Tool for loading a muzzle loading firearm

Abstract

A tool for loading a muzzle loading firearm is provided having a barrel clamp for attaching the tool near the tip of the barrel of the firearm. The tool includes a plunger having a concave shaped tip insertion end shaped to conform to a spherical ball firearm projectile. The tool is operable by a handle to forcibly press the projectile into the barrel of the gun. The tool uses lever principles to multiply the force applied to the plunger and projectile, reducing the strain and effort of the user in loading a projectile to a muzzle loaded firearm.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosures made herein relate to muzzle loading firearms and, more specifically, to tools for loading a projectile ball or bullet into the barrel of a muzzle loading firearm.

BACKGROUND

Muzzle loading firearms represent an older and simpler firearm technology utilizing a straight in-line one shot firing design. Muzzle loading firearms use components such as black powder, small lead balls and a primer. When the trigger of the firearm is pulled and the hammer drops, a spark is created which detonates the black powder, the explosive force propelling the ball or projectile outwards along the barrel. Loading the primer is one of the more difficult tasks to accomplish as it must be inserted precisely to function. As the primer is small in size, individuals with large fingers may have trouble setting the primer into position. Another problem is the difficulty in loading the ball into the barrel. Elderly and/or handicapped individuals have difficulty completing this step of the sequence, especially if significant force is required to start the ball in the barrel.

Therefore, a tool for loading a muzzle loading firearm that clamps onto the barrel of the firearm and provides a lever actuated plunger to multiply user applied force to urge the projectile into the barrel, a tool that reduces the force required of a user to load the projectile into the barrel, a tool that enables the firearm loading task to be completed without unnecessary strain to the muscles of the hands, forearm and fingers, a tool that is simple and intuitive to operate, such a tool for loading a muzzle loading firearm would be useful and novel.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Accordingly, various embodiments of the tool for loading a muzzle loading firearm consist of one complete unit with moveable parts. An elongated handle has a first end adapted to be grasped and operated by a human hand and an opposing second end on the handle. The handle is made of substantially rigid material, preferably a metallic material which resists flexing and bending when a bending force is applied. The tool includes a gun barrel attachment member comprising a hinged rod having a barrel clamp hingeably secured to one end of the substantially rigid hinged rod, and the opposing end of the hinged rod hingeably secured to the elongated handle by a hinge pin at the second end of the handle. The barrel clamp comprises two spaced apart semicircular arms. The arms are formed to cooperatively engage and clamp to an outside surface of the barrel of the firearm to secure the tool onto the barrel. The barrel clamp is provided with an adjustable means to compress the first and second halves of the barrel clamp around the barrel of the firearm to securely mount the tool to the barrel. A muzzle loading member is hingeably secured to a mid portion of the elongated handle at a position between the second end having the barrel clamp and the opposing end which is operated by a human hand. The muzzle loading member comprises a connector member having one end hingeably secured to the elongated handle and an opposing second end to which a plunger is secured. The plunger is sized for insertion in the barrel of a muzzle loading firearm. The plunger has a gun barrel insertion tip with a concave indent, the concave indent sized to rest against and transmit force from the plunger to the ball or bullet projectile to forceably load the projectile into the gun barrel without damaging the projectile. Projectiles are often made of a soft metal such as lead and hence the projectile can be easily deformed or damaged.

Using the tool according to the present inventive disclosure, the muzzle loading firearm is loaded by compressibly clamping the tool's barrel clamp onto the barrel of the firearm. The muzzle loading tool is now fixed to the barrel of the firearm. A ball projectile is then placed into the tip of the barrel of the firearm. The handle of the muzzle loading tool is then raised to place the plunger tip into contact with the surface of the ball projectile. The handle of the muzzle loading tool is then operated to apply pressure to the plunger to urge the ball projectile down into the barrel of the firearm. As the handle acts as a lever with the fulcrum fixed by the barrel clamp to the gun barrel, the force applied by the user is multiplied and delivered to the plunger for urging the projectile into the barrel.

In at least one embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein the adjustable means of compressing the first and second halves of the barrel clamp onto the gun barrel comprises a threaded bolt and a wing nut, the bolt sized and adapted to be received through the hole in the first arm, through the hole in the hinged rod and through the hole in the second arm. The wing nut has threads sized and adapted to be threadably received onto the bolt wherein tightening the wing nut onto the bolt compresses the first and second halves of the barrel clamp onto the barrel of the firearm to secure the tool to the firearm.

In at least one embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein the plunger is cylindrical in shape and has a diameter sized to permit insertion into the barrel of the muzzle loading firearm.

In at least one embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein the plunger has a threaded upper end and the connector member has a threaded socket sized and adapted to permit the plunger to be threadably received into the socket, securing the plunger to the connector member. The thread connection permits the plunger to be changed out from the tool as needed. For example, muzzle loaded firearms have a variety of differing barrel bore diameters. The threaded connection between the plunger and the connector member permits the plunger to be changed out for another plunger of a suitable diameter for the firearm being loaded.

In at least one embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein the plunger is a copper or copper alloy material.

In at least one embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein the handle has a length of 9 inches. The barrel clamp has a length of 5 inches. The plunger and connector member has an overall combined length of 4½ inches.

These and other objects of the invention made herein will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and associated drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings show a form of the invention that is presently preferred; however, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 depicts a top view of one embodiment of a tool for loading a muzzle loading firearm in accordance with one embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of one embodiment of a tool for loading a muzzle loading firearm in accordance with one embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In preparation for explaining the details of the present inventive disclosure, it is to be understood by the reader that the invention is not limited to the presented details of the construction, materials and embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as the invention concepts are clearly capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and realized in various ways by applying the disclosure presented herein.

Turning now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2:

FIG. 1 depicts a top view of one embodiment of a tool 1 for loading a muzzle loading firearm in accordance with one embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein. FIG. 2 depicts a side view of one embodiment of a tool 1 for loading a muzzle loading firearm in accordance with one embodiment of the inventive disclosures herein. The tool 1 is provided with an elongated handle 2 having a first end 3 sized and shaped for grasping and operation by a human hand. An opposing second end of the handle 4 is hingeably connected to a hinged rod 9 by a pin 14 rivet or other connecting element. A barrel clamp is provided for compressively clamping the muzzle loading tool 1 to the barrel of a muzzle loading firearm (not shown). The barrel clamp comprises two opposing semi-circularly curved arms 12 and 13 that are shaped and sized to clamp around a gun barrel. The curved arms 12 and 13 are hingeably attach to the second end 11 of the hinged rod by a conventional threaded bolt 15 and wing nut (not shown). The bolt is sized and adapted to be received through the hole in the first arm 12, then through the hole in the hinged rod and through the hole in the second arm 13. The wing nut is threadably tightened on the bolt to compressibly clamp the first and second halves or arms (12 and 13) of the barrel clamp onto the barrel of the firearm to secure the tool to the firearm. The barrel clamp arms (12 and 13) are free to pivot about the second end 11 of the hinged rod 9. For a better understanding of the shape of the arms, the arms (12 and 13) are illustrated as rotated approximately 180 degrees about the bolt 15 from the position they would be in during use of the tool 1. When using the tool, arms (12 and 13) are positioned towards the plunger 6 when clamped to the barrel of the firearm. The tool 1 includes a muzzle loading member comprising a connector member 5 having a hole at its upper end. A cylindrical plunger 6 is secured to the connector member 5. The plunger 6 is sized for insertion into the barrel of a muzzle loading firearm. The plunger 6 includes a gun barrel insertion tip 7 at its free end, the gun barrel insertion tip 7 includes a concave indent sized to conform to and rest against a cylindrical muzzle loading ball projectile or bullet (not shown) without damaging the projectile. A first pin 8 hingeably secures the upper portion of the connector member 5 to the handle 2 between the first end 2 and second end 3 of the handle.

In use, a muzzle loading firearm is loaded by clamping the barrel clamp (12 and 13) to the barrel of the firearm such that the handle 2 is placed above the projectile exit opening in the gun barrel and the plunger 6 is alignable for insertion into the gun barrel. A ball projectile is then placed into the tip or projectile exit opening of the barrel of the firearm. The handle 2 is then raised to place the plunger tip 7 into contact with the ball projectile. Downward pressure is then applied at the first end 3 of the handle to move the first end of the handle and the plunger tip 7 downwards, urging the ball projectile into the barrel of the firearm.

The discussed construction, illustrations and sequence of operation is for one embodiment of the invention, but is in no way limiting to other embodiments. The operating modes may be changed and enhanced without deviating from the intention of this inventive disclosure.

In the preceding detailed description, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments and certain variants thereof have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that other suitable embodiments may be utilized and that logical, material, and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid unnecessary detail, the description omits certain information known to those skilled in the art. The preceding detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A tool for loading a muzzle loading firearm comprising:

an elongated handle having a first end adapted to be grasped by a human hand and an opposing second end;

a muzzle loading member comprising: a connector member having a hole in an upper portion of the connector member; and a plunger secured to a lower portion of the connector member, the plunger sized for insertion into a barrel of the muzzle loading firearm, the plunger having a gun barrel insertion tip with a concave indent, the concave indent sized to rest against a spherical muzzle loading ball projectile without damaging the projectile;

first pin received in the hole of the connector member and through the handle, hingeably securing the upper portion of the connector member to the handle between the first and second ends;

a gun barrel attachment member comprising: a hinged rod having a first end and an opposing second end having a hole; a barrel clamp comprising: a semicircular first arm having a hole at one end; an opposing semicircular second arm having a hole at one end, the first arm and second arm sized for cooperatively clamping to an outside surface of the barrel of the firearm; and a means of hingeably and compressably attaching the barrel clamp to the second end of the hinged rod, wherein the attachment means is adapted to compress the first and second halves of the barrel clamp together around the barrel of the firearm to secure the tool to the firearm;

a second pin hingeably securing the first end of the hinged rod to the second end of the handle, wherein the muzzle loading firearm is loaded by clamping the barrel clamp to the barrel of the firearm, placing the ball projectile into tip of the barrel of the firearm, raising the handle to place the plunger tip into contact with the ball projectile, applying pressure to move the first end of the handle downwards to urge the ball projectile into the barrel of the firearm.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the means of hingeably and compressably attaching the barrel clamp comprises a threaded bolt and a wing nut, the bolt sized and adapted to be received through the hole in the first arm, through the hole in the hinged rod and through the hole in the second arm, the wing nut having threads sized and adapted to be threadably received onto the bolt, wherein tightening the wing nut onto the bolt compresses the first and second halves of the barrel clamp onto the barrel of the firearm to secure the tool to the firearm.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the plunger is a cylindrical plunger.

4. The tool of claim 3, wherein the plunger has a threaded upper end and wherein the plunger is threadably received and secured into a threaded socket in the connector member, wherein the plunger may be unscrewed and changed out and replaced with another plunger.

5. The tool of claim 3, wherein the plunger comprises copper.

6. The tool of claim 5, wherein the handle has a length of 9 inches; the barrel clamp has a length of 5 inches; and the plunger and connector member has an overall combined length of 4½ inches.