mounted in said receiver and bearing against the coil spring and by which the tension in said controlling spring may be varied.

2. A trap gun comprising a receiver, a hollow plug closing the rear end of the receiver, a hollow cylindrical hammer having an exterior annular groove providing an annular shoulder and a bushing and free to rotate in the chamber of the receiver, a cocking rod extending through the hollow plug and through the bushing and having a head sliding within the hammer, a spring surrounding the cocking rod between the hollow plug and the hollow hammer, and a trigger pivoted to the receiver and having a sear adapted to engage the annular shoulder of the hollow hammer.

3. A trap gun comprising a receiver, a hollow plug, closing the rear end of the receiver, a hollow cylindrical hammer having an exterior annular groove providing an annular shoulder and a bushing and free to rotate in the chamber of the receiver, a cocking rod, extending through the hollow plug and through the bushing and having a head sliding within the hammer, a spring surrounding the cocking rod between the hollow plug and the hollow hammer, a trigger pivoted to the receiver and having a sear adapted to engage the annular shoulder of the hollow hammer, an inclined adjusting screw and a trigger controlling spring located between the adjusting screw and the sear of the trigger.

CHARLES D. LovELAoE.

In the presence of- E. J. MoCRossiN, JN0. W. STAGG.

Images