1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to air rifles and more particularly to a feeding mechanism of an automatic air rifle having improved characteristics.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional automatic firearm capable of automatic or semiautomatic fire is comprised of a receiver having a moveable hammer located therein; a selector rotatably mounted in the receiver, a first sear rotatably mounted in the receiver to engage the hammer, the first sear contacting a first camming surface of the selector; a second sear rotatably mounted in the receiver to engage the hammer, the second sear contacting a second camming surface of the selector; and a disconnect rotatably mounted in the receiver, the disconnect contacting a third camming surface of the selector. The selector has a number of selectable positions so that rotation of the selector between a first position and a last position of the selectable positions is less than 180 degrees.
While the device enjoys its success in the market, continuing improvements in the exploitation of feeding mechanism of an air gun of rifle type are constantly sought.
It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an automatic air rifle capable of automatic and semiautomatic fire comprising a receiver; a hollow limit member secured to a rear portion of the receiver; a spring-actuated cup member disposed in the limit member; an elongated cavity disposed in the receiver; a receptacle disposed at a front end of the cavity; an air chamber disposed at a rear end of the cavity; a fire control selector rotatably mounted on the receiver, the fire control selector being configured to rotate to point to a safe position, a semi-automatic position, or a fully automatic position; a cam member disposed in the receiver and co-rotated with the fire control selector; a first spring-biased member disposed to the left of the cam member; a second spring-biased member disposed to the right of the cam member; a spring-biased trigger pivotably secured to the receiver; a spring-biased pivotal member partially disposed in the trigger; a charging handle retractably disposed in the receiver; a front sliding sleeve disposed in a forward portion of the cavity and including an upper recess at a rear end and a lower recess under the upper recess; a main biasing member spaced from the front sliding sleeve, the main biasing member secured to the receiver and the charging handle respectively; a roller rotatably disposed in the cavity; an L-shaped rod disposed in the cavity; a rear stop member disposed at an end of a short part of the L-shaped rod and between the cam member and the second spring-biased member; a front stop member disposed at an end of a long part of the L-shaped rod; a rear diversion channel formed through the front sliding sleeve; a rear sliding sleeve disposed rearward of the front sliding sleeve and including a spring-biased, pivotal upper hook and a spring-biased, pivotal lower hook; a main tube disposed through the rear sliding sleeve and having a rear end slidably disposed in the cup member, and a front end fastened in the front sliding sleeve, the main tube including a rear inlet and an annular flange disposed forwardly of the rear inlet; a gas piston disposed forwardly of the main tube and forwardly of the front sliding sleeve, the gas piston having a front end disposed in the receptacle; a magazine releasably secured to the receiver and including a column for storing at least one pellet wherein one of the at least one pellet is pushed to contact an outer surface of the front end of the gas piston; a barrel having a rear end communicating with the front end of the gas piston; an inlet member formed at a rear end of the gas piston; and an auxiliary biasing member put on the main tube and biased between the front sliding sleeve and the rear sliding sleeve; wherein in response to rotating the fire control selector to the semi-automatic position, the cam member is disposed perpendicular to both the first and second spring-biased members, the rear stop member is not urged by the cam member, a pulling of the charging handle pulls the front sliding sleeve to be proximate the main tube, the gas piston moves rearward to allow one of the at least one pellet to enter the receptacle, the main biasing member expands, the upper hook lockingly engages the upper recess, the lower hook lockingly engages the lower recess, the auxiliary biasing member compresses, a releasing of the charging handle compresses the main biasing member to push both the front and rear sliding sleeves forward, the gas piston moves forward to push one of the at least one pellet into a rear end of the barrel, the upper hook is pressed by the roller in the forward movement of the rear sliding sleeve to disengage from the upper recess, a pulling of the trigger counterclockwise rotates both the pivotal member and the lower hook to unlock the front sliding sleeve, the auxiliary biasing member expands to push the rear sliding sleeve rearward, the main tube moves rearward to compress the cup member until the flange contacts the limit member and the rear inlet communicates with the air chamber, pressurized gas flows through the barrel via the air chamber, the rear inlet, the main tube, and the gas piston to discharge one of the at least one pellet out of the barrel, a portion of the pressurized gas flows into the diversion channel to push the front sliding sleeve rearward by compressing the auxiliary biasing member and expanding the main biasing member, the gas piston moves rearward to allow a next one of the at least one pellet to enter the receptacle, a stop of flowing the pressurized gas pushes the cup member forward to disengage the rear inlet from the air chamber, the upper hook lockingly engages the upper recess, the lower hook lockingly engages the lower recess, a pulling of the trigger counterclockwise rotates the pivotal member and moves the pivotal member along an outer surface of the lower hook without counterclockwise rotating the lower hook, the main biasing member compresses to push the rear sliding sleeve forward and compress the auxiliary biasing member, the upper hook is pressed by the roller in the forward movement of the rear sliding sleeve to disengage from the upper recess, and a release of the trigger clockwise rotates the pivotal member to disengage from the lower hook to dispose the trigger in a ready position; and wherein in response to rotating the fire control selector to the fully automatic position, the cam member is disposed perpendicular to both the first and second spring-biased members, the rear stop member is not urged by the cam member, a pulling of the charging handle pulls the front sliding sleeve to be proximate the main tube, the gas piston moves rearward to allow one of the at least one pellet to enter the receptacle, the main biasing member expands, the upper hook lockingly engages the upper recess, the lower hook lockingly engages the lower recess, the auxiliary biasing member compresses, a releasing of the charging handle compresses the main biasing member to push both the front and rear sliding sleeves forward, the gas piston moves forward to push one of the at least one pellet into a rear end of the barrel, the upper hook is pressed by the roller in the forward movement of the rear sliding sleeve to disengage from the upper recess, a pulling of the trigger counterclockwise rotates both the pivotal member and the lower hook to unlock the front sliding sleeve, the auxiliary biasing member expands to push the rear sliding sleeve rearward, the main tube moves rearward to compress the cup member until the flange contacts the limit member and the rear inlet communicates with the air chamber, first pressurized gas flows through the barrel via the air chamber, the rear inlet, the main tube, and the gas piston to discharge one of the at least one pellet out of the barrel, a portion of the first pressurized gas flows into the diversion channel to push the front sliding sleeve rearward by compressing the auxiliary biasing member and expanding the main biasing member, the gas piston moves rearward to allow a next one of the at least one pellet to enter the receptacle, a stop of flowing the first pressurized gas pushes the cup member forward to disengage the rear inlet from the air chamber, the upper hook lockingly engages the upper recess, the lower hook lockingly engages the lower recess, the main biasing member compresses, the auxiliary biasing member compresses to push the rear sliding sleeve forward, the upper hook is pressed by the roller in the forward movement of the rear sliding sleeve to disengage from the upper recess, a pulling of the trigger counterclockwise rotates both the pivotal member and the lower hook to unlock the front sliding sleeve, the auxiliary biasing member expands to push the rear sliding sleeve forward, the upper hook is pressed by the roller in the forward movement of the rear sliding sleeve to disengage from the upper recess, the pivotal member pivotably pushes the lower hook to disengage from the lower recess, the auxiliary biasing member expands to push the rear sliding sleeve rearward, the main tube moves rearward to compress the cup member until the flange contacts the limit member and the rear inlet communicates with the air chamber, second pressurized gas flows through the barrel via the air chamber, the rear inlet, the main tube, and the gas piston to discharge one of the at least one pellet out of the barrel, a portion of the second pressurized gas flows into the diversion channel to push the front sliding sleeve rearward by compressing the auxiliary biasing member and expanding the main biasing member, the gas piston moves rearward to allow a next one of the at least one pellet to enter the receptacle, a stop of flowing the second pressurized gas pushes the cup member forward to disengage the rear inlet from the air chamber, the upper hook lockingly engages the upper recess, the lower hook lockingly engages the lower recess, the main biasing member, the main biasing member expands, the auxiliary biasing member compresses, and both the front and rear sliding sleeves move forward to dispose the trigger in a ready position.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
A receiver 1 is provided. An elongated internal cavity 11 is provided in the receiver 1. A receptacle 12 is provided at a front end of the cavity 11. An air chamber 13 is provided at a rear end of the cavity 11. A fire control selector 14 is rotatably mounted on the receiver 1. The fire control selector 14 can be rotated to point to a “SAFE” (i.e., at which the air rifle cannot be fired) mode, a “SEMI” (i.e., semi-automatic) mode, or an “AUTO” (i.e., fully automatic) mode. A cam member 15 is provided in the receiver 1 and co-rotated with the fire control selector 14. A first spring-biased member 151 is provided to the left of the cam member 15 and a second spring-biased member 152 is provided to the right of the cam member 15 respectively (see
A roller 21 is provided on an upper portion of the cavity 11. An L-shaped rod 3 is provided on a lower portion of the cavity 11. A rear stop member 31 s provided at an end of the short part of the L-shaped rod 3. The rear stop member 31 is disposed between the cam member 15 and the second spring-biased member 152 and contacts the same respectively. A front stop member 32 is provided at an end of the long part of the L-shaped rod 3. The front sliding sleeve 2 has a forward part and a rear part having a diameter less than that of the forward art. A diversion channel 22 is formed through an intermediate portion of the front sliding sleeve 2 joining the forward part and the rear part of the front sliding sleeve 2. A rear sliding sleeve 4 is provided rearward of the front sliding sleeve 2 and includes a spring-biased, pivotal upper hook 41 configured to lockingly engage an upper recess 23 at a rear end of the front sliding sleeve 2, and a spring-biased, pivotal lower hook 42 configured to lockingly engage a lower recess 24 at the rear end of the front sliding sleeve 2. A main tube 5 is provided through the rear sliding sleeve 4 and has a rear end fastened in a spring-actuated cup member 71 at a rear portion of the receiver 1. The cup member 71 is fastened in a hollow limit member 7 which is secured to the rear portion of the receiver 1. A front end of the main tube 5 is fastened in the front sliding sleeve 2. An inlet 51 is provided proximate the rear end of the main tube 5. An annular flange 52 is provided adjacent to the rear end. The flange 52 is between a rear end of the upper hook 41 and a rear end of the lower hook 42. A gas piston 54 is provided forwardly of the main tube 5. The gas piston 54 has a front end in the receptacle 12 and a substantial portion disposed in the front sliding sleeve 2. A pellet 53 stored in a column 61 of a magazine 6 is pushed to contact an outer surface of the front end of the gas piston 54. A barrel 50 has a rear end in communication with the front end of the gas piston 54. An inlet 55 is provided at a rear end of the gas piston 54. An auxiliary spring 40 is put on the main tube 5 and biased between the front sliding sleeve 2 and the rear sliding sleeve 4. Thus, the front sliding sleeve 2 is made into a spring-actuated member.
The first firing mode is discussed be low. In response to rotating the fire control selector 14 to the “SEMI” position (see
As shown in
While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.