Device for cleaning guns

Application filed January 17, 1928. Serial No. 247,304.

This invention relates to a device for cleaning or scrubbing and lubricating the barrels or bores of guns, and while it finds peculiar use in connection with shotguns and 5 the like, it may be employed for cleaning rifled firearms such as pistols or rifles.

The aim of the invention is to provide means of this sort having various features of novelty and advantage.

More particularly an aim of the invention is to provide an improved cleaner or scrubber by means of which the bores of firearms or guns may be quickly, thoroughly and properly cleaned and lubricated without any 15 liability or danger of scratching or mutilating the gun or having the cleaning patch or any part of the cleaner stick or become lodged in the bore.

My improved arrangement is such that the .,.²⁰ bores of firearms may be simply and readily cleaned throughout their length, the cleaning patch being held throughout a substantial area with that pressure which is most conducive to a quick and thorough cleaning ²⁵ action. The device is adapted to accommodate itself to variations in the dimensions, characteristics and styles of gun bores of the same nominal gauge. Also by preference the arrangement is such that the pressure ³⁰ with which the patch may be caused to bear against the wall of the bore may be varied.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter. .

³⁵ The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the appliT cation of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown several embodiments which the present invention may take :

⁴⁵ Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved cleaner in the act of being inserted into the bore of a shotgun;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the device within the shell chamber ⁵⁰ of the gun;

... Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3—3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view of a friction ring which is employed for holding the adjusting means in adjusted position; ₅₅

Fig. 5 is a front end view of the cleaning shell or plug before it is assembled on the stem;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the stem;

Fig. 7 is a detail view taken substantially eo on line 7—7 of Fig. 2, and showing the way in which the plug may be secured against rotation on the stem;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing another embodiment of the in ven- 65 tion, the cleaner being illustrated in the bore of the gun; and l ig. 9 is a view of a modified form of my device which is particularly adapted for use in cleaning firearms of smaller sizes or 70 gauges.

According to the present invention, I provide a fabric or patch support (which for convenience and terminology is here termed a plug) having by preference a solid or rigid 75 head or forward end and a generally cylindrical portion which is longitudinally slit through a substantial distance in order to provide a plurality of spring or resilient leaves or fingers. The arrangement is such so that as the patch applied to the plug increases in thickness, due to folding into the bore, the fingers may spring or yield to accommodate such increasing thickness and at the same time hold the fabric or cleaning 85 patch throughout a substantial area with the desired pressure against the wall of the bore of the firearm. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the resiliency of the plug or shell may be varied in order to so adjust the .device in accordance with the characteristics of the particular gun to be cleaned. The shell or plug is also by preference provided With grooves and slits so arranged that the plug will not rotate and will S5 not move longitudinally with respect to the patch, that is to say, the patch will be held in place on the plug during the cleaning operation.

Referring specifically to tliat embodiment W .1,745 shown in Figs. 1 to 7, A denotes, generally, my improved plug or fabric carrier. This plug A is in the nature of a shell preferably formed of spring tempered steel. The for,. ward end or head 10 of the shell· is by prefer° ence solid or rigid and is generally spherical or dome-shaped. Extending rearwardly from the head is a cylindrical portion which is longitudinally split or slitted, as at 11, so as to provide a plurality of spring, fingers or leaves 12. By preference, the interior bore of the plug is normally cylindrical, that is, of substantially uniform diameter throughout its length. The head 10, and by preference, .the ₁₅ forward end of the fingers of the cylindrical portion of the shell are of reduced diameter in order to provide the desired clearance for the patch and to render such portions substantially inactive in so far as holding the 2, patch against the wall of the bore goes. The cylindrical portion, of the shell or plug may be provided with a plurality of circumferential grooves or channels 14, or to state the matter in a different way, the shell may be £5 provided with circumferential ribs 15 the corners of which are pronounced or square in order that they may have a biting or gripping effect on the fabric and thus prevent the fabric from slipping off of the plug. The £3 longitudinal edges or corners of the fingers are also relatively sharp or square in order that they may obtain a purchase on^:the fabric·

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 7, 25 a stem 20 is preferably connected to. the. rigid end or head 10 ancl extends longitudinally ancl centrally of the shell. The stem is very conveniently, economically and securely connected to the head 10 by providing the latter 4-, with an opening 21 which is polygonal or non-circular, ancl driving the stem into this opening in such manner that the portion of the stem entering thereinto will take the same size ancl shape of,’ and be securely anchored in < - said opening. - The outer end of this opening is countersunk as at 17, and its inner edges 18 provide relatively sharp corners. The forward end 22 of the stem 20 is reduced in diameter and is normally round in cross section; it being larger in diameter than the minor diameter of the polygonal opening 21. Also by preference, the end of the stem is slightly' chamfered so as to facilitate its entry into the opening 21, and it has a counterbore 53 or recess 23. The stem is relatively softer than the head. To assemble the . stem; and plug, the reduced portion 22 is driven into the polygonal opening 21 with the result that the sharp corners 18 will cut the reduced por63 tion of the stem as it enters into the opening to the same cross sectional shape and size as the, opening. ^: Thus turning movement between the stem and head is entirely prevented.

The rim, or edge of . the recess 23 is then 65 expanded or peened over so as to prevent the ,575 stem from being pulled longitudinally, out of the opening. The stem has intermediate its ends a shoulder 24, ancl has at its rear end a threaded portion 25 adapted to receive the forward end of a ram rod 26. Only a portion of this rod 26 is illustrated as it may be of any desired or well known type.

By preference, my. improved cleaner or scrubber is provided with means whereby the resiliency or spring-pressure with which the _?gfingers or leaves hold a patch against the bore . of the gun may be varied at will without, however, changing the size or normal shape of the plug or shell. Such a feature or element is desirable in order that a plug or shell of a _sogiven size may be adjusted ih accordance with the particular characteristics of the gun in connection with which it is to be used, it being a well known fact that guns of the same gauge, ancl in fact the barrels of the same gr gun of like gauge, vary in characteristics, as for example in the extent-and.degree of the choke. By my improved arrangement any desired amount of friction between the cleaning patch and the bore may be had. For the go purpose of accomplishing such adjustment I provide, as shown in Fig. 2, a sleeve 30 longitudinally adjustable on the stem 20. This sleeve has, at its forward end, an enlarged portion in the form of a collar or rib 31 which 95 is of substantially the same diameter as the bore-of the shell or plug A. For the purpose of frictionally holding the adjustable sleeve 30 in' any predetermined position of adjustment, the collar 31 may be provided with a 100 groove 32 within which is located a spring or split ring 33 adapted to press against the inner circumference of the shell or plug. The rear encl of the stem 30 may be knurled as at 34 in order to provide a good grip. The ₁₀₅forward encl of the sleeve has an internal annular flange 35 adapted to engage the shoulder-29 to prevent the sleeve from being withdrawn from the stem.

The manner in which the cleaning device no shown in Figs. 1 to 7 is used will be clear from the- drawings, and particularly· from Figs. 1 and 2. The resiliency or stiffness of the fingers may be adjusted by longitudinally moving the sleeve 30 to the correct position. 115 A patch is placed over the shell or plug with the center of the patch against the forward rounded or tapered end of the plug, or if desired, the patch may be held over the end of the barrel* as shown in Fig. 1, ancl then the 120 plug moved against the patch and into the barrel in which event the patch will be forced into the barrel and lay. or fold itself about the plug. The collar 31 of the stem 30 constitutes, so to speak, a fulcrum about which 125 the fingers spring or flex. The patch will retain its position upon the plug irrespective of-the movement which is given to the plug. In-the-event that the plug is inserted into .. the forward end of the barrel, as shown in 130

1,745,575

Fig. 1, and then moved down into the chamber of the barrel, as shown in Fig. 2, the plug may be moved back into the bore of the barrel without stripping the patch from or disturb5 ing its relation to the plug. It is found of advantage to insert the plug with the patch thereon into the barrel, and while holding the barrel in an upright position, pour thereinto a cleaning fluid and then , work the device 0 up and down so as to thoroughly scrub and cleanse the barrel.

. The structure shown in Fig. 8 is generally similar to that shown in the preceding embodiment, except that the arrangement of 15 Fig. 8 is such that the pressure of the fingers may be adjusted while the plug is in the barrel. To this end the sleeve 30' instead of being slidably mounted on the stem 20' is screwed, thereonto. The sleeve 30' is connected, in any suitable manner, to the ram rod 26' against rotation relative thereto, and for this purpose a pin 40 may be employed. It will be seen that by turning the ram rod, the position of the sleeve. 30' will be changed ²³ so as to vary the resiliency of the fingers of the plug.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 9, the means for adjusting the resiliency of the fingers is omitted. The structure shown in ³⁰ Fig. 9 is particularly adapted for use in smaller size guns and may be employed for cleaning rifles or pistols. In this embodiment the plug A' is directly connected to the stem 20. The plug A' is similar to the plug ³⁵ of the preceding embodiments, except that it is of smaller diameter. In the event that the device is made for cleaning pistols, rifles, revolvers or .other firearms having a rifling, the plug may be arranged to swivel or rotate on 40 the stem.

It is apparent, of course, that instead of connecting my cleaner to a ram rod, it may be connected to a flexible member such as a wire or cable in which event the device would 45 be drawn through the barrel of the gun with the solid end 10 foremost. The cable would be threaded through the center of the patch.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently ^ε0 widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or _rr shown in the accompanying drawing shall be ^&5 interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.