WO2007059527A2

WO2007059527A2 - Shotgun cleaning shell device

Info

Publication number: WO2007059527A2
Application number: PCT/US2006/060972
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Nafziger
Original assignee: Michael Nafziger
Priority date: 2005-11-16
Filing date: 2006-11-16
Publication date: 2007-05-24
Also published as: US20070151472A1; WO2007059527A3

Abstract

A Shotgun Cleaning Shell for cleaning the bore of a shotgun comprising: a shell case, a head connected to an end of the case, a seal connected to the other end of the case, a cord contained in the case wherein the cord is connected to a bead, at least one first cleaning member circumscribing the cord, a spacer member connected to the cord and contiguous the bead, a tubular member coupled to the spacer member, at least one second cleaning member and at least one squeegee circumscribing the coupling between the spacer member and the tubular member, and a propellant device attached to the head which propels the bead through a bore of a shotgun. A method of using the shotgun cleaning shell, comprising: loading a shell in a shotgun, firing the shotgun, and drawing the contents of the shell through the bore of the shotgun.

Description

SHOTGUN CLEANING SHELL DEVICE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application is a continuation in part of the earlier patent entitled "SHOTGUN CLEANING SHELL DEVICE," U.S. Patent No. 7,131,381, filed November 16, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

2. Technical Field

This invention relates to a disposable cleaning device for use in shotguns which fits inside a standard shotgun shell casing that mimics traditional cleaning methods and allows the user to simply fire the gun and slowly pull on a cord in order to clean a shotgun bore.

3. Background Art

The use of shotguns is very popular in the United States and abroad. Shotguns, however, like all other guns, require regular cleaning in order to keep the gun in the best condition possible. One of the main components of a shotgun that requires regular cleaning is its bore. In fact, the bore should be cleaned after each use, which is inconvenient and time consuming. Because of this, most shotgun owners (as much as 80%) do not clean their shotgun bores at all. Currently, there are several bore cleaning methods known in the art. The first method is the most commonly known and most traditional method of using a cleaning "kit". These kits typically include a three part rod that is assembled and has one end that looks like a large version of the "eye of a needle". The user "threads" a thin cotton wad through the eye and dips it in a bottle of gun bore solvent. The rod is then used to wipe the solvent soaked cotton wad down the barrel to clean the bore. The cotton wad is applied repeatedly in this manner to dissolve and remove the gunpowder residue left in the bore from use. These solvents generally include distillates of petroleum based chemicals.

Next, the eye is unscrewed and a metal wire brush is attached to the assembled rod. The user then passes the brush through the bore a number of times, which depends on the severity of the glazing or residue build up. The user then usually does another solvent wipe through the bore with the solvent soaked cotton wad, followed by a dry cotton wad wipe. After that, the user then reattaches the eye to the assembled rod and a cotton pad is attached to the eye. The cotton pad is covered with gun oil and the rod is used to wipe it through the barrel to coat the bore with oil.

The second method is described in U.S. Patent No. 3,740, 883 issued to Kyle. This patent describes a barrel or bore cleaning device which is simply a shotgun shell containing low density randomly woven resilient organic material which is propelled along the bore when primer in the shell is detonated. The organic material scrapes the bore of the shotgun while it passes through the bore removing the residue in the bore. A third method is described in U.S. Patent No. 2,765,740 issued to J. W.

Norman. This patent discloses a bore cleaning shell that uses a cleaning wad comprising two spaced apart parallel discs filled with spongy or compressible material between them. A weight assembly includes two spaced apart parallel discs which have rigid material between them. The weight assembly is connected to coiled wire springs. When the gun is fired, the weight assembly is moved out of the barrel. The springs then stretch, pulling the cleaning wad through the barrel. Once fired, the cleaning is essentially complete.

A fourth method is described in U.S. Patent No. 3,476,047 issued to D.M. Davis which describes a shell for cleaning a shotgun. In the Davis shell, a piercing needle is used to puncture the thin wall of a seal, allowing compressed gas contained in a chamber to escape the shell and force the contents of the shell through the shotgun barrel. A coarse scrubbing wad then cleans the debris from the barrel. When the shell is exploded a knife edge crimp slices plastic containers containing cleaning solvent and antirust allowing the solvent and antirust to leave the shell.

These various methods, however, tend to force the cleaning materials and solutions through the bore so quickly that the solutions do not have time to act on the residue in the bore. Additionally, many of the previous methods use "gun powder" to propel the cleaning devices, thereby causing the bore to be contaminated with gun powder residue defeating the purpose of the cleaning method. The methods also may potentially cause injury as cleaning materials are shot out of the bore at a high rate of speed. Accordingly, what is needed are improvements in shotgun cleaning shells which thoroughly clean the bore of a shotgun while eliminating a majority of the potential that injury could be caused.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention may be readily adapted to a variety of shotgun bore sizes. Embodiments of the present invention may provide, among other benefits: a safe, quick, easy, disposable and effective way to clean a shotgun bore. It also prevents long term exposure to petroleum distillates (gun bore cleaning solvents) and for those that are sensitive or hyper-sensitized to solvents a method for using gun bore solvents quickly with minimum exposure. This device will save the user significant time in cleaning and maintaining their shotgun without having to sacrifice the effectiveness of cleaning the shotgun bore by hand. Also, because this device uses a very low energy propellant it is much safer than many of the other shotgun cleaning shell devices on the market. Many collectors of shotguns have large inventories that must be maintained and in high humidity climates (most of the United States) these collections need to receive frequent gun oil treatments. This device facilitates a swift method of easily treating these collections and inventories with moisture barrier gun oil.

In particular embodiments, a shotgun cleaning shell device configured according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cylindrical shell case, a head connected to an end of the case, a seal connected to an end of the case opposite the head, a bead contained within the case, a cord wherein an end of the cord is connected to the bead, a cleaning wad connected to the cord adjacent to the bead, a bore scrubber pad connected to the cord adjacent the cleaning wad, a dry wad connected to the cord adjacent the boie scrubber pad, a gun oil wad connected to the cord adjacent the dry wad, a collector wad connected to the cord adjacent the gun oil wad, a squeegee connected to the cord adjacent the collector wad and at an opposite end of the cord from the bead, a tubular member, wherein the squeegee is connected to an end of the tubular member, wherein the cord is outside the tubular member and the bead is contiguous an end of the tubular member opposite the end connected to the squeegee, wherein the cleaning wad, bore scrubber pad, dry wad, gun oil wad, and collector wad encircle the tubular member, a propellant device connected to the head and within the tubular member, wherein the propellant device propels the bead through a bore of a shotgun; and wherein a user uses the cord to propel the cleaning wad, bore scrubber pad, dry wad, gun oil wad, collector wad, squeegee and tubular member through the bore of the shotgun.

In alternate embodiments, a shotgun cleaning shell device configured according to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise a cylindrical shell case, a head connected to an end of the case, a seal connected to an end of the case opposite the head, a bead contained within the case, a cord wherein an end of the cord is connected to the bead, a cleaning wad circumscribing the cord adjacent to the bead, a spacer member wherein an end of the cord opposite the end of the cord connected to the bead is connected to the outside of the spacer member, a tubular member connected to the spacer member, a bore scrubber pad circumscribing the connection between the spacer member and the tubular member, a dry wad circumscribing the connection between the spacer member and the tubular member, a gun oil wad circumscribing the connection between the spacer member and the tubular member, and at least one squeegee also circumscribing the connection between the spacer member and the tubular member, a propellant device connected to the head, wherein the propellant device propels the bead through a bore of a shotgun; and wherein a user uses the cord to propel the cleaning wad, bore scrubber pad, dry wad, gun oil wad, squeegee, spacer member and tubular member through the bore of the shotgun. A method utilizing the shotgun cleaning shell device of the present invention includes loading a shotgun cleaning shell device in a shotgun in the same way a traditional shell is loaded into a shotgun. The shotgun cleaning shell device includes a bead attached to a cord which is attached to contents of the shotgun cleaning shell device, firing the shotgun. The bead attached to the cord is propelled through a bore of the shotgun, utilizing the bead attached to the cord to compel the contents of the shotgun cleaning shell through the bore of the shotgun. The contents are compelled at a slow and steady rate.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following more particular description of the invention and the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings where like designations denote like elements, and:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a shotgun configured according to a standard configuration;

FIG. 2 is a side view of an open shotgun containing a shell configured according to a standard configuration;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the contents of a shotgun cleaning shell configured according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cut away side view of a shotgun cleaning shell configured according to a first embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of the contents of a shotgun cleaning shell configured according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a shotgun cleaning shell device. Generally, a shotgun cleaning shell device configured according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a shotgun shell having cleaning material, such as a cleaning wad, positioned therein. A bead is coupled by a cord to a lip, wherein the lip engages the cleaning material. A tubular member is connected to the lip and extends through the cleaning material where it terminates proximate to the bead.

When the cleaning shell device is fired by the shotgun through its bore, a propellant device blasts a gas through the tubular member and propels the bead out of the shell and through the bore. In response, the bead pulls the cord along with it until they both extend out of the bore. The bead and/or cord can then be pulled by a user so the lip is pulled out of the shell and through the bore. The lip pushes the cleaning material out of the shell and through the bore in response to being pulled by the cord. The cleaning material cleans the bore as it moves through the bore. In this way, the shotgun cleaning shell device allows a user to clean the bore by simply loading the cleaning shell device and firing the bead and cord out of the bore so the cleaning material can be pulled therethrough.

FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a standard configuration of a shotgun 8 in closed and open conditions, respectively. The shotgun 8 includes a stock 10 which a user grasps to support a barrel 4 while in use. The barrel 4 includes a bore 6 into which a shotgun cleaning shell device 16 or a regular shotgun shell can be loaded. A trigger 12 is used to fire the shotgun cleaning shell device 16 or the regular shotgun shell into the bore 6. The shotgun cleaning shell device 16 can be sized to fit different standard gauges of shotguns, such as 12 gauge and 16 gauge. The firing of the regular shotgun shell blasts shot from it down the barrel 4 through the bore 6. A spent shell is ejected from an ejection port 14, which is typically located in a side of the shotgun 8. The firing of the shotgun cleaning shell device 16 allows cleaning material to be moved through the bore 6, will be discussed in more detail below.

FIG. 4 illustrates the shotgun cleaning shell device 16 configured according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the shotgun cleaning shell device 16 includes a case 38 formed in the shape of a standard gauge shotgun shell in order to assure that the device 16 functions correctly when the shotgun is fired. Typically, the case 38 will be a hollow cylinder with open ends, such as in a typical shotgun shell. The case 38 may be formed from any material which can withstand the energy to be applied to it. It may also be desirable to form the case 38 from a transparent material, in order to allow the user to see what is contained within the case 38 so that the shell 16 is not mistaken for ammunition.

One end of the case 38 is attached to a head 40, which may be formed from high brass or low brass and are the standards in the shotgun shell industry. The head 40 may also be formed from any other metallic or non-metallic material which can perform its function while withstanding the blast from shooting the shell 16. Because the shell 16 in this invention requires very little energy, it is even possible to form the head 40 from a plastic material. The head 40 closes one end of the case 38 while providing an opening for a propellant device 42. The head 40 is exposed to a majority of the energy from firing the shell 16.

The opposite end of the case 38 is closed by a seal 20 which is a round disc-like member that is inserted into the case 38. Traditional shotgun shells are "crimped" closed or folded to leave their length at approximately 2". However, the shell length prior to "crimping" is approximately 2 % of an inch, which is the maximum length that almost all shotguns will accommodate. The extra % of an inch may be utilized in this invention in order to provide more room to fit the cleaning material into the shell. The seal 20 is used to close the end of the case 38 and the edges of the case are "rolled-over" in order to connect the case 38 and the seal 20. This sealing method only uses approximately 1/8" of the total length of the shell.

The seal 20 may be formed from the same material as the case 38 or it may be formed from any material that is strong enough to contain the shell 16 while not in use. However, the seal should be formed of material that is weak enough to break when the shell 16 is fired. It may also be desirable to form the seal 20 from transparent material in order to allow the user to view the contents of the case 38. It is also possible for the case 38 to be "crimped" closed as is done with traditional shotgun shells.

FIG. 3 is an exploded side view of the shotgun cleaning shell device 16 configured according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, shotgun cleaning shell device 16 includes cleaning material 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 which operate to clean the bore 6 when the shell 16 is fired therethrough. Shell device 16 also includes a lip 35 and a tubular member 34 extending outwardly therefrom. The lip and tubular member form a plug and can be made from many different materials, such as plastic. If lip 36 is made of rubber, than it operates as a squeegee as discussed below. For example, the lip 36 may be made of dense synthetic rubber and is approximately 2% larger than the outside perimeter of the case 38. The tubular member 34 is made of a hard material capable of withstanding gas pressures typically provided when filing a shotgun shell in a bore.

A cord 22 is attached to the intersection of tubular member 34 and lip 35 at one end and to a bead 18 at its other end. In other embodiments, the cord 22 is attached between bead 18 and tubular member 34 or lip 36. In this embodiment, cord 22 extends through the cleaning material 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32, the cleaning material 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 circumscribe the cord 22 in this embodiment. In other embodiments, the cord 22 extends around them. Further, in this embodiment, the cord 22 extends around the tubular member 34, but in other embodiments, it can extend through it.

The bead 18 can be made of many different types of materials, such as glass, ceramic, or hematite. In general, the bead 18 may be formed from any material which can withstand the heat from firing the shell device 16 and the impact of breaking the seal. Some plastics may also be used to form the bead 18, however, these tend to be cost prohibitive and could react with chemical solvents included with shell 38. The bead 18 may be of any size or shape that can be propelled through the seal. The cord 22 may be formed from any material that can withstand the heat from the shell device 16 being fired, while having enough strength to allow the user to pull the contents of the shell through the bore of the shotgun manually. The cord 22 may be formed from several types and tensile strengths of cord woven together in order to form a cord 22 with the preferred characteristics. Preferred materials may include combinations of cotton and nylon blends. These combinations tend to create cord 22 with the appropriate heat resistance and tensile strength. If a cord 22 is used that is not heat resistant, the initial blast of the shell being fired will compromise the strength and the unit is more likely to fail. Additionally, it may be desirable to coat the cord 22 with gun oil to further protect its integrity.

The bead 18 can be attached to the cord 22 in many different ways, such as by using an adhesive. The bead 18 can also be attached to the cord 22 by forming a hole through the bead 18 and extending the cord 22 through the hole. The cord can then be tied in a knot so it is held to the bead 18. In this way, the bead 18 is at one side of the cleaning material 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 and the lip 36 is at the other.

The cleaning material 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 can have many different configurations. In this embodiment, it includes a stack having a cleaning wad 24, scrubber pad 26, dry wad 28, gun oil wad 30 and a collector swab 32. The cleaning wad is positioned adjacent to seal 20 and the collector swab 32 is positioned adjacent to head 40. The scrubber pad 26 is positioned adjacent to cleaning wad 24, and dry wad 28 is positioned adjacent to scrubber pad 26. Gun oil wad 30 is positioned between collector swab 32 and dry wad 28. It should be noted that when the shotgun cleaning shell device 16 is fired through barrel 4, cleaning wad 24 is ejected first, followed by scrubber pad 26, dry wad 28, gun oil wad 30 and collector swab 32.

The cleaning wad 24 may be formed with any material that absorbs and holds a bore cleaning and conditioning fluids. Possible embodiments of the cleaning wad 24 may include raw cotton that is permeable with bore cleaning and conditioning fluids. Raw cotton is used because of the additional scrubbing effect of the crushed cotton seeds still in the cotton. The cleaning wad 24 may also be formed from a felt pad. A felt pad consists of fibers, such as cotton fibers, compressed into a pad shape.

The size of the cleaning wad 24 is chosen to provide a desired pressure on the inner diameter of the barrel 4 as it moves through bore 6. If the size is too small, cleaning wad 24 will not exert enough pressure against barrel 4 and bore 6 may not be cleaned effectively. If the size is too large, it may not release from the case 38 and may cause the cord 22 to break because the resistance will be too great. A size for the cleaning wad 24 that has been found to be effective is one that is about 20% to 40% larger than the outside diameter of the case 38. Cleaning wads in this range of sizes were found to work properly inside the case 38 and to release from the case 38 when the shell device 16 is fired. Cleaning wad 24 can be made in many different ways. One way that was found to be effective is to hold four to five strands of raw cotton together with a thread mesh made of light weight cotton. This threaded mesh holds the raw cotton together and helps to prevent cotton fibers from escaping the cleaning wad 24 and becoming residue in the bore. The strands can have many different widths, but they are generally about one-quarter of an inch thick for a cleaning shell device compatible with a 12 gauge shotgun. These multi-strand lengths of raw cotton are cut in approximately 1.3 inch lengths and connected together. The lengths of raw cotton can be connected together in many different ways, such as by tying them together in a surgeon's slip knot.

Alternate embodiments of the cleaning wad 24 may be configured in order to utilize felt pads instead of cotton strands. The cleaning wad 24 may be formed from a cylindrical felt pad having a hole through the middle. The felt pad should have a diameter similar or greater than the diameter of the case and should be thick enough to have sufficient contact with the bore of the shotgun during the cleaning process. The cord 22 would be threaded through the felt pad and the felt pad would therefore circumscribe the cord 22.

The bore scrubber pad 26 may be made of any dense, strong, hard material that scrubs the bore and removes glazing, plastic and gun powder residue from the bore by using significant pressure and rough edged strands of the bore scrubber pad to scrape away residue already partly dissolved by the previous cleaning wad 24. One possible material for forming the bore scrubber pad 26 is dense, strong and very hard carbon laced polymers. Another possible material for forming the bore scrubber pad 26 is a coarse, cross-linked polymer plastic.

The bore scrubber pad 26 may be approximately 25% larger in diameter than the outside perimeter of the case 38 as shown in HG. 5. Because the bore scrubber pad 26 may be made with dense particles of cross-linking polymers it has space between the strands and compresses well into the shotgun case. However it expands to its original size when pulled from the case with the cord 22. The bore scrubber pad 26 is preferably one-quarter of an inch thick. This allows for larger cleaning surface inside the bore while allowing it to be compressed in the case.

The dry wad 28 may be formed from felt pads or raw cotton with a surgeon's knot in a manner the same or similar to that of the cleaning wad 24. The dry wad 28 is dry and collects particles and cleaning and conditioning fluids from the barrel 4 as it moves through bore 6. It is also positioned directly behind the bore scrubber pad 26, which pushes on the bore scrubber pad 26 forcing it to be flat against the bore and maximizing its scrubbing surface. By being directly behind the bore scrubber pad 26, the dry wad 28 collects the cleaning and conditioning fluid and residue lifted by the cleaning and conditioning fluid and the bore scrubber pad 26. The gun oil wad 30 may be formed from felt pads or raw cotton with surgeon's knots in a manner the same or similar to that used for the cleaning wad 24. The gun oil wad 30 is also laced with gun oil that protects and preserves the metal in the bore of the shotgun. Just as in the cleaning wad 24, the multi-strand design forces the gun oil to the edges of the gun oil wad 30 so it is applied to the bore.

The collector swab 32 may be formed from any material that collects the remaining residue and smoothes the oil film on the bore. An embodiment of a collector swab 32 is made of high density resilient and chemical resistant foam polymer. It is 200% larger than the outside perimeter of the case 38. The collector swab 32 smoothes out the oil film throughout the circumference of the bore 6 and with the immense pressure of the oversized pad, the oil is forced out through thousands of capillaries in the pad. In operation, cord 22 is threaded through the cleaning material 24, 26, 28,

30 and 32 so collector scrub 32 is positioned adjacent to lip 36, gun oil wad 30 is positioned adjacent to collector scrub 32, dry wad 28 is positioned adjacent to gun oil wad 30, scrubber pad 26 is positioned adjacent to dry wad 28, and cleaning wad 24 is positioned adjacent to scrubber pad 26. Further, tubular member 34 extends through the cleaning material 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 and engages the bead 18 at the other side. The cleaning material 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 can be attached to the cord 22 if desired. For example, in some situations, it is desirable to attach both the scrubber pad 26 and the cleaning wad 24 to the cord 22 so they are about two inches from each other. Further, in some situations, it is desirable to attach the gun oil wad 30 and the dry cotton wad 28 to the cord 22 so they are about two inches from each other. The collector swab 32 and the gun oil wad 30 can be attached to the cord 22 so they are about two inches from each other.

The tubular member 34, cord 22, bead 18, cleaning wad 24, bore scrubber pad 26, dry swab 28, gun oil swab 30, and collector swab 32 are all packed into the case 38. The propellant device 42 may be a standard shotgun primer, springs, compressed air or any other device which could be used to propel the bead 18 and the cord 22 through the bore of the shotgun. The propellant device 42 is inserted into the head 40, enters through the lip 36, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and then into the tubular member 34. The tubular member 34 contains the blast from a propellant device 42 as illustrated in FIG. 4.

When the shell 16 is fired, the propellant device 42 sends a blast or a force of gas through the tubular member 34, as shown in FIG. 3. The gas flows through the tubular member 34, which reduces the likelihood of the cleaning material 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 from being negatively affected by gun powder residue from the propellant device 42. The gas forces the bead 18 and the attached cord 22 through the seal 20. The gas also forces the bead 18 and cord 22 are through the bore 6 to a position outside of it. The user can then pull the cord 22 through the bore 6 to pull the lip 36 out of the case 38 and through the bore 6. A pulling aid, such as a plastic, metal or wood stick, may be included with the shotgun cleaning shell device kit. The pulling aid allows the user to wrap the cord around it so he or she can grasp the cord more easily.

In response to pulling the lip 36 with the cord 22, the cleaning material 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 is pushed out of the case 38 and through the bore 6 by the lip 36. The cleaning material 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 engages the barrel 4 in the bore 6 and cleans it, as described above. If the lip 36 is made of rubber, then it operates as a squeegee and distributes the gun oil from the gun oil wad 30 on the barrel 4 in the bore 6 and directs excess gun oil onto the collector swab 32 where it is absorbed.

In some embodiments, the cleaning wad 24 is secured to the tubular member 34 and the cord 22 with a surgeon's knot, which tightens around the cleaning wad 24 as it is pulled from the case 38 and through the bore 6. The surgeon's knot is slightly loose to allow the cleaning wad 24 to release from the tube 34 so it can be pulled out of the case 38. The knot then tightens as the cleaning wad 24 is pulled through the bore 6. Additionally, the knot tightens over the cleaning wad 24 causing the cotton strands in it to expand and become a more absorbent collector of residue. In response to the squeezing action, the cleaning and conditioning fluids are pushed towards the edges of the cleaning wad 24, which increases the amount of cleaning and conditioning fluids applied to the barrel 4 in the bore 6.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the contents of the shotgun cleaning shell as configured according to the present invention. As in the previous embodiments, the bead 18 is attached to an end of the cord 22. The other end of the cord 22 is connected to a spacer member 44. In this embodiment, the spacer member 44 separates and positions the cleaning wad 24 from the scrubber pad 26. Here, the spacer member 44 includes two tube-like members 43 and 45 connected at a ring 46. The tube-like member 43 closest to the bead 18 has a larger diameter than the other tube-like member 45. The tube-like members 43 and 45 are connected at the ring 46 which is a ridge of material that extends beyond the diameter of either of the tube-like members 43 and 45. The ring 46 includes a slit 48 which is an opening in the ring 46 through which the cord 22 is passed. The cord 22 is then tied or otherwise secured around the outside smaller tube-like member 45. In this particular embodiment, the bead 18 is placed contingent to an end

47 of the spacer member 44 instead of contingent to an end of the tubular member 34 as in previous embodiments.

The smaller tube-like member 45 has a lip 50 at an end opposite the end of the smaller tube-like member 45 which is connected to the ring 46. The lip 50 is inserted into an end of a tubular member 34 similar to the tubular member 34 described above.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the tubular member 34 comprises a tube 56 whose diameter is larger than the diameter of the smaller tube-like member 45 of the spacer member 44. The tube 56 of the tubular member 34 has a lip 58 on the outside of one of its ends and a lip 55 on the inside of its opposite end. The inside lip 55 on the tubular member 34 mates with the lip 50 on the end of the spacer member 44. This mating secures the tubular member 34 and the spacer member 44 together.

The cleaning wad 24 is threaded on the cord 22 and the larger tube-like member 43 of the spacer member 44 therefore circumscribing them. When the shell is fired, the ring 46 of the spacer member 44 prevents the cleaning wad 24 from sliding along the spacer member 44 and onto the tubular member 34.

The bore scrubber pad 26, dry wad 28, gun oil wad 30 and squeegees 52 and 54 are threaded on the tubular member 34 prior to mating it with the spacer member 44. Once the tubular member 34 and the spacer member 44 are mated, the bore scrubber pad 26, dry wad 28, gun oil wad 30 and squeegees 52 and 54 circumscribe the area adjacent the coupling between the tubular member 34 and the spacer member 44. The bore scrubber pad 26, dry wad 28, gun oil wad 30 and squeegees 52 and 54 are kept in place between the lip 58 on the end of the tubular member 34 and the ring 46 on the spacer member 44. When the shell is fired and the cord 22 is pulled through the bore 6, the spacer member 44 keeps the cleaning wad 24 separated from the bore scrubber pad 26. This allows the cleaning and conditioning fluids on the cleaning wad 24 time to act on the buildup in the bore 6 before the bore scrubber pad 26 acts to scrape the bore 6.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 5, two squeegees 52 and 54 are positioned between the lip 58 on the tubular member 34 and the ring 46 of the spacer member 44. It should be noted, however, that there are generally one or more squeegees. Further, squeegees 52 and 54 are made of neoprene rubber, as discussed above with lip 36. Here, the squeegees 52 and 54 are thin rings which are simply threaded onto the tubular member 34. Each squeegee 52 and 54 may serve a different purpose. For example, in some situations, the first squeegee 52 acts to force residual residue into the gun oil wad and traps the residue so it is not allowed to remain in the bore 6. The second squeegee 54 acts to form a thin and even coat of gun oil, which remains to protect the bore 6. Other types and sizes of squeegees may also be used in order to serve other purposes. Other materials and shapes may be used for squeegees provided the materials and shapes allow the squeegees to serve their intended purposes. The embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 5 is placed in the case 38 in the same way as in the other embodiment discussed above. In other embodiments of the present invention, different combinations and variations of cleaning members may be attached to the cord. For instance, the dry swab may be replaced with a second cleaning wad or the dry swab may even be left off completely. It is also possible that the tubular member may have bristles and may act as a brush to scrub the bore as the tubular member is removed from the bore. Any variation of cleaning members desirable may be connected to the cord provided it can all be packed into the shell case.

Alternate embodiments of the present invention may be designed for the different gauges of different shotguns. The sizes and shapes of the cleaning members and the location of these members on the cord may be altered in order to optimize the cleaning ability in smaller or larger shotgun bores. Therefore, dimensions given in this specification are only exemplary and are not meant to be limiting.

Accordingly, for the exemplary purposes of this disclosure, the components defining any embodiment of the invention may be formed as one piece if it is possible for the components to still serve their function. The components may also be composed of any of many different types of materials or combinations thereof that can readily be formed into shaped objects provided that the components selected are consistent with the intended mechanical operation of the invention. For example, the components may be formed of rubbers (synthetic and/or natural), glasses, composites such as fiberglass, carbon-fiber and/or other like materials, polymers such as plastic, polycarbonate, PVC plastic, ABS plastic, polystyrene, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, phenolic, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials, metals, such as zinc, magnesium, titanium, copper, iron, steel, stainless steel, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials, alloys, such as aluminum, and/or other like materials, any other suitable material, and/or any combination thereof.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical applications and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims. Accordingly, any components of the present invention indicated in the drawings or herein are given as an example of possible components and not as a limitation.

Claims

1. A method of using a shotgun cleaning shell device, comprising: loading a shotgun with a shotgun cleaning shell; wherein the shotgun cleaning shell includes a bead coupled to a plug with a cord; firing the shotgun, wherein the bead and cord are propelled through a bore of the shotgun; and engaging the cord and drawing the plug through the bore of the shotgun.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including engaging a cleaning material with the plug, the cleaning material being drawn through the bore of the shotgun with the plug.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug includes a lip and a tubular member extending outwardly therefrom.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a gas is flowed through the tubular member in response to firing the shotgun, the gas propelling the bead and cord through the bore.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the cleaning material cleans the bore of the shotgun and coats it with oil.

6. A Shotgun Cleaning Shell for cleaning the bore of a shotgun, wherein the shell comprises: a cylindrical shell case; a head connected to an end of the case; a seal connected to an end of the case opposite the head; a bead contained within the case; a cord wherein an end of the cord is connected to the bead; at least one first cleaning member, wherein the at least one first cleaning member circumscribes the cord; a spacer member connected to an end of the cord opposite the end of the cord which is connected to the bead; a tubular member coupled to an end of the spacer member, wherein the bead is contiguous an end of the spacer member opposite the end of the spacer member coupled to the tubular member; at least one second cleaning member, wherein the at least one second cleaning member circumscribes the area adjacent the coupling between the spacer member and the tubular member; at least one squeegee, wherein the at least one squeegee circumscribes the area adjacent the coupling between the spacer member and the tubular member; and a propellant device attached to the head and within the tubular member, wherein the propellant device propels the bead through a bore of a shotgun, the bead exiting the bore.

7. The shell of claim 6, wherein the at least one squeegee comprises two squeegees.

8. The shell of claim 6, wherein a user can draw the at least one first cleaning member, the at least one second cleaning member and the at least one squeegee through the bore of the shotgun.

9. The shell of claim 6, wherein the at least one first cleaning member comprises a cleaning wad.

10. The shell of claim 6, wherein the at least one second cleaning member comprises at least a bore scrubber pad.

11. The shell of claim 10, wherein the bore scrubber pad has a larger diameter than the cylindrical shell case.

12. A Shotgun Cleaning Shell for cleaning the bore of a shotgun, wherein the shell comprises: a cylindrical shell case; a head connected to an end of the case; a bead contained within the case; a cord wherein an end of the cord is connected to the bead; a spacer member connected to an end of the cord opposite the end of the cord which is connected to the bead; a tubular member coupled to an end of the spacer member; a plurality of cleaning members, wherein the plurality of cleaning members circumscribe at least one of the cord, the spacer member and the tubular member; wherein the bead is contiguous an end of the spacer member opposite the end of the spacer member coupled to the tubular member; and a propellant device attached to the head, wherein the propellant device propels the bead through a bore of a shotgun, the bead exiting the bore.

13. The shell of claim 12, wherein the tubular member further comprises a lip which prevents the plurality of cleaning members from sliding off.

14. The shell of claim 12, wherein the plurality of cleaning members comprises at least one squeegee.

15. The shell of claim 12, wherein a user can draw the plurality of cleaning members through the bore of the shotgun.

16. The shell of claim 12, wherein the plurality of cleaning members comprises a cleaning wad.

17. The shell of claim 12, wherein the plurality of cleaning members comprises a bore scrubber pad.

18. The shell of claim 12, wherein the plurality of cleaning members comprise a gun oil wad.

19. The shell of claim 12, wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning members comprise a felt pad.

20. The shell of claim 12, wherein the spacer member comprises a ring which separates at least one of the plurality of cleaning members from the remaining plurality of cleaning members. * * *