Captive Mainspring and Integral Beavertail for Pin-Free Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 1911-style pistols face issues with non-optimized mainspring retention methods, separate beavertail components, and mainspring preload during assembly, which complicate installation and affect performance.
Innovation Solution
A mainspring assembly with a retention clip and opposed flanges for secure slidable engagement, an integral beavertail frame design, and a method for installing the mainspring without preload, ensuring stable positioning and smooth operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pin configuration is used to secure the mainspring housing to the frame, then the mainspring housing position is retained, but the assembly process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional pin configuration from the mainspring housing assembly. Instead of using pins to secure the mainspring housing to the frame, the design integrates retention features directly into the housing structure itself, eliminating the need for separate pin components and simplifying the assembly process while maintaining secure positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the mainspring housing retention function with the housing structure itself. The housing includes integrated flanges and retention features that directly engage with the frame, merging the retention function into the housing component rather than requiring separate retention mechanisms.
2Reliability
If the hammer assembly is installed before the mainspring housing, then the firing mechanism is assembled, but the overall assembly process becomes more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pistol assembly into independent modules that can be assembled separately and then integrated. The mainspring housing assembly is completed as a separate module with all its components (mainspring, hammer strut, retention features) pre-assembled, allowing it to be installed as a single unit after the hammer assembly is in place, thereby reducing overall assembly time.
3Reliability
If the mainspring remains compressed during assembly, then constant reliable engagement of the hammer strut is ensured, but the installation and removal of the mainspring housing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic assembly approach where the mainspring compression state is changed during the assembly process. The mainspring housing is designed to allow the mainspring to be installed in an uncompressed or lightly compressed state, and then the hammer strut engagement is secured in a subsequent step, making the assembly process easier while still ensuring reliable engagement in the final configuration.
4Ease of manufacture
If separate beavertail components are used, then the beavertail can be attached, but the structural integrity and ergonomics are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the beavertail as an integral part of the frame structure rather than using a separate attachment component. The frame is designed with the beavertail incorporated into its monolithic structure, which enhances structural integrity and provides improved ergonomics while still allowing for manufacturing through appropriate forming processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides enhanced structural integrity, improved ergonomics, and simplified assembly by eliminating pins and separate beavertail attachments, enhancing the 1911-style pistol's performance and user comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a mainspring, which provides the driving force for rotating the hammer from a cocked position to a firing position during a firing sequence
Data Source
AI summary
A firearm with a mainspring assembly and a beavertail element integral to the frame. The firearm may include a mainspring assembly coupled to a lower portion of the frame, a hammer strut extending between the hammer and the mainspring assembly.