Break Barrel Rifle Pellet Loading System Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Break barrel rifles face issues with pellet misalignment and air pressure leaks between the barrel and magazine, leading to potential damage and power loss during firing.

Innovation Solution

A pellet loading system that uses an elastic rod with central and end sections to push pellets from the magazine into the barrel chamber, ensuring alignment and sealing, with a pushing mechanism that returns to its initial position after loading, minimizing leaks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If pellets are housed in the pellet magazine, then the rifle can be loaded with multiple pellets, but misalignment between the barrel and magazine could damage the pellet at the moment of firing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of pelletsVSAvoidpellet alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic rod performs preliminary action by pre-aligning the pellet with the barrel axis before firing. The rod extends through the magazine and positions the pellet correctly in advance, ensuring that even if the magazine is misaligned with the barrel, the pellet itself is properly oriented for firing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic rod acts as an intermediary element between the magazine and the barrel. It transfers the pellet from the magazine while maintaining proper alignment, mediating the connection between these two components and ensuring the pellet follows the correct path despite potential misalignment between magazine and barrel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If pellets are housed in the pellet magazine, then the rifle can store multiple pellets, but power losses due to air pressure leaks affect the initial path of the pellet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of pelletsVSAvoidair pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic rod serves as an intermediary that creates a sealed pathway for the pellet from the magazine to the barrel. By positioning the pellet within reach of the propelling force and guiding it along a defined path, the rod minimizes air pressure leaks that would otherwise occur in the gap between magazine and barrel, thereby reducing energy loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic rod performs preliminary positioning of the pellet to ensure it is correctly placed before the propelling force is applied. This preliminary action ensures that the pellet is in the optimal position to receive the full force of the compressed air without energy loss from misalignment or leaking paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If the barrel and magazine are misaligned, then the structure allows for easier assembly, but the pellet does not follow the correct path inside the barrel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidpellet path alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic rod performs preliminary alignment of the pellet with the barrel axis, compensating for any misalignment between the magazine and barrel. This pre-positioning action ensures that the pellet is correctly oriented before firing, even when the overall assembly has manufacturing tolerances or misalignments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic rod acts as a mediator that decouples the alignment requirements between the magazine and barrel. It allows the magazine to be easily assembled without precise alignment while still ensuring the pellet is correctly positioned for firing, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of assembly and firing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 system ensures accurate pellet alignment and maintains air pressure, preventing damage and power loss, resulting in reliable and efficient loading of break barrel rifles.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic rod, with a central section and two ends that couple to the cylinder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3407002B1Break barrel rifle with pellet loading system
Publication Date: 2019.12.25 GAMO OUTDOOR SL
  • EP3407002B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3407002B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3407002B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

It comprises a butt, on which the chamber (2) is attached, a barrel (3) where the pellet chamber (5) is located, a magazine (12) for pellets (13), together with articulation means (4) and characterised in that it comprises: - an elastic rod (6), with a central section (9) and two ends that are housed in the chamber (2), - a body (10) where the central section (9) of elastic rod (6) is positioned, with forward and backward movement inside said body (10) and that is fixed to the barrel (3) and - pushing means (11) linked to the elastic rod (6) and positioned between the pellet (13) to be loaded and the elastic rod (6).