Spent Casing Catch Trap Mechanism with Pivoting Gate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional brass catchers for spent ammunition casings require frequent emptying, disrupting the shooting experience and posing a hazard due to hot casings and environmental concerns.

Innovation Solution

A trap mechanism mounted on a firearm that collects and stores spent casings without interrupting the shooting process, allowing for automatic ejection and dumping of casings when the magazine is removed, utilizing a receptacle with a pivoting gate that opens only when the magazine is taken out.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional brass catchers are used to collect spent casings, then spent brass can be captured and collected, but the shooter must frequently pause to empty the catcher, interrupting the shooting experience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantity of spent casings collectedVSAvoidtime lost for emptying the catcher

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The brass catcher is divided into two separate compartments: an upper receptacle that collects casings during shooting and a lower receptacle that receives casings when emptied. This segmentation allows the upper receptacle to be quickly emptied into the lower receptacle without removing the catcher from the firearm, reducing the time and interruption required for emptying.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lower receptacle acts as an intermediary storage container. Instead of emptying casings directly from the upper receptacle onto the ground, the system uses the lower receptacle as an intermediate step, allowing casings to be dumped into a container below the firearm. This intermediary mechanism enables continuous shooting by providing a convenient and quick emptying method.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If spent casings are left on the ground after ejection, then the shooter can continue shooting without interruption, but it creates environmental pollution and safety hazards from hot casings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous shooting capabilityVSAvoidhazard from hot spent brass and environmental damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the potentially harmful hot spent casings into a manageable collection process. By providing a dedicated receptacle that collects casings as they are ejected, the system transforms what would be litter and hazard into a contained collection that can be easily disposed of, eliminating environmental pollution and safety risks while maintaining continuous shooting capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The brass catcher is designed to automatically collect and hold spent casings without requiring the shooter to manually intervene for each casing. The system self-manages the collection process, and when full, the entire receptacle can be quickly emptied into a container below, allowing the shooter to maintain continuous shooting without attending to the trap.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a brass catcher is attached to the firearm, then spent casings can be captured, but the catcher must be removed and emptied frequently, disrupting the shooting flow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapture of spent casingsVSAvoidease of emptying the catcher

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The brass catcher is segmented into an upper receptacle for active collection and a lower receptacle for storage during emptying. This segmentation allows the upper receptacle to be quickly emptied into the lower receptacle while the catcher remains attached to the firearm, making the emptying operation easier and less disruptive to shooting flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The emptying mechanism utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning the lower receptacle below the upper receptacle. This vertical arrangement allows casings to be emptied downward into a container positioned beneath the firearm, providing a convenient and space-efficient emptying method that does not require removing the catcher from the firearm.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

Enables continuous shooting without pausing to empty the brass catcher, ensuring safe and environmentally responsible disposal of spent casings by allowing the shooter to collect and dump them without altering their normal operation.

Implementation Method 1

A gate in the lower opening pivots between open and closed positions; the lower opening is closed when the magazine is received in the firearm and is opened when the magazine is removed from the firearm

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS20190024997A1Spent casing catch and release trap mechanism

Publication Date: 2019.01.24 CHURCHILL CRAIG D

AI summary

A receptacle for collecting casings ejected from a firearm applied with a magazine includes a housing having an upper opening, a lower opening, and an interior defined within the housing between and in communication with the upper and lower openings. The upper opening is opened and can be mounted to be spaced apart from the ejection port of a firearm. A gate in the lower opening pivots between open and closed positions; the lower opening is closed when the magazine is received in the firearm and is opened when the magazine is removed from the firearm.