Abstract: A magazine floor plate latch for releasing the hinged floor plate of a cartridge magazine in a bolt action firearm. A spring biased latch having two upper legs and one lower leg is positioned in a central aperture in the front face of a trigger guard. The latch is adapted to pivot about a pivot point at a line of contact between a pointed surface in the trigger guard extending upward and fitting into a notch formed in the lower leg of the latch. The latch is normally biased by a spring so that one of its upper legs blocks the floor plate to keep it from swinging open about its hinged end. The floor plate is released by applying pressure on the latch so that it pivots until this upper leg no longer blocks the plate. This upper leg has a curved locking surface with a center of curvature offset from the pivot point to enable the locking surface to relatch the floor plate tightly against the bottom of the magazine as the latch pivots to its normally spring biased position.

Abstract: A bolt-action firearm, of the type having a bolt rotatably movable between closed and open positions, has an improved bolt latch mechanism which is operable independently of a safety mechanism. The latch locks the bolt in closed position automatically when the firing pin is cocked, and releases the bolt upon firing. The latch mechanism is recessed in the bolt plug in such fashion that it is readily visible and accessible, yet does not interfere with normal manual operation of the firearm, and does not protrude so that it might readily be displaced accidentally. In one embodiment, the latch may be manually displaced to or from a disabled position, in which it is releasably detented.

Abstract: Dry offset printing apparatus for high speed printing on cylindrical objects fed either horizontally or vertically to the printer, which comprises a three-roller system including a single roll ink-metering system, plate cylinder and blanket or p rint roll. The ink roll is provided with a relatively soft, smooth elastomeric surface as is also the offset print roll blanket. A doctor blade is configured and oriented with respect to the ink roll to meter a uniformly even, thin film of ink onto the roll. Means are provided for evenly distributing the ink film on the ink roll in both horizontal and vertical embodiments of the printer. Means are also provided to prevent excessive ink buildup on print roll when skips occur at the printing station. Rotary transfer means are provided for positively feeding the cylindrical objects to the printer at high speeds in either horizontal or vertical orientation.

Abstract: A firing pin block for a firearm of the type having a rotary breech bolt, a reciprocating bolt carrier, complementary locking lugs formed on the bolt and barrel to releasably secure them together, and cam means drivingly connecting the bolt and bolt carrier for opening and closing the bolt. The firing pin block positively prevents discharge of the firearm at any time when the bolt is unlocked. It does not rely on the presence or good condition of any separate parts, but instead coordinates the cam-actuated rotary operation of the locking lugs with relative longitudinal displacements between the bolt and bolt carrier, to cause the latter to block an enlarged abutment formed on the firing pin whenever the bolt is unlocked.

Abstract: Dry offset printing apparatus for high speed printing on cylindrical objects fed either horizontally or vertically to the printer, which comprises a three-roller system including a single roll ink-metering system, plate cylinder and blanket or print roll. The ink roll is provided with a relatively soft, smooth elastomeric surface as is also the offset print roll blanket. A doctor blade is configured and oriented with respect to the ink roll to meter a uniformly even, thin film of ink onto the roll. Means are provided for evenly distributing the ink film on the ink roll in both horizontal and vertical embodiments of the printer. Means are also provided to prevent excessive ink buildup on print roll when skips occur at the printing station. Rotary transfer means are provided for positively feeding the cylindrical objects to the printer at high speeds in either horizontal or vertical orientation.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for covering the flash holes in a primer battery cup, particularly where the anvil is formed integrally with the battery cup. Tooling apparatus is provided which includes a spring-loaded punch positioned and slideable axially within an outer punch. A covering medium such as paper is delivered to the tooling station as a strip where it is pierced and slit by the spring-loaded inner punch and blanked by the outer punch. The blanked portion is inserted into the battery cup and seated over the flash holes at the bottom of the cup around the anvil.

Abstract: An electrically-fired gun, of the type having a breechblock slidable in a transverse passage across its breech, has a retractor mechanism mounted within the breechblock for retracting the firing pin electrode tip behind the face of the breechblock as it opens and closes. A retractor lever connected to the firing pin is controlled by positioning means comprising spring means biasing the lever in one direction, and a plunger cam cooperable with a wall of the transverse passage to displace the lever in an opposite direction. The positioning means serve to retract the firing pin when the breechblock is opened for reloading, and to extend it on reclosing.

Abstract: A firing pin block for a firearm of the type having a reciprocating bolt assembly including a breech bolt and slide block, a firing pin, and a pivotal locking block. The slide block and locking block have cam means which cooperate to pivot the locking block in and out of locking engagement with a recess in the barrel as the slide block is reciprocated to close and open the bolt. The operation of these cam means is coordinated with relative longitudinal displacements between the bolt and slide block so that, at any time the locking block is not completely locked, the slide block prevents sufficient forward movement of an abutment on the firing pin to cause the firearm to discharge. This firing pin block is effective even though the firing pin spring and retaining pin may be broken, distorted, or missing.

Abstract: An industrial gun, of the type having a transverse sliding breechblock, has a firing mechanism which automatically cocks and then releases a hammer as the breechblock closes. A sear is pivoted in the yoke or receiver of the gun in a position to engage and cock a hammer carried by the breechblock as the breechblock is moved from an open to a closed position. A cam surface on the sear bears against a cooperating cam surface on the hammer to release the hammer from the sear as the breechblock reaches the fully-closed position, in which a firing pin carried by the breechblock attains correct alignment with a shell in the gun chamber. A set screw provides an adjustable cam surface on the hammer to allow the correlation of the timing of the hammer release with the breechblock movement to be readjusted precisely as the parts wear with use.

Abstract: An electrically-fired gun, of the type having a transverse sliding breechblock, has a recoil-operated mechanism for retracting the firing pin electrode tip behind the face of the breechblock during its opening and closing movements. A movable weight is connected by a rocker arm to the firing pin assembly, and is normally latched in place to hold the electrode tip in a retracted position. Manual release of the latch allows a spring to extend the electrode tip into a firing position. Recoil of the gun on firing results in a movement of the weight that retracts the electrode tip, and the parts are automatically re-latched in this position.

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.