US2980096A - Gas powered revolver - Google Patents

Description

April 18, 1961 R. MERz 2,980,096

GAS POWERED REVOLVER RUDOLF MERZ April 18, 1961 R. MERZ GAS POWERED REVOLVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 12, 1959 INVENTOR.

RUDOLF MERZ United States Patent GAS POWERED REVOLVER Filed Jan. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 786,332

6 Claims. (Cl. 124-11) The present invention relates to gas powered guns, and

more particularly to a gas powered pistol.

Although there are several different types of gas powered pistols known today; heretofore no gas powered pistol of the revolver type has been devised.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a gas powered pistol of a revolver type.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gas powered revolver having a hammer, the cooking of which rotates the cylinder a predetermined distance, to place a new chamber in alignment with the barrel of the gun.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gas powered revolver which when tired releases gas under pressure into the chamber that is aligned with the barrel of the gun.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gas powered revolver wherein the hammer is manually operable to a cocked position and to a safety position, which safety position prevents the hammer from inadvertently releasing gas under pressure to tire the revolver.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a gas powered revolver having a magazine for feeding projectiles to the chambers of the revolver cylinder after each chamber hasbeen red. v

A still further object of this invention is to provide a gas powered revolver, which is simple in its operation, inexpensive to manufacture, and durable in its construction.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation 0f a revolver constructed according to one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the revolver shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the revolver taken at line 3 3 of Fig. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows with the hammer shown in its safety position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the underside of the magazine taken at line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, but showing the slide in open position;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the revolver;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the revolver taken on line 6 6 of Fig. Slooking in the direction of the arrows and showing the cylinder in front elevation;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the revolver taken at line 7 7 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the rotatable cylinder showing the mechanism for rotating the cylinder step by step with the index arm in the position it assumes when the hammer is cocked; and

Fig.-9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the cylinder taken at line 9 9 of Fig. 8 and looking in the direction of the arrows, and also showing the trigger and hammer in section.

2,980,096 Patented Apr. 1s, 1951 volver herein can be held in and operated with one hand.

It has a six chambered cylinder, each chamber of which is adapted to contain a spherical projectile. The pistol has a manually operable hammer, which when cocked rotates the cylinder a predetermined distance to align a new chamber with the barrel of the gun. The frame of the revolver is adapted to hold a replaceable cartridge containing high pressure gas. When the hammer is released by the operation of a trigger a certain amount of this gas is released to propel a projectile from that chamber which is aligned with the barrel. Upon the cocking of the hammer, the chamber from which a projectile was ired is reloaded from a magazine holding a plurality of projectiles.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the revolver comprises a frame 10 having a projecting barrel portion 12 and a pistol grip handle portion 14. The central portion of the frame 10 is provided with a rotatably mounted cylinder 16 and a hammer 18. The hammer is operable to be manually pivoted to a cocked position against the force of a spring 19,`and it is released to iire the revolver by operating a conventional trigger 20. The barrel portion 12 of the revolver is preferably provided with an elongated hollow cylindrical liner 21 through which a projectile, such as 23, is adapted to be propelled; The breech end of the barrel 12 opens onto -a flat surface 24 of the frame 10 (see Fig. 7), and the muzzle end of the barrel portion 12 maybe provided with an enlarged opening v25 which corresponds to the size of a conventional 45 caliber revolver, for example. The cylinder 16, which has six chambers 22, is rotatably mounted on an axle assembly that is comprised of a cylindrical block 26 and a cylindrical block 27, which are coaxially attached by threads 28. I

A replaceable gas cartridge 35 is adapted to be positioned beneath the barrel 12 so that its narrow neck portion 36 seals a central opening 37 (see Fig. 6) formed in the block 26. A threaded bolt 41, which slidably tits through openings of spaced lugs 42, is adjustably threaded by a nut 44 against the gas cartridge 35 to clamp it securely in position between the bolt 42 and the face of the opening 37. An O-ring 46 prevents the escape of gas between the Walls of the opening 37 and the neck portion 36. A chamber 48 formed in the blocks 26 and 27 communicates through a duct 50 with the opening 37 in the block 26 and with a radial port 51 formed in the block 27. A poppet valve 52 is mounted in the chamber 48 to prevent the escape of gas 4from the chamber 48 into the radial port 51. The valve is urged closed against a valve seat formed on the block 27 by a coil spring 54. The valve has a valve stem 55 which extends axially through the block 27 and into the duct 50. The spring 54 surrounds the valve stem 55 and is interposed between the block 26 and the valve 52. The stem 55 also has a piercing projection 49 whichinitially pierces the cartridge 35 to release gas therefrom when the valve stem 55 is struck by the hammer 18.

The rear ends of the chambers 22 of the cylinders 16 are closed by a plate 57 which is welded or brazed or otherwise secured to the cylinder. 'Ihe plate 57 is formed with radially-extending ducts 60v which connect the several chambers 22 successively with the radial duct 51 when each chamber is. aligned withthe barrel 12 (see Fig. 2). An Q-ring 63 is mounted in the member 27 to prevent the escape of gas between the plate 57 and the member 27. The forward end of each of the chambers 22 has an enlarged portion S6 which is adapted to hold a projectile, such as a ball, 23. A spring58 (see Fig. 3) which is mounted in the central portion of the frame 10 has a bent arm 59 which holds each projectile in its chamber 22 when that vchamber is aligned with the barrellZ.

The frame 10 has a tubular magazine 61 (Figs. l and for holding a column vof projectiles 23. The magazine is formed alongside and below the barrel 12 in such a position that it registers with each chamber 22 after the chamber has been iired. The magazine 61 is provided with a slidable follower l62 havingahandle portion 64 for moving the member toward its forward or muzzle end to uncover Aa peripheral opening 66 through which the individual projectiles 23 are inserted in the magazine. A spring 63 urges the follower 62 .toward the open end of the magazine 61 to close the opening 66 and to urge the iirst of Va column of projectiles, such as are shown in Fig. 5, into the enlarged portion 56 of that particular chamber l22 which is aligned with the magazine. As the depth of the enlarged portion 56 of the chamber 22 Ais equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the projectile 23, and the diameter of the unenlarged portion of each chamber 22 is smaller than the diameter of a projectile, only one projectile 23 can enter each chamber at a time. The projectiles which are in the chambers 22, which are not aligned with the magazine 61 or the barrel 12 are held therein by the opposing face 24 of the frame 19.

The hammer 18, which is operable to assume three distinct positions, a cocked position, a safety position, and a red position, is pivotally mounted on the frame at 71 and is urged to its fired position against the valve stem 55 by the spring 19. Pivotally attached to the hammer 13 by a pin 76, is an index arm Si) (Figs. 3, 8 and 9) having a bent linger .81 which is urged against the plate 57 by a coil spring 83. This spring surrounds the pivot pin 76 and engages at one end with the arm 8) and at its other end with the hammer 18. When the hammer 18 is pivoted to its cocked position, the index arm Si) pushes upward against the edge of one of a plurality of angularly spaced indentations 85 formed in the rear face of the plate 57 to rotate the cylinder 16 in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 8, to place a ychamber 22 in communication with the barrel 12 and the radial port 51; thereby moving the chamber 22, which was previously aligned with the barrel 12, into registry with the magazine 61. A spring loaded ball detent 87 (see Fig. 3) in the frame 10 is urged into oneof the recesses 88 (see Figs. 8 and 9) in the plate 57 when its corresponding chamber 22 is in proper alignment with the barrel 12, thereby holding that chamber in alignment with the barrel. The hammer 1S is held in its cocked position by a projection 85 of the trigger 20 (see Fig. 3) which engages a shoulder 89 on the hammer. The trigger 20, which is pivotally mounted at 91, is urged in a counterclockwise direction as shown Vin Fig. 3 by a spring 92 that is mounted in a socket in the frame. When the trigger 20 is pulled, the hammer 18 snaps forward to hit the stem 55 Ato force thevalve 52 from its seat 53, thereby releasing the compressed gas from the chamber 48 through the lradial port S1, and into that chamber 22 which communicates with the port 51 to propel the projectile 23 through the barrel 12. It should be notedithat the force ot the coil spring 54 and the pressure of the gas in the chamber 4S is suilcient'to close the valve 52 immediately after tiring and to keep it closed when the hammer 18 is resting in its tired position against the stem S5. To place the hammer 18 in its safety position, it is manually rocked until the trigger projection 86 enters a recess 95 of the hammer. In this safety position, as shown in Fig. 3, the trigger cannot be inadvertently pulled, and the hammer 1S is held out of contact with the stem S5, so that the gas cannot be inadvertently released when the revolver is in its holster, for example.

In operation, the magazine slide 62 is moved forward by its handle 64 to uncover the opening 56 of the tube 61 to insert a plurality of projectiles 23 therein. The follower 62 is then released, land the force of the spring 68 urges the iirst of the column of projectiles 23 from the magazine into that chamber 22 which is aligned with the magazine. The cylinder 16 is then manually ro tated in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. 6 thereby successively placing each of the chambers 22 in alignment with the magazine to completely load all six chambers of the cylinder. After all the chambers 2.2 have been loaded, more projectiles may' be placed in the magazine 61 in the manner previously mentioned. In the particular embodiment herein the magazine is adapted to contain twelve projectiles so that there are eighteen projectiles in the pistol when it is fully loaded. The hammer 18 is then pulled backward to its cocked position as shown in Fig. 9 which forces the index arm Si) upward so that its tinger 81, which engages the edge of an indentation 8S, rotates the cylinder 16 clockwise as shown in Fig 8. In this movement, the springloaded ball 87 is forced .out of one recess 88, and snaps into the adjacent recess 88, when va chamber 22 Ais valigned with the barrel, thereby holding the cylinder against rotation. A lip 98 on the arm S0 engages vin one of the other indentations to prevent the cylinder 16 from being rotated in the Wrong direction which is the counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8. The trigger is then pulled, releasing the hammer 18 to open the valve 52 momentarily, thereby tiring the projectile through the barrel from the chamber .22 which is registering with the barrel. When the hammer is again pulled backward to its cocked position, the index arm again rotates the cylinder 16 one step thereby bringing a new projectile into alignment with the barrel and placing the empty chamber 22, which was previously aligned with the barlrel, in registry with the magazine 61. Another projectile is then urged into the empty chamber 22 in the manner heretofore described; and the pistol is again ready for tiring. When `the gas in the cartridge 35 has been exhausted, the nut 44 is rotated to release the cartridge, thereby permitting the exhausted cartridge 35 to be replaced.

While .the invention has been described in connection with a specic embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modilication, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A gas powered revolver comprising a frame, a barrel projecting from said frame, a chamber in said frame adapted to contain high pressure gas, a cylinderrotatably mounted in said frame, said cylinder having al plurality of chambers therein, one end of each of the last-named chambers having an enlarged portion adapted to hold a projectile, a plurality of ducts extending radially of the first-named v chamber and communicating, respectively, with the other end of each of said last-named chambers, a valve normally closing oli said first-named chamber from said radial ducts, saidvalve when opened permitting ow of gas from said tirst-named chamber into that second-named chamber which is aligned with said barrel, spring means constantly urging said valve to a closed position, a hammer pivotally mounted on said frame and operable to be moved to a cocked position for causing saidhammer to open said valve means momentarilyfor propelling a projectile 4from said aligned chamber through said barrel, and a magazine mounted on said frame to be aligned with a chamber adjacent that chamber which is aligned with the barrel, and means in said magazine for urging a projectile into the enlarged portion of said chamber which is aligned with said magazine, and means connected to said hammer for rotating said cylinder a predetermined distance to bring one of second-named chambers into alignment with said barrel upon the cocking of said hammer.

2. A gas powered revolver, comprising a frame, a barrel projecting from said frame, a cylinder having a plurality of chambers therein rotatably `mounted* in said frame, each of said chambers being positioned to be successively aligned with the barrel, normally closed valve means having a reciprocable stem extending axially of the cylinder, a hammer pivotally mounted in said frame, spring means urging said hammer toward said valve means, said hammer having a recess and a shoulder spaced from said recess formed therein, a trigger pivotally mounted on said frame, said trigger having a projection positioned to engage said recess to lock said hammer out of engagement with said valve means, said projection engaging said shoulder for releasably holding said hammer in a cocked position, said trigger releasing said hammer to open said valve means momentarily upon operation of said trigger when in engagement with said shoulder, and means connecting said hammer and said cylinder for rotating said cylinder a predetermined distance upon movement of said hammer to a cocked position.

3. A gas-powered revolver comprising a frame, a tubular barrel secured to said frame, a cylinder mounted on said frame for rotation about an axis parallel to but offset from the axis of said barrel, said cylinder having a plurality of projectile-receiving chambers therein which are equiangularly spaced about the axis of said cylinder, each of said chambers being adapted to hold a projectile and each extending in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder, said cylinder having as many ducts therein as there are chambers, each of said ducts extending radially of the axis of said cylinder and each communicating at one end with one of said projectile-receiving chambers, means for replaceably securing a gas-filled cartridge to said frame, said frame having a holding chamber therein to receive gas from said cartridge, said frame having a port communicating with said holding chamber, a valve reciprocably mounted in said frame, spring means constantly urging said valve to closed position to close ol communication between said port and said holding chamber, means for rotating said cylinder step-by-step to bring the opposite end of each radial ductsuccessively into registry with said port, a hammer movably mounted on said frame, a manually-operable trigger for releasablyv holding said hammer in cocked position, and means for moving said hammer, when it is released, into engagement with said valve to open said valve.

4. A gas-powered revolver comprising a frame, a tubular barrel mounted on said frame, a cylindrical valve block rigidly secured to said frame beneath the barrel, a cylinder mounted on said valve block for rotation about an axis parallel to said barrel, said cylinder having a plurality of projectile-receiving chambers therein which are equi-angularly spaced about the axis of said cylinder, each of said chambers being adapted to hold a projectile and each extending in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder, said cylinder having as many ducts therein as there are chambers, each of said ducts extending radially of the axis of said cylinder and each communicating at one end with one of said projectile-receiving chambers, means for replaceably securing a gas-filled cartridge to said frame in parallelism to said barrel and in axial alignment with said cylindrical valve block, said valve block having a holding chamber therein to receive gas from said cartridge, said valve block having a port communieating with said holding chamber and positioned to communicate successively with said ducts as said cylinder is indexed rotatably step-by-step about its axis, a valve reciprocably mounted in said valve block for reciprocation axially therein, spring means constantly urging said valve to closed position to close olf communication between said port and said holding chamber, a hammer movably mounted on said frame, a manually-operable trigger for releasably holding said hammer in cocked position, means for moving said hammer, when it is released, into engagement with said valve to open said valve, means for rotatably indexing said cylinder step-by-step to bring said radial ducts successively into registry with said port, and means operatively connected with said hammer for rotating said cylinder a step each time said hammer is cocked.

5. A gas-powered revolver according to claim 4 wherein said hammer is pivotally mounted on said frame, and wherein said valve includes a valve stem which extends rearwardly axially of said valve block and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said hammer and which is disposed to be engaged by said hammer, when said hammer is released, to open said valve.

6. A gas-powered revolver according to claim 4 wherein each of said projectile receiving chambers has a portion of large diameter at its forward end adapted to receive a projectile and has a smaller diameter portion at its rear end, which is connected to the associated radial duct.

References Cited in the le of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS 452,882 Gitfard May 26, 1891 1,088,689 Eck Mar. 3, 1914 2,006,030 Price June 25, 1935 2,437,728 Drumheller Mar. 16, 1948 2,572,176 Mihalyi Oct. 23, 1951 2,625,927 Rosenbloom Jan. 20, 1953 2,817,328 Gale Dec. 24, 1957

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