US2841909A - Constant torque-type stress appliance for firearm barrels - Google Patents

Description

July 8, 1958 M. TEMPLE 2,841,909

, L. CONSTANT TORQUE-TYPE STRESS APPLIANCE FOR FIREARM BARRELS Filed July 12, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. "4" '1 to LezzzzeZ/ZZmpZe July 8, 1958' M. TEMPLE CONSTANT TORQUE-TYPE STRESS APPLIANCE FOR FIRE ARM BARRELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2" Filed July 12, 1954 liezmzeZ/i fem 0Z6 Q0 INVENTOR.

July 8, 1958 L. M. TEMPLE 2,341,909

CONSTANT TORQUE-TYPE STRESS APPLIANCE I F OR FIREARM BARRELS "Filed July 12, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet.3

IN VEN TOR. lama 65M TGIF/0Z6 Habit 2W6.

for the stock and barrel of a firearm a connector of the screw-adjustment type of which the aforementioned wrench-type manipulator is a clutch the members of which are positively engaged to transmit unlimited torque to the adjustment screw in stress-relieving direction, and are frictionally engaged to transmit no more than predetermined maximum torque to the adjustment screw 'in stress-applying direction, thereby to permit harmless into engagement with each other by a variable spring force, thereby not only achieving the aforementioned positive and frictional engagement between the clutch members for the transmission to the adjustment screw of unlimited torque and no more than predetermined maximum torque in stress-relieving and stress-applying directions, respectively, with the added assurance that the torque in stress-applying direction will, by virtue of the camming action between the ratchet teeth and pawl-like projections on the clutch members, remain constant at any adjusted magnitude for a long time, but also obtaining, when overdriving the clutch in stress-applying direction, an unmistakable signal that further rotation of the same is unnecessary, by the readily perceptible clicking sounds then caused by the ratchet teeth and pawl-like projections on the clutch members.

Further objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the art from the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a firearm stock-and-barrel connector embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same connector;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the connector as taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sections through the connector as taken on the lines 4--4 and 5--5, respectively, of Fig. 3;

Fig. -6 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the connector as taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 6, showing certain parts of the connector in diflerent operating positions;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side view of a firearm and installed connector;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the same firearm and installed connector;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-section through the firearm and installed connector as taken on the line 10--10 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a firearm and installed connector which embodies the present invention in a modified manner; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a firearm and installed connector which embodies the present invention in a further modified manner.

a bottom 30 and a rim 32 which in this instance is annular and preferably knurled on its outer periphery as at 34 to serve as a convenient knob. The manipulator 24 and driven member 22 constitute the elements of a clutch, in this instance a pawl-type clutch. To this end, the bottom 39 of the manipulator 24 is provided with an annular row of ratchet-like teeth 36 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6), while the adjacent face of the driven member 22 is provided with cooperating pawl-like projections 38 which may conveniently be formed by equi-angularly notching the driven member as at 40 (see also Fig. 4). Received in the manipulator 24 within its rim 32 is the head 42 of a screw 44 having a threaded shank 46 received in the driven member 22. The blank part 48 of the shank 46 extends with a free fit through an axial bore 50 in the bottom 30 of the manipulator 24 to mount the latter on the driven member 22 for rotation coaxially of its shank 26. Surrounding the shank 46 of the screw 44 and interposed between the head 42 of the latter and the bottom 30 of the manipulator 24 is a compression type spring, in this instance in the form of opposed spring discs 52 and 54, which yieldingly hold the manipulator in driving engagement with the driven member. The screw 44 may be turned at its head 42 with a screw driver or the like in order to provide a preset compression of the spring discs 52 and 54 and, hence, the force with which the manipulator 24 is urged into driving engagement with the driven member 22.

Reference is now had to Figs. 8 to 10 which show the instant stress connector 20 installed in a firearm of conventional construction, having the usual wooden stock 62 and bedded barrel 64 therein. The rear end of the barrel 64 is customarily screwed or otherwise anchored in the usual receiver (not shown) which is suitably anchored in the intermediate portion of the stock, and the barrel is further secured to the forepart 66 of the stock, in this instance by the stress connector 20. The connector 20 is adapted not only to secure the forepart of the barrel 64 to the forepart 66 of the stock, but also to induce in the barrel stresses of a magnitude to obtain optimum firing accuracy.. The stresses induced by the instant connector 20 in the barrel 64 are bending stresses, and these are achieved, in the present instance, by causing the connector to draw the barrel and forepart of the stock together. In order that opposing bending stresses may be induced by the connector 20 in the barrel 64 and forestock 66, the latter is in this instance provided with a trough-like bedding recess 68 in which the barrel 64 extends with increasing clearance 70 away from the receiver.

The shank 26 of the driven member 22 of the connector 20 extends through the stock escutcheon 72 and an aligned hole 74 in the forepart 66 of the stock 62 (Fig. 9), and the threaded end 28 of this shank is received in a fixed member comprising a lug 76 on the barrel 64. The lug 76 is in this instance secured to the barrel 64 through intermediation of a band 78 on the latter. The shank 26 of the driven member 22 of the connector is provided with an annular shoulder 80 which rests against a similar shoulder 82 in the stock escutcheon 72. These shoulders form cooperating abutments whereby the barrel 64 and forepart 66 of the stock 62 will be drawn against each other to induce bending stresses in each on turning the driven member 22 in the screw-in direction of its threaded shank end 28, and these bending stresses will be relieved in the barrel and stock on turning the driven member 22 in the opposite direction, as will be readily understood.

The ratchet teeth 36 on the manipulator 24 and the pawl-like projections 38 on the driven member 22 are so arranged that the shoulders of the ratchet teeth interlock with the adjacent sides 92 of the pawl-like projections (see also Fig. 6), and positively drive the member 22 in the unscrewing direction of the exemplary righthand thread on the end 28 of its shank 26, i. e. in stressrelieving direction, when the manipulator 24 is turned in the sarne direction;

adjusted angular position.

Y Accordingly, any amount of torque} applied toithemanipulator 24 will be transmitted ,torthe'member 22 inthe stress-relievingdirection/to assureinstantaneous relief of the stresses in the barrel'and stock when the firearm is'conditioned for. inaction of any duration/ However, on turning the manip fiator 24 .in

the opposite or stress-applying direction in order to restore the. previous stresscondition in the barrel and stock for I reneweduse of the firearm at its optimum-firing accuracy, the frictional engagement between theinclin'ed flanks If 94 .of the'rat'chet teeth 36 and' thepawl-like projections 38 (Fig. :6)1=Will determine the/maximum torque'trans- 6 I when *its:firing accuracy has forany reason fwhatever deteriorated.

While in the exemplary connector 20 described herein 1 the ratchet teeth are provided on the manipulator and the pawl-like projections are provided on the driven mem-' ber, these may obviously be reversed on the manipulator and driven member in a'self-explanatory manner. Also, while the connector. in the exemplary installation of Figs. 8 tov -10 draws the stocka'nd barrel of the firearm'together for inducing the correct stress condition in the'barrel for its optimum firing'accuracy, the, same connector in -,slightly' modified form" may be used in a firearm for v.mittibleby the manipulator'to thedriven member. 22. "IfjlthGIOIiQUE applied to the manipulator.24.in.stress applying .direction; exceeds athisina ximum atxwhich the x exact stress ,conditions in the stock and barrel forrenewed optimum; firing accuracy of the latter are restored,

the drivensrmember will' noilonger be. driven and the .ratchet te'eth 36 onthe'manipulator' will simply override the.pawl:-like projections 38 on the driven member (Fig.

7 7).,-;as vwill*be'readilyunderstood.

Asalready mentioned, the. maximum torque trans- ;forcing its'stock and barrel apart in order to induce in the latter the correct stress condition for its optimum firing accuracy. 'Such a'm'odified connector applicationl in a firearm is shown in" Fig'.- 11.

. In this figure, thejshank 26. 1 of the'driverrfmember 22' of the connector is provided with "a collar 101 which mittible by the manipulator 24 to the driven member 22 in stress-applying direction depends on the force with.

' which 'theiinclined flanks 9 f the ratchet teeth 36 on, V

the former d rivingly engage the pawl -like projections'38 on the latter, and thisforce may. be ya'ried to suit by ("changing thejcompre'ssion of the spring discs 52and 54'by means of, the adjustment screg'r-.441 -Accordingly,.' the aba'rrel ofanyl firearm may initially bestressed for optimum'firing' accuracy, eitherinthejfactory or by the pure chaser, by manipulatin'g the adjustment screw 44 and turning the manipulator 24 in stress-applyingdirection v .until 'the barrel fires with" optimumiaccuracy, meaning that the correct stress conditionlin'lthe' particular barrel for its optimum firing accuracy has" then been attained. A

7 set screw 100 in the driven member '22 may then be tightened against the shank 46 of'the adjustment screw 44 in order releasably to lock thelatter in its correctly Thereupon', the stresses in the barrel and stock may be relieved for any inactive period of the firearm to preventwarping of the wooden Y stock as much as possible, by simply turning the manipulator 24 in stress-relieving direction until approximate minimum resistance to its rotation in this direction is experienced by the operator. In order to condition the fire' arm for renewed use, the operator or marksman need merely turn the manipulator 24 in stress-applying direction until the latter overdrives the member 22 and indi cates to the operator o-rrnarksman that the correct stress conditions in thestock and barrel arerestored and the; manipulator 24 requires no further turning. The fact '7 1 of the overdrive of the manipulator 24 is all the more;

unmistakably brought home to the operator or marksman by the clicking sounds caused by the ratchet teeth 36 and pawl-like projections 38 when the former override the latter.

barrel of the firearm "depend solely on the tension in the connector 20, and since this tension'is determined 7 directly by the torque applied to the driven member 22 in stress-applying direction, it follows that the same stress conditions are exactly restored in the stock and barrel" in each repeated instance regardlessof Warpage of vthe stock in the meantime, for the maximum torque trans- I mittible by the manipulator 24 to the driven member 22 is and remains constant, despite any Warpage of the stock,

. as long as the adjustment ofthe screw 44 is not changed.

The instant connector 20 is, byvirtue of its variable maximum torque output in stress-applying direction,

' ideally suited for installation in all'kinds of firearms and subsequent stressing of their barrels for optimum firing Since the magnitudes of the stresses in the stock and a barrel 64".

accuracy, as well as for accurately re-stressing' the barrel of any firearm for renewed optimum firing accuracy abuts against the stock escutcheon 72 secured to jthe 'fore'part 66'. of. the stock .62 by the screws 102; The end .of the shank 26' of the driven member 22 is threaded at 28, in this instance in right-hand fashion, and is received by the lug 76' on the band 78 on the barrel 64',

Accordingly, the stock and barrel will be forced apart to induce inthem bending stresses at whichthe latter will fire with optimum accuracy, when the drivenimem ber 22' 'is turned .in.the unscrewing direction. of" its threaded shank end 28', Le. iri' stress-applying direction,

while these stresses are relieved on turning the" driven member in 'tthe opposite or stress relieving direction, as

-will be readily understood. It further follows from Figl' ll that'th e ratchet teeth 36' on the manipulator} 24" and pawl-like projections 38, on the 'drivenfmemb'e'r' are so -.arranged that the ratchettteeth will interlockwith the pawl-like projections and positively drive the driven member on turning the manipulator in stress-relieving direction, andthe ratchetteeth willoverride thep'awl-like projections when the manipulator is turnedin stress-applying directionat a torque in excess of its; maximum torque which is transmittible to the driven member and adjustable in magnitude on varying theicompression of the spring-discs by means of the adjustment screw ,1 V

(neither shown).

, Reference is now had to Fig. 12 which shows a further 1 modified stress connector 20" of constant maximum' torque-type installed in a firearm having a, stock 62'? and tinguishes from the earlier described connector Ztiby providing on the manipulator 24" and driven member .22" cooperating friction. surfaces and 112, 'respectively, which are held in driving engagement with each other by the spring discs 52", and 54 the compression of which may be varied'by the adjustment screw 44". The maximumtorque transmittible by the manipulator 24" to the driven member 22". in either stress-relieving or stresseapplying direction is in this instance the same and 1 its magnitude depends on the compression of the'spring;

discs 52 and 54", as Will be readily understood. on proper adjustment of thegcompression of the springdiscs 52" and 54" by means of the adjustment screw 44", transmissionfrom the manipulator 24'? to the driven member 22" through the friction surfaces 110 and 112 driving connection between the manipulator 24" and driven member 22".

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention,

The, instant modified connector 20" disand the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What isclaimed is:

1. In a firearm, a stock part, a barrel part bedded therein; a stress connection for the stock and barrel parts comprising a member adapted for rotary mounting in one part and having a threaded portion for connection with the other part; a cupped manipulator having a bottom and a rim and being mounted for rotation coaxially of said member, said member and said bottom of the manipulator constituting the elements of a pawl-type clutch of which one element'has ratchet teeth and the other element has cooperating pawl-like projections; a screw having an exposed head in the cup of said manipulator and a threaded shank extending through the bottom of the latter and received in said member; a compressiontype spring surrounding the threaded shank of said screw and interposed between the head of the latter'and the bottom of said manipulator, said spring urging said clutch elements into driving engagement with each other with a force variable with the adjustment of said screw, and said ratchet teeth and projections being coordinated so as to interlock with each other and positively drive said member on turning said manipulator in one direction, and to override each other on turning said manipulator in the opposite direction at a torque, greater than a predetermined maximum.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a set screw in said member for releasably locking said headed screw in angularly adjusted position.

3. In combination in a firearm, a .stock, a barrel, a stress connection between the two for adjustably bedding said barrel in the forepart of said stock and comprising a fixed member carried by the barrel and having a threaded 8 aperture therein, a rotary part having an abutment engaging said stock, and a threaded shank passing through the latter into engagement with the threaded aperture of said fixed member whereby a bending stress is induced in said barrel in response to rotation of said 'part in a given direction, said part having an annular row of pawl-like projections extending axially of said shank, a rotary manipulator having axially projecting ratchet teethadapted to mesh with the projections of said rotary part,

a central axial bore extending through said manipulator,

a headed screw passing freely through said bore and received'in said rotary part to mount said manipulator coaxially upon said part, and compression spring means confined between the head of said screw and said manipulator for urging said ratchet teeth and pawl-like projections into engagement.

4. The combination in a firearm as defined in claim 3, in which said headed screw is adjustable with respect to said manipulator to preset the pressure of said compression spring means and consequently the maximum torque to be transmitted to said rotary part by said manipulator, and means in said part for locking said screw in an adjusted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,173,316 Segal Feb. 29, 1916 1,633,844 Buckwalter June 28, 1827 1,843,875 Kendall et al. Feb. 2, 1932 2,075,754 Williams Mar. 30, 1937 2,205,982 Klipsch June 25, 1940 2,373,622 Williams Apr. 10, 1945 2,497,861 Brown Feb. 21, 1950 2,525,379 Smilansky Oct. 10, 1950 2,634,640 Pedersen' Apr. 14, 1953 2,690,090 Pedersen Sept. 28, 1954

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