Abstract: A dispenser for metering predetermined charges of shot or other particulate material by means of a slidable charging plate, incorporates a shear slide device which prevents shot that become trapped between a supply hopper and the charging plate from either jamming the charging plate or being sheared into irregular pieces. The device also withholds the trapped shot from the metered charge, and thereby increases the uniformity of the quantities metered.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing the flexibility of ammunition link belts by folding the belt longitudinally back on itself in both directions, and also by twisting it about its length. The belt forms a loop in passing between a set of feed sprockets; the radius of the loop increases in the event that any of the links bind and cannot pivot freely on one another, causing the belt to engage a switch which stops the feeding motion of the sprockets. The belt is twisted 180.degree. in passing to a second set of feed sprockets, between which the belt forms a second loop, and engages a second stop switch if the links bind in their inverted positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding articles in serial order includes a disc and a surrounding rim, whose axes are tilted with respect to one another, and which are rotated concentrically in a common direction. The disc, and preferably also the rim, have upper working surfaces which are non-planar upwardly-convex surfaces of revolution, e.g. segments of cones having upwardly-directed apices. The disc is spaced below the rim to form a reservoir for a bulk supply of articles to be fed, except at one peripheral location where the disc reaches the elevation of the rim, constituting a transfer station. The inclination of the disc surface decreases from the reservoir to the transfer station. Articles placed on the disc are distributed by gravitational action against the inside of the rim, and elevated by the rotation of the disc to the transfer station, where they roll or slide by centrifugal force onto the rim.

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 means 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 means 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 bolt latch for use in a firearm having a rotary locking system in which the latch locks the rotational movement of the bolt at all times during the cycle of operations of the gun except during locking and unlocking of the bolt head with the barrel extension.The bolt latch is pivotally mounted to the bolt carrier for movement perpendicular to the axial movement of the bolt and is spring biased outwardly into bolt blocking position wherein the bolt cannot move relative to the bolt carrier and thus rotation of the bolt is prevented. The bolt latch is actuated into non-blocking position (i.e. rotation of the bolt is permitted) as the bolt approaches the breech-closed position by a cam means on the firearm.

Abstract: A shell cut-off latch for use in a break-open firearm having a magazine tube mounted parallel to the firearm barrel. The cut-off latch functions to retain cartridge(s) in the magazine tube when the firearm is in the break-open position and is cammed out of latching position when the firearm is in closed position and the action assembly and bolt means are in the forward, ready-to-fire position.

Abstract: A composite ammunition casing, especially for use in repeating firearms or guns in whose chambers a temperature gradient develops, from a maximum at the forward throat portion to a minimum at the rear breech portion. The casing includes a forward metallic member and a rear member formed of a material having a lower temperature resistance, such as plastic. The casing members have an interlocking junction at a point spaced along the firearm chamber at which the expected local temperature of the chamber drops to a level within the temperature resistance capability of the rear member. The interlocking junction is formed by surface interruptions in the wall of the forward member, into which the material of the rear member projects.

Abstract: A spotting projectile, especially for training purposes, which dispenses a cloud of powder upwardly on impact to indicate its location visibly. The projectile has an interior cylinder receiving a piston in gas-sealing slidable relation, so that gas trapped in the cylinder is compressed by forward inertial movement of the piston when the projectile impacts. The compressed gas ejects a powder charge carried by the piston rearwardly from the projectile to form a visible cloud.

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. The lead styphnate which results from the practice of this method has been isolated and subjected to X-Ray diffraction analysis confirming that this is a novel form of lead styphnate and is indeed a new compound.

Abstract: Both fully automated and semi-automated methods and apparatus are described for producing armored rod saws by progressively coating a rod or wire substrate with a slurry of a flux paste adhesive and brazing metal powders, overcoating the latter with abrasive particles, followed by fusion of the brazing metal coating thence cooling same to solidify the brazing metal into a thin layer bonded to said substrate and partially embedding said abrasive particles therein with said particles projecting therefrom to provide a myriad of sharp cutting edges.

Abstract: A gun barrel having the exterior configuration of at least a portion of its length formed in an oblong shape in which the width of the oblong portion is greater than its height. This configuration permits the interchangeability of a plurality of gun barrels in a common receiver and common fore-end without the presence of a gap between the common fore-end and the smaller outside diameters of the smaller bore barrels since the oblong portions of the smaller bore barrels have a width equal to the outside diameter of the largest bore barrel designed to be interchangeable with the common receiver and common fore-end.

Abstract: A tubular, nonhazardous projectile having a ring airfoil shape has a plurality of recessed pockets circumferentially disposed around the body, each adjacent pair of pockets being separated by a longitudinal rib. Payload material is held in discrete compartments of a payload package, one compartment being held in each pocket of the projectile. The assembly is held together by wrapping the projectile. The projectile is propelled from a suitable launching device and, upon direct or glancing impact with a target, the wrapping breaks and the payload material is dispersed in the area of impact.

Abstract: A composite cartridge casing having a plurality of component parts, which may be of dissimilar materials such as metal and plastic, includes a tubular casing body formed with a mouth portion for receiving a projectile and with a breech portion which has a cylindrical interior wall extending forwardly from an opening in its base. An annular bridge insert member has a forward cup portion which is receivable through the base opening into the casing body, a rearward skirt portion of reduced diameter, and a frusto-conical central portion connecting the cup and skirt portions. After insertion of the bridge insert, the breech portion of the casing body is deformed and reduced to engage the frusto-conical and skirt portions, thereby securing the assembly and forming an extraction groove around the base of the casing. A head assembly is then attached to the base to complete the casing.

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.

Abstract: A support member positioned between a receiver assembly and the rear end of a removable barrel assembly having "C" sections on each side of the support member to support the rear end of the fore-end and also to permit sliding movement of an action bar assembly therein. At the rear of the support member is a spring section which is positioned between the receiver assembly and the barrel assembly to compensate for variations of tolerances between the barrel assembly and the receiver assembly.

Abstract: A plurality of tubular projectiles are held in a container. A stem is withdrawn from one end of the container until it engages a plunger. After the other end of the container is placed in a launcher, the stem is pushed into the container forcing the plunger to move the projectiles toward the launcher, the projectile closest to the launcher being transferred from the container and properly positioned in the launcher for firing.

Abstract: A flexible base metal strip has a strong, tough and adherent abrasive armoring coating produced thereon in situ from abrasive particles of hard, high melting material selected from the group consisting of metal carbides, borides, nitrides, silicides and combinations thereof, and particles of a matrix metal, said matrix metal particles being in said armoring coating and fusion bonded to each other, to the base metal strip and to the abrasive particles to anchor and partially embed the abrasive particles therein with the particles projecting therefrom in the form of a series of sharp cutting edges. When such a strip is provided at one end with a suitable handle, it forms a convenient hand file and its flexibility permits use in a variety of situations. Attachment means may be provided at each end of the coated strip as shown in a co-pending application for attachment of the strip to a suitable frame such as a standard hack saw frame.

Abstract: An adjustable means connecting the muzzle ends of barrels in an over-and-under firearm, which adjustable means when actuated causes a separation of the barrels, thus altering the point of impact of projectile means discharged from the barrels which have been moved.

Abstract: A break-open firearm where the frame and the barrel assembly are locked in place by a sliding top lock. A top lock lever is pivotally connected to the gun frame and is operatively connected to the top lock by a helical coil spring which biases the top lock forwardly into locking position when the top lock lever is moved in a direction which decreases the diameter of the coil spring. Other embodiments of the invention provide for the helical coil spring to be connected to the frame and to the top lock lever and to the frame and the top lock. In each case, the result is that the helical coil spring is the instrument to bias the top lock forward.

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 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.