FIREARM

Description

Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to a firearm comprising a housing with a receptacle for several cartridges or for a magazine with cartridges, a barrel unit arranged in the housing, which has a barrel with a muzzle opening and a cartridge chamber arranged at the opposite end, a breech which is movable relative to the housing in the longitudinal direction of the barrel and pretensioned in the firing direction by means of a return spring for conveying cartridges from the receptacle or from the magazine into the cartridge chamber or for conveying cartridge cases to an ejection window and a gas brake device arranged in the housing comprising a cylinder arranged parallel to the barrel, open at the end closest to the barrel muzzle and closed at the opposite end, which is connected to the interior of the barrel via a gas extraction opening, and a piston which projects from the open end of the cylinder and is movable within the cylinder and is coupled to the breech. State of the art

[0002] Semi-automatic firearms with a mass-action bolt action are known to often only fire smaller calibers, as if the propellant charge is too large, the bolt mechanism, which relies solely on the inertia of the bolt mass, no longer closes properly. To fire larger caliber ammunition, the bolt mass can be increased, for example, or the force of the recoil spring can be increased. However, a larger bolt mass means greater recoil and a corresponding lift of the weapon during firing, which in turn leads to greater inaccuracy. An overly strong bolt spring makes it difficult for the user to manually load the weapon, which quickly limits this option as well.

[0003] Various dampers and delay systems are known in the prior art to achieve a delayed bolt opening. For example, US 5388500, US 2002096042 A, US 2015276334 A, and US 2021116190 A each show firearms with a gas brake device that either dampens the rearward movement of the mass-action bolt or delays the opening of the bolt upon firing.

[0004] Another problem with all currently marketed weapons with a mass-action bolt is that, due to its necessary size and the conventional design, the bolt mass is mounted on the outside of the weapon, usually on top of the receiver. This means that with every shot, the slide fully disengages, exposing the components of the firearm located inside the receiver to the environment. Depending on the firearm's intended use, dust and dirt can easily enter the weapon and impair its continued functionality.

[0005] AT 519743 A was the first to propose a firearm with a delayed mass-operated bolt action, in which the entire movable bolt mechanism is completely guided inside the receiver over its entire travel. To also enable a mechanism with a rigid barrel, two springs with different spring constants as well as a multi-part construction of the bolt, the locking block and a follower bracket are necessary. The firearm described therefore has the advantage of being particularly light, as only a low bolt mass is required. A further advantage is that the entire bolt mechanism is guided inside the receiver and thus protected from environmental influences. This increases the functional reliability of the weapon. However, improvements are still possible with regard to the design and the number of required parts, as well as their movement during firing. Description of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is therefore to further improve the weapon described in AT 519743 A4, thereby creating a firearm with an even simpler design and even greater functional reliability. The weight of the weapon should be kept low, and the entire locking mechanism should be housed inside the protective housing. The number of parts should be reduced, thereby also lowering manufacturing costs. Furthermore, all movements of the locking mechanism during firing and reloading should be as linear as possible.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention in that the bolt is arranged in a bolt carrier unit which is located completely inside the housing over the entire path of movement during firing and reloading, wherein the bolt carrier unit comprises the bolt itself, two connecting sections guided parallel to the barrel in the housing, and a coupling section for coupling to the piston of the gas brake device. By integrating the gas brake device, the design of the firearm can be significantly simplified. All moving components, such as the bolt carrier unit and the piston, are guided linearly and move completely within the housing. The gas brake device also allows the bolt mass to be designed to be very small and light, which has a positive effect on the overall weight of the weapon.The gas brake system also offers the advantage of allowing the use of larger calibers with stronger propellant charges. The resistance of the gas brake system always adjusts automatically based on the available propellant charge, keeping the bolt closed until the cartridge has left the barrel.

[0008] A preferred feature is that the bolt carrier unit is constructed as a single piece. To keep production costs and construction as simple as possible, it is advantageous for the bolt carrier unit to be manufactured as a single component. This also offers advantages for the user when disassembling and cleaning the weapon.

[0009] According to a further preferred feature, the gas vent is located in the barrel near the cartridge chamber end. This arrangement directs gas from the propellant charge into the cylinder immediately after the shot is fired. Gas pressure is thus built up both toward the breech and in the opposite direction against the piston in the cylinder, whereby the effect of the gas brake device is always constant, regardless of the strength of the propellant charge. Pressure and counterpressure balance each other evenly at any possible gas pressure until the cartridge has left the barrel and the breech can complete its rearward movement.

[0010] A further preferred feature is that a cover is provided which is displaceable relative to the housing in the longitudinal direction of the barrel and is pretensioned towards its closed position by a spring. The cover has a driver section projecting inwards into the housing, which can be coupled to the bolt carrier unit for the purpose of manual reloading when the cover is moved against the firing direction, but is decoupled from the bolt carrier unit when the cover is in its closed position. This cover closes the housing above the barrel. During firing and the automatic reloading process, the cover remains closed at all times, preventing dust or dirt from entering the interior of the housing.The cover can also be used for manual loading of the weapon via a longitudinal guide and a driver section. The driver section drives the bolt carrier unit rearward when manually retracted by the user. The driver section can, for example, be an inwardly projecting projection that can be brought into contact with a corresponding stop surface of the bolt carrier unit. Since the cover here also does not correspond to the classic slide, which usually forms the majority of the bolt mass, the cover can be manufactured accordingly light, which also has a positive effect on the overall weight of the firearm.

[0011] According to one possible embodiment, the recoil spring is arranged around the barrel and rests on a stationary part within the housing, on the one hand, and on the bolt carrier unit, on the other. This represents a particularly simple way of arranging the recoil spring, which is required to preload the bolt carrier unit toward the closed position and to move the bolt carrier unit forward from the rear, disengaged position during reloading.

[0012] According to an alternative embodiment, the recoil spring is arranged around a guide rod arranged parallel to the barrel and connected to a stationary part within the housing, and is supported on the one hand on a stationary part within the housing and on the other hand on the bolt carrier unit. Depending on the design of the weapon, the recoil spring can also be guided on a corresponding guide rod, for example below the barrel and below the cylinder. In addition to the recoil spring, a spring is also required to preload the cover. For example, the spring for the cover can be arranged on a guide rod and the recoil spring around the barrel, or vice versa. Depending on the design and available space within the weapon, the two required springs can also be located elsewhere. Short description of the drawings

[0013] The invention will now be described in more detail using an embodiment and with the aid of the accompanying figures. Fig. 1 a schematic exploded view of the essential elements of a firearm according to the invention in the form of a handgun Fig. 2 a schematic longitudinal section through a firearm according to the invention in the form of a handgun with a closed breech, Fig. 3 a schematic longitudinal section through the firearm according to Fig. 2 shortly after firing in an intermediate position with the bolt already partially moved backwards and Fig. 4 a schematic longitudinal section through the firearm according to Fig. 2 with the shutter in the fully rear position. Way(s) of carrying out the invention

[0014] The Fig. 1The firearm according to the invention, shown schematically in an exploded view, has a housing 1. In the housing 1, a receptacle 2 (see Fig. 2 ) for a magazine. The trigger 17, the hammer 18 as well as the barrel unit 3 and the bolt carrier unit 12 are arranged in this housing and the top of the housing 1 is closed by a longitudinally movable cover 15. The barrel unit 3 comprises the barrel 4 with a front muzzle opening 5 and a cartridge chamber 6 arranged at the opposite end (see Fig. 2 ). Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, the cylinder 9 of the gas brake device and the guide rod 16 for the return spring 7 are located in the barrel unit 3. The bolt carrier unit 12 comprises the actual bolt 8 and a coupling section 14 rigidly connected to it via two connecting sections 13, to which the piston 11 of the gas brake device is fixed.

[0015] In the Fig. 2 to 4 the individual positions of the bolt carrier unit 12 before firing and during the reloading process are shown in a schematic longitudinal sectional view.

[0016] In the Fig. 2 The situation before firing is shown. A cartridge and a magazine filled with cartridges in the receiver 2 are not shown. Before firing, the bolt carrier unit 12 is in the forward, closed position. The bolt 8 is preloaded in the firing direction against the cartridge chamber 6 by the recoil spring 7, which engages the coupling section 14 of the bolt carrier unit 12.

[0017] As soon as a shot is fired by pulling the trigger 8, the bullet moves from the cartridge chamber 6 into the barrel 4. The gas vent 10 is located directly adjacent to the cartridge chamber 6 and connects the interior of the barrel 4 to the cylinder 9 of the gas brake device. Immediately after the shot is fired, the gas pressure builds up on the one hand in the opposite direction to the direction of fire at the bolt and on the other hand gas flows through the gas vent 10 into the cylinder 9, whereby the gas pressure also acts in the direction of fire on the piston 11, which thus also acts on the bolt 8 via the coupling section 14 to keep it closed. Regardless of the actual gas pressure, the pressure in the cylinder 9 and in the barrel 4 balance each other out so that the bolt 8 remains closed until the bullet leaves the barrel.

[0018] After the bullet leaves the barrel, the gas pressure suddenly drops and the bolt can open and begins to move backwards. An intermediate position with the bolt half-opened 8 is Fig. 3 The coupling section 14, which is rigidly connected to the bolt 8 via the connecting sections 13, also moves rearward and compresses the return spring 7.

[0019] In the Fig. 4 Finally, the rear disengaged position of the bolt carrier unit 12 is shown. Here, the spent cartridge case has already been ejected and the return spring 7 begins to move the bolt carrier unit 12 back to the front position, whereby another cartridge is fed from the magazine into the cartridge chamber 6, after which the position according to Fig. 2 is achieved.

Claims

1. A firearm comprising a receiver (1) with a chamber (2) for a plurality of cartridges or for a cartridge-holding magazine, a barrel subassembly (3) in the receiver (1) having a barrel (4) with a muzzle (5) and a breech (6) at the opposite end, a bolt (8) movable longitudinally of the barrel (4) relative to the receiver (1) and biased in the firing direction by a recoil spring (7) for conveying cartridges from the chamber (2) or from the magazine into the breech (6) or for conveying cartridge cases to an ejection port, a gas brake device in the receiver (1) comprising a cylinder (9) extending parallel to the barrel (4) and being open at the end facing the muzzle and closed at the other end and being connected to the interior of the barrel (4) via a gas port (10), as well as a piston (11) movable within the cylinder (9) from the open end and coupled to the bolt (8), wherein the bolt (8) is in a slide subassembly (12) that is completely inside the receiver (1) over the entire path of movement during firing and reloading, the slide subassembly (12) comprising the bolt (8) itself, two webs (13) extending parallel to the barrel (4) in the receiver (1), and a coupling section (14) for coupling to the piston (11) of the gas brake device.

2. The firearm according to claim 1, characterized in that the slide (12) is formed in one piece.

3. The firearm according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gas port (10) is in the barrel (4) near the breech end.

4. The firearm according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a cover (15) is provided that is displaceable relative to the receiver (1) longitudinally of the barrel (4) and that is biased toward its closed position by a spring, the cover (15) having a driver section projecting inward into the receiver (1) that is couplable to the slide subassembly (12) for manual reloading when the cover (15) is moved against the firing direction, but is decoupled from the slide subassembly (12) when the cover (15) is in its closed position.

5. The firearm according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the recoil spring (7) surrounds the barrel (4) and is supported between a nonmoving part inside the receiver (1) and the slide subassembly (12).

6. The firearm according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the recoil spring (7) surrounds a guide rod (16) extending parallel to the barrel (4) and that is connected to an immovable part of the receiver (1) and that the recoil spring (7) is braced between an immovable part inside the receiver (1) and the slide subassembly (12).