Blank fire configuration for automatic pistol

Claim 1

An automatic pistol operable to fire blank ammunition wherein said pistol includes a frame, a slide mounted on said frame for reciprocal movement between a first position and a second position, wherein when said slide is in the first position, said pistol can fire, moving said slide to the second position, allowing a spent cartridge to be ejected as said slide moves toward the second position and a live cartridge to be positioned for firing as said slide moves back toward the first position, said pistol comprising: (a) a modified barrel including a breech and an inner hollow sleeve rigidly attached to and extending from said breech; (b) an outer sleeve having a diameter greater than said inner sleeve and having a constricted orifice therein, said outer sleeve telescopically receiving said inner sleeve; (c) barrel anchor means connected to said frame of said pistol, said barrel anchor means including means for connecting said breech of said modified barrel to said barrel anchor means and means for restraining motion of said breech to arcuate motion with respect to said barrel anchor means and means for restraining forward motion of said outer sleeve with respect to said barrel anchor means; (d) rod means projecting from said barrel anchor means in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of said sleeves when said slide is in the first position; (e) a shortened recoil spring received over said rod means, said spring having an inboard end abutting a stop on said barrel anchor means and an outboard end abutted by spring retaining means connected to said slide, whereby when said pistol is fired, said slide moves toward the second position against the bias of said spring to eject the spent cartridge from said breech while said breech moves slightly backward in an arc to receive a fresh cartridge and said outer sleeve remains horizontally stationary with respect to said frame, said spring restoring said slide, said breech, and said inner sleeve to their original positions upon pushing said slide to its first position.