Tear gas gun

July 19, 1938. g. _F wildes et al 2,124,172

TEAR GAS GUN

45\ 38^43,37 4.0

Filed Jan. 4, 1935

<img file="US2124172A_D0001.tif" />

Patented July 19, 1938

2,124,172

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,124,172

TEAR GAS GUN

George F. Wildes, Pittsburgh, and Chester C. Gasparin, Millvale, Pa.

Application January 4, 1935, Serial No. 414 (CI. 42—1) ing pin at rest in an uncocked position and bearing against the primer of a shell or cartridge which has not been exploded.

Throughout the drawing and the specification, like reference characters indicate like parts. 5

In the drawing, a tear gas gun or firearm I is illustrated which is designed to serve the purpose of a combined firearm and policeman’s club. This device comprises a barrel 2 and a stock or grip 3 which are detachably connected together by 10 means of a screwthreaded joint 4. The bore of the barrel is made to suit the particular gage or size of tear gas shell to be fired, a shell 5 being shown in place in the barrel. The stock or grip 3 contains the firing mechanism or movement for 15 firing or exploding the tear gas shell or cartridge. The firing mechanism or movement is housed in a cylindrical bore in the grip or stock 3 which bore for convenience of manufacture and of assembling or dismantling the firing mechanism, 20 is made uniform in diameter from end to end thereof.

The firing mechanism includes a firing pin '6 which is formed either as a detachable or as an integral part of a cylindrical plunger 7 which is 25 slidably mounted fore and aft in cylindrical guideways 8 and 9, respectively, disposed within the cylindrical bore of the stock or grip 3. The forward guideway 8 is formed by a sleeve 10 which is made as an integral part of a breech block 11 30 which is screwthreaded into the forward end of the bore of stock 3. The foremost end of the breech block is formed with a flange 12 which, when the block is screwed up tight, bears against the foremost end of the stock. At the center of 35 the breech block a small hole 13 is formed through which firing pin 6 passes when the firing mechanism is actuated or fired, and impinges on the primer of shell 5 (see Fig. 3). Sleeve 10 in addition to slidably supporting the forward end of 40 the firing pin plunger 7 also coacts with and forms part of the firing mechanism as will be disclosed later herein.

Cylindrical guideway 9 is formed in a sleeve 15 which is inserted into the stock from the rear end 45 thereof. This sleeve is provided with an enlarged portion 16 that snugly fits the bore of the stock and which also serves as an abutment for a cap or plug 17, a portion 18 of which is screwthreaded into the rear end of stock 3. Sleeve 9 also houses 50 a main spring 19 that actuates the firing pin to firing position. The forward end of this spring embraces a plug 20 formed as an integral part of the rear end of firing pin plunger 7 and which is of smaller diameter than the plunger. 55

Claims.

This invention relates to firearms of the type which are designed to project incapacitating substances such as tear gas and the like.

An object of this invention is the provision of 5 a firearm of the type referred to above, the action of which may be used in combination police billies, maces, blackjacks, walking sticks, or the like, thus producing a dual purpose weapon.

Another object of the invention is the provision IO of a firing mechanism or movement that is contained wholly within the contour of the grip or stock of the weapon and thus have no member projecting beyond the outline of such grip, or stock as may catch on clothing or any other ob15 structions thus insuring additional safety.against accidental discharge and also eliminating the possibility of unnecessary wear on clothing if the weapon is carried on the person.

Another object of the invention is the provi20 sion of a firing mechanism or movement that is easy and quickly operated and working always in one direction along the grip or stock as backward and forward.

Other objects of the invention will in part be 25 obvious and will in part be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a firearm embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken on line IV—IV of Fig. 1 showing all working parts of the firing movement mechanism, the construction of the stock or grin and barrel; the barrel being shown as loaded with a shell or cartridge, and the firing movement or mechanism in a cocked position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the position of the firing pin after the cartridge has been exploded;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the firing pin and its 40 actuator, the latter being in section;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a sear embodied in the firing movement or mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a view in section taken on the line II—H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of a safety band or lock for the firing movement or mechanism;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the weapon;

Fig. 9 is a view in section taken on the line

III—III of Fig. 2 showing safety band of Fig. 7 50 in off or open position;

Fig. 10 is a view in section taken on line III—III of Fig. 2 showing the safety band in safe, closed or locked position; and

Fig. 11 is a partial view in section taken on line ₅₅ IV—iV of Fig. 1, showing the position of the fir2,124,172

The rear end of hushing 15 is flanged inwardly as indicated at 22, to provide a bearing at the rear end of main spring 19.

Further details of the firing movement will be 5 seen by reference to Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5. As may be seen in Fig. 4, firing pin plunger 7 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 23 into which is placed, a sear 24 which, holds the firing pin and its plunger in cocked position, see Fig. 2, and 10 which trips the same to firing position when the gun is fired, see Fig. 3. The sear comprises a relatively long member which is flat on the bottom and provided with a surface 25 on its top which slopes downwardly from the rear end to15 waids the forward end so as to provide clearance necessary in its operating movements. At the forward end the sear is provided with an upwardly sloping cam surface 27 which terminates in a downwardly sloping cam surface 28 that 20 coacts with the upper rear edge of sleeve or bushing 10, as at 29. The sear is held in the slot 23 by means of a sleeve-like actuator 30 which is slidably mounted on and embraces the plunger 7. The sear is retained against longitudinal dis25 placement by means of a pin 3 ί which is disposed in a recess 32 at the forward end of the plunger and a through pin 33 which is pressed through an opening 34 formed near the rear end of slot 23.

The forward end of the sear is yieldingly urged upwardly by a spring 35 disposed in a socket 3S formed in the bottom of slot 23. The spacing of pins 31 and 33 is such that the sear may move freely vertically in slot 23 but so that it cannot 35 move appreciably longitudinally of this slot.

The actuator 30 may be operated by a thumb piece 37 which is slidably disposed in a longitudinally extending opening 38 formed in the top of the stock. In order to provide for firmly grip40 Ping this thumb piece the surface of the stock surrounding opening 38 is scooped out as indicated at 40. As may be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the top of the thumb piece is substantially flush with the contour of the stock, so that there will 45 be no parts projecting ouside of the general contour of the firearm which would interfere with the carrying of the same in the pockets or clothing of an officer, for example.

As may be seen in the drawing, the thumb piece 50 is rectangular as viewed from the top and is substantially as wide as opening 38 so that this opening and thumb piece act as a guide to prevent turning of the actuator.

In order to protect the firing mechanism from 55 dirt and dust, a cover plate 42 is interposed between the thumb piece 37 and actuator 30. The thumb piece, actuator and plate may be secured together by means of a screw 43. Plate 42 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is arcuate transversely 60 so as to conform to the surface of the bore in stock 3, is materially wider and longer than opening 38 and is spaced from the firing pin plunger 7, sleeves 10 and 15, and sear 24, see Figs 6 9, and 10. ’

In order to prevent accidental firing of the gun when the firing pin is in cocked position, a safety ring 45 is provided. This ring, as shown in Fig. 7, is discontinuous in order that it may be sprung over stock 3 and into a relatively wide groove 70 4S. This ring is provided with a slot 47 through which a pin 48 which is anchored in the stock extends to limit the turning movement of the ring around the stock. When the ring is turned to such a position such as indicated in Fig. 9, 75 the thumb piece 37 may be actuated to the posi tion shown in Fig. 2, which is the cocking position.

When the thumb piece has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 it may either be fired from this position or it may be locked against fir- 5 ing by turning ring 45 to the position shown in Fig. 10, in which position forward travel of the thumb piece is blocked, as is also the forward travel of the firing pin because pin 33 is directly behind actuator 30. ₁₀

The operation of the firearm is as follows: Starting with the firing movement or mechanism in the position shown in Fig. 3 the stock is gripped with the thumb on the thumb piece. The thumb piece is pulled rearwardly to the position 15 shown in Fig. 2. When moving to this position the actuator 30 bears against pin 33 which causes the firing pin and its plunger to be retracted and to compress main spring 19. As the plunger moves rearwardly the forward end of sear 24 is 20 actuated partially out of slot 23 the moment the forward end of the sear passes the rear end of sleeve ί 0, being actuated to this position by spring 35. The sear is now in position to abut the end of sleeve 10 at 29 so that when the thumb piece is slightly released the firing pin and its plunger move forwardly until the sear abuts the end of sleeve 10 at which time further forward movement is stopped.

To fire the mechanism the thumb piece is moved forwardly and since actuator 30 is slidable on plunger 7 actuator 30 will move forwardly with the thumb piece until it engages cam surface 27 of sear 24. By continuing the forward movement of actuator 30 the forward end of the „_rsear is depressed until it slips under the end of sleeve 10 at which time the firing pin and its plunger are tripped and propelled forwardly by the main spring to firing position.

It will be noted that when the firing mecha- ₄₀nism is in cocked position pin 33 bears against the rear end of sear 24 so that the firing pin 0 and its plunger 7 cannot move forwardly. This allows for the movement of actuator 30 to the position in which the firing mechanism is tripped ₄₅while at the same time holding the firing mechanism in cocked position.

When a shell has been fired, barrel 2 is unscrewed from the stock, the exploded shell ejected and a new shell is inserted. After inserting the 50 shell the barrel is screwed onto the stock and as the barrel is screwed to position the primer, of the shell bears against the point of firing pin 5 and pushes the pin and plunger 7 rearwardly a relatively short distance D. The slight force 55 required to move the firing pin this small distance is so light and insignificant that there is no danger of the pin puncturing the primer or of exploding the shell.

When the firing pin and its plunger have been 60 tripped, it will be noted just at the point of tripping the downwardly sloping face 28 of the sear is in position to engage the inner edge of sleeve 10. Thus, the sear at the moment of tripping has slightly entered the interior of sleeve 10 and 65 will allow free and rapid movement of plunger 7 the moment the inner edge of this sleeve passes over apex 50 formed by surfaces 27 and 28 of the sear. While the forward end of the sear is moving within sleeve 10 only apex 50 slidingly . 70 engages the inner surface thereof so that a minimum of frictional resistance is occasioned by this contact. It will also be noted that the downwardly sloping face of the sear allows the sear to move to the position shown in Fig. 2 without 75

2,124,172 being obstructed by the inner forward edge of actuator 30.

From the above description it will be apparent that the firearm herein disclosed is easily taken 5 apart and put together, embodies a simple firing mechanism which may be easily taken apart^for inspection, oiling or repairs, and put together again. By removing the stock from the barrel and detaching from the piece 37 the entire firing 10 mechanism may be easily and quickly removed from the stock by merely screwing the breech block 11 and the cap 17 out of the same after which the firing pin S and its plunger 7, the actuator 30, and bushing 15 may be removed 15 from either end of the stock.