Patent Grant
10337844
The present invention relates generally to inert training ammunition and, in particular, an impact energy suppressor assembly inserted into training ammunition.
Inert training ammunition and devices for absorbing the energy of a firearm firing pin, which may be referred to as snap caps, are known in the art. Such devices are used in the place of a live round of ammunition for training purposes. The user of a firearm can load a training bullet as the user would with live ammunition and then proceed to use the firearm as he or she would with a live round allowing the user to learn how to use the firearm and to gain a better understanding of the feel and effect of the firearm. In use, the firing pin of a firearm is released, as it would be with a live round, and drives forward toward the chambered training ammunition. The training devices are constructed to receive and slow the forward motion of the firing pin. The goal is to have training ammunition that will match the feel and action of a live round. Such training devices are beneficial to individual firearms owners and to professionals, such as those training to become law officers or for officers using a new firearm. Use of a firearm with an inert training round, or “dummy round,” provides for safer training of first-time shooters in military, law enforcement or civilian settings and for safer handling of a firearm when the user transitions to a firearm having live rounds.
Training ammunition devices currently known in the art typically comprise aluminum shell cases with polymeric primers that are cast-in-place or comprise plastic shell cases with spring-loaded inert polymeric primers. Though these devices are beneficial for training purposes, they have drawbacks.
The known aluminum devices are weak and subject to extraction rim breakage. They also lack acceptable levels of lubricity, and thus when they are used within a firearm they produce chards, shavings and dust which can contaminate the firearm. The result of these deficiencies is a training ammunition device that has a low life expectancy and which damages the firearms in which it is used.
The known plastic shell cases are beneficial mostly because they are inexpensive and easy to produce. However, the such devices are significantly lighter in weight than live rounds, and thus it does not properly replicate the feeling and firing of a metal shell live round, and, as with the aluminum devices, the material provides for a low life expectancy requiring a user to purchase the devices more frequently than should be necessary.
Though the aluminum and plastic training ammunition can simulate the firing of a firearm, none duplicate the actual weight, feed, and firing characteristics of a live round of ammunition. The present disclosure addresses these and other deficiencies in existing training ammunition by providing various advantages, including an impact energy suppressor assembly that can be used with a shell of any ammunition caliber.
Advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Embodiments of the invention are now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise: the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.” Relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, forward and rearward, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship, direction or order between such entities or actions.
An outside surface of the sidewall 31 may include an interlock 33 that fixes the impact suppressor assembly against movement relative to the shell case 20. The interlock may be formed by forming a chamfered or radiused thrust bearing surface adjacent the opening of the primer pocket 21 and flaring the open end of the suppressor barrel 3 to match the chamfer of the primer pocket such that the suppressor barrel is prevented from moving forward relative to the shell case 20 when the firearm firing pin impacts the suppressor assembly. Alternatively, other engagement elements may be used. For example, the open end of the primer pocket 20 may included a countersunk or counterbored hole extending from the open end, and the suppressor barrel may include a ring or other protrusion formed on the outside surface of the sidewall such that the ring engages the hole surface or a step formed by the hole. Engagement of the sidewall extension and hole prevent the suppressor barrel from moving forward relative to the shell case 20.
The compression resistance device 6 is inserted into the open end 32 of the barrel 3 and seats against an inside surface of the closed end 34. The piston may be generally cylindrical with a T-shaped cross-section, with the head 4 positioned adjacent the open end 32 of the barrel 3, and post 5 extending downward from the head through the barrel and extend from the through hole 36. The piston push rod 5 may comprise a retention feature 9 near its distal end. This feature may comprise a recessed portion 11, such as a groove, slot, recess or similar used in combination with a fastener 10, such as a C-clip, O-ring, retaining ring or other similar device. Alternatively, the retaining feature may be formed by staking an exterior surface of the rod or may use a self-locking retaining ring that engages the exterior surface of the rod. The retaining feature 9 retains the piston rod 5 and head 4 in the interior of the barrel 3, which also keeps the compression resistance device 6 secured in the interior of the barrel. It will be understood by those of skill in the art that other known methods for securing the push rod 5 with the barrel 3 could be used. The assembly 2 can be manufactured to fit all types of ammunition with any caliber.
The compression resistance device 6 modulates the firing pin (30) forward velocity and de-energizes the impact energy of the firing pin. The compressive resistance device 6 includes a central passage 12 through which the piston rod 5 passes. Embodiments of the resistance device may include various compressive elements, alone or in combination. For example, these elements may comprise a metallic spring 6c, an elastomeric cylindrical tube 6b; a stack of elastomeric washers 6a; or a stack of one or more O-rings 6d. Such elastomeric elements may comprise rubber, plastic, thermoplastic elastomer, or other elastomeric materials.
Referring now to
Embodiments of the disclosure are adaptable to all center-fired shells. The assembly can be matched to the impact energy of a specific firearm model—small firearms have less impact energy than large firearms. Use of the impact energy suppressors detailed herein can preserve the free-floating firing pin and trigger mechanism from cold metal extrusion and/or breakage. Further, because the impact energy suppressors of the present disclosure can be so easily modified and adapted to all center-fired shells of any caliber, the manufacturing process is simpler and more cost effective than with the aluminum or plastic training devices, both of which require complete tooling and fabrication for every firearm caliber.
As noted above, embodiments of the present disclosure contemplate the use of genuine brass shell cases for use with the impact energy suppressor. The brass cases can be made from production run brass shell cases and components, thus retaining the shell case dimensions, weight and handling qualities. The use of such brass cases provides improvements to the function and life of the training ammunition as well as improvements to a user's training since the weight and feed of the brass devices is nearly identical to live rounds.
Beyond the benefits of brass metal for the feed and weight of the training devices, such metal is generally stronger than aluminum and plastic providing for a longer life of a device comprised of a brass shell. Further, the lubricity of brass metal is typically in the range of 3 to 4 pounds per square inch before galling occurs, which is up to 150% greater than the lubricity of aluminum which is typically in the range of 2 to 2.9 pounds per square inch. The use of brass metal also allows a user to analyze how the firing pin is functioning because brass captures the impact print of the firing pin, whereas for polymeric primer surfaces the firing pin imprint is difficult to see if it can be seen at all. These advantages provide a training device that will last longer than those currently found in the market and one which will not contaminate a firearm to the extent of aluminum.
Because actual shells normally used with live ammunition are used for the devices of the present disclosure, it is important to ensure a user can note the difference between training shells and live rounds. To prevent misidentification, some embodiments of the present disclosure include a shell case and bullets that have contrasting colors to make it easier to distinguish a live round from a dummy round.
Referring now to
While the present invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, components from one embodiment can be used in other non-exclusive embodiments. Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3027840 | Hannas | Apr 1962 | A |
