US2435217A - Firearm and stock structure therefor - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 3, 1948. c. H. HOWELL, JR

FIREARM AND STOCKSTRUCTURE THEREBUR Filed May 2, 1945 meve Hpflmwai'l ,Jn

P'atentecl Feb. 3, 1948 w f oox smoc'rrmg THEREFOR Cleves H. Howell, Jr., Estes Park, Golo.

Application May 2, 1945, Serial No. 591,599

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

7 Claims.

The invention, described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon. V

This invention relates to an improved firearm and more particularly to an improved rifle especially designed for use by special troops such as para-troopers or raiders.

It is an aim of the invention to provide a rifle which will be extremely light in weight, compact and convenient to carry and which is capable of being fired either as a shoulder weapon or similar to asub-machinegun. V

More particularly,- it is an object of this invention to provide a r-ifle having a novel construction o'f stock including a detachable rear section capable of being quickly and easily applied to or removed from the rear end of the front section of the stock, and which, when detached, is demountably supported beneath the front section and. in a position convenient for carrying the rifle and from which position the weapon can be fired in the same manner a sub-machine gun.

A further aimof the invention is to provide a rifle of the above describedcharacter having a stock formed of a lightweight metal such as aluminum to thereby reduce the weight of the weapon and increase its durability.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein: I V

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a firearm, constructed -ac cordance with the invention, with the stock disassembled from its -normal operative position and applied in a position for-carrying the weapon;

Figure 2 isan enlarged side elevational view, partly in section, showing the detachable stock section mounted in the fixed stock section;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the detachable stock section -in its applied position for use of the rifle as 'a shoulder weapon;

Figure 4 is an end view in elevation looking toward the rear end of the-forward stocksection, with the rear stock section detached; and

Figure -5 is -a fragmentary-end view in elevation looking toward the forward end of the detached rear stock section. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein like reference characters "designate like or, corresponding. parts throughout the several views, 6 designates .rgenerally =a rifle =constructed ill-accordance with the invention and which isv amended Aliril 30, 1928; 3 70 0. G. 757) similar in construction and operation to the,

United States Army rifle lVII with the exception that the stock, designated generally 1 of the rifle 6, and which comprises the invention, is of a modified construction.

The rifle '5 includes the usual barrel 8, receiver 9 and trigger mechanism, a portion of which is indicated at H). These parts are of conventional construction and a further description thereof is therefore considered unnecessary.

The stock 1 is preferably formed of a light weight metal such as aluminum and includes a front section II in which is mounted the barrel 8., receiver 9 and trigger mechanism ID. The stock 1 also includes a detachable rear section l2. The section II terminates behind and adjacent the rear end oi the receiver 9 and is provided at its rear end with a, rearwardly extending and arearwardly opening socket I3, which preferably is formed vintegral with the section II and the interior of which is provided with longitudinally extending alternate lands and grooves, the lands of which are threaded to provide an interruptedthread l4. The stock -I I, adjacent its rear end and behind and adjacentthe trigger and trigger guard of the trigger mechanism 10, is provided with an integral depending pisto1 grip I5. The section H, intermediate of its ends, is provided with a recess [6 for-med in the under side thereof, the forward end of which is defined by a depending lug or projection '11 and the rear end of which is defined'by a forwardly facing shoulder IS. The lug 'l l is provided with a rearwardly opening recess 119. The recess ['6 is shown provided with a depending side wall '20 on one side thereof and said recess opens laterally of the stock section H on its other side for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. The under side of the stock section l directly to the rear of the shoulder i8, is provided with a slidably mounted latch 21 which is mounted thereon by means of a screw fastening 22 which extends through and is slidab'ly engaged by an elongated longitudinally disposed s10t2'3 in the latch 21.

The rear stock section 12 comprises an elongated shank or stem portion 24 having a restricted "forward end provided with longitudinally extending alternate lands and grooves, the lands of which are threaded to form amale interrupted threaded joint element 25 which is shaped and sized to fit and threadedly engage the female =coupling element [3, for mounting the sections ,1! and I2 in assembled, end to end relationship, .as illustrated in Figure 3. Therear stocksection [2 at its rear end 'is .providedmith an integral depending pistol grip portion 26 the back edge of which, together with the rear end of the stem portion 24, is made slightly concave as seen at 21 to generally conform to the contour of the shoulder and which forms the butt portion of the rifle 6.

The pistol grips I and 26 are each provided with roughened or serrated sides to facilitate gripping these parts. Said pistol grips are also provided with depending sling swivels 28 to which are connected an adjustable sling 29. V

The detachable stock section I2 is applied to the rear end of the stock section II by inserting the coupling element 25 into the coupling element I3, while canted slightly to the left, after which the stock section I2 is rotated in a clockwise direction, looking from rear to front of the rifle 6, and the threads of the coupling section I4 and 25 are so arranged that a tight fit will be accomplished when the pistol grip 26 is in substantially the same plane as the pistol grip I5. With the rifle 6, thus assembled, as, seen in Figure 3, it is adapted to be fired as a shoulder weapon by placing the butt. portion 2'! against the shoulder, grasping the grip I5 and operating the trigger with a finger of the hand,corresponding to the shoulder against which the butt is placed, and steadying the rifle by placing the other hand beneath the forward stock section II, in a conventional manner. For carrying the rifle, the stock section I2 is detached and applied to the recess I6. This is accomplished, with the latch 2| in a retracted position, by inserting the element 25 into the socket I9, which is laterally enlarged for loosely receiving the element 25, with the stem 24 disposed atan angle to the axis of the rifle 6, after which stock section I2 is swung laterally into the recess I6. The latch 2| is then moved forwardly to cause its forward end toengage in a rearwardly opening recess or keeper 30 in the rear end of the stem 24 for detachably fastening the stock section I2 in the recess I6. With the parts thus positioned, as seen in Figure l, the rifle 6 can be readily carried either swung over the shoulder by means of the sling 29 or under the arm by, grasping the pistol grip 26; or rifle 6 may be fired, similarly to asub-machine gun, by grasping the two pistol grips I5 and 26.

Obviously, the flange or wall 20 could be provided on either side of the stock section I I to permit stock section I2 to be applied and detached from the recess I6, or if desired, the wall 26 could be omitted entirely to permit applying the stock section I2 from either side of the stock section I I. Instead of the conventional sliding latch 2|, as disclosed, a spring projected sliding latch could be employed. Also the stock I may be formed of wood or other suitable material. Likewise, various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to as only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, and the right is reserved to make such modifications in the invention as do not depart from the spirit and scope thereof as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rifle having a stock formed of a forward and a rear section, said sections being detachably connected in end to end relationship behind and adjacent the rifle receiver, said rear section including a shank having an integral depending pistol grip at the rear end thereof forming a stock butt, said forward section adjacent its rear end having a depending integral pistol grip, and means for receiving and detachably mounting the rear stock section on the underside of and intermediate of the ends of the forward stock section whereby said pistol grips are spaced relative to each other longitudinally of the forward stock section.

2. A rifle as in claim 1, said pistol grips having depending sling swivels, and an adjustable sling connected to said swivels.

3. A rifle as in claim 1, said forward section being recessed in it underside and intermediate of its ends to receive the rear section, and a latch for detachably retaining the rear section in said recess and with its pistol grip depending therefrom.

4. A rifie as in claim 1, said section having a quick detachable interrupted thread joint for connecting the sections in end to end relationship.

,5. In a firearm, the combination of a barrel, a receiver, a trigger mechanism, a forward stock section containing said barrel, receiver and trigger mechanism in cooperative relationship with each other, a pistol grip depending from said forward stock section rearwardly of said trigger mechanism, a rear stock section, a depending portion on said rear stock section and cooperating means on said forward stock section and said rear stock section for detachably securing the latter section to the forward stock section at either of two spaced positions thereof, whereby when the rear stock section is in one of said positions the depending portion of said rear stock section will be spaced longitudinally and rearwardly of the pistol grip and the firearm may then be fired from and recoil taken by the shoulder of an operator or when the rear stock section is in the other of said positions the depending portion of said rear stock section will be spaced longitudinally and forwardly of the pistol grip and the firearm may then be fired from and recoil taken by the hands of the operator.

6. In a firearm, the combination of a barrel, a receiver, a trigger mechanism, a forward stock section containing said barrel, receiver and trigger mechanism in cooperative relationship with each other, a first attaching means at the rear end of said forward stock section, a second attaching means intermediate the ends of said forward stock section, a pistol grip depending from said forward stock section rearwardly of said trigger mechanism, a detachable rear stock section, a depending portion on said rear stock section, said rear stock section provided with means for detachably engaging either said first or said second attaching means, whereby when said rear stock. section is detachably secured to said first attaching means, the rear stock section forms an extension of the forward stock section and the gun may then be fired from and recoil taken by the shoulder of the operator, or when said rear stock'section is detachably secured to said second detaching means, the gun may be then fired from and recoil taken by the hands of the operator. "'7. In a firearm, the combination of a barrel, a receiver, a trigger mechanism, a forward stock section containing said barrel, receiver and trigger mechanism in cooperative relationsh p with each other, a pistol grip depending from said for ward stock'section rearwardly of saidtrigger mechanism, a detachable rear stock section, a depending portion on said rear stock section, and means to detachably secure said rear stock section rearwardly of the forward stock section whereby the depending portion may be spaced rearwardly of the pistol grip to'permit firing of the gun from the shoulderiof an operatorand meansto detachably secure said detachable rear 5 stock section intermediate the ends of said Ibrward stock section whereby the depending portion is spaced forwardly of the pistol grip to permit firing of the firearm fronfthe hands of the operator. 7

CLEYES H. HOWELL, JR.

REFERENCES CITED H The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Balensiefer Dec. 4, 1894 Number Number Number 0 168,890 376,520

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