Claims
- 1. A breech mechanism for use in a firearm, the breech mechanism comprising:(a) a breech housing; (b) a slidingly displaceable breechblock at least partially deployed within said breech housing, said breechblock being displaceable between a firing position, and an ejecting and loading position, said breechblock terminating at a first end configured to interact with a bullet cartridge; and (c) a spring locking-element configured as a sleeve that is as at least partially deployed within said breech housing, said spring locking-element configured so as to be biased to a normally locking state, which is an inwardly convergent closed state, said spring locking-element further configured such that as said breechblock is displaced from said ejecting and loading position toward said firing position is deformed out of said normally locking state, and as said breechblock reaches said firing position said spring locking-element springs back toward said normally closed state thereby locking said breechblock in said firing position, wherein said deformation from said normally closed state is substantially radial expansion of said locking element.
- 2. The breech mechanism of claim 1, further including a releasing element at least partially deployed within said breech housing, said releasing element configured so as to deform said spring locking-element from said normally closed state thereby releasing said breechblock from said firing position, wherein said releasing element is configured so as to be slidingly displaceable and is deployed so as to circumscribe at least a portion of said breechblock, said releasing element being displaceable between non-releasing and releasing positions such that when said releasing element is displaced to said releasing position, said releasing element engages said spring locking-element thereby causing said radial expansion of said spring locking-element.
- 3. The breech mechanism of claim 2, wherein said breech housing is configured so as to hold said spring locking-element in a longitudinally static deployment.
- 4. The breech mechanism of claim 2, wherein said substantially radial expansion is at an end of said locking element that comes into contact with said breechblock such that as said breechblock is displaced from said ejecting and loading position toward said firing position, said breechblock causes said substantially radial expansion of said spring locking-element thereby allowing said breechblock to enter said spring locking-element such that said spring locking-element substantially circumscribes said breechblock, and as said breechblock reaches said firing position said spring locking-element springs back into said normally closed state thereby engaging said breechblock so as to lock said breechblock in said firing position.
- 5. The breech mechanism of claim 4, wherein said spring locking-element is configured with a plurality of longitudinal slots along a portion of a length of said spring locking-element, said slots thereby defining between, them, locking fingers that are connected to said spring locking-element at a first end, and free to spread substantially radially at a second end of said spring locking-element.
- 6. The breech mechanism of claim 5, further comprising engagement faces of said locking fingers configured at said second end of said spring locking-element, said engagement faces being configured such that as said breechblock is displaced from said ejecting and loading position toward said firing position, said breechblock engages said engagement faces thereby causing said locking fingers to spread radially so as to allow said breechblock to enter said spring locking-element such that said spring locking-element substantially circumscribes at least a portion of said breechblock.
- 7. The breech mechanism of claim 6, wherein said engagement faces form an interior surface of said spring locking-element, said engagement faces being configured so as to be inwardly convergent.
- 8. The breech mechanism of claim 7, further comprising a locking ridge deployed on said locking fingers, said locking ridge configured so as to engage said breechblock.
- 9. The breech mechanism of claim 8, wherein said breechblock is configured with said first end having a substantially radially enlarged portion, said enlarged portion terminating at said first end of said breechblock, said enlarged portion terminating at a second end in a locking shoulder, said locking shoulder configured to interlock with said locking ridge.
- 10. The breech mechanism of claim 9, wherein said locking shoulder substantially circumscribes said breechblock.
- 11. The breech mechanism of claim 9, wherein said releasing element is deployed so as to circumscribe at least a portion of a non-enlarged portion of said breechblock, said releasing element having an outside diameter at least equal to the outside diameter of said enlarged portion of said breechblock, said releasing element being displaceable in a direction substantially parallel to a length of said breechblock, said releasing element being displaceable between locking and releasing positions such that when said releasing element is displaced to said releasing position, said releasing element engages said engagement faces of said locking fingers thereby spreading said locking fingers radially so as to allow said displacement of said breechblock.
- 12. The breech mechanism of claim 1, wherein said breechblock is configured so as to be non-rotating.
- 13. The breech mechanism of claim 2, wherein said breechblock, said spring locking-element, and said releasing element are substantially cylindrical.
- 14. The breech mechanism of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal position of said spring locking-element within said breech housing is variable.
- 15. The breech mechanism of claim 14, wherein said position of said spring locking-element is varied by at least one spacer deployed adjacent to at least one end of said spring locking-element.
- 16. The breech mechanism of claim 2, wherein said displacement of said releasing element is actuated by rotation of a breechblock handle located adjacent to a second end of said breechblock.
- 17. The breech mechanism of claim 16, wherein an axis of said rotation of said breechblock handle is substantially perpendicular to a line of displacement of said breechblock.
- 18. The breech mechanism of claim 17, wherein a vector of displacement of said breechblock from said firing position to said ejection and loading position is parallel to a plane of rotation of said breechblock handle is parallel, such that said force applied to said handle rotates said handle thereby releasing said breechblock and said force then actuates said displacement of said breechblock.
- 19. The breech mechanism of claim 1, wherein said spring locking-element is configured so as to define head space of the firearm.
Parent Case Info
This application is based on U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/390434 filed Jun. 24, 2002.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/390434 |
Jun 2002 |
US |