Patents by Inventor Richard W. Proulx

Richard W. Proulx has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5894645
    Abstract: A method of forming a frangible metal bullet core comprising providing an elongated inner heart member made up initially of a bundle of parallel zinc wires, twisting a plurality of zinc wires tightly around that bundle in a spiral path to cause the wires to inter-engage, deform and cohere to each other, and thereafter swaging the inter-engaged wires into the shape of a bullet core to cause the core, upon striking a target, to disintegrate into fragments smaller than the individual wires. Although copper, iron, and steel wires may be used, zinc made up of 99.99% pure zinc has been found to be preferable for forming such a core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Federal Cartridge Company
    Inventors: John M. Hallis, Richard W. Proulx
  • Patent number: 5852858
    Abstract: A non-toxic highly frangible training round bullet, and a method of making same, in which a plurality of segments of non-toxic metal selected from a group including zinc, iron, steel and copper are grouped or arranged within pressure-molding equipment and sufficient pressure is applied thereto to cause such segments to inter-engage and cohere, one to another, while being formed into a desired shape of bullet and retaining their individuality at least to a limited extent. Upon impact with a target, such a bullet fragments to a large extent along at least some of the original physical boundary lines of the original segments into new segments which are relatively small as compared to the size of the original segments. There is no substantial ricocheting or "bounce-back" activity associated with such fragmentation and, of course, there are no toxic effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Federal-Hoffman Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Hallis, Richard W. Proulx
  • Patent number: 5852255
    Abstract: A non-toxic, highly frangible elongated soft-point training round bullet core which will disintegrate upon striking its target, for use in a training round in training exercises for law enforcement personnel and having a central heart of non-toxic metal selected from a group consisting of zinc, iron, steel, and copper with a plurality of wires of non-toxic metal selected from that group twisted around said heart throughout its length prior to being swaged into deforming and inter-engaging relation with the heart, and the core having been subsequently swaged into the shape of a soft-point nose of a bullet, with pressures sufficient to cause the strands of wire and the heart to inter-engage and deform while retaining their individuality at least to a limited extent, whereupon substantially all of the strands of the core, upon the core being fired and striking a target, will fragment along at least some of their original physical boundaries into discrete fragments smaller than the original size of the bullet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Federal Hoffman, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Hallis, Richard W. Proulx
  • Patent number: 5679920
    Abstract: A non-toxic highly frangible training round bullet, and a method of making same, in which a plurality of segments of non-toxic metal selected from a group including zinc, iron, steel and copper are grouped or arranged within pressure-molding equipment and sufficient pressure is applied thereto to cause such segments to inter-engage and cohere, one to another, while being formed into a desired shape of bullet and retaining their individuality at least to a limited extent. Upon impact with a target, such a bullet fragments to a large extent along at least some of the original physical boundary lines of the original segments into new segments which are relatively small as compared to the size of the original segments. There is no substantial ricocheting or "bounce-back" activity associated with such fragmentation and, of course, there are no toxic effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Federal Hoffman, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Hallis, Richard W. Proulx
  • Patent number: 4590840
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for covering flash holes in a primer battery cup where the anvil is formed integrally with the battery cup. A tooling apparatus including a tubular foiling pin, and a cutting die plate which, in cooperation with the outside rim of the primer battery cup, blanks out an imperforate, covering-medium disk. As the tubular foiling pin continues to descend into the battery cup, the paper is pierced and slit by the anvil point of the battery cup. The blanked and now perforated disk is inserted further into the battery cup by the foiling pin and seated over the flash holes at the bottom of the cup around the anvil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Assignee: Federal Cartridge Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Proulx, Stephen J. Kent
  • Patent number: 4514352
    Abstract: A single-piece plastic shotshell casing and method of making same comprising softening one end portion only of a tube of uniformly biaxially oriented high density polyethylene sufficiently for forming and until a dollup is formed, then telescoping only a portion of the dollup into the rigid sidewalls of the tube, and then forming the dollup into a substantially thickened integral transverse base section constituting a head with a longitudinally extending primer opening therein, the base section being substantially biaxially oriented and the rigid sidewalls terminating a substantial distance inwardly from the outer end of the base section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1985
    Assignee: Federal Cartridge Corporation
    Inventors: Luke J. Davich, Jack A. Erickson, Richard W. Proulx
  • Patent number: 4509428
    Abstract: A single-piece plastic shotshell casing and method of making same comprising softening one end portion only of a tube of uniformly biaxially oriented high density polyethylene sufficiently for forming and until a dollup is formed, then telescoping only a portion of the dollup into the rigid sidewalls of the tube, and then forming the dollup into a substantially thickened integral transverse base section constituting a head with a longitudinally extending primer opening therein, the base section being substantially biaxially oriented and the rigid sidewalls terminating a substantial distance inwardly from the outer end of the base section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1985
    Assignee: Federal Cartridge Corporation
    Inventors: Luke J. Davich, Jack A. Erickson, Richard W. Proulx
  • Patent number: 4481885
    Abstract: A single piece plastic shotshell comprising a tube of high density polyethylene which is uniformly biaxially oriented to a substantial degree throughout its length and has side walls of constant internal diameter, thickness, molecular orientation and physical strength, the tube having a substantially thickened integral transverse base section formed of a compressed length of the tube at one of its end portions with a longitudinally extending primer opening therein, the base section being substantially biaxially oriented and telescoped within said end portion of the tube. Apparatus and methods for making the shotshell are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1984
    Assignee: Federal Cartridge Corporation
    Inventors: Jack A. Erickson, Luke J. Davich, Richard W. Proulx
  • Patent number: 4332766
    Abstract: A single piece plastic shotshell comprising a tube of high density polyethylene which is uniformly biaxially oriented to a substantial degree throughout its length and has side walls of constant internal diameter, thickness, molecular orientation and physical strength, the tube having a substantially thickened integral transverse base section formed of a compressed length of the tube at one of its end portions with a longitudinally extending primer opening therein, the base section being substantially biaxially oriented and telescoped within said end portion of the tube. Apparatus and methods for making the shotshell are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1982
    Assignee: Federal Cartridge Corporation
    Inventors: Jack A. Erickson, Luke J. Davich, Richard W. Proulx