Semi-automatic pistol

Abstract

The semi-automatic pistol in which, in firing position, the cartridge case located in the barrel chamber, under pressure of powder gases, expanding, connects the barrel and the bolt into a single functional part that facilitates joint translational movement of the barrel interlocked with the bolt, with joint translational movement of the barrel interlocked with the bolt being limited by the protrusion end surface abutting against the groove end surface, and, as a result of impact interaction of the protrusion-groove pair, facilitates disconnection of the barrel and the bolt, while ensuring further translational movement of the bolt, which has been unlocked, and the bolt frame backwards, relative to the pistol frame, and reciprocating movement of the barrel, backwards and forwards, relative to the pistol frame. It provides decomposition of a single impact of moving parts of the pistol's bolt into several separate, time-distributed impacts.

Description

SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of small arms, particularly to automatic handguns, and can be used, primarily but not exclusively, in design of pistols, particularly semi-automatic pistols of classical layout, with magazine in the grip, barrel moving at the time of firing, and automatic action based on the use of bolt recoil energy.

[0002] A common problem with small arms, especially handguns, is recoil (kickback). The shot generates momentum that affects the cartridge and is equal in power to the oppositely directed force, or recoil.

[0003] Firstly, said recoil creates a force that acts to rotate the weapon around the center of mass of the weapon and its base (which, in the case of small arms, is the shooter), resulting in vertical rising and lateral shifting of the distal end (muzzle) of the weapon's barrel (so-called «throwing» of the weapon). Recoil forces also create torque that causes the weapon to «rotate». The muzzle is thrown away from target in a semicircular motion around longitudinal axis of the barrel. Along with rising of the muzzle, that extends the time required to re-aim for subsequent shots and significantly worsens the accuracy of those shots.

[0004] Secondly, recoil force has to be absorbed by the weapon and / or the shooter. This causes discomfort and fatigue for the shooter, and sometimes can even lead to injury.

[0005] It is known that recoil of any firearm is inversely related to the weapon’s weight, or directly related to power of the cartridge used. Therefore, and especially when it is necessary to use ammunition of sufficiently high power, in order to overcome this problem, the weight of a firearm’s moving parts (mainly the bolt) is usually increased to the level necessary for absorption of recoil. However, this solution simultaneously increases overall mass and size of the weapon. This, in turn, increases impact stress on the weapon’s moving parts and fixed parts interacting with them. Again, considerable weight of the weapon causes discomfort and fatigue for the shooter, especially when it is necessary to shoot for a long time or from an uncomfortable position.

[0006] Among currently known and most common automatic action mechanisms used in pistols are mechanisms based on the principle of using recoil energy of a free (unlocked) bolt and on the principle of using recoil energy of a bolt locked to the barrel.

[0007] Pistols known from technical level include, for example, patent US733681, which contains a frame with pistol grip, with a barrel mounted fixedly therein, a massive bolt not locked to the barrel, a return spring connected to the bolt, a firing mechanism, a magazine in the grip with ammunition in it.

[0008] This pistol utilizes automatic action mechanism based on the principle of using recoil energy with free bolt (not locked to the barrel) and fixed barrel. Automatic reloading of the weapon is carried out using energy of powder gases, there is no need for separate automatic components acting as a driving force (because this function is performed by the barrel chamber and the cartridge case). This principle of automatic action ensures simplicity of design and reliability of the weapon’s performance (due to relatively small number of parts and mechanisms of the pistol).

[0009] Use of a massive bolt in this design is due to the need for reducing the force of the bolt’s impact on the pistol frame in its rearmost position by increasing the bolt’s mass. Hard impact results in noticeable recoil that undesirably affects the shooter's hand, and accordingly negatively affects accuracy of the weapon during firing, as well as shot grouping.

[0010] Another reason for using a massive bolt is to avoid the possibility of a cartridge case rupturing in the barrel during firing (probability of which increases with insufficient mass of the bolt).

[0011] But at the same time, significantly increased mass of the pistol's parts negatively affects stability of the pistol when it is fired, causing fatigue of the shooter's hand, especially during prolonged shooting.

[0012] Disadvantages of the known analog are also that recoil energy of a free massive bolt moving at high speed is in many cases greater than energy required for automatic reloading of the weapon, so when the movement stops, excess energy is absorbed by the pistol’s frame, increasing the level of impact stress affecting the moving parts that facilitate automatic action. As a result, this reduces service life of said automatic action parts, and negatively affects reliability of the weapon’s performance.

[0013] Disadvantages of this design include the fact that it allows use of only relatively low-powered ammunition, which limits ballistic properties of this type of weapon.

[0014] Also known from the technical level are pistols, for example, from the patent US984519A, the patent US1618510, in which automatic action is based on use of recoil energy of the bolt locked to a short-recoil barrel.

[0015] In pistols of this design, at the initial moment of firing, the barrel and the bolt are interlocked and move together from their initially foremost positions to their rearmost positions. After the bullet leaves the barrel channel, the bolt and the barrel are unlocked. Subsequently, the barrel stops moving relative to fixed parts of the weapon, and the bolt keeps moving by inertia in the same direction, removing the fired cartridge case from the weapon. As the bolt moves from its rearmost position to its foremost position, it feeds another round from the magazine into the barrel chamber. The bolt and the barrel then move together to their foremost positions, interlocking with each other in the process. During the next shot, the automatic action cycle is repeated.

[0016] By way of recoil impulse being distributed during movement of locked and unlocked barrel and bolt, recoil is reduced and, correspondingly, shots yield better results, especially when firing cartridges with relatively high recoil impulse.

[0017] Disadvantage of such pistols is in relative complexity of the design, due to use of a number of additional design elements, such as separate locking parts or other design elements of the bolt and the barrel, which ensure mechanical connection of the barrel with the bolt in position before firing.

[0018] Necessity of these elements leads to increased weight of the weapon, its size, and complicates technological process of the weapon’s production and repair. Also, relatively large number of parts and their connections leads to a certain decrease in reliability of the weapon.

[0019] The above shows that, as a rule, automatic firearms have disadvantages associated either with the need to use a massive bolt or related massive weapon parts to reduce bolt recoil, or with the need to introduce additional elements that complicate the design to achieve the same goal.

[0020] The closest in terms of technical essence and achieved technical result is the pistol design known from the patent US863770, which describes a semi-automatic pistol of classical layout, with a barrel that can move longitudinally relative to the frame (grip) of the pistol during the shot, in order to reduce effect of the bolt impact at the end of its recoil.

[0021] Said technical result is achieved by fact that the bolt, during its last 2-2.5 mm of recoil, engages upper bumping surface of the barrel with its own bumping surface, and pulls the barrel along the entire remaining recoil stroke.

[0022] At the same time, due to impact joining of the barrel’s and the bolt’s masses, final recoil velocity of the barrel-bolt quasi-assembly formed in this way decreases slightly just before the lower bumping surface of the barrel hits bumping surface of the pistol frame.

[0023] According to description of the mentioned patent, main effect of reducing impact of the bolt on the pistol grip is achieved by using a sufficiently powerful buffer spring of the barrel. Front end of this spring, which also serves as a trigger guard, abuts against corresponding surface on the lower surface of the barrel, and the other end abuts against the pistol grip.

[0024] Practical comparison of the mentioned design, with a similar design that does not have a barrel that moves at the end of recoil, has shown that effect of reducing impact on the frame from the bolt at the end of recoil is insignificant and does not noticeably affect behavior of the design under impact of the bolt in its rearmost position. This is due to low mass of the barrel relative to mass of the bolt, which causes only a slight decrease in final recoil velocity of the barrel-bolt quasi-assembly.

[0025] Additionally, the barrel’s buffer spring (due to its considerable stiffness) combined with relatively insignificant joint recoil of the barrel-bolt quasi-assembly does not provide the desired effect of reducing impact on the bolt frame from the bolt at the end of recoil. At the same time, it is an element susceptible to wearing, and increases risk of failure of the corresponding moving and fixed design elements that are in contact with each other.Technical Problem

[0026] The underlying task of the invention is to create, design-wise, a simple and reliable automatic firearm that eliminates the disadvantages (presence of additional parts of complex shape), and at the same time takes advantage of known technical solutions (automatic action using energy of the bolt recoil, use of a barrel that moves at the time of shot, with its short stroke).

[0027] Another task is to create an automatic firearm based on recoil of a semi-locked bolt, in which the cartridge case forms a functional part that ensures joint translational motion of the barrel interlocked with the bolt, while allowing use of conventional ammunition, including relatively high-powered cartridges.

[0028] Yet another task is to improve the design, which will allow for better performance characteristics of a firearm, particularly reduced recoil at the time of shot, and mitigated recoil effect when firing, reduced dimensions and weight of the weapon.

[0029] Additional task is to create an automatic firearm design that is cheap, technologically advanced, convenient to maintain, and easy to repair, particularly by providing a design that uses relatively small number of parts of relatively simple shape, manufacturing process of which would be technologically feasible.Solution to Problem

[0030] The set tasks are solved by the fact that in the semi-automatic pistol containing a bolt group mounted on the frame of the pistol, including a barrel and a bolt driven by shot, in which the barrel has a distal end for releasing a bullet and powder gases at the time of shot, a proximal end forming a cartridge case that houses a cartridge, and is made with possibility of limited longitudinal movement under pressure of powder gases acting through the cartridge case at the time of firing, the bolt is made with possibility of reciprocating motion, within the limits between its forward pre-firing position, with a cartridge in the barrel, and rear position of removing the cartridge case from the chamber, a means for returning the bolt from the rear position to the fore position, which together form an automatic action mechanism that performs the cycle of opening and closing the chamber, feeding the cartridge, and removing the cartridge case from the chamber, according to the invention, the barrel, at its proximal end, has at least one protrusion, at least one groove is made in the pistol frame, said protrusion is positioned in said groove, in such a way that a gap is formed between at least two adjacent surfaces of the groove and the protrusion, the protrusion is made with possibility of moving within the groove, and abutting of the protrusion end surface against the groove end surface, the protrusion-groove pair combined forms the barrel horizontal guide and limits longitudinal movement of the barrel in the pistol frame to a distance corresponding to said gap between the protrusion and the groove, in pre-firing position, the barrel is mounted with possibility of interlocking with the bolt, and possibility of ensuring joint longitudinal movement of the bolt frame, the barrel, and the bolt relative to the pistol frame in the same direction, backwards, in firing position, the cartridge case located in the barrel chamber, under pressure of powder gases, expanding, connects the barrel and the bolt into a single functional part that facilitates joint translational movement of the barrel interlocked with the bolt, with joint translational movement of the barrel interlocked with the bolt being limited by the protrusion end surface abutting against the groove end surface, which stops the barrel during its movement, and, as a result of impact interaction of the protrusion-groove pair, facilitates disconnection of the barrel and the bolt, while ensuring further translational movement of the bolt, which has been unlocked, and the bolt frame backwards, relative to the pistol frame, and reciprocating movement of the barrel, backwards and forwards, relative to the pistol frame.Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0031] The proposed automatic action mechanism combines the advantages of free-bolt automatic action mechanisms and interlocked barrel-bolt automatic action mechanisms.

[0032] Thus, at the beginning of the bolt recoil, the barrel and the bolt move together under influence of recoil. During this, the barrel is engaged by the bolt in a manner similar to automatic action mechanisms based on recoil of the barrel interlocked with the bolt, but the automatic action system does not have special design elements for mechanical connection of the barrel and the bolt.

[0033] Said connection between the barrel and the bolt occurs as a result of friction force between outer surface of the cartridge case and walls of the chamber under pressure of the powder gases generated at the time of firing. Therefore, the cartridge case is a kind of disposable functional element that temporarily connects the barrel and the bolt during initial period of its recoil.

[0034] In firing position, during the initial recoil, after pressure in the barrel channel has decreased to a safe level, the barrel and the bolt separate as a result of the barrel (its bumper) striking the grip frame, and the barrel stops and returns to fore position, driven by its own spring. At the end of recoil, the bolt re-encounters the barrel, striking the barrel (which has already returned to fore position, driven by the barrel recoil spring) on the front surface of its protrusion. This further reduces the bolt recoil velocity by transferring part of the bolt’s impulse to the barrel.

[0035] After the bolt has recoiled to rearmost position, the bolt (its bumper) strikes the grip frame. This provides a certain amount of time, sufficient for the effect of successive bolt and barrel impacts occurring at the end of their recoil, to be reduced. After that, the bolt’s return commences, with simultaneous return of the barrel to fore position, accompanied by a new round being fed into the barrel and the rest of events occurring as in a conventional weapon.

[0036] Such a design in general ensures decomposition of a single impact of moving parts (bolt) into several separate, time-distributed impacts with a common impulse at the beginning of movement (as a result of joining of the barrel’s and the bolt’s masses) and a smaller impulse at the end of movement (as a result of disconnection of the barrel’s mass, with two separate successive impacts of the barrel against the grip frame, and the impact at the end of recoil of the bolt, which has already lost a significant amount of its initial impulse), and coordinated movement of the barrel, the bolt, and the bolt frame throughout firing, which positively affects the pistol’s stability during firing, as well as shot grouping.

[0037] A preferred implementation is the one in which the means for returning the bolt from rear position to fore position takes the form of a return mechanism containing an elastic element that is compressed by the bolt of a predetermined length and a predetermined spring stiffness that does not exceed the value required to return the bolt to pre-firing position.

[0038] Since in the proposed design, the elastic element of the return mechanism does not act as a buffer spring, and due to low stiffness of the elastic element (which does not exceed the value required to return the barrel and the bolt to pre-firing position), it becomes possible to avoid noticeable effect of the elastic element on the frame with pistol grip, as well as possible wearing and / or failure of moving and fixed automatic action parts that come into contact with each other.

[0039] Another preferred implementation is the one in which the pistol is designed with possibility of combining the barrel’s mass and the bolt’s mass at the beginning of recoil, and with possibility to reduce the bolt’s velocity at the end of recoil.

[0040] The fact that the barrel can move together with the bolt for a period of time sufficient to reduce pressure in the barrel to a safe level allows for unimpeded removal of the cartridge case from the chamber. It also ensures coordinated movement of the barrel, the bolt, and the bolt frame throughout firing, as a result of time-distributed transferal of recoil impulse.

[0041] The fact that the barrel has a mass comparable to that of the bolt results in noticeable reduction of combined velocity of the barrel’s and the bolt’s recoil after impact joining of their masses. Additionally, masses of the barrel and the bolt are also calculated in such a way as to ensure that the barrel and the bolt remain together during movement, until gas pressure in the barrel chamber is reduced enough to allow the cartridge case to be removed without excessive stretching that could cause it to rupture.

[0042] In one possible implementation, at least one groove may be a separate part fixedly mounted on the pistol frame, and / or at least one protrusion may be a separate part fixedly mounted on the barrel, forming the protrusion.

[0043] In another possible implementation, at the point where the protrusion end surface abuts against the groove end surface, a damper or a shock absorber is installed, made with possibility to slow down movement of the barrel before it stops, and / or with possibility to eliminate stiff impact interaction of the protrusion-groove pair.

[0044] In general, the above-described technical solution feature set ensures a number of technical results that consist of: reducing the mass of automatic action moving parts, and the firearm’s mass in general, by including the barrel’s mass in the mass of moving parts; reducing impact stress on automatic action moving parts and such that come into contact with them, fixed parts; portable dimensions of the firearm as a result of absence of additional design elements that increase mass of the bolt, or absorb recoil, or ensure the bolt's interlocking with the barrel; reducing recoil at the time of firing, and mitigating the effect of said recoil by reducing force of impact of the bolt on the bolt frame in its rearmost position, absorbing recoil impulse distributed across time and design parts; creating a weapon design that is simple in terms of the weapon maintenance and care, as well as its repair; creating a weapon design that is simple in terms of its manufacturability; facilitating use of high-powered ammunition while maintaining relatively low weight of the bolt and, accordingly, low weight and small dimensions of the weapon in general.

[0045] Additional advantages of the described technical solution also include easier use of the weapon (as a result of smaller dimensions and lower weight), less discomfort and fatigue for the shooter when using it, which is highly desirable when operating firearms, especially those intended for individual (personal) use (for example, semi-automatic pistol).

[0046] The invention is illustrated by drawings, where:Fig.1

[0047] shows components and parts of the proposed automatic firearm, a semi-automatic pistol.Fig.2

[0048] shows the semi-automatic pistol’s design, side view.Fig.3

[0049] shows a view of the pistol in longitudinal section A-A in.Fig.4

[0050] show longitudinal section views demonstrating the weapon’s automatic action mechanism in operation - the system before firing.Fig.5

[0051] show longitudinal section views demonstrating the weapon’s automatic action mechanism in operation - combined recoil of the bolt and the barrel, the barrel is stopped in the bumper.Fig.6

[0052] show longitudinal section views demonstrating the weapon’s automatic action mechanism in operation - the bolt continues moving backwards, the barrel returns to its fore position.Fig.7

[0053] show longitudinal section views demonstrating the weapon’s automatic action mechanism in operation - collision of the bolt and the barrel.Fig.8

[0054] show longitudinal section views demonstrating the weapon’s automatic action mechanism in operation - the bolt stopped in rearmost position.Fig.9

[0055] show longitudinal section views demonstrating the weapon’s automatic action mechanism in operation - the barrel stopped in rearmost position.

[0056] Below is an example of implementation of the invention in the form of a pistol of classical layout, with magazine placed in the grip, and a hammer-type, double-action firing mechanism with an open hammer.Examples

[0057] The semi-automatic pistol (shown in Figs. 1-3) consists of the following main components and mechanisms: the pistol frame 1 with the pistol grip 2, the bolt group including the bolt frame 3, the barrel 4, and the bolt 5, the return mechanism 6, the magazine 7 with cartridges 8.

[0058] The metal pistol frame 1 made of alloy steel by cutting.

[0059] The grip 2, which serves as the main assembly base for other components and mechanisms of the pistol, houses the magazine 7 with cartridges 8 and the magazine latch 9 designed to hold it in place.

[0060] The pistol frame 1 houses the firing mechanism, the safety lever 11, and the bolt catch 13 with a spring 14.

[0061] The firing mechanism consists of the trigger, the trigger bar 17 with a spring 18, the sears 19 with a spring 20, and the hammer 21 with a spring 22.

[0062] The pistol frame 1 is connected to the grip 2 by means of a rectangular protrusion 23 in its rear part (which fits into the corresponding groove 24 in the grip 2), and a connecting lock 25.

[0063] On side surfaces of the pistol frame 1, there are two sets of rectangular protrusions 26 that act as guides for reciprocating movement of the bolt group parts (the bolt frame 3, the barrel 4, and the bolt 5).

[0064] The bolt frame 3 is a complex rectangular part made of alloy steel by cutting. In the bolt frame 3, there is a cylindrical longitudinal channel 27 designed for installation of the barrel 4 and the bolt 5 with firing and ejecting mechanisms.

[0065] To direct longitudinal movement of the bolt group parts along the corresponding protrusions of the pistol frame 1, there are rectangular longitudinal grooves 28.

[0066] The design also has a rectangular groove 29 for placing the bar 30 and other parts of the bolt group.

[0067] The pistol barrel 4 is made of alloy steel, in the form of a complex cylindrical part that can be separated during disassembly.

[0068] The barrel 4 has a distal end 31 for releasing the bullet and powder gases at the time of firing. Internal channel of the barrel 4 has rifling to give the bullet rotational motion. The proximal end 32 of the barrel 4 forms the chamber 33 for placing a cartridge 8 therein.

[0069] The barrel 4 has possibility of reciprocating movement backwards and forwards relative to the pistol frame 1 under pressure of powder gases acting through the cartridge 8 case 34 at the time of firing, and through recoil impulse after firing.

[0070] On the lower part of the barrel 4, at its proximal end 32, there is a protrusion / protrusions 35, in the pistol frame 1, there is a groove / grooves 36, said protrusion 35 is positioned in said groove 36 in such a way that a gap 37 is formed between at least two adjacent surfaces of the groove 36 and the protrusion 35. The protrusion 35 is made with possibility of movement inside the groove 36, and abutting of the protrusion’s 35 end surface 38 against the groove’s 36 end surface 39.

[0071] The protrusion-groove pair combined forms a horizontal guide of the barrel 4 in the pistol frame 1, and limits longitudinal movement of the barrel 4 in the pistol frame 1 to a distance corresponding to the gap 37 between the protrusion 35 and the groove 36, and forms bumpers in extreme positions of the barrel 4 during its reciprocating movement.

[0072] As a possible implementation, at least one groove 36 may be a separate part fixedly mounted on the pistol frame, and / or at least one protrusion 35 may be a separate part fixedly mounted on the barrel 4, forming the protrusion 35.

[0073] As a possible implementation, also, at the point where the protrusion’s 35 end surface 38 abuts against the groove’s 36 end surface 39, a damper or a shock absorber may be installed to slow down movement of the barrel 4 before it stops, and / or to avoid stiff impact interaction of the protrusion-groove pair.

[0074] The bolt 5 is mechanically connected to the proximal end 32 of the barrel 4 in firing position, and is designed to be disconnected from it to ensure that the cartridge 8 is fed, and with possibility of closing the chamber 33 after said feeding.

[0075] The bolt 5 has possibility of reciprocating movement with the bolt frame 3, between its fore position before firing, with the cartridge 8 in the barrel 4, and rear position of removing the cartridge 8 case 34 from the chamber 33.

[0076] The bolt frame 3, the barrel 4, and the bolt 5 are set in motion at the time of firing and interact with each other during movement.

[0077] The return mechanism 6, which is a means of returning the barrel 4 and the bolt 5 from rear position to fore position, consists of a return spring rod 41, a return spring 42, or a set of return springs 42 with washers.

[0078] Together, they form an elastic element that is compressed by the bolt 5 of a predetermined length and a predetermined stiffness of the return spring 42 that does not exceed the value required to return the barrel 4 and the bolt 5 to pre-firing position. At the same time, the elastic element 12 of the barrel’s 4 return mechanism does not have the function of a buffer spring (as a result of its low stiffness), and does not noticeably affect the bolt frame 3.

[0079] The magazine 7, located inside the pistol grip 2, provides space for cartridges 8 arranged in two staggered rows (columns), reorganized into a single row to reach the seating line.

[0080] The magazine 7 consists of a rectangular body 43 made of sheet metal. In upper part of the body 43, there is a narrowing for reorganizing the cartridges 8 from two rows into one row. Middle part of the body 43 has a cutout for the magazine’s 7 latch 9, which holds the magazine 7 inside the pistol grip 2. Lower part of the body 43 has side bends for attaching the magazine’s 7 cover 44.

[0081] Design of the magazine 7 also includes a feeder 45 acting as a pusher, which, driven by a spring 46, lifts the cartridges 8 onto the seating line.

[0082] The magazine’s 7 cover 44 is designed to hold all parts of the magazine 7 in an assembled state and to prevent contamination of the magazine’s 7 internal parts. To keep the magazine’s 7 cover 44 in place, the design has a lock 47.

[0083] Together, the above-described interacting components and parts form the pistol’s automatic action mechanism that performs the cycle of opening and closing the chamber 33, feeding the cartridge 8, and removing the cartridge’s 8 case 34 from the chamber 33.

[0084] The semi-automatic pistol’s operation is as follows.

[0085] To load the pistol, the magazine 7 with cartridges 8 has to be inserted into the pistol grip 2.

[0086] The pistol is prepared for firing by pulling the bolt 5 in its rearmost position, and releasing it. When the bolt 5 is pulled, the hammer 21 is cocked, and the return spring 42 is compressed by the bolt frame 3 being pulled back by hand. After the seating protrusion of the bolt 5 has passed the magazine 7, a cartridge 8 is fed from it into the seating line. When the bolt 5 is released, it moves forward, picking up a cartridge 8 from the magazine 7 and seating it into the chamber 33 of the barrel 4.

[0087] When the moving parts reach their original positions, and the cartridge 8 is seated into the chamber 32, the pistol will be ready for firing. In particular, in pre-firing position, the barrel 4 is mounted with possibility of interlocking with the bolt 5, and possibility of ensuring joint longitudinal movement of the bolt frame 3, the barrel 4, and the bolt 5 relative to the pistol frame 1 in one direction, backwards.

[0088] To fire the weapon, the trigger 15 must be pulled, which leads to the hammer 21 striking the firing pin 48 and breaking the igniting primer of the cartridge 8. As a result of this impact, explosive in the igniting primer explodes, igniting powder inside the cartridge 8, and the shot is fired.

[0089] Described further is operation of the weapon’s automatic action mechanism, according to the sequence shown on Figs. 4-7.

[0090] Increase in temperature and pressure of powder gases to the maximum value inside the cartridge 8 pushes the bullet inside the case 34 forward, then, driven by the powder gases, the bullet begins to move through the barrel’s 4 channel, crashes into rifling of the barrel’s 4 channel, and moves along it for a certain period of time until it exits through the distal end 31 of the barrel 4. Pressure of the powder gases also affects the cartridge’s 8 case 34, driving it to also commence moving backwards (recoil), setting the bolt 5 into motion.

[0091] In the firing position, when the cartridge’s 8 case 34 is located in the barrel’s 4 chamber 33, under pressure of the powder gases, volume of the case 34 increases, and outer surface of the cartridge case’s 34 wall 49 is pressed against inner surface of the barrel 4 chamber’s 33 wall 50.

[0092] Between the cartridge 8 case’s 34 wall 49, and the barrel 4 chamber’s 33 wall 50, a friction force occurs, connecting (interlocking) the barrel 4 and the bolt 5 into a single functional part, and ensuring joint translational movement of the barrel 4 and the bolt 5.

[0093] When a shot is fired, the connected (interlocked) barrel 4 and bolt 5 acquire velocity that gives their mass recoil impulse. At the initial stage, part of the recoil impulse is used to accelerate the barrel 4.

[0094] The barrel 4, engaged by the cartridge’s 8 case 34, moves backwards, while the protrusion 35 moves inside the groove 36, until it reaches the abutting of the protrusion’s 35 end surface 38 against the groove’s 36 end surface 39. Impact interaction of the barrel 4 protrusion’s 35 end bumping surface 38, and the pistol frame 1 groove’s 36 end bumping surface 39, stops the barrel 4 during its movement, while the part of recoil (kickback) impulse carried by the barrel 4 is transferred to the pistol frame 1.

[0095] Since total mass of the bolt group quasi-assembly, including the barrel 4 and the bolt 5, is significantly greater than mass of the bullet, even before the case 8 leaves the chamber 33, the bullet has time to leave the barrel’s 4 channel, and pressure of the powder gases in the barrel 4 decreases to a safe level, at which rupture due to excessive stretching of the cartridge’s 8 case 34 in the barrel 4 is impossible.

[0096] At the same time, since joint translational movement of the barrel 4 interlocked with the bolt 5 is limited by abutting of the protrusion’s 35 end surface 38 against the groove’s 36 end surface 39, and, as a result of impact interaction of the protrusion-groove pair, disconnection of the barrel 4 and the bolt 5 is ensured, along with subsequent independent movement of the bolt 5, which has been unlocked, backwards relative to the pistol frame 1.

[0097] The bolt 5, retaining its part of recoil impulse, continues to move backwards (recoil) by inertia and (partially) under residual pressure of the powder gases against bottom of the case 34. After the barrel 4 has stopped in its rearmost position, the extractor hook 51 pulls the case 34 out of the chamber 33, assisted by residual pressure of the powder gases.

[0098] During the bolt’s 5 further movement backwards by inertia (recoil), the case 34 encounters the bumping protrusion 52 and is ejected outside the bolt 5 in the usual way.

[0099] During this time, the barrel 4 (driven by the barrel spring 12) manages to return to its foremost position as a result of the protrusion’s 35 movement inside the groove 36, and stop as a result of abutting of the barrel 4 protrusion’s 35 end surface 54 against the pistol frame 1 groove’s 36 end surface 55.

[0100] The bolt frame 3 encounters the barrel’s 4 protrusion 58 on the last segment of its movement backwards (recoil), and continues to move backwards together with the barrel 4 as a quasi-assembly. As a result of impact joining of the barrel’s 4 and the bolt’s 5 masses, the bolt’s 5 impulse is distributed between the bolt 5 and the barrel 4, reducing movement (recoil) velocity of the bolt 5 by an amount proportional to the ratio of masses of the bolt 5 and the barrel 4.

[0101] The bolt frame 3, having reached rearmost point (recoil), contacts the bumping surface 57 of the pistol frame 1 with its own bumping surface 56, and stops. This transfers the bolt’s 5 impulse to the pistol frame 1.

[0102] The barrel 4, having received part of the bolt’s 5 impulse, continues to move backwards (recoil) for some distance after the bolt 5 has stopped, as a result of the protrusion’s 35 movement inside the groove 36, again reaches the position of abutting of the barrel 4 protrusion’s 35 end surface 38 against the pistol frame 1 groove’s 36 end surface 39, and stops. At the same time, the barrel 4 transfers the impulse it has to the pistol frame 1.

[0103] Thus, in the proposed design, first the barrel 4 stops, then the bolt 5 stops, then the barrel 4 again, which before that had taken part of impulse from the bolt 5 for the second time.

[0104] Due to this, during the recoil cycle, recoil impulse is first distributed between the barrel 4 and the bolt 5 (similar to systems in which the barrel is stiffly connected to the bolt), which reduces total recoil energy of the barrel-bolt quasi-assembly, compared to a situation in which recoil would only cause the bolt 5 to be kicked back.

[0105] Therefore, the above-described pistol operation scheme allows to achieve that, instead of a single impact of the bolt 5 in rearmost position, several successive impacts of parts of the barrel-bolt quasi-assembly occur, and transferal of recoil impulse of the bolt 5 to the pistol frame 1 becomes distributed in time, which makes it possible to reduce effect of recoil force on the shooter without increasing mass of the weapon’s bolt 5.

[0106] Since recoil impulse is largely absorbed by the pistol frame 1 due to successive impacts of the barrel 4, and the bolt 5 together with the barrel 4, and not only the bolt 5, negative effect of recoil on the pistol’s muzzle during firing is reduced, and stability of position and controllability of the weapon are improved.

[0107] This also reduces longitudinal and vertical shifting of the pistol grip 1 under influence of recoil, and reduces subjective perception of recoil, both in the form of mitigating impact on the hand holding the pistol, and in reducing «throwing» of the hand with the pistol (vertical rising and lateral shifting of the barrel’s 4 distal end).

[0108] Next cartridge 8 is fed to the seating line from the magazine 7. The return spring 42, uncompressing, returns the barrel to the position it was in before the shot, while the bolt 5, approaching the cartridge 8, seats it into the barrel’s 2 chamber 33. The pistol returns to pre-firing position and is ready for the next shot.

[0109] It should be understood that, although the invention primarily relates to design of individual automatic firearm, such as a semi-automatic pistol, it can, however, be used in other automatic firearm designs as well.

Claims

The semi-automatic pistol containing a bolt group mounted on the frame of the pistol, including a barrel and a bolt driven by shot, in which the barrel has a distal end for releasing a bullet and powder gases at the time of shot, a proximal end forming a cartridge case that houses a cartridge, and is made with possibility of limited longitudinal movement under pressure of powder gases acting through the cartridge case at the time of firing, the bolt is made with possibility of reciprocating motion, within the limits between its forward pre-firing position, with a cartridge in the barrel, and rear position of removing the cartridge case from the chamber, a means for returning the bolt from the rear position to the fore position, which together form an automatic action mechanism that performs the cycle of opening and closing the chamber, feeding the cartridge, and removing the cartridge case from the chamber,characterizedin that the barrel, at its proximal end, has at least one protrusion, at least one groove is made in the pistol frame, said protrusion is positioned in said groove, in such a way that a gap is formed between at least two adjacent surfaces of the groove and the protrusion, the protrusion is made with possibility of moving within the groove, and abutting of the protrusion end surface against the groove end surface, the protrusion-groove pair combined forms the barrel horizontal guide and limits longitudinal movement of the barrel in the pistol frame to a distance corresponding to said gap between the protrusion and the groove, in pre-firing position, the barrel is mounted with possibility of interlocking with the bolt, and possibility of ensuring joint longitudinal movement of the bolt frame, the barrel, and the bolt relative to the pistol frame in the same direction, backwards, in firing position, the cartridge case located in the barrel chamber, under pressure of powder gases, expanding, connects the barrel and the bolt into a single functional part that facilitates joint translational movement of the barrel interlocked with the bolt, with joint translational movement of the barrel interlocked with the bolt being limited by the protrusion end surface abutting against the groove end surface, which stops the barrel during its movement, and, as a result of impact interaction of the protrusion-groove pair, facilitates disconnection of the barrel and the bolt, while ensuring further translational movement of the bolt, which has been unlocked, and the bolt frame backwards, relative to the pistol frame, and reciprocating movement of the barrel, backwards and forwards, relative to the pistol frame.The pistol according to claim 1,characterizedin that the means for returning the bolt from rear position to fore position takes the form of a return mechanism containing an elastic element that is compressed by the bolt of a predetermined length and a predetermined spring stiffness that does not exceed the value required to return the bolt to pre-firing position.The pistol according to claim 1 or 2,characterizedin that it is designed with possibility of combining the barrel’s mass and the bolt’s mass at the beginning of recoil, and with possibility to reduce the bolt’s velocity at the end of recoil.The pistol according to one of claims 1 to 3,characterizedin that at least one groove is a separate part fixedly mounted on the pistol frame, and / or at least one protrusion is a separate part fixedly mounted on the barrel, forming the protrusion.The pistol according to one of claims 1 to 4,characterizedin that, at the point where the protrusion end surface abuts against the groove end surface, a damper or a shock absorber is installed, made with possibility to slow down movement of the barrel before it stops, and / or with possibility to eliminate stiff impact interaction of the protrusion-groove pair.

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