Percussion Firing Patents (Class 89/27.14)
  • Patent number: 9383161
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to launchers and launcher systems for discharging or launched payloads to downrange targets, and the methods of attenuating or offsetting recoil in such launcher systems. Examples of payloads that can be deployed with the disclosed launcher apparatus include chemical, biological, pyrotechnic, marker, tracer, signaling, non-lethal, explosive, smoke, and similar payloads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Inventor: James Y. Menefee, III
  • Patent number: 8490309
    Abstract: A trigger assembly for a firearm includes a trigger and a trigger spring. The trigger assembly is mounted and retained in a frame of the firearm and, more specifically, in an elongated recess defined by the frame. The frame further defines lateral annular grooves and retaining lips near an opening of the elongated recess. The trigger includes an upper trigger piece and a lower trigger piece that are connected to each other. The upper trigger piece is mounted to the lateral annular grooves and retained by the retaining lips. The lower trigger piece is configured to fit in the opening and protrude from the frame. The trigger assembly also includes a trigger spring, mounted in a spring recess defined in the upper trigger piece, that spring biases the trigger into a resting position by abutting and engaging a trigger bar of the firearm under a torsional compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Smith & Wesson Corp.
    Inventor: Gary Zukowski
  • Patent number: 8356437
    Abstract: A firing pin position indicator may be mounted to the breech end of a weapon. The indicator may include a solenoid with a plunger and a firing pin adapter that is selectively engageable with the plunger. The firing pin adapter may be fixed to the firing pin of the weapon. The solenoid plunger may be coupled to a quick-release lock. The quick-release lock may be selectively engageable with the firing pin adapter. The quick-release lock may include a housing and a spring-loaded piston that is translatable in the housing. The quick-release lock housing may be coupled to the solenoid plunger with a pin. A sensor may sense the position of the solenoid plunger and may provide a control signal to the weapon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Edward W. Holmes, Wayland P. Barber
  • Patent number: 7793578
    Abstract: A percussion device for a medium or large caliber weapon incorporating a firing pin, spring means and a drive cam for the firing pin enabling its displacement in translation up to an “armed” position and the compression of the spring means, such device wherein it incorporates means to immobilize the firing in the “armed” position, these means being supported by the weapon breech and able to take up a position in which they immobilize the firing pin and another in which they release the firing pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: CTA International
    Inventors: Michel Lenoble, Michel Baubois
  • Patent number: 7779740
    Abstract: A revolving firing pin system is mechanically linked to a screw-block in a breech-loading mortar system, wherein the revolver firing pin assembly rotates on a centerline that is offset from the centerline of the screw-block assembly. When the revolver firing pin assembly is rotated, the firing pin assembly also rotates. However, until the screw-block assembly is locked, the firing pin is in a safety position that is not in line with the primer of the munition loaded into the mortar system. Only when the screw-block is rotated into a locked position does the firing pin align with the primer of the munition to thus be able to strike the primer when the solenoid is electronically actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Edward Holmes, Lee Bennett, Donald Forkas, George Hathaway, IV
  • Patent number: 6976431
    Abstract: A cartridge for firearms includes a bullet connected to a casing. The casing includes a cylindrical wall that extends to an end member opposite the bullet, a hollow interior formed by the wall and the end member, means for receiving a priming composition, and means for compressing the priming composition with a firing pin engaging the end member. Propellant is placed in the hollow interior and ignited by the compressed priming composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Armalite Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Westrom, George L. Reynolds, S. Paul Reynolds
  • Patent number: 6931774
    Abstract: A replacement cylinder that enables the use of modern smokeless gunpowder in a black powder muzzle-loading revolver is provided. The cylinder includes a main cylinder body and a removable cylinder cap. The main cylinder body includes a number of chambers, each of which having a projectile portion, a propellant portion and a primer portion. The cylinder cap includes a number of captured firing pins positioned therein. During operation, the cylinder cap is allowed to axially translate relative to the main cylinder body. A method of muzzle-loading the cylinder of the invention using modern smokeless gunpowder and a primer is also provided and is facilitated by the provision of a loading plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Inventor: Kenneth P. Howell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6634128
    Abstract: A 0.22 caliber long rifle removable conversion system kit for open top frame, black powder, ball and cap colt reproduction and replica revolver—recreation and gallery shooting comprises a barrel nut and a barrel sleeve nut being threaded to mate with a threaded portion of the outside diameter of the barrel sleeve and sized to fit snugly into the inside diameter of the outlet of the pistol barrel. Also included is a firing pin ring assembly comprised of a loading gate subassembly, firing pin subassembly and firing pin ring. Also included is a cartridge cylinder being cylindrical in shape with cartridge apertures configured to mate with and engage the existing rotation hand and locking lug of the pistol frame. Lastly included is a barrel wedge assembly comprising an expanding wedge subassembly and an unloading rod assembly comprising an unloading rod and an unloading rod housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Inventor: Laszlo Vastag
  • Patent number: 6450080
    Abstract: An ordnance firing mechanism for striking detonators by a strike pin which is translatable relative to a support, the strike pin being driven in translation by actuation apparatus including a lever connected to the strike pin and pivotable relative to the support, a pivotable pawl able to release the lever 4, a propelling device acting on the lever and affixed to the support 1, a driver acting on the pawl and through it implementing rotation of the lever thereby arming the strike pin and releasing the lever, the driver including a control rod for translation relative to the support and having recesses cooperating with the pawl and with a heel cooperating with the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Giat Industries
    Inventors: Patrick Pochard, Jean-Claude Bourdin