Technical Field
[0001] The technical field of the invention relates to weapons, in particular small arms,
e.g. rifles and pistols with a vertically sliding breech block.
Background of the Invention
[0002] A typical structure of a rifle with a vertically sliding breech block with a lever
mechanism comprises a barrel and a breech housing connected to the barrel. The breech
block is then movably placed in the breech housing, serving to close the space of
the barrel during firing and to open the space of the barrel for inserting or removing
the cartridge. The forces acting on the breech block during firing are then transferred
to the breech housing, which must be able to reliably resist these forces. A disadvantage
of this solution is that the breech housing must be made of a firm material, typically
e.g. steel, and must be sufficiently robust, which increases its weight and consequently
the weight of the whole weapon.
[0003] From the patent documents
DE102012108976A1 or
EP2053336B1 or
US4879827A a breech for a single-barrel rifle with a vertically sliding block operated by a
bottom lever is known, where the breech block locks the cartridge in the cartridge
chamber into lateral recesses - grooves located in the rear part of the barrel.
[0004] A disadvantage of the solution described in the patent documents
DE102012108976A1 and
US4879827A is that the rear part of the barrel must be broadened on the sides to allow sufficient
locking of the breech block in this part of the barrel, which makes lateral access
to the cartridge chamber difficult and thus makes it difficult to insert and remove
the cartridge into the chamber.
[0005] Said disadvantage of the above technical solutions is eliminated by the technical
solution described in the patent
EP2053336B1, which allows free lateral access to the cartridge chamber. A disadvantage of this
solution, however, is that due to the reversed method of locking compared to the solutions
described in the patent documents
DE102012108976A1 and
US4879827A, i.e. the locking grooves are located in the breech block and the locking cogs on
the rear part of the barrel, there is a rapid increase in the width of the breech
block and thus the breech housing in which the breech block is housed. This also has
a negative effect in terms of increasing the overall weight of the weapon.
[0006] All three technical solutions mentioned above together have the disadvantage that
they can only be used for single-barrel weapons, since when used for double-barrel
or multiple-barrel weapons the overall structure of these weapons would reach a considerable
width, which is very unergonomic for the user.
Summary of the Invention
[0007] The object of the invention is to provide an assembly of a barrel and breech with
a lockable straight sliding breech block for a single- or multiple-barrel weapon to
facilitate handling of the weapon in comparison to weapons with the sliding breech
block lockable to the barrel known in the state of the art, while still maintaining
the advantages of these closest solutions of the state of the art. The main problem
was therefore to solve how to minimize the width of the breech and thus also the breech
housing and consequently the whole weapon, at the same time to minimize the weight
of the weapon and at the same time to allow sufficient lateral access to the cartridge
chamber to ensure easy insertion and removal of the cartridge from and into the cartridge
chamber, while maintaining the advantages of the close state of the art with locking
the sliding breech block to the barrel, i.e. preventing the sliding block from being
thrown away during firing from the cartridge chamber against the direction of firing
and thereby eliminating or minimizing the destructive forces generated during the
firing on the breech housing. The sliding breech block means a straight slide but
not a rotational movement of the breech block.
[0008] Said shortcomings of the current state of the art are to a significant extent eliminated
and the objects of the technical solution fulfilled by a below-described assembly
of a barrel and a breech of a firearm with a straight sliding breech block and a firearm
with this assembly. The assembly comprises a barrel with an insertion opening for
inserting a cartridge and a breech comprising a breech housing and a breech block
movably housed in the breech housing such that the breech allows the opening to be
closed and opened by sliding the breech block within the breech housing in a straight
direction, and in the closed position the breech block is lockable to the rear part
of the barrel, wherein the rear part of the barrel comprises an upper part of the
rear part located above a plane horizontally intersected by the longitudinal axis
of the barrel or reference axis, and a lower part of the rear part located below a
plane horizontally intersected by the longitudinal axis of the barrel or reference
axis. The assembly of a barrel and a breech of a firearm comprises at least two locking
means at two different height levels, upper and lower, each comprising at least two
complementary geometries that fit together in shape and size. These locking means
are implemented as follows. The rear part of the barrel comprises an extension of
the rear part of the barrel located on the upper part of the rear part of the barrel
and an upper locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel located on the extension
of the rear part of the barrel. Further, the lower locking geometry of the rear part
of the barrel is located on the lower part of the rear part of the barrel. The breech
block includes an upper locking geometry of the block and a lower locking geometry
of the block, wherein the upper locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel is
complementary to the upper locking geometry of the block and the lower locking geometry
of the rear part of the barrel is complementary to the lower locking geometry of the
block. The cartridge can be inserted into the weapon separately or in a cartridge
case that has a bottom. The cartridge chamber also has a bottom, which is open in
the open position of the breech block and closed in the closed position by the part
of the breech block adjacent to the insertion opening at the end of the cartridge
chamber. During firing, the opposing forces generated against the direction of firing
act on these bottoms and the forces are absorbed into the following parts of the weapon.
The breech block of the invention can be positioned between an upper closed position
and a lower open position, wherein when the breech block is in the closed position,
the mutually complementary locking geometries of the rear part of the barrel and the
breech block are located in a mutually locked position in a direction parallel to
the longitudinal axis of the barrel and opposite to the direction of firing, i.e.
in such a locked position that the force from the firing acting on the bottom of the
cartridge chamber or even on the bottom of the cartridge case is absorbed by the breech
block and the rear part of the barrel and mutual displacement of the breech block
from the insertion opening is prevented. In the locked position this prevents the
sliding breech block from being thrown away from the insertion opening against the
direction of firing and at the same time prevents the insertion opening from opening
during firing and the sliding breech block from striking the breech housing by the
forces generated during firing.
[0009] This assembly allows for implementation in a firearm that is overall narrower and
lighter, as such a weapon is then free of lateral broadenings for the implementation
of locking mechanisms, in addition, this weapon has much lower requirements for the
firmness of the breech housing, which can therefore be made of, for example, aluminum
or other lightweight materials, as the locking prevents the destruction of this breech
housing. The weapon maintains easy access to the cartridge chamber. These advantages
not only make the weapon easier to handle, but also lead to less user fatigue with
prolonged use, resulting in more successful and accurate shooting. Moreover, when
transporting a large quantity of such weapons, the weight loads are much lower when
transporting the same number of weapons as in the state of the art, narrower weapons
are easier to store with space savings, and finally the user themselves will appreciate
the lightness of the weapon during personal transport.
[0010] As is known to one skilled in the art, the barrel has normally a front part of the
barrel with at least one bore and a rear part of the barrel, where the rear part of
the barrel includes at least one insertion opening closable and openable by the breech
block for insertion of a cartridge and at least one cartridge chamber connected to
the opening. Multiple-barrel weapons have multiple bores, where each bore is connected
to a cartridge chamber with its own insertion opening.
[0011] For the purposes of this description, the weapon is oriented as indicated in fig.
1, i.e. the cartridge leaves the weapon by its front part during firing, the weapon
is held mainly by the rear part and the trigger is located on the weapon at the rear
bottom, where below fig. 1, closer to the lower part of the indicated weapon, there
is a caption for fig. 1. Fig. 1 indicates the cross orientation of the weapon with
the introduction of attributes indicating position, i.e. front, rear, upper, and lower,
as well as horizontal and vertical directions or planes.
[0012] The longitudinal axis of the barrel, which is identical to the longitudinal axis
of the cartridge chamber, is used in this description mainly in the sense of a reference
axis for determining the upper and lower parts on the barrel, or on the rear part
of the barrel, and possibly on the breech block, and also for defining the vertical
direction of slide perpendicular to it, or this reference axis may define a horizontal
plane passing through it. In a single-barrel weapon, the reference axis is only one
axis, which is the identical to the axis of the cartridge chamber, where a single
cartridge chamber is both the uppermost and the lowermost cartridge chamber. In multiple-barrel
weapon with horizontally arranged bores and cartridge chambers, the axis of either
axis of the cartridge chambers may be chosen as the reference axis for determining
what is the upper and lower part, since the longitudinal axes of both cartridge chambers
are at the same height level. If the multiple-barrel weapon has bores and cartridge
chambers at multiple height level, then the longitudinal axis of the barrel or reference
axis for determining the upper parts is chosen to be one of the axes of any of the
highest located cartridge chambers, and the parts above this reference axis then have
the attribute upper, i.e. the upper part of the rear part of the barrel, the upper
part of the breech block. The lower parts are those located at the height level below
the reference axis, which, however, for the purposes of determining the lower parts
is any of the longitudinal axes of the lowest located cartridge chambers, and those
parts that are below it have the attribute lower, i.e. lower part of the rear part
of the barrel, lower part of the breech block.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the breech block in the breech housing is sliding straight
in a direction deviated from the vertical direction by 0° to 20°, more preferably
by 0° to 10°, even more preferably by 0° to 4°, but most preferably vertically, i.e.
with zero deviation from the vertical direction.
[0014] The above extension on the upper part of the rear part of the barrel may be a horizontal
projection extending from the upper part of the rear part of the barrel from the plane
of the insertion opening, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the barrel
or reference axis, and which passes through the insertion opening, wherein the projection
is oriented against the direction of firing parallel to the longitudinal axis of the
barrel or reference axis.
[0015] The breech block comprises an upper part of the breech block and a lower part of
the breech block, wherein the upper locking geometry of the block is formed on the
upper part of the breech block and the lower locking geometry of the block is formed
on the lower part of the breech block. The upper part of the breech block may be defined
as the part of the breech block located above the plane horizontally intersected by
the longitudinal axis of the barrel, or reference axis, in the position where the
breech block is in the closed position, and the lower part of the breech block may
be the part of the breech block located below the plane horizontally intersected by
the longitudinal axis, or reference axis, of the barrel, all of which is relative
to the position where the breech block is in the closed position.
[0016] In a simpler variant, it comprises one upper pair of mutually complementary geometries,
i.e., an upper locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel with an upper locking
geometry of the breech block, and one lower pair of mutually complementary geometries,
i.e. a lower locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel with a lower locking
geometry of the block. However, there can be more than two complementary geometries
in each locking means. For example, the upper locking means may have two upper locking
geometries of the rear part of the barrel that may complementarily fit into one or
two upper locking geometries of the breech barrel, or conversely, multiple upper locking
geometries of the breech barrel may fit into one or more upper locking geometries
of the rear part of the barrel. The same applies to the lower locking means.
[0017] In the best case, the locking means are of the type of a mechanical socket and a
mechanical plug that fits into it in shape and size. Preferably, one locking geometry
from each pair of the above-mentioned complementary locking geometries includes a
projection, which is of the plug type, and the other locking geometry from this pair
is of the socket type, i.e. includes a recess or an opening or depression or notch
or cutout, so that the complementary geometries in the given pair fit together when
they are connected. For example, the plug type can be implemented on the breech block
and the socket type on the rear part of the barrel or vice versa, both in the case
of the upper locking means and the lower locking means. The projection may be, for
example, a peg, tooth, cog, tooth, protrusion, or other similar geometries. The assembly
of a barrel and a breech of a firearm may also be implemented such that the plug of
at least one locking means includes at least two projections fitting into a common
socket or into multiple sockets of the same locking means, e.g. into lateral recesses.
[0018] In a particular embodiment of the assembly of a barrel and a breech of a firearm,
the upper locking geometry of the breech block may comprise, for example, a projection
that fits in shape and size into a recess in the upper locking geometry of the rear
part of the barrel. Further, similarly, the lower locking geometry of the breech block
may comprise an opening, and the lower locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel
may comprise a projection fitting into the opening. In another particular embodiment,
for example, the upper locking geometry of the breech block is a socket that comprises
a depression, the upper locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel is a plug
that comprises a protrusion, and furthermore the lower locking geometry of the breech
block is a plug that comprises a protrusion, the lower locking geometry of the rear
part of the barrel is a socket that comprises a depression.
[0019] Preferably, the upper locking geometry of the breech block comprises a functional
area of the upper locking geometry of the breech block. The upper locking geometry
of the rear part of the barrel may then comprise a functional area of the upper locking
geometry of the rear part of the barrel. The lower locking geometry of the breech
block may comprise a functional area of the lower locking geometry of the breech block,
and the lower locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel may comprise a functional
area of the lower locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel. The breech block
can be positioned in a closed, thus locked, position in which the functional area
of the upper locking geometry of the breech block engages with the functional area
of the upper locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel and the functional area
of the lower locking geometry of the breech block engages with the functional area
of the lower locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel. The functional areas
which are adjacent to each other during locking have function of mutual stops to prevent
the breech block from being thrown away from the bottom of the cartridge chamber,
or the insertion opening, during firing to prevent the insertion opening from opening
during firing and the breech block from striking the breech housing and the forces
generated during firing from acting significantly on the breech housing.
[0020] The breech housing may preferably be made of steel, lightweight composite, or lightweight
alloy, especially of a material lighter than steel, for example aluminum or titanium
alloy, etc.
[0021] In one variant, the above basic and improved embodiments may be implemented on an
assembly of a barrel and a breech for a single-barrel firearm, where the barrel includes
one bore and one cartridge chamber and one insertion opening. In an alternative variant,
they may be implemented for double-barrel weapons, where the barrel includes a left
bore and a left cartridge chamber connected to it with a left insertion opening, and
a right bore and a right cartridge chamber with a right insertion opening connected
to it arranged adjacent thereto at the same height level; or the barrel may include
an upper bore and an upper cartridge chamber connected to it with an upper insertion
opening and a lower bore and a lower cartridge chamber connected to it with a lower
insertion opening arranged below them. The invention is also suitable for more than
double-barrel weapons. Multiple-barrel weapons with barrels arranged in at least two
height levels include at least one uppermost bore and at least one uppermost cartridge
chamber connected to it terminating in an insertion opening, and at the same time
at least one lowermost bore and at least one lowermost cartridge chamber connected
to it by a different, its own insertion opening. Particularly in the case of multiple-barrel
weapons with a straight sliding breech block, the solution of the invention is of
great benefit, because there the broadenings to the side of the weapon with embodiments
known from the state of the art are completely unsuitable.
[0022] Another object of the invention is a firearm that includes the assembly of a barrel
and a breech of the above basic embodiment or any preferred embodiment. The firearm
can be a small arm, e.g. a rifle, or a pistol. The weapon can be e.g. single-shot
or multiple-shot. The weapon can be single-barrel or multiple-barrel, for example
double-barrel.
Description of Drawings
[0023]
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of an exemplary embodiment of a firearm with the
assembly of a barrel and a breech of a firearm of the invention in the closed position,
thus the locked position.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of an exemplary embodiment of a firearm with the
assembly of a barrel and a breech of a firearm of the invention in the open position.
Fig. 3a is an isometric illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the assembly of
a barrel and a breech of a firearm of the invention in the closed position, thus the
locked position.
Fig. 3b is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of the assembly of a barrel
and a breech of a firearm of the invention in the open position.
Fig. 4a is an isometric illustration of the breech block and the rear part of the
barrel in the open position.
Fig. 4b is an isometric illustration of the breech block and the rear part of the
barrel in the closed, thus the locked position.
Fig. 5a is an isometric view of the rear part of the barrel from the lower rear side.
Fig. 5b is a longitudinal section of the rear part of the barrel.
Fig. 6a is an isometric view of the breech block from the upper front side.
Fig. 6b is a longitudinal section of the breech block.
Fig. 7a is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of the breech block and rear
part of the barrel of a double-barrel weapon in the closed, thus locked position.
Fig. 7b is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of the breech block and the
rear part of the barrel of a double-barrel weapon in the open position.
Fig. 8 is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of the rear part of the barrel
of a double barrel weapon from the lower side.
Fig. 9 is an isometric illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the breech block
of a double-barrel weapon.
Fig. 10a shows an isometric view of the breech block with a lower locking geometry
of another example.
Fig. 10b is an isometric illustration of the rear part of the barrel from the lower
side with a lower locking geometry of another example.
Fig. 10c illustrates an isometric illustration of the breech block and rear part of
the barrel in the open position with lower locking geometries of another example.
Fig. 10d is an isometric illustration of the breech block and rear part of the barrel
from the lower side in the closed, thus locked position with lower locking geometries
of another example.
Exemplary Embodiments of the Invention
[0024] The invention relates to a structure and mechanism of a breech
1 of a firearm in cooperation with a rear part
2 of a barrel. The firearm can be, for example, a small arm, e.g. a rifle, or a pistol.
The weapon can be e.g. single-shot or multiple-shot. The weapon can be single-barrel
or multiple-barrel, for example double-barrel. In fig. 1, a longitudinal section of
a part of the weapon with an exemplary embodiment of the breech
1 of the invention is shown.
[0025] For clarification of the terms front, rear, lower, upper, let us define the basic
position of the weapon as the position where the weapon has its trigger, as shown
in fig. 1, located at the bottom at the lower margin of the weapon and also closer
to the rear margin of the weapon, the cartridge
8 leaves the barrel
3 through the front of the weapon during firing. The reference axis
18, which at the same time passes through the longitudinal axes of the cartridge chamber
7, bore
6, barrel
3, is oriented horizontally, wherein the components of the weapon that are located above
the height level of the horizontal axis, as indicated in fig. 1, are designated as
upper. In fig. 1, the top of the weapon is at the margin of the weapon where the top
piece
5 is located. The horizontal plane can be intersected by the reference axis
18. The vertical direction is the direction perpendicular to the reference axis
18. For example, the vertical plane can be intersected by the area of the insertion
opening
9, i.e. at the same time perpendicular to the reference axis.
[0026] In a basic exemplary embodiment, the assembly of the barrel
3 and the breech
1 of the firearm comprised a breech housing
10, the barrel
3 housed longitudinally in and attached to the breech housing
10, and a straight sliding breech block
11.
[0027] The barrel
3 had the front part
4 of the barrel, distant from the breech
1 in the direction of firing and the rear part
2 of the barrel close to the breech
1. The barrel
3 was in one variant of this basic embodiment made of one piece, i.e. the rear part
2 of the barrel formed one compact piece with the front part
4 of the barrel, in other variants the barrel
3 was made of multiple pieces, for example, the rear part
2 of the barrel had one or multiple separately made components, for example, the top
piece
5, which was connected to the rest of the barrel
3 removably or non-removably.
[0028] The barrel
3 further included a bore
6 of the barrel, and in the rear part
2 of the barrel a cartridge chamber
7 connected to the bore
6 intended for inserting a cartridge
8 through a rear or insertion opening
9 implemented at the rear end of the cartridge chamber
7. The bottom of the barrel 3 is also located in the place of the insertion opening
9 if closed by the breech block
11. The axis of the cartridge chamber
7 passes through the center of the cartridge chamber
7, or through the individual centers of the circumferential circles of the cavity of
the cartridge chamber
7, and at the same time, in the case of a single-barrel weapon, this axis becomes the
longitudinal axis
18 of the barrel or, in other words, the reference axis
18 for the purpose of defining other parts of the assembly of the barrel
3 and the breech
1 of the firearm. At the same time, this reference axis
18 passes through the bottom of the barrel
3, through the insertion opening
9, and longitudinally through the center of the cavity of the bore
6 of the barrel.
[0029] The cartridge chamber
7 was intended to store the cartridge
8 in the weapon and comprised the rear insertion opening
9 through which the cartridge
8 was inserted into the cartridge chamber
7. Like the cartridge chamber
7, the insertion opening
9 was implemented on the rear
part 2 of the barrel.
[0030] In the case of variants where the rear part
2 of the barrel comprised at least one separately made component, for example the top
piece
5, which was connected to the other components of the barrel
3 in a removable way, for example by clicking, but other removable connections could
also be included instead, e.g. a thread, peg, wedge, pin, screw, geometric connection,
etc.8 In the case of variants where the rear part
2 of the barrel comprised at least one separately made component, for example the top
piece
5, which was connected to the barrel
3 in a non-removable way, the pieces were connected by soldering, but alternatively
another connection could be used e.g. glue, weld, rivet, or pressed connection. In
a variant case where the rear part
2 of the barrel was a component of the barrel
3, i.e., it was brought out directly on the barrel
3, it was formed by milling, but it can also be formed e.g. by forging, forming, chip
machining, etc. The rear part
2 of the barrel was made of steel. However, it can also be made of another material,
e.g. metal, e.g. titanium or other metal alloy with sufficient firmness. The individual
components of the barrel
3, the front part
4 of the barrel, the individual components of the rear part
2 of the barrel, and optionally also the top piece
5 were made of the same material, but they may also be made of different materials
or multiple types of materials.
[0031] The breech
1 comprised the breech housing
10 and breech block
11. The breech housing
10 was firmly connected to the barrel
3, the barrel
3 was partially housed in the breech housing
10 but could be firmly connected thereto in any other way without being partially housed
in this breech housing
10. This firm connection can be removable or non-removable.
[0032] The breech block
11 was slidingly housed in the breech housing
10. The breech housing
10, together with the rear
part 2 of the barrel, defines a space in the mechanism of the breech
1 for the breech block
11 in which the block
11 can be movably, e.g. vertically slidingly, housed. The sliding housing can be implemented
in multiple ways, for example, in one variant the breech housing
10 comprised areas complementary to the areas on the breech block
11. These areas served as sliding guide areas during movement of the breech block
11 within the breech
1, e.g. in a lateral direction to the longitudinal axis
18 of the barrel, for example in a straight, at least approximately vertical direction,
i.e. approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis
18 of the barrel, thus also to the reference axis
18, e.g. within ± 20° from the vertical direction, i.e. from the direction perpendicular
to the longitudinal axis
18. In the simplest exemplary embodiment, the sliding direction of movement of the breech
block
11 was vertical. Thanks to this sliding housing, it was possible to open and close the
insertion opening
9 by moving the breech block
11 within the mechanism of the breech
1, or the breech housing
10, between the open position, where the breech block
11 was inserted downward, and the closed position, where the breech block
11 was extended upward, wherein the breech block
11 in the open position allowed the insertion of the cartridge
8 into the cartridge chamber
7, and in the closed position the breech block
11 closed the insertion opening
9 of the cartridge chamber
7 to form the bottom thereof. Thus, the breech block
11 moving vertically or substantially vertically with, for example, a deviation from
the vertical direction of ± 20°, i.e. in a direction at least approximately perpendicular
to the axis
18 of the barrel, could be in the closed position in its highest position, see fig.
1, and in the fully open position in its lowest position within its maximum possible
travel in the mechanism of the breech or breech housing
10, see fig. 2. The closer the straight direction of the slide of the breech block
11 was to the vertical direction, the more preferable the embodiment was both spatially
and functionally, i.e., for example, a deviation from the vertical direction of 10°
is more preferable than 20° and a deviation of 4° is even more preferable, but the
best case scenario is when the direction of the slide of the block is vertical, i.e.
with a deviation of 0° from the vertical direction.
[0033] An example of the breech block
11 in the closed position is also shown in figs. 3a, 4b and 7a. Fig. 4b shows an isometric
view of an exemplary embodiment of only the breech block
11 and the rear part
2 of the barrel with the breech block
11 in the closed position. The same situation is shown in fig. 7a, in this case it is
an embodiment of the invention of the second exemplary embodiment on a double-barrel
weapon having an assembly of two bores
6 arranged side by side.
[0034] An example of the breech block
11 in the open position is also illustrated in figs. 3b, 4a, 7b. Fig. 4a shows an isometric
view of an exemplary embodiment of only the breech block
11 and the rear part
2 of the barrel, wherein the breech block
11 is in the open position. The same situation is again shown in fig. 7b, in this case
it is the second exemplary embodiment of the invention on a double-barrel weapon having
an assembly of two bores 6 arranged side by side in the second exemplary embodiment.
[0035] The relative arrangement of the breech housing
10, the breech block
11, and other components of the breech
1 is illustrated in figs. 3a and 3b. Fig. 3a illustrates the breech
1 with the breech block
11 in the closed position. Fig. 3b illustrates the breech
1 with the breech block
11 in the open position. As can be seen in this case, space is provided for removing
or inserting the cartridge
8 into the cartridge chamber
7.
[0036] The breech housing
10 in this exemplary embodiment was made of aluminum and thus was approximately three
times lighter than the commonly used steel breech housings
10, which was made possible by the use of the assembly of the barrel
3 and the breech
1 of the firearm of the invention, which reduces the demands on the firmness of the
breech housing
10, resulting in a lower weight of the weapon which is easier to handle, reduces fatigue
and demands on the shooter, and thus also increases the probability of hitting the
target and the accuracy of aiming at the target, especially when used for extended
periods of time. A side effect is also easier, more economical transport of lightweight
weapons. The mechanism of the breech
1 would work even if it were made of steel or other metal, but its greatest advantage
lies in the possibility of implementing it using materials lighter than steel, for
example, lighter metals or also a light alloy, e.g. an aluminum alloy, titanium alloy,
or composite, or other material of sufficient firmness, and thus enabling a reduction
in the weight of the weapon compared to a weapon with a breech of the state of the
art. A light alloy, composite, or other lightweight material of sufficient firmness
can be used in the making of the breech housing
10 thanks to the arrangement of the locking means and the mechanism of the breech
1 of the invention as described below.
[0037] The breech
1 may further include other pieces, such as e.g. a trigger mechanism or a firing pin
mechanism, wherein a part of the firing pin mechanism may for example pass through
the breech block
11.
[0038] In the basic exemplary embodiment, the breech block
11 included two locking means:
- on the one hand, an upper locking means, which was implemented such that an extension
204 of the rear part 2 of the barrel projected on the upper part 19 of the rear part of the barrel, which included an upper locking geometry 14 of the rear part of the barrel, and the breech block 11 included a complementary upper locking geometry 12 of the breech block implemented on the breech block 11,
- and on the other hand, a lower locking means that included a lower locking geometry
13 of the rear part of the barrel implemented on the lower part 20 of the rear part of the barrel and a lower locking geometry 13 of the breech block complementary to it and implemented on the breech block 11.
[0039] The complementary locking geometries
12, 14 and
13, 15 fit together in shape and size, it was possible to connect them in the closed position
and thus ensure the locking of the breech block
11 to the rear part
2 of the barrel such that the force from the firing acting on the bottom of the cartridge
chamber
7 was absorbed by the breech block
11 and the rear part
2 of the barrel, thus preventing the mutual displacement of the breech block
11 from the rear insertion opening
9. The locking prevented the sliding breech block
11 from being thrown away from the insertion opening
9 against the direction of firing and thus also the sliding breech block
11 from striking the breech housing
10 by the forces generated during firing. The complementary locking geometries
12, 14 and
13, 15 could also be unlocked for the purpose of inserting the cartridge
8 and thus disengaged to open the insertion opening
9 into the cartridge chamber
7 for inserting the cartridge
8. The vertical direction of the slide of the breech block
11 in connection with the locking means so arranged is most preferable because of the
possibility of a narrow implementation of the weapon, which facilitates handling of
the weapon.
[0040] These locking geometries
12, 14 and
13, 15 complementary in shape and size allow the breech block
11 to be locked against the rear part
2 of the barrel to prevent it from being thrown away from the insertion opening
9 against the direction of firing, or in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis
18 of the barrel, i.e., the reference axis
18. The locking may occur in at least one mutual position of the breech block
11 relative to the rear part
2 of the barrel if the breech block
11 is in the closed position. The locking of the complementary locking geometries
12, 14 and
13, 15 ensures that any force generated during firing by the cartridge case of the cartridge
8 acting on the breech block
11 is transferred to at least one complementary locking geometry
14,
15 of the rear part of the barrel and is therefore not transferred by the breech block
11 further to the breech housing
10. The destructive forces acting on the breech housing
10 during firing are reduced or eliminated, and the breech housing
10 can thus be made of lighter materials than in the prior art where, for example, steel
is commonly used.
[0041] By moving the breech block
11 to the open position, the insertion opening
9 is opened, thereby allowing access to the cartridge chamber
7. In this position it is possible to insert the cartridge
8 into the weapon, namely into the cartridge chamber
7, e.g. before firing, or to remove the entire cartridge
8 from the weapon, or to remove an empty cartridge case from the weapon from the cartridge
chamber
7 in this position, e.g. after firing. The movement of the breech block
11 to the open position may most preferably be a vertical downward movement of the breech
block
11 within the mechanism of the breech
1. When the breech block
11 is moved to the open position, the mutually complementary locking geometries
12, 14 and
13, 15 are separated from each other. Conversely, by moving the breech block
11 to the closed position, most preferably by vertically moving the breech block
11 upward, the mutually complementary locking geometries
12, 14 and
13, 15 are connected and locked. The block
11 of the breech
1 in the closed position serves to close the rear insertion opening
9 and thereby to prevent access to the cartridge chamber
7. The weapon can be fired with the breech
1 or breech block
11 in the closed position. In the closed position, the mutually complementary locking
geometries
12,
14 and
13, 15 engage at least with their functional areas
501, 601 and
502, 602 and the mutually locked, i.e. engaged, complementary locking geometries
12, 14 and
13, 15 are able to absorb all the force from the firing acting on the bottom of the cartridge
case during firing.
[0042] An exemplary embodiment of the breech block
11 as implemented with two locking geometries
12, 13 is shown in fig. 6a and 6b, from which it can be seen that the first, so-called upper
locking geometry
12 of the breech block is located spatially higher than the second, so-called lower
locking geometry
13 of the breech block. The upper locking geometry
12 of the breech block was at least partially on the upper part
16 of the breech block, wherein the lower locking geometry
13 of the breech block was at least partially on the lower part
17 of the breech block. In this exemplary embodiment, the upper part
16 of the breech block was defined as the part of the breech block
11 located above the plane horizontally intersected by the longitudinal axis
18 of the barrel, i.e. above the reference axis
18, in the position where the breech block
11 is in the closed position, and the lower part
17 of the breech block as the part of the breech block
11 located below this plane. In this exemplary embodiment, the upper locking geometry
12 of the breech block was also located above the level of the insertion opening
9 in the closed position and the lower locking geometry
13 of the breech block below the level of the insertion opening
9 in the position.
[0043] The rear part
2 of the barrel comprised two locking geometries
14,
15 complementary thereto located on the rear part
2 of the barrel at corresponding height levels and positions, such that they were spatially
separated from each other, as shown in figs. 5a and 5b. Fig. 5a is an isometric illustration
of the rear part
2 of the barrel from the lower front side, fig. 5b is a longitudinal section of the
rear part 2 of the barrel. The upper locking geometry
14 of the rear part of the barrel was located spatially higher, e.g. near the upper
part
19 of the rear part of the barrel, than the lower locking geometry
15 of the rear part of the barrel, which was located near the lower part
20 of the rear part of the barrel. In this exemplary embodiment, the upper part
19 of the rear part of the barrel was a part of the upper part
2 of the barrel located above the plane horizontally intersected by the longitudinal
axis
18 of the barrel, i.e. the reference axis
18, and the lower part
20 of the rear part of the barrel was a part of the rear part
2 of the barrel located below this plane.
[0044] The locking geometries
12,
13 of the breech block in this exemplary embodiment included functional areas
601 and
602 that engage with the functional areas
501 and
502 of the locking geometries
14,
15 of the rear part of the barrel when the breech block
11 is moved to the closed position. The functional areas
501, 601 and
502, 602 thus have the function of stops which stop against each other in the locked position
in the opposite direction and thus prevent the breech block
11 from being thrown away from the insertion opening
9 during firing. The functional area
601 of the upper locking geometry of the breech block engages with the functional area
501 of the upper locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel and the functional area
602 of the lower locking geometry of the breech block engages with the functional area
502 of the lower locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel. The mutual engagement
of these functional areas
501, 601 and
502, 602 in the closed position of the breech block
11 means that the functional areas
501, 601 and
502, 602 come into close contact with each other, press against each other and thus ensure
the transfer of the force from the firing acting on the bottom of the cartridge case
from the breech block
11 to the rear part
2 of the barrel, thereby eliminating the forces exerted by the breech block
11 on the breech housing
10.
[0045] The rear part
2 of the barrel included the extension
204 of the rear part
2 of the barrel located on the upper part
19 of the rear part of the barrel in a rearward direction, i.e., opposite the direction
of firing, parallel to the longitudinal axis
18 of the barrel. The extension
204 of the rear part
2 of the barrel was in the shape of a horizontal projection projecting from the upper
part
19 of the rear part of the barrel from the plane
206 of the insertion opening, which is perpendicular to the axis
18 of the barrel, i.e., to the reference axis
18, and which at the same time passes through the insertion opening
9, such that the contour of the insertion opening
9 belongs to this plane
206 of the insertion opening, wherein the projection was oriented against the direction
of firing parallel to the longitudinal axis
18 of the barrel, i.e. the reference axis
18. This example is clearly visible e.g. in fig. 2. This extension
204 of the rear part
2 of the barrel extended horizontally above the space in the mechanism of the breech
1 intended for the breech block
11 and in which the breech block
11 can move. The extension
204 of the rear part
2 of the barrel, e.g. in the form of a projection, may be brought out completely on
the upper part
19 of the rear part of the barrel and its entire volume may be located above the plane
207 passing horizontally through the highest point of the insertion opening
9, that is, it may be located completely above the height level of the insertion opening
9. This arrangement may allow the upper locking geometry
14 of the rear part of the barrel to be located on the extension
204, and consequently allow the upper locking geometry
12 of the breech block and the upper locking geometry
14 of the rear part of the barrel to be locked by vertical movement of the breech block
11 while still allowing easy access for insertion of the cartridge
8 into the cartridge chamber
7 through the insertion opening
9 from the lateral side.
[0046] The mutually complementary locking geometries
12,
14 and
13, 15 may operate on the principle of a mechanical socket, which may take the form of a
hole, recess, opening, depression, cutout, notch, etc., and a mechanical plug fitting
therein, which may take the form of some projection, which may be, for example, a
peg, cog, tooth, protrusion, or other similar geometries.
[0047] The upper locking geometry
14 of the rear part of the barrel was located on the extension
204 of the rear part
2 of the barrel, here e.g. on the lower side of the extension
204 of the rear part
2 of the barrel. If the breech block
11 is in the open position, then the lower side of the extension
204 of the rear part
2 of the barrel and the upper side of the upper part
16 of the breech block define a space
205 for access to the insertion opening.
[0048] The vertical movement of the breech block
11 from the open to the closed position allowed for locking of the upper locking geometry
12 of the breech block and the upper locking geometry
14 of the rear part of the barrel, e.g. by inserting the upper locking geometry
12 of the breech block into the upper locking geometry
14 of the rear part of the barrel in one variant where the upper locking geometry
14 of the rear part of the barrel included in various variants of this embodiment an
opening, a depression, a cutout, or e.g. a notch and the upper locking geometry
12 of the breech block was a projection, or it allowed the upper locking geometry
12 of the breech block to be slid onto the upper locking geometry
14 of the rear part of the barrel in the opposite variant, where the upper locking geometry
14 of the breech block included a projection and the upper locking geometry
12 of the breech block included in various variants of this embodiment an opening, a
depression, a cutout, or e.g. a notch. Similarly, the two reversely implemented variants
are both possible and implemented on the lower pair of the mutually complementary
geometries
13,
15, i.e. the lower locking geometry
13 of the breech block and the lower locking geometry
15 of the rear part of the barrel.
[0049] A longitudinal section of an exemplary embodiment of the assembly of the barrel 3
and the breech
1 of the firearm of the invention with the breech
1 and breech block
11 in the open position is illustrated in fig. 2. In this position, the insertion opening
9 is accessible through the space
205 for access to the insertion opening and allows access into the cartridge chamber
7. It is not possible to fire the weapon in the open position, unlike in the closed
position of the breech
1. The locking complementary geometries
12,
14 and
13, 15 are unlocked in this illustration. Specifically, the upper locking geometry
12 of the breech block is in the unlocked position relative to its complementary upper
locking geometry
14 of the rear part of the barrel in fig. 2, and the lower locking geometry
13 of the breech block is in the unlocked position relative to its complementary lower
locking geometry
15 of the rear part of the barrel.
[0050] The movement of the breech block
11 between the closed and the open position may be provided e.g. by a lever mechanism
comprising e.g. a lever
201 and two pins
202,
203. The end pin
202 of the lever located at one end of the lever may provide rotational connection of
the lever
201 with the breech housing
10, and the center pin
203 of the lever may be in connection to the breech block
11. The lever
201 may rotate around the end pin
202 of the lever. The movement of the lever
201 may be transferred to the breech block
11 by the center pin
203 of the lever, which is located more toward the center of the lever
201 relative to the end pin
203 of the lever and is in connection to the breech block
11. In this case, when the lever
201 is moved downward around the end pin
202 of the lever, the breech block
11 is slid vertically downward to the unlocked position, whereas when the lever
201 is moved upward around the end pin
202 of the lever, the breech block
11 is slid upward to the closed position. However, the movement of the lever mechanism
is only one of specifically implemented examples that has provided movement of the
breech block
11, and movement of the breech block
11 may be provided otherwise.
[0051] In the case of a multiple-barrel weapon and the bores
6, together with the cartridge chambers
7 and the insertion openings
9 were not in the same horizontal position, in an exemplary way defined upper part
16 of the breech block and the upper part
19 of the rear part of the barrel was the part of the breech block
11 and the part of the rear part
2 of the barrel located above the plane intersected by the longitudinal axis of the
uppermost cartridge chamber
7, and this was related to the position where the breech block
11 is in the closed position. Conversely, the lower part
17 of the breech block and the lower part
20 of the rear part of the barrel were, in this definition, the part of the breech block
11 and the part of the rear part
2 of the barrel located below the plane intersected by the longitudinal axis of the
lowermost cartridge chamber
7, again related to the position where the breech block 11 is in the closed position.
[0052] The breech block
11 may include more than two locking geometries
12, 13. In fig. 9, one of the implemented examples of an embodiment of the breech block
11 is shown including two upper locking geometries
12 of the breech block and one lower locking geometry
13 of the breech block. However, the breech block
11 may comprise also multiple upper locking geometries
12 of the breech block and likewise multiple lower locking geometries
13 of the breech block. The upper locking geometries
12 of the breech block may be located at a single horizontal level in the case of a
greater number of them, as in the example in fig. 9, or they may be located at different
horizontal levels, which similarly applies also for the lower locking geometries
13 of the breech block. In case there is more than one lower locking geometry
13 of the breech block on the breech block
11, these may be located at the same horizontal level or at different horizontal levels.
[0053] In the basic exemplary embodiment, each individual locking geometry of the breech
block
11 had one locking geometry of the rear part
2 of the barrel complementary to it. Another example where more than one locking geometry
of the breech block had in common a single complementary locking geometry of the rear
part
2 of the barrel is shown in figs. 8 and 9, where the two upper locking geometries
12 of the breech block shown in fig. 9 have one common complementary geometry
14 on the rear part
2 of the barrel shown in fig. 8. In another variant, more than one locking geometry
of the rear
part 2 of the barrel had one complementary locking geometry on the breech block
11.
[0054] The locking geometry
12,
13 of the breech block may be a compact component of the breech block
11 or may be firmly connected to the breech block
11. The breech block
11 and the locking geometry
12,
13 of the breech block may be made of e.g. a metal, e.g. steel, titanium, or other alloy
of sufficient firmness. In the basic exemplary embodiment, for example, they were
made of steel. The locking geometry
12, 13 of the breech block, which was a compact component of the breech block 11, was made
by machining in the example, but can also be formed on the breech block
11 by milling, drilling, chip machining, forming, etc., or, in the case that it is firmly
connected to the breech block
11, the connection may include e.g. a thread, a peg, a wedge, a pin, a screw, a click,
a geometric connection, a weld, a glue, a solder, a rivet, or a pressed connection,
and may be made of the same or different material than the breech block
11.
[0055] The locking geometry
14,
15 of the rear part of the barrel may be a compact component of the rear part
2 of the barrel or some of the components of the rear part
2 of the barrel, or may be firmly connected to the rear part
2 of the barrel. The rear part
2 of the barrel and the locking geometry
14, 15 of the rear part of the barrel were made of steel, but they can be made of a different
metal, e.g. titanium, or other alloy with sufficient firmness. In the basic exemplary
embodiment the locking geometry
14,
15 of the rear part of the barrel was a compact component of the rear part
2 of the barrel and was made by machining, but it can also be formed on the rear part
2 of the barrel by another method, e.g. milling, drilling, chip machining, forming,
etc., or, in the case that it is firmly connected to the rear part
2 of the barrel, the connection may include e.g. a thread, a peg, a wedge, a pin, a
screw, a click, a geometric connection, a weld, a glue, a solder, a rivet, or a pressed
connection and may be made of the same or different material than the rear part
2 of the barrel.
[0056] In a particular exemplary embodiment, for example, the upper locking geometry
12 of the breech block included e.g. a projection and the lower locking geometry
13 of the breech block included e.g. an opening, a cutout, a depression, or a notch,
and the complementary upper locking geometry
14 of the rear part of the barrel included e.g. an opening, a cutout, or a notch, and
the lower locking geometry
15 of the rear part of the barrel included e.g. a projection.
[0057] In figs. 10a to 10d, a further example of an embodiment of the breech block
11 and the rear part
2 of the barrel is shown, which differs from the previous exemplary embodiments in
having a different lower locking geometry
13 of the breech block and a lower locking geometry
15 of the rear part of the barrel complementary to it. The lower locking geometry
13 of the breech block in this example comprised a projection with two lateral projections
1001 and two functional areas
602 of the lower locking geometry
13 of the breech block, as shown in fig. 10a. In fig. 10b a rear part
2 of the barrel is illustrated with the lower locking geometry
15 of the rear part of the barrel, which comprises two laterally spatially separated
projections
1002 including two functional areas 502 of the lower locking geometry of the rear part
of the barrel.
[0058] The principle of locking the breech block
11 to the rear part 2 of the barrel remains similar in this exemplary embodiment as
in the previous exemplary embodiments. The relative position of the rear part
2 of the barrel and the breech block
11 in the open position is shown in fig. 10c, and in the closed position in fig. 10d.
By moving the breech block
11 to the closed position within the breech housing
10, e.g. by moving it vertically upward perpendicular to the axis
18 of the barrel, i.e. the reference axis
18, the mutually complementary locking geometries
12,
13 of the breech block and the locking geometries
14,
15 of the rear part of the barrel are brought into a mutually locked position similar
to the previous examples. In the locked position, the mutually complementary locking
geometries
12, 13 of the breech block and the locking geometries
14,
15 of the rear part of the barrel engage with each other by at least their functional
areas
501,
502,
601,
602. The functional area
601 of the upper locking geometry of the breech block engages with the functional area
501 of the upper locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel and the functional areas
602 of the lower locking geometry of the breech block engage with the functional areas
502 of the lower locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel. The mutual engagement
of these functional areas in the closed position of the breech block
11 means that the areas come into close contact with each other, press against each
other and thus ensure the transfer of the force from the firing acting on the bottom
of the cartridge case from the breech block
11 to the rear part
2 of the barrel, thereby eliminating the forces exerted by the breech block
11 on the breech housing
10.
List of Reference Signs
[0059]
1 - breech
2 - rear part of the barrel
3 - barrel
4 - front part of the barrel
5 - top piece
6 - bore
7 - cartridge chamber
8 - cartridge
9 - insertion opening
10 - breech housing
11 - breech block
12 - upper locking geometry of the breech block
13 - lower locking geometry of the breech block
14 - upper locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel
15 - lower locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel
16 - upper part of the breech block
17 - lower part of the breech block
18 - reference axis, or longitudinal axis of the barrel
19 - upper part of the rear part of the barrel
20 - lower part of the rear part of the barrel
204 - extension
205 - space for access to the insertion opening
206 - plane of the insertion opening
501 - functional area of the upper locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel
502 - functional area of the lower locking geometry of the rear part of the barrel
601 - functional area of the upper locking geometry of the breech block
602 - functional area of the lower locking geometry of the breech block
1001 - lateral recess
1002 - projection