Abstract: A detent system for tubular magazine firearms serving the dual function of retaining the magazine spring within the magazine tube when the cap has been removed while also acting as a detent to keep the magazine cap securely tightened during normal use. A plastic member is provided with full and partial longitudinal slots which cooperate with indents on the magazine tube to facilitate assembly of the detent system within the tube. The slots and detents also cooperate to maintain the plastic member securely spring biased in a position so that serrated teeth along a peripheral end surface will intermesh teeth on the inside periphery of the cap in order to maintain the latter securely fastened to the magazine tube.

Abstract: A transport mechanism for feeding cylindrical or prismatic parts of discrete or indefinite lengths at a rapid rate and with accurate position control, through a work station for treatment by automatic inspection devices, part counters, roll printers, or other processing apparatus. A system of opposed belts and guides feeds the parts without rotation and without appreciable slippage at a uniform rate along a fixed feed axis, in such manner that the lateral relationship of the parts to the axis depends on their degree of conformity to a correct geometrical form. This facilitates the inspection of part form as well as dimensions, and improves the uniformity of other treatments. An arrangement of nip rolls driven at reduced speed separates discrete parts uniformly to ensure correctly-phased registration with inspection, rejection, counting, printing, or other treatment devices. The mechanism is readily adjustable to accept parts of different diameters or transverse dimensions.

Abstract: To uniformly load and orient predetermined charges of shot in shotshells having limited volume, an automatic loading machine meters the charges into the shells in a series of successive increments each sufficient to form only a single layer. A shell-supporting rail of the machine is subdivided into segments which are oscillated by cam and lever means to orient each successive increment of shot into a regular, compact layer.

Abstract: A target throwing apparatus in which a revolving magazine having a number of stacks of targets is independently and fixedly supported relative to an oscillating target throwing housing. A cocking mechanism stops the throwing arm just before reaching the over-center position whereupon initiating of the next cocking cycle throws the target. A power train consists of three equal-sized gears mounted on three parallel shafts to throw the targets and to oscillate the housing. The magazine includes a ramp and cam mechanism by which the entire column of targets is lowered by gravity prior to having springbiased fingers engage the second target from the bottom and having the lower-most target fall onto a predetermined drop pad on a target launching plate, which pad location does not change regardless of the position of the oscillating housing and launching plate. A scotch yoke assembly is utilized in translating rotary shaft motion to symmetrical reciprocating motion to oscillate the housing.

Abstract: A target positioner for an autoloading target throwing machine. The positioner can be adjustably mounted on the rotatable throwing arm and is used with a resilient target nest, whose function is to locate the target to be thrown in the proper position on a launch platform. Camming surfaces on the positioner act to force the target into proper position in the resilient target nest upon cocking of the throwing arm.

Abstract: A magnetically-actuated latching device for use in a powder level inspection system known per se, in which a holding plate slidably supports a number of probes in a pattern similar to an array of ammunition cases in a loading plate, and the holding plate is lowered by an elevator mechanism to insert the probes into the mouths of the cases. The probes signal the level of powder in the cases by rising out of the holding plate to proportionate heights. The improvement involves the use of magnetic probes which, upon encountering low or missing powder charges, actuate magnetic latches to prevent the loading plate from being separated from the holding plate. The operator's attention is forcibly called to the presence of low powder charges by the necessity to release the latches with a hand-held magnet.

Abstract: An adjustable sighting means for a firearm which a shooter can adjust to give the desired point of impact. An elongated rib is adjustably mounted on the gun barrel. The rib can be adjusted in the vertical direction so that the forward end of the rib has a greater vertical movement than the rear end of the rib. The effective pivot point of the rib is to the rear of the rib at a theoretical point which remains constant and is selected to be the position of an average shooter's eye when in shooting position.

Abstract: An ammunition loading machine in which a drive chassis intermittently indexes an annular dial to transport empty shell casings to a series of loading stations, and reciprocates ram means to actuate tooling and fixtures for performing successive loading operations on the shells. The dial, ram means, tooling and fixtures are mounted on a base plate assembly to form a die set which is detachable as a unit from the drive chassis, and is easily replaceable by a different die set when ammunition of changed specifications is to be loaded.The drive chassis includes ram drive rods and a dial indexing mechanism which are readily separable from the ram means and dial to facilitate replacement of the die set. The bearings for the dial comprise roller means which also serve to form a separable driving connection with the indexing mechanism to rotate the dial.

Abstract: A method for detecting the local and overall distribution of tension in saw blades involves elastically deflecting a properly-tensioned model blade, which is loose in the center, into a compound curvature in the form of a saddle, and adjusting the amount of deflection until the blade surface becomes flat and rectilinear along one of two perpendicular axes of the deflection. Any similar blade of unknown tension which is to be treated is then subjected to the same deflection, and inspected for rectilinearity along the same axis of deflection. Any regions projecting from this axis contain excess tension, and are designated for hammering to loosen them. The blade is rotated while the deflection axes remain stationary, so that the local and overall tension levels in the entire blade may be conformed to those of the model blade.

Abstract: A firearm recoil system that reduces the maximum recoil force felt by the shooter. The recoil force applied to the shooter's shoulder is interrupted by tapping off explosive gases produced by firing a cartridge and directing the gases into a gas cylinder to actuate a piston rearwardly and at the same time provide a forward force to the firearm opposite to the rearward recoil movement of the firearm. The rearward piston movement is slowed down by compressing air trapped within the cylinder and then venting the compressed air so that the remaining recoil energy in the piston is gradually phased out. This results in a substantially lesser peak or maximum shoulder force.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a powder metal compact having an undercut or a reentrant angle in which the portion of the die that results in the compact undercut or reentrant angle is axially movable relative to a stationary part of the die means along the axis of pressure in order to permit automatic straight line ejection of the compact.

Abstract: A method of making a primer seal for a one-piece plastic shotgun shell, i.e. where the tubular body and base portion are integral, by extruding a ring of plastic around the primer opening and then forcing the plastic ring inside the primer opening to form a continuous, annular, gas sealing ring of plastic within the primer opening.

Abstract: A pattern control system for a shotgun and the method of making the system in which one or more choke attachments are detachably mounted on the muzzle end of the shotgun barrel and the barrel bore and one or more progressively reduced choke constrictions, either in the bore and the choke attachments or in the attachments alone, are formed at the same time in order to eliminate tolerance buildup between the choke attachment bore constrictions and the barrel bore. By adding or deleting choke attachments, it is possible to achieve the choke constriction which will provide the desired pattern pellet density at the selected distance from the muzzle of the shotgun.

Abstract: The magazine includes a ramp and cam by which the entire column of targets is lowered by gravity prior to having springbiased fingers engage the second target from the bottom and having the lower-most target fall onto a predetermined drop pad on a target launching plate, which pad location does not change regardless of the position of the oscillating housing and launching plate.

Abstract: An ejection port cover for a firearm which moves in pure rotation about an axis parallel to the bore of the firearm. The port cover is held about this axis and is oriented in the "open port" and "closed port" rotational position for proper alignment of a port cover cam with associated cam pin means on the reciprocating slide assembly since the port cover is shorter than the stroke of the slide assembly that engages and causes rotation of the port cover.

Abstract: Expendable case ammunition of the type which is expelled as a unit through the barrel of a firearm and whose case separates from contained projectiles in flight, comprises a body and a cap, and may include a separate projectile container. These parts are made of a deformable material such as plastic, and are snap-locked together. The body has an interior transverse wall separating a projectile chamber from a propellant chamber, which is enclosed by the imperforate cap to permit the use of loose propellant and to protect against contamination and accidental ignition. An anvil is integrally formed in the propellant chamber wall to cooperate with an internal primer and a firing pin which penetrates the cap. A diaphragm region of the cap is ruptured by initiation of the primer, and the cap remains attached to the body during ignition of the propellant and travel of the ammunition unit through the barrel of the firearm.

Abstract: Ammunition rim fire priming mixtures are commonly prepared by mixing normal lead styphnate, a sensitizer, such as tetracene, an oxygen donor such as lead nitrate, and a frictionator such as ground glass. This invention relates to such a mixture and to center fire priming mixtures which consist of lead styphnate, tetracene, inorganic fuels and barium nitrate and to a method of forming them and is characterized by the use of lead styphnate which is formed in situ by the reaction of a water wet mixture of styphnic acid and a lead compound such as lead oxide (litharge), lead hydroxide, basic lead carbonate, or lead carbonate. Important advantages of this invention are reduced cost, improved safety since it is unnecessary to prepare, precipitate, or separately handle pure or relatively pure lead styphnate and improved percussion sensitivity of the resulting mixtures.

Abstract: A method and machine for hammering circular saw blades automatically, to correct uneven distributions of residual stresses, and distortions of the blade surfaces from true planes, so that the blades will run true. This operation has previously only been performed manually, by highly-skilled craftsmen. The saw blade is elastically deflected so that its normally-planar surface lies in a curved surface of a predetermined contour. A proximity sensor passes over the blade to detect deviations of its surface from the predetermined contour, which occur at points of uneven stress distribution or surface distortion. At such points, the blade is arrested and hammered until the fault is corrected.