Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02348143 2001-05-18
SHOTGUN FOR COMPETITIVE CLAY TARGET SHOOTING
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of sporting shotguns as opposed to those
used
primarily for hunting, and in particular to a sporting shotgun for competitive
clay target
shooting.
Background of the Invention
In conventional clay target shooting competitions using for example PerazziTM
or KrieghoffrM sporting shotgmis, a failure of a gun component while on the
firing line will
usually mean defaulting in that round of the competition because under the
competition's rules,
if a gun misfires, you have only 5 minutes in which to effect a repair.
In such instances it would be advantageous, and it is one object of the
present
invention to provide, a quickly interchangeable shotgun component which
contains virtually
all of the moving parts of a shotgun so that no matter which internal
mechanism failed, the
entire shotgun component may be removed and quickly replaced with a spare
component
otherwise referred to herein as a spare parts group.
Thus what is provided in the present invention is a modified stock which at
the
butt end is modified so that the user may select between a completely rigid
stock or one having
a recoil absorber, and which at its receiver end is modified to incorporate a
quick release
coupling for mating with the shotgun receiver. It is a further object to
provide a modified
shotgun receiver containing all of the moving parts which may be replaced by a
spare parts
group and which is further modified to allow selective release of the receiver
from the shotgun
barrel group by an actuator on the lower surface of the receiver forward of
the trigger housing.
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In the prior art, applicant is aware of hunting shotguns, for example those
made
by Browning and sold under the trade mark Citori. One example is shown
partially cut-away
in Figure 1 a. As may be seen, in the Citori example, the shotgun stock is
mounted to the
receiver by means of a bolt inserted from the butt end along a bore in the
stock so as to
protrude from the receiver mating end of the stock. The bolt threads into a
threaded hole or
bore in the aft end of the receiver and is tightened, for example by means of
a screwdriver, so
as to draw the receiver snugly into mating with the stock. A cover plate is
screwed into place
to cover access to the bore in the stock.
Summary
The shotgun of the present invention as defined herein is understood and
intended to include the shotgun as an assembled whole, the shotgun as a
partially or fully
disassembled kit or system, and each separate novel part thereof. Consequently
the shotgun of
the present invention may be summarized as including a stock, a receiver and a
barrel group.
The stock has a butt end and an opposite second end. The receiver which is for
containing a
moving parts group, has a rear end and a forward end and is releasably
mountable at the rear
end by a releasable coupler to the second end of the stock. The barrel group
has a discharge
end and an opposite loading end. The loading end is releasably mountable by a
pivotable
coupler to the forward end of the receiver. The moving parts group, when
mounted in the
receiver, contain all of the moving parts between a trigger and a firing pin
or pins in moving
operation relative to the receiver required during firing of the shotgun. The
releasable coupler
includes a manually operable coupler release. The coupler release is manually
actuable so that
the releasable coupler mounts the receiver to, or demounts the receiver from,
the stock upon
tool-less, hand actuation by a user of the coupler release, that is, upon
manual actuation by the
user without the need to use a tool, such as a screwdriver, to assist in
operating the coupler
release. Consequently the receiver may be quickly removed by hand from the
stock and
quickly replaced with a spare receiver containing a spare moving parts group.
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In one embodiment, the releasable coupler may comprise a rigid elongate
member releasably mountable into a receiving socket. The rigid elongate member
may
threadably mount into the receiving socket. In particular, in one embodiment
the receiving
socket is a rigid tubular member mountable into a bore in the second end of
the stock, and the
rigid elongate member is mountable to the rear end of the receiver so as to
cantilever the rigid
elongate member from the rear end of the receiver into co-axial alignment with
the tubular
member when the tubular member is mounted to the stock and the stock is
mounted to the
receiver.
The rigid elongate member may be a bolt-like member threadably mountable to
the tubular member. The bolt-like member may for example be a bolt having an
interrupted
thread. Such a bolt may have oppositely disposed parallel planar lands along
thread-
disengaging portions of a length of the bolt. The lands may extend
contiguously between
oppositely disposed threaded surfaces along thread-engaging portions of the
length of the bolt.
The tubular member may have an interrupted thread inner surface for threaded
engagement
with the thread-engaging portions of the bolt. The threaded walls of the
tubular member may
have apertures therein. The apertures are aligned and sized so that as the
bolt is rotated
relative to the tubular member while in threaded engagement with the tubular
member, the
thread-engaging portions are rotated out of thread engaging radial alignment
with the threaded
inner surface of the threaded walls and into radial alignment with the
apertures in the threaded
walls, thereby aligning the thread-disengaging portions of the bolt with the
threaded inner
surfaces of the threaded walls. The bolt is thereby disengaged from the
tubular member and
may be withdrawn therefrom.
The shotgun receiver may further comprise a low-locking barrel group release
latch mounted to a low side of the receiver. The low side of the receiver is
defined as
corresponding to a trigger side of the receiver. The release latch cooperates
with a locking
mechanism on the barrel group for releasable locking of the barrel group on
the pivotable
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coupler. When the release latch is locked onto the barrel locking mechanism a
round in the
barrel is aligned for firing engagement with the firing pin or pins in
receiver.
The release latch may have a latch actuating trigger mounted to the low side
of
the receiver so as to extend therefrom for manual actuation by a user. The
latch actuating
trigger may be mounted adjacent a trigger guard of the receiver. The latch
actuating trigger
may be slidably mounted to the low side of the receiver.
The butt end of the stock may have a slide channel formed therein in generally
co-planar alignment with a longitudinal axis of a barrel of the barrel group.
The stock may
then further include a recoil absorbing slide resiliently slidably mounted in
the slide channel.
The slide may have a shoulder pad mounted at an exposed end of the slide, that
is, the exposed
end protruding from the butt end of the stock. The slide may have an upper
portion extending
from the slide channel along an upper surface of the stock, for example
generally opposite a
handgrip of the stock. A slide cover member may be mounted to the slide and
may extend
generally the length of the stock and along the upper surface of the stock.
The slide cover
slides over the upper surface of the stock as the slide slides in the slide
channel so as to absorb
recoil upon firing of the shotgun. The slide cover may be conformally shaped
so as to
smoothly conform to the contours of the stock. A rigid insert may be provided
which is
slidable over an exposed portion of the exposed end of the slide when the
slide is fully
extended from the butt end of the stock so as to disable operation of the
slide.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of the shotgun of the
present
invention,
Figure 1 a is an exploded, partially cut-away perspective view of a prior art
shotgun.
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Figure 2 is a side elevation of the butt stock of Figure 1 showing the recoil
mechanism in operation,
Figure 3 is, in partially exploded view, the butt stock of Figure 2 with the
recoil
mechanism disabled,
Figure 3a is, in elevation view, the recoil disabling mechanism of Figure 3,
Figure 4 is an exploded isometric view illustrating the coupling mechanism
between forestock and trigger housing of the shotgun of Figure 1,
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along line 5-5 in Figure 4,
Figure 6 is a partially exploded isometric view illustrating the trigger
housing
and the coupling bolt and male coupler of Figure 4,
Figures 7 and 7a are isometric views of the break-open mechanism in the
forestock.
Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention
As seen in Figure 1, the improved shotgun 10 of the present invention has a
stock 12, a receiver 14 and a barrel group 16.
As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, stock 12 may have at its butt end a
shoulder
pad 18 mounted to a rigid base plate 20. Base plate 20 is rigidly and
orthogonally mounted to
internal slide arm 22. Slide arm 22 slides within a channel in stock body 24
along a plane
generally vertically bisecting stock 12 so as to cooperate with a resilient
shock absorber such
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as conventionally known in the art housed within stock body 24. Slide body 26
is also rigidly
orthogonally mounted to base plate 20 so as to extend co-extensively along an
upper surface of
stock body 24. Slide body 26 slides over interface 27 relative to stock body
24 when stock
body 24 recoils in direction A due to recoil following firing of the shotgun.
Slide body 26 is
shaped conformally with stock body 24 so that with slide arm 22 in its
normally extended non-
compressed position, other than a hairline at interface 27, slide body 26 and
stock body 24
appear as a unitary whole in the shape of a conventional rigid shotgun stock.
As better seen in Figure 3a, U-shaped insert 28 may be slid in direction B
into
the cavity between base plate 20 and the adjacent end of plate 30 mounted to
stock body 24.
Channel 32 in U-shaped insert 28 slides snugly over slide arm 22 until the
upper ends of U-
shaped insert 28 abut the lower surface of slide body 26 so as to completely
cover slide arm
22. With U-shaped insert 28 so mounted, the operation of slide arm 22, that
is, the operation
of the resilient recoil absorber, is disabled so that stock 12 performs as a
conventional rigid
stock. The outer surface of U-shaped insert 28 is shaped so as to conform to
the lateral cross-
sectional shape of stock body 24 and base plate 20. U-shaped insert 28 may be
releasably
locked into place between base plate 20 and end plate 30 by means of a
friction fit assisted by,
for example, a spring-loaded ball bearing latch mechanism wherein ball bearing
34 resiliently
mounted in end plate 30 releasably engages a corresponding cup or aperture 36
in U-shaped
insert 28.
As seen in Figure 4, at the opposite end of stock body 24 opposite to plate
30, a
female receiver coupler 38 is mounted into forestock 12a. Forestock 12a is
longitudinally
bored so as to snugly receive sleeve 40 of coupler 38 journalled into and
along the bore.
Sleeve 40 is itself hollow having a pair of oppositely disposed cutouts 42
along its length
defining therebetween an opposed facing pair of threaded lands 44. Sleeve 40
is rigidly
mounted to annular collar 46 so as to extend perpendicularly therefrom.
Annular collar 46 is
shaped and sized so that its outer perimeter is conformal to the end surface
of forestock 12a
when sleeve 40 is mounted within the longitudinal bore of forestock 12a.
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In the illustrated embodiment, not intended to be limiting, the alignment of
sleeve 40 within the bore of forestock 12a is assisted and maintained by
fiberglassing the
sleeve into the bore, assisted by the fiberglass engaging longitudinal grooves
40a in sleeve 40.
The cylindrical aperture 46a of collar 46 is coaxial with, and of
corresponding
diameter to, the internal cylindrical cavity of sleeve 40 so as to receive
therethrough male
coupling shaft 48 when inserted in direction C into sleeve 40 along axis D.
Male coupling shaft 48 is in the shape of a two sided cant, that is, when
viewed
in cross-section in a plane perpendicular to axis D, shaft 48 is obround with
the two parallel
sides of the obround corresponding to a pair of parallel planar faces 50 and
the oppositely
disposed curved ends of the obround corresponding to a pair of threaded
uniformly curved
surfaces 52. A base 54 is mounted to the non-threaded end of shaft 48.
Male coupling shaft 48 may be inserted or removed from sleeve 40 when shaft
48 is rotated about axis D, so that threaded surfaces 52 are aligned with, so
as to be exposed
through, cutouts 42. The result is that the threads on threaded surfaces 52
are disengaged from
the threads on threaded lands 44. Thus, shaft 48 is inserted in direction C
into sleeve 40 by
aligning planar faces 50 so as to slide over threaded lands 44 until shaft 48
is completely
journalled within sleeve 40. Shaft 48 may then be rotated in direction E about
axis D by 90
degrees so as to mate the threads on surfaces 52 with the threads on lands 44.
With the threads
so engaged, the receiver coupler pair, which mates male coupling shaft 48 to
female receiver
coupler 38, are releasably locked together.
In one embodiment, a pin 53 or like protrusion seen in Figure 5 on base 54
engages, so as to slide along, arcuate groove 55 on collar 46 as base 54 is
mated against collar
46. The end SSa of groove 55 arrests rotation of base 54 relative to collar 46
by engaging pin
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53. End SSa acts as a stop to prevent over-tightening and to ensure and ease
correct alignment
of the receiver coupler pair once mated so that locking 56 aligns with locking
aperture 58.
Spring loaded locking pin 56 in collar 46 releasably engages corresponding
locking aperture 58 on base 54 when the threads on the pair of curved surfaces
52 and the pair
of threaded lands 44 are uniformly aligned. To release locking pin 56 from
engagement from
locking aperture 58, locking pin 56 is retracted in direction F by a user
pulling back on thumb
operated button 60, mounted adjacent the upper surface of annular collar 46,
against the return
biasing force of resilient spring 51 housed within a spring housing 62. It is
understood that,
although spring housing 62 is shown as being exposed on the upper surface of
forestock 12a,
that spring housing 62 may also be recessed into a corresponding cavity in
forestock 12a so
that for aesthetic purposes, only thumb operated button 60 is exposed on the
upper surface of
forestock 12a.
As seen in Figures 6 and 7, receiver 14 is a housing comprising base 54, left
side wall 64, right side wall 66, the trigger housing 68, and the internal
firing mechanism
between trigger 70 and the firing pins 71. Except as set out herein, the
internal firing
mechanism may have parts from a conventional receiver assembly such as sold by
Browning
TM under the trademark Citori as would be well known to, and well understood
by, a person
skilled in the art. A Browning Citori shotgun is shown in exploded view in
Figure 1 a with the
firing mechanism partially cut-away. On each of the left and right side walls,
a circular recess
72 may be provided with provides no function other than to receive an embossed
coin bearing
the applicant's trademark.
Male coupling shaft 48 is itself hollow so as to receive journalled
therethrough
a threaded bolt 74. Bolt 74 is journalled through borehole 48a in shaft 48 so
as to protrude
through aperture 54a in base 54. The threaded end of bolt 74 protruding
through aperture 54a
mounts the internal firing mechanism rigidly between the side walls and
rearwardly against
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base 54. In one embodiment, side walls 64 and 66 are rigidly mounted to base
54 by bolting
corresponding side walls to the corresponding flanges of base 54 using bolt
holes 54b.
Barrel group 16 is quickly dismountable from between sidewalls 73 on receiver
14 by the operation of a barrel release trigger 76. As better seen in Figure
8a, trigger 76 is
slidably mounted on pin 76a. Pin 76a is immediately forward of trigger housing
68. Release
trigger 76 has an elongated aperture 76b through each of two bifurcated sides
78. Aperture
76b permits slidable movement of release trigger 76 in direction rearwardly
past trigger guard
68. Trigger 76 is resiliently urged forwardly, by a spring or other similar
well known means
(not shown). Nylon inserts 76c are mounted on the forward upper surface 76d of
trigger 76.
Inserts 76c provide frictionless bearing surfaces between surface 76d and the
lower surface of
base 86 so that trigger 76 translates smoothly parallel to base 86.
An elongated locking block 80, which is generally tee-shaped, has an elongated
slide portion 80a and a transverse portion 80b. A recess 82 on the underside
of transverse
portion 80b engages projections 84 on the upper surface of release trigger 76.
Elongated slide
portion 80a extends rearwardly into the Citori component housing between side
walls 64 by
sliding over the base of the housing above trigger guard 68. Sliding movement
of trigger 76
also slides block 80.
Receiver 14 has a lower planar base 86 between side wall extensions 64' and
66'. Side wall extension 64' and 66' extend forwardly of side walls 64 and 66
respectively and
are coplanar therewith. They support at their forward end a hinge pin 88.
Symmetrically positioned beneath the breech end 16a of the barrel 16 is
locking
lug 90, which has formed at its forward end a hinge-pin recess 90a. Positioned
rearwardly of
lug 90 are a pair of transversally spaced apart locking arms 92 which depend
from the breech
end 16a and which have a rearwardly facing locking notch 92a formed therein.
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Disassembly of the barrels 16 from the receiver 14 requires that the operator
slidably move release trigger 76 rearwardly toward trigger guard 68.
Engagement of
projections 84 on the upper surface of trigger 76 with recess 82 on the
underside of transverse
portion 80b of locking block 80 co-operatively also moves block 80 toward
trigger guard 68.
This movement withdraws the forward edge 94 of transverse portion 80b from
engagement
with locking notch 92a formed in locking arms 92 as forward edge 94 is
withdrawn into slot
75. As hinge-pin recess 90a of locking lug 90 is still in engagement with
hinge pin 88, barrels
16 may be rotated in a downwardly arcuate direction, in direction H, to free
locking arms 92
from base 86 of receiver 14. Once locking arms 92 are freed, the barrels 16
may then be
drawn rearwardly in a slightly upward direction to release recess 90a in
locking lug 90 from
engagement with hinge pin 88.
A cocking wing 100 is pivotally mounted about pin 76a within elongate
aperture 80c of block 80 and between sides 78 of release trigger 76. Pin 76a
is journalled
through a laterally extending hole 102 in cocking wing 100. Upper end 100a of
cocking wing
100 extends upwardly into the CitoriTM component housing between side walls 64
in the
manner of a conventional CitoriTM cocking wing. The lower forwardly extending
end 100b of
cocking wing 100 extends through channel 75a below slot 75 so as to be
engaged, in the
manner of a conventional CitoriTM cocking wing, by the end of barrel group 16
as the barrels
are pivoted about pin 88 into the closed position. Cocking wing 100 is pivoted
about pin 76a
as the barrels are closed, that is, as the barrels engage end 100b of cocking
wing 100.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing
disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of
this invention
without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.
