Patent Application
20240225018
This invention relates to non-penetrating captive bolt devices.
Known prior art devices use a cartridge, compressed air, and/or compression springs to power non-penetrating or skull penetrating bolts for effecting concussive stunning or euthanasia of animals. U.S. Pat. No. 8,932,117 to Keck et al. discloses an apparatus for euthanizing poultry by rapidly impacting the spinal column of a bird with a forked rod using the stored energy of a helical compression spring. U.S. Pat. No. 1,668,432 to Thorstenson discloses a firearm having a rod extending from a cap member and a compressed spring attached between the cap member and a sleeve. Compression of the spring causes the rod to release a firing pin rod that impacts a cartridge. U.S. Pat. No. 863,909 to Evans discloses a centerer used for marking the centers of shafts having a compressed spring that functions to drive a marker. Swiss Patent No. CH170074A to Edelmann and German Publication No. 8,425,402 both disclose compression springs with firing triggers which engage a notch or groove on firing pins.
A non-penetrating captive bolt device having a relatively large spring with a large spring force utilizes the mechanical advantage of a threaded mechanism for retracting a bolt against a biasing force of the spring. The device includes a housing formed from generally hollow, separate front and rear sections that rotate relative to each other. At least one annular bearing is fixedly secured within the rear end of the front housing section to assist such relative rotation. A bolt outlet opening is formed in a proximal end or front of the front housing section and a cylindrical passageway extends through the annular bearing between the housing sections.
The bolt includes a radially outward projecting flange on a rear end thereof and an elongated rod or stem projects rearward from the rear end of the bolt. A circumferential groove or notch is formed in a distal end of the elongated rod. A trigger actuated catch or trigger mechanism, including a catch and triggers, is fixedly mounted on the rear end of a hollow externally threaded cylinder within the rear housing section. The elongated stem extends through an internal bore in the externally threaded cylinder. The external threads on the externally threaded cylinder are threadingly coupled to internal threads of a housing coupler located adjacent the annular bearing.
A compression type coil spring is mounted within the front housing section with opposite ends captured between a front face of the annular bearing and a rear face of the flange formed on the rear end of the bolt. The spring normally biases the bolt forward such that, when the stem is released from the trigger actuated catch, a front portion of the bolt extends through the bolt outlet opening.
To retract the bolt and load the spring, the rear housing section is rotated in a first direction to advance the threaded cylinder and attached trigger actuated catch forward until the trigger actuated catch is advanced into alignment with and engages the circumferential groove on the distal end of the elongated stem. The rear housing section is then rotated in the opposite or second direction to retract the threaded cylinder and the trigger actuated catch engaging the stem rearward to draw the flanged bolt rearward against the biasing force of the spring. The rear housing section is rotated in the second direction until the trigger actuated catch is fully retracted relative to the rear housing section and the spring is compressed or loaded. When the trigger actuated catch is fully retracted, the bolt is fully retracted rearward past the bolt outlet opening and within the front housing section.
Longitudinally extending slots are formed in the rear housing section to allow the triggers of the trigger actuated catch to advance forward and rearward relative thereto. A circumferential recess is formed in a rear portion of the rear housing section to allow a user to access and actuate the triggers to release the elongated rod allowing the spring to rapidly advance the bolt forward through the bolt outlet opening at the front of the front housing section.
Illustrative embodiments are described in detail below with the reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
The drawing figures do not limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “rightwardly,” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the embodiment being described and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of a similar import.
With reference to
Referring to
The compression spring 14 is captured within the front housing section 32 between the flange 80 projecting outward from the rear of bolt 48 and the annular bearing 44. A forward-facing shoulder 96 may be formed circumferentially about an interior wall of the front housing section 32 against which the annular bearing 44 may be positioned. A rear face 98 of the annular bearing 44 abuts the shoulder 96 to prevent the annular bearing 44 from moving longitudinally in the front housing section 32. The compression spring 14 presses the annular bearing 44 against the shoulder 96. A first end 108 and a second end 110 of the compression spring 14 are captured by a rear face 112 of the flange and a front face 116 of the annular bearing 44, respectively.
The front housing section 32 and the rear housing section 34 enclose components of the captive bolt device 10, including the bolt 48, the elongated stem 64 that extends through the compression spring 14, the compressions spring 14 and the trigger actuated catch 46. The compression spring 14 biases the bolt 48 toward a forward or discharged position. The bolt 48, when driven to the discharged position, partially extends through the bolt opening 90 in a front cap 120. The front cap 120 may be configured to be secured to the front housing section 32 through one or more engagement features (not shown) that can withstand the force of the bolt 48 when discharged through the engagement of triggers 122 extending from the trigger actuated catch 46 to advance the trigger actuated catch 46 out of engagement with the circumferential groove 60 in stem 64 to release the elongated stem 64. The engagement features may include one or more of threads, frictional engagement components such as O-rings or gaskets, or other known engagement features.
The front cap 120 is cylindrically shaped with the bolt opening 90 extending through a center of a concave cap top 126. In the embodiment shown, the bolt opening 90 has a radial dimension that is slightly larger than the radial dimension of the bolt 48. The concave cap top 126 has a concave face 128 and a shoulder 130 that may be formed to fit the skull of an animal that is the subject of stunning or euthanasia. The front cap 120 may have a circumferential indentation 136 on an exterior wall for use by the user to grasp the front cap 120. In the embodiment shown, the captive bolt device 10 includes the housing coupler 42 with the internally threaded portion 40 that extends between the rear housing section 34 and the front housing section 32. The housing coupler 42 may be located within and/or between the front housing section 32 and the rear housing section 34. In one embodiment the internally threaded portion 40 of the housing coupler 42 extends within the forward end of the rear housing section 34 and within the rear end of the front housing section 32. The internally threaded portion 40 includes at least one thread for engaging the externally threaded cylinder 38. In a preferred embodiment the internally threaded portion 40 includes and is formed around a generally hollow, longitudinally extending cylindrical space 138 that extends between the rear housing section 34 and the front housing section 32. Threads of the internally threaded portion 40 project inward and mate with the threads of the externally threaded cylinder 38. The annular bearing 44 is disposed on a front face 142 of a housing coupler wall 140 of the housing coupler 42. In one embodiment, the front face 142 of the housing coupler wall 140 aligns with the shoulder 96 of the interior wall of the front housing section 32, and the annular bearing 44 is disposed on the front face 142 of the housing coupler wall 140 and the shoulder 96 of front housing section 32.
As shown in the figures, at a rear end 150 of the front housing section 32, a housing shoulder 152 is formed on and extends radially outward from the housing coupler wall 140. The rear end 150 of the front housing section 32 is disposed against a front face of the housing shoulder 152. A coupling washer 154 is disposed on the opposite side of the housing shoulder 152 than the front housing section 32, between the housing shoulder 152 and the rear housing section 34. The externally threaded cylinder 38 extends into a rear end 156 of the housing coupler 42. The rear end 156 of the housing coupler 42 extends from and is formed on the housing shoulder 152. In one embodiment the rear end 156 has an external radial dimension that is less than the external radial dimension of the housing shoulder 152 and of the housing coupler wall 140. A circumferential indentation 158 may circumscribe the rear end 156 of the housing coupler 42.
The externally threaded cylinder 38 in the rear housing section 34 includes the internal bore 86 through which the elongated stem 64 extends and is retracted and actuated or discharged. In the preferred embodiment, the internal bore 86 extends through the externally threaded cylinder 38, and between catch mounting members 160 projecting beyond a rear end 50 of the externally threaded cylinder 38. The catch mounting members 160 form an open slot 166 extending on opposite sides of and through the internal bore 86 on the rear end 50 of the externally threaded cylinder 38.
As show in
Each trigger 122 includes an outwardly projecting trigger finger 172 that may be actuated by a user, a latch engaging sear or portion or finger 204 that selectively engages the respective latch arm 170, and a pin engaging portion 202 which assists in retaining the trigger 122 in desired positions.
The trigger fingers 172 of the triggers 122 extend outwardly through the open slot 166. When the trigger actuated catch 46 is in the latched and retracted position relative to the elongated stem 64, the trigger fingers 172 are biased in an outward position by a first biasing spring 188 and also extend through the longitudinal slots 200 of the rear housing section 34 as shown in
The pin engaging portions 202 control the rotation of the triggers 122 when the trigger fingers are compressed. Each pin engaging portion 202 of the triggers 122 is formed to engage the respective cylindrical left and right locating pin 184 that extends perpendicular to the captive bolt device 10 through a respective left and right aperture 186 located in the catch mounting members 160. The pin engaging portions 202 shown include an irregular concave surface with a slight bump or projection in the middle forming two pin receiving recesses or detents on each side thereof. When the first biasing spring 188 biasingly pivots the triggers 122, the latch engaging fingers 204 of the triggers 122 engage and retain the latch arms 170 in a latching position or ready-to-fire state relative to the elongated stem 64 of bolt 48, and the locating pins 184 extend into first pin receiving recesses of the pin engaging portions 202. When the trigger fingers 172 are actuated by compressedly pivoting the trigger fingers 172 inward, the trigger fingers 172 rotate about the trigger pivot pins 176 and the pin engaging portions 202 move about the circumference of the locating pins 184 until the locating pins 184 are seated in a second recess of the pin engaging portions 202 and the latch engaging fingers 204 of the triggers 122 release the latch arms 170.
The latch engaging finger 204 of each trigger 122 is formed as a projecting finger or sear and may have a slightly rounded or convex tip. Each latch engaging finger 204 is configured to be pivoted into engagement with a trigger engaging finger 206 formed on the end of each latch arm 170 when the latch arms 170 and the triggers 122 are pivoted to the latched position. The latch engaging fingers 204 hold the latch arms 170 in position, under tension of the compression spring 14, until the trigger fingers 172 are compressed with a required amount of pressure and the latch engaging fingers 204 move away from the latch arms 170, releasing the latch arms 170 which releases the bolt 48.
The latch arms 170 are rotatably secured to the catch mounting members 160, rearward of the triggers 122, by latch pivot pins 180 that extend through latch pivot pin apertures 182 in the catch mounting members 160. A second biasing spring 190 encircles the catch mounting members 160 and is located in a second biasing spring indent 191 that is forward of the latch pivot pins 180. The second biasing spring engages the latch arms 170 in the open slot 166 and may be used to bias the latch arms 170 to pivot about the pivot pins 180 toward the latching position. The second biasing spring 190 preferably has a weaker spring force than the first biasing spring 188. It is foreseen that the second biasing spring 190 may be located rearward of the latch pivot pins 180.
Each latch arm 170 includes an outwardly projecting latch arm lobe 174 that may assist in providing a driving mechanism for threadingly advancing or retracting the trigger actuated catch 46, an inwardly projecting latch arm lobe 175 engageable to assist in moving the corresponding latch arm 170 into the latching position, a trigger engaging portion or finger 206 selectively engageable by the respective trigger 122, and a notch engaging barb or portion 210 that may engage the circumferential groove or notch 60 on the elongated stem 64.
The outwardly projecting latch arm lobes 174 extend outward from a respective latch arm 170 through the respective left and right sides of the open slot 166. The outwardly projecting latch arm lobes 174, along with the trigger fingers 172, provide part of the driving mechanism for threadingly advancing and retracting the externally threaded cylinder 38 within the internally threaded portion 40. The outwardly projecting latch arm lobes 174 are formed on and are a part of the inwardly projecting latch arm lobes 175 that extend into the internal bore 86 between the catch mounting members 160. Engagement of the inwardly projecting latch arm lobes 175 by the head 62 of the elongated stem 64 causes the latch arms 170 to rotate about the latch pivot pins 180 and into the latching position.
When the head 62 of the elongated stem 64 engages the inwardly projecting latch arm lobes 175 causing the latch arms 170 to rotate inward and into a latched position with the circumferential groove 60 of the elongated stem 64, the trigger engaging fingers 206 of each latch arm 170 rotate inward and engage the latch engaging fingers 204 of the triggers 122 that are biased outward by the first biasing spring 188. The trigger engaging fingers 206 extend toward and are formed to engage the latch engaging fingers 204 of the triggers 122 and may include a slightly concave surface for mating with the latch engaging fingers 204. When engaged, the latch engaging fingers 204 maintain the trigger engaging fingers 206 and the respective latch arms 170 in a latched position.
The latch arms 170 engage the circumferential groove 60 of the elongated stem 64 by rotating inward about the latch pivot pins 180 such that the notch engaging barbs 210 on the inner faces of the latch arms 170 extend inward to engage the circumferential groove 60. The notch engaging barbs 210, as well as the latch engaging fingers 204 and the pin engaging portions 202 of the triggers 122, assist in maintaining the latch arms 170 in the latched position. The rear surfaces 192 of the notch engaging barbs 210 slope inwardly and forwardly cooperating with the outward and rearward sloping forward facing shoulder surface 194 of the head 62 of the elongated stem 64. Upon compression of the trigger fingers 172, the sloping surfaces 192, 194 allow the head 62 to be released and the forward biasing force of the compressed spring 14 advances the bolt 48 into the forward position.
As shown in
With reference to
The end cap 218 is secured to the end of the rear housing section 34 in covering relationship with the end of the rear housing section 34 including the top of the catch mounting members 160, the open slot 166 and the top of the trigger actuated catch 46.
With reference to
Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/380,464 filed Oct. 21, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20240130379 A1 | Apr 2024 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63380464 | Oct 2022 | US |
