Triple-barrel combined firearm apparatus
A triple-barrel firearm includes three barrels in a triangular array mounted on a rear stock. The rear stock is connected to the firearm rearward of the firearm's trigger assembly by a hinge assembly. The hinge assembly in turn, includes a locking member and a manually-activatable release member whereby the rear stock can be pivoted between a first “fire ready” position distal with respect to the trigger assembly and a second “storage” position proximal with respect to the trigger assembly. The locking member automatically locks the rear stock in the first position or the second position. The release member unlocks the locking member upon manual activation thereof to enable pivoting of the rear stock from the first position to the second position or vice versa. The rear stock further includes an opening for a retainer for firearm accessories.
The present invention relates generally to firearms, and more specifically, to triple-barrel combined firearms of the break-open, breech-loading type.
In my prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,063, I fully disclose and claim a triple-barrel shotgun of the foregoing type. In that patented device, each of the three barrels has the same gauge for receiving identically sized shells. If at least one of the barrels of this firearm were to be rifled to accept a standard rifle bullet cartridge, a combined firearm will result combining the advantages of a shotgun and a rifle in a unitary gun with substantially enhanced flexibility of use. For example, when hunting game, it would be desirable to have a single firearm that has the dual capability of using a rifle for long range and a shotgun for short range targeting. It would be further desirable to provide a firearm of the forgoing type that a folding rear stock so that the firearm could be collapsed into a more compact form when being stored away and/or not used.
Accordingly, briefly summarized, the present invention provides a firearm of the break-open, breech-loading type having three barrels, at least one which preferably is rifled to accept a standard rifle cartridge and bullet of selected size, and the other two of which preferably are smooth-bore to accept shot gun shells of a selected gauge thereby producing a single firearm having the dual advantages and capabilities of both a shotgun and a rifle. Additionally, the rear stock of the firearm is hingedly connected to the firearm rearward of the firearm's trigger assembly. The hinge assembly includes a locking member and a manually-activatable release member whereby the rear stock can be folded or pivoted between a first “fire ready” position distal with respect to the trigger assembly and a second “storage” position proximal with respect to the trigger assembly. The locking member automatically locks the rear stock in the first position or the second position. The release member unlocks the locking member upon manual activation thereof to pivot the rear stock from the first position to the second position or vice versa. The rear stock further includes an opening for a retainer for firearm accessories.
Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
The invention will be better understood and the above object as well as objects other than those set forth above will become more apparent after a study of the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference to the drawings, preferred embodiments of my new and improved triple-barrel combined firearm apparatus will now be described in detail, it being understood that the foregoing detailed description is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art and therefore, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents falling within the broad scope of the subject matter described herein may be resorted to in carrying out the present invention.
Substantially as depicted in
Stock 14 further includes a “break open” lever 13 which when actuated opens the breach and exposes the three rearward open chambers of the barrels 10, 11, and 12 substantially as depicted in
When the “break open” lever 13 is activated (i.e. pushed to the side), the breach is opened causing barrels 10, 11, and 12, and the hand-grip 22 to pivot downwardly about pivot pin connection 42. This action ejects shells or cartridges from the barrels 10, 11 and 12 via the ejector assembly 40 and its associated ejector arms 41a, 41b and 41c all as more specifically described in column 3, lines 49-56 of my prior '063 patent, incorporated herein by reference.
In one aspect, the firearm apparatus of the present invention differs from my prior patented shotgun by the provision of at least one “rifle barrel” in the three barrel triangular arrangement shown. As is well known, a rifle barrel has an internal spiral groove or the like machined or otherwise formed into its interior surface to impart spin to the bullet or projectile traveling down the barrel. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, in the first preferred embodiment (
Of course, it will be appreciated that that dimensions of the individual barrels in the combined barrel array may be varied to meet individual requirements. Thus, in
It will be appreciated further that with respect to
In order to select which barrel is operative when the trigger of trigger assembly 24 is pulled, the apparatus includes a safety and/or barrel selector switch 43 located behind “break open” lever 13 (
As schematically shown in
In yet another or seventh alternatively preferred embodiment, illustrated in
Rearward extension 60 terminates in a reduced thickness tongue portion 64 of rectangular cross-sectional shape which, in turn, is adapted to be received within a suitable complimentary recess or channel 66 preferably of rectangular cross-sectional shape provided in stock member 14a (
Push-button-axle assembly 62 not only supports foldable stock 14a on the rear portion of the firearm (extension 60, tongue 64) for pivotal movement as aforesaid, but furthermore provides means for automatically locking the foldable stock 14a relative to the firearm in each of two conditions, i.e. folded/storage, and unfolded/operative or fire ready. More specifically, push-button-axle assembly 62 comprises a transverse insert located in a central, preferably cylindrical, recess 74 extending commonly through stock 14a and extension 64 (
A pair of preferably cylindrical, opposed plunger members 90, 92 are disposed in central recess 74 separated by a resilient member, such as a conventional spiral compression spring 94. The plunger members 90, 92 are suitably affixed to preferably cylindrical push-buttons 96, 98, respectively. A pair of collars or bushings 104, 106 are respectively affixed or seated in the enlarged openings 76, 78, and the push-buttons are, in turn, seated generally co-axially within bushings 96, 98, substantially as shown. Collars or bushings 96, 98 are suitably fixed relative to bifurcated portions 84, 86 as by being press-fitted therein, respectively, whereas push-buttons 96, 98 are adapted, respectively, to travel or slide axially along axis 88 toward compression spring 94 when depressed inwardly (
Turning for the moment to
In accordance with the invention, the push-button insert assembly is suitable securely fixed to firearm extension 64 by suitable known means (not shown to avoid obfuscation). The bifurcated portions 80, 82 of stock 14a and the corresponding bushings 104 and 106 seated therein and affixed to stock 41a are freely supported on the insert and allowed to rotate about axis 88. However, in two positions of the stock 14a, namely, the folded condition and the operative ready-to-fire condition (see
Turning now to
In the second compartment, defined by opening 118 in stock 14b, located proximal to push-button-insert assembly 62, a second transverse retainer fence 22b (similar to fence 22) is provided to resiliently engage and support a pair of chokes 100 (
As mentioned above, in one of its aspects, the present invention contemplates at least one of the barrels 10, 11 or 12 being rifled to accept bullets in lieu of shot gun shells to yield a single firearm that has attributes of both a shot gun and a rifle. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that arrangements where two of the three barrels are rifled, or even where all three barrels are rifled, or where the rifled barrel (or barrels) are positioned on the bottom of the triangular array (instead of on top as shown in
More specifically, in this respect,
Finally,
As above with respect to
An arrangement where all three barrels is a smooth bore or shotgun barrel is fully disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,063 (incorporated herein by reference). Thus, it will be clear that the unique combination of such triple-barrel “shotgun” and the folding stock of
In summary, it should be appreciated from the foregoing, that an important feature of the present invention is the novel combination of a triple-barrel firearm, regardless of the particular arrangement of the three barrels making up the array, with a folding stock (e.g.
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same is apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly, no further discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation need be provided.
Thus, while the present invention has been shown in the drawings and fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications thereof may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use. For example, the hinge axis for the foldable, rotatable stock 14a relative to the extension 64 and therefor the rear portion or remainder of the firearm can be positioned vertically as viewed in
Hence, the proper scope of the present invention should be determined only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all such modifications as well as all relationships equivalent to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification.
Claims
1. A combined firearm apparatus comprising:
- a stock,
- first, second and third barrels supported by said stock, and
- a firing mechanism supported by said stock for selectively firing through a corresponding one of said first, second, or third barrels, respectively,
- a trigger assembly mounted on said stock and being operatively connected to said first, second and third barrels via said firing mechanism,
- wherein said first, second and third barrels form an array characterized by a substantially triangular cross-section,
- a barrel selector supported on said stock, said barrel selector being operative to select one of said first, second or third barrels for firing when said trigger assembly is activated, and
- wherein said stock is a rear stock and is hingedly connected to said firearm apparatus rearwardly of said trigger assembly.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first, second or third barrels being rifled interiorly thereof to accept a rifle bullet.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 at least one of said barrels is a smooth bore barrel adapted to receive a shot gun shell, said smooth bore barrel further being adapted to receive a removable choke adapted to be attached to said smooth bore barrel.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third barrels are supported on a hand-grip, said hand grip being pivotally connected to said stock by a connecting pin, and
- wherein said apparatus further includes a break-open lever for causing said first, second and third barrels and said hand-grip to pivot downwardly and away from said stock about said connecting pin.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one of said barrels being rifled is sized to accept a bullet size selected from the group comprising: 45 caliber, 30-06, or 22 caliber.
6. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said other of said second and third barrels being adapted to receive a shot gun shell are sized to select a shotgun shell selected from the group comprising, 20 gauge, 12 gauge or 410 gauge.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said trigger assembly includes a rearward extension and said rear stock is connected to said extension by a hinge assembly.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said trigger assembly includes a rearward extension and said rear stock is connected to said extension by a hinge assembly, said hinge assembly defining a rotation axis transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis defined by said first, second and third barrels.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said hinge assembly includes a locking member and a manually-activatable release member,
- wherein said rear stock is pivotal about said rotation axis between a first position distal with respect to said trigger assembly and a second position proximal with respect to said trigger assembly,
- wherein said hinge assembly further includes means for automatically causing said locking member to lock said rear stock in said first position or said second position relative to said trigger assembly, and
- wherein said release member is effective to unlock said locking member upon manual activation thereof to pivot said rear stock from said first position to said second position or vice versa.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said locking member and said manually-activatable release member are co-axially related to each other with respect to said rotation axis.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said locking member includes a plunger, a radial lug on said plunger, a spring, and a bushing on said rear stock, said bushing having a reception notch for receiving said radial lug under the influence of said spring acting on said plunger, and
- wherein said release member includes a push-button for moving said plunger to cause said lug to be withdrawn from said reception notch.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said bushing, said plunger and said spring are coaxially related to each other and to said rotation axis.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rear stock has an opening therein for storing firearm accessories.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said firearm accessories are selected from the group consisting of shot gun shells or chokes.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said rear stock includes a resilient retainer in said opening, said retainer further having grooves for receiving and supporting said firearm accessories within said opening in said rear stock.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first, second or third barrels has a smooth bore for accepting a shotgun shell and at least one other of said first, second or third barrels is rifled to accept a bullet.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first, second or third barrels form an array characterized by a substantially triangular cross-section, said array comprises at least one smooth bore barrel adapted to receive a shot gun shell, and at least one rifled barrel adapted to receive a bullet, respectively.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first, second or third barrels forming said array characterized by a substantially triangular cross-section comprises first and second smooth bore barrels adapted to receive a shot gun shell, respectively, and a rifled barrel adapted to receive a bullet, respectively.
19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first, second or third barrels is a rifled barrel, and said at first, second or third rifled barrel substantially are of are of the same caliber.
20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wherein said first, second or third barrels is a rifled barrel, and said at first, second or third rifled barrel substantially are of are of different caliber.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 9, 2016
Publication Date: Dec 14, 2017
Inventor: Steve M. Johnson (Church Hill, TN)
Application Number: 14/999,659