GB645751A - Improvements in or relating to rifles - Google Patents

Abstract

645,751. Smallarms. BURNEY, Sir C. D. May 28, 1945, No. 13321. [Class 119] A semi-automatic recoil-shock absorbing rifle in which the barrel and bolt first recoil as an assembly against the action of a spring whereafter the bolt recoils alone, has the breech chamber of larger diameter than the breech opening through which the cartridge is introduced, and the energy stored up in the spring by the recoil of the assembly is used to impart a forward motion to the barrel assembly immediately prior to firing. In the construction shown the barrel 1 is slidably mounted in a front ring 2, Fig. 1 and a rear ring 5, Fig. 3, and between the rings extends a barrel casing 7 which is perforated for cooling purposes. The guide ring 5 is secured to the gun frame 10 and between the ring and a collar 3 on the barrel is a spring 4 which is compressed by the barrel when the barrel recoils. The barrel has an enlarged breech chamber 12, Fig. 4, and between this and the ring 5 the barrel is fitted with a rear sight 13 which can move in a longitudinal slot in the fixed breech casing 14. To the chamber 12 is screwed the front part of a breech-bolt housing 22 which is connected by a part, which is slotted to receive a magazine 21, to a housing 25 for the breech-bolt spring 29. The butt or shoulder piece 20 of the rifle is slotted to permit longitudinal movement of the magazine. The breech-bolt is made in two parts, a head 26 carrying the firing pin 33, and a rear part 27 which houses the front end of the spring 29, the head being rotatable on the part 27 against the action of a torsion spring 28. The bolt is covered by a housing 31 which is slotted to permit the retraction of the bolt handle 32, and the bolt head 26 is splined to pass through radial grooves in the breech ring. Locking of the bolt to the barrel is effected by partial rotation of the bolt after the splines have passed through the recesses. Action. To loadthe gun a safety catch 18 is moved to permit movement of a sear 15 controlled by the trigger 17, and the bolt handle 32 is first rotated and then retracted this action first compressing the bolt spring 29 and then the barrel spring 4. A bent 14a of the barrel is then held by sear 15. On releasing the handle the bolt moves forwardly carrying a round from the magazine to the chamber, and at the end of its movement the bolt head is rotated by spring 28 to lock it in position. When the trigger is pressed the assembly moves forward under the action of spring 4 until a pivoted hammer 34 strikes a fixed cam and actuates the firing pin. The assembly then recoils compressing spring 4 and during this movement a cam 36, Fig. 1, moves handle 32 to unlock the breech-bolt. The barrel is held by sear 15 and the residual pressure in the breech-chamber forces back the breech-bolt against spring 29 which subsequently moves forwardly to introduce a fresh cartridge into the , chamber, the spent cartridge case having been withdrawn by a claw-type extractor and a spring- type ejector.