Air gun mechanism arrangement including trigger safety

Claim 2

An air operated gun mechanism comprising, in combination: a housing; a compression tube means slidably mounted in said housing for reciprocating motion between a firing position and a retracted position, and having a forward end having first walls defining an air passage aperture; a plunger means slidably mounted in said housing for reciprocating motion between a firing position and a retracted position, and said plunger means having a forward position slidably mounted in said compression tube means and having a predetermined frictional force therebetween, and said forward portion adjacent said forward end of said compression tube means for the condition of said plunger means and said compression tune means in said firing position thereof, and said compression tube means free of air passageways communicating with regions extenal thereof other than said air passage aperture intermediate said forward end of said compression tube means and said forward end of said plunger means; cocking means movably mounted in said housing for moving said plunger means from said firing position to said retracted position by movement of said cocking meAns in a first direction, and said predetermined frictional force between said plunger means and said compression tube means being of such magnitude that when said plunger means is moved by said cocking means from said firing position of said plunger means to said retracted position thereof, said friction force moves said compression tube means from said firing position thereof to said retracted position thereof with said compression tube means free of engagement with said cocking means for said movement between said firing position of said compression tube means and said retracted position thereof, and said cocking means moving said compression tube means from said retracted position to said firing position by movement of said cocking means in a second direction opposite said first direction; spring means for resiliently resisting movement of said plunger means from said firing position to said retracted position, and said spring means in a compressed condition for the condition of said plunger means in said retracted position, and said spring means extendable to an extended position to drive said plunger means from said retracted position to said firing position; trigger means manually actuable for releasably holding said plunger means in said retracted position thereof to releasably hold said spring means in said compressed condition thereof, and actuating said trigger means releases said spring means to drive said plunger means into said firing position thereof, and said movment of said cocking means in said second direction moves said compression tube means into said firing position thereof free of spring forces thereon by said spring means; projectile holding means on said housing means for holding a projectile to be fired adjacent said air passage aperture to said compression tube for the condition of said compression tube in said firing position, and safety means movably mounted on said housing and operatively engaging said trigger means and manually movable from a safety position preventing trigger means actuation to a released position allowing trigger means actuation.

Claim 3

The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein: said cocking means engages said compression tube means to restrain said compression tube means in said firing position thereof.

Claim 4

The arrangement defined in claim 2 wherein said compression tube means further comprises: transfer rod means for positioning the projectile to be fired in said projectile holding means for movment of said compression tube means from said retracted position to said firing position thereof.

Claim 5

An air operated gun mechanism comprising, in combination; a housing comprising; first walls defining a cylindrical chamber having a first end and a second end; second walls defining a track means spaced from and in parallel relationship to said cylindrical chamber and having a first end in regions adjacent said first end of said cylinder chamber and a second end spaced from said first end; third walls defining a trigger means accepting cavity adjacent said first ends of said cylindrical chamber and said track means; fourth walls defining a detent means in said cylindrical chamber intermediate said first end and said second end thereof; fifth walls defining a projectile feed cavity communicating with said second end of said cylindrical chamber; and sixth walls defining a projectile holding cavity communicating with said projectile feed cavity; compression tube means slidably mounted in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocating motion between said second end and said detent, and said compression tube means comprising: a tubular body member having a forward end in regions adjacent said second end of said cylindrical chamber; a back end adjacent said track means in regions adjacent said detent, and said back end engaging said detent to stop movement of said compression tube towards said first end of said cylindrical chamber; a transfer rod haVing walls defining an air passage aperature therethrough coupled to said forward end of said tubular body member; and said compression tube means movable from a firing position wherein said forward end of said tubular body member is adjacent said second end of said cylindrical chamber and said transfer rod is adjacent said projectile holding cavity, and a retracted position wherein said back end of said tubular body member is adjacent said detent and said transfer rod is positioned in said projectile feed cavity, whereby said transfer rod moves a projectile to be fired from said projectile feed cavity into said projectile holding cavity for the condition of movement of said compression means from said retracted position to said firing position; a plunger means slidably mounted in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocating motion therein and comprising: a stem member having a forward end slidably mounted in said compression tube and having a predetermined frictional force therebetween for substantially air tight reciprocating motion therein; tab means coupled to said stem member and adjacent said track means; and said plunger means movable from a firing position wherein said forward end of said stem means is adjacent said forward end of said compression tube means, and a retracted position wherein said forward end of said stem member is spaced from said forward end of said compression tube means, whereby air is compressed in said compression tube means for the condition of said plunger means moving from said retracted position to said firing position, and compressed air is expelled through said transfer rod to propel the projectile to be fired from said projectile holding cavity, and said predetermined frictional force between said plunger means and said compression tube means moves said compression tube means from said firing position to said retracted position for the condition of movment of said plunger means from said firing position to said retracted position thereof, and said compression tube means free of air passage apertures communicating with regions external said compression tube means other than said aperture in said transfer rod in regions forward of said forward end of said plunger means; spring means intermediate said plunger means and said housing for resiliently resisting movement of said plunger means from said firing position to said retracted position and driving said plunger means from said retracted position to said firing position; cocking means slidably mounted in said track means and said cocking means comprising: a first portion for engaging said tab means on said stem member of said plunger means for movement of said cocking means towards said first end of said track means to move said plunger means to said retracted position thereof; a second poriton for engaging said back end of said body member of said compression tube means for movement of said cocking means toward said second end of said track means to move said comression tube means from said retracted position to said firing position thereof; trigger means mounted in said trigger receiving cavity of said housing and comprising: a sear means for engaging said plunger means to detachably hold said plunger means in said retracted position thereof; a trigger lever operatively engaging said sear means and manually actuatable to move said sear means from said detachably holding engagement with said plunger means and to relese said plunger means for the condition of acutation of said trigger lever; and safety means movably mounted on said housing adjacent said trigger means receiving cavity and manually movable from said safety position in locking engagement with said trigger lever to prevent said trigger actuation to a released position free of said locking engagment with said trigger elever.

Claim 6

An air operated gun mechanism comprising, in combination; a housing comprising; first walls defining a cylindrical chamber having a first end and a second end; second walls defining a track means spaced from and in parallel relationship to said cylindrical chamber and having a first end in regions adjacent said first end of said cylinder chamber and a second end spaced from said first end; third walls defining a trigger means accepting cavity adjacent said first ends of said cylindrical chamber and said track means; fourth walls defining a detent means in said cylindrical chamber intermediate said first end and said second end thereof; fifth walls defining a projectile feed cavity communicating with said second end of said cylindrical chamber; and sixth walls defining a projectile holding cavity communicating with said projectile feed cavity; compression tube means slidably mounted in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocating motion between said second end and said detent, and said compression tube means comprising: a tubular body member having a forward end in regions adjacent said second end of said cylindrical chamber; a back end adjacent said track means in regions adjacent said detent, and said back end engaging said detent to stop movement of said compression tube towards said first end of said cylindrical chamber; a transfer rod haVing walls defining an air passage aperature therethrough coupled to said forward end of said tubular body member; and said compression tube means movable from a firing position wherein said forward end of said tubular body member is adjacent said second end of said cylindrical chamber and said transfer rod is adjacent said projectile holding cavity, and a retracted position wherein said back end of said tubular body member is adjacent said detent and said transfer rod is positioned in said projectile feed cavity, whereby said transfer rod moves a projectile to be fired from said projectile feed cavity into said projectile holding cavity for the condition of movement of said compression means from said retracted position to said firing position; a plunger means slidably mounted in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocating motion therein and comprising: a stem member having a forward end slidably mounted in said compression tube and having a predetermined frictional force therebetween for substantially air tight reciprocating motion therein; tab means coupled to said stem member and adjacent said track means; and said plunger means movable from a firing position wherein said forward end of said stem means is adjacent said forward end of said compression tube means, and a retracted position wherein said forward end of said stem member is spaced from said forward end of said compression tube means, whereby air is compressed in said compression tube means for the condition of said plunger means moving from said retracted position to said firing position, and compressed air is expelled through said transfer rod to propel the projectile to be fired from said projectile holding cavity, and said predetermined frictional force between said plunger means and said compression tube means moves said compression tube means from said firing position to said retracted position for the condition of movment of said plunger means from said firing position to said retracted position thereof, and said compression tube means free of air passage apertures communicating with regions external said compression tube means other than said aperture in said transfer rod in regions forward of said forward end of said plunger means; spring means intermediate said plunger means and said housing for resiliently resisting movement of said plunger means from said firing position to said retracted position and driving said plunger means from said retracted position to said firing position; cocking means slidably mounted in said track means and said cocking means comprising: a first portion for engaging said tab means on said stem member of said plunger means for movement of said cocking means towards said first end of said track means to move said plunger means to said retracted position thereof; a second poriton for engaging said back end of said body member of said compression tube means for movement of said cocking means toward said second end of said track means to move said comression tube means from said retracted position to said firing position thereof; trigger means mounted in said trigger receiving cavity of said housing and comprising: a sear means for engaging said plunger means to detachably hold said plunger means in said retracted position thereof; a trigger lever operatively engaging said sear means and manually actuatable to move said sear means from said detachably holding engagement with said plunger means and to relese said plunger means for the condition of acutation of said trigger lever; and safety means movably mounted on said housing adjacent said trigger means receiving cavity and manually movable from said safety position in locking engagement with said trigger lever to prevent said trigger actuation to a released position free of said locking engagment with said trigger elever.

Claim 7

The arrangement defined in claim 4 wherein said safety means further comprises: a safety lever; an overcenter spring means betwEen said trigger lever and said safety lever for biasing said safety lever both in said safety position and said released position and yieldingly resisting movement of said safety lever therebetween, said overcenter spring means moving said safety lever from said released position to said safety position for the condition of actuation of said trigger means.

Claim 8

The arrangement defined in claim 5 wherein: said sear means overlies said track means; said tab means on said plunger means engages said sear means for movement of said plunger means into said retracted position thereof to actuate said trigger lever, whereby said safety lever is biased by said overcenter spring means into said safety position.

Claim 9

The arrangement defined in claim 6 wherein said safety lever further comprises: an arm portion overlying said track means intermediate said sear means and said sedcond end of said track means for the condition of said safety lever in said safety position thereof, and said tab means on said plunger means engaging said arm on said safety lever for movement of said plunger means into said retracted position to move said safety lever against said overcenter spring means from said safety position to a position free of said locking engagement with said trigger lever, whereby further movement of said plunger means towards said first end of said cylindrical chamber to provide said engagement of said tab means with said sear means to provide said actuation of said trigger lever.