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.

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 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.