Cocking Mechanism for a Muzzle Loading Firearm

This invention relates generally to muzzle loading firearms. More particularly, the present invention relates to cocking mechanisms employed in such firearms.

Although muzzle loading rifles have been generally supplanted by modern repeater rifles, muzzle loading rifles continue to be in use and have enjoyed increasing popularity in large part because the hunting laws of numerous states provide for longer hunting seasons and/or specific seasons for hunters using muzzle loading rifles. As a result, it is desirable to provide a rifle which loads through the muzzle so as to comply with the applicable state hunting laws, but can be easily and safely loaded, primed and cocked.

Existing muzzle loading rifles have an external hammer mechanism which is cocked by manually pulling the hammer back, or an internal axially slidable hammer which is cocked by pulling backward on an external end piece extending rearwardly from the receiver of the rifle.

Briefly, the present invention in a preferred form is embodied in a firearm having a tubular receiver for retaining an axially movable hammer and a cocking assembly. A spring urges the hammer from a rearward cocked position to a forward fired position within the receiver.

The present invention provides a hammer having a forward striking portion. Rearward of the striking portion, the hammer has a first body portion having a laterally extending slot, an engagement portion for receiving and engaging the sear, and a rearward second body portion. The first and second body portions and the engagement portion define an axial bore extending from the rear surface of the hammer to the slot. The axial bore has first and second portions, the diameter of the first portion being greater than the diameter of the second portion and thereby defining an interior shoulder.

The cocking handle assembly is comprised of a cocking handle block disposed in the hammer slot and a cocking handle. The cocking handle block defines an axial bore and a transverse groove. A first end portion of the cocking handle is received in the groove. An axial notch in the first end portion is aligned with the axial bore of the cocking handle block and the second portion of a spring guide rod is inserted into the bore and notch to lock the cocking handle to the cocking handle block. The second end portion of the cocking handle extends outwardly through an orifice in the receiver. The cocking handle assembly is slidably movable between a forward position and a rearward position in the receiver.

The spring guide rod comprises first and second portions. The diameter of the first portion is greater than the diameter of the second portion thereby defining an exterior shoulder. The second portion diameter is sized to fit slidably within the hammer bore second portion, the bore of the cocking handle block, and the notch of the cocking handle first end portion. A cocking handle return spring is disposed around the first portion of the spring guide rod. The first end of the cocking handle return spring engages the spring guide rod shoulder and the second end engages the rear surface of the cocking handle block to bias the cocking handle assembly towards the forward position. A hammer spring is disposed around the spring guide rod and the cocking handle return spring. The first end of the hammer spring engages the front wall of the receiver cap and the second end of the hammer spring engages the interior shoulder of the hammer bore to bias the hammer towards the nipple.

To cock the firearm, the cocking handle assembly is moved to the rear position. The rear surface of the cocking handle block engages the rear surface of the hammer slot to move the hammer to the limit of rearward travel in the receiver. When the hammer is at the limit of rearward travel, the sear is received by the hammer engagement portion. Releasing the cocking handle allows the cocking handle return spring to urge the cocking handle assembly into the forward position. The sear engages the hammer shoulder to hold the hammer in the cocked position against the force of the hammer spring. Upon firing, the sear releases the hammer and the hammer spring urges the striking portion of the hammer into engagement with the percussion cap installed on the nipple. The cocking handle return spring continues to bias the cocking handle assembly to the forward position so that the rear surface of the cocking handle block has clearance from the rear surface of the hammer slot.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved muzzle loading firearm.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved muzzle loading firearm having a cocking member which is a separate structure from the hammer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved muzzle loading firearm having a cocking member which remains in position upon firing of the firearm.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and the specification.

The present invention may be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements in the several figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a firearm in accordance with the present invention showing the hammer in the cocked position and the cocking handle and cocking handle block in the forward position;

FIG. 2 is a reduced side view, partly in phantom, of the receiver of the firearm of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top sectional view of the receiver taken through line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a reduced side view, partly in phantom, of the hammer of the firearm of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top sectional view of the hammer taken through line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a rear cross-sectional view of the receiver, hammer, spring guide rod, cocking handle block, and cocking handle taken through line 6--6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a reduced side view of the spring guide rod of the firearm of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a reduced top view, partly in phantom, of the cocking handle block of the firearm of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a side view, partly in phantom, of the cocking handle block of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a reduced top view, partly in phantom, of the cocking handle of the firearm of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a front view, partly in phantom, of the cocking handle of FIG. 10;

FIGS. 12a, 12b, and 12c are reduced top longitudinal sectional views of the firearm of FIG. 1 showing the hammer in the fired position and cocking handle and cocking handle block in a rear position relative to the hammer in FIG. 12a, the hammer, cocking handle and cocking handle block in the rear position relative to the receiver in FIG. 12b, and the hammer in a cocked position and the cocking handle and cocking handle block in a forward position relative to the hammer in FIG. 12c;

FIG. 13 is a rear view, partly in phantom, of the cocking handle block of FIG. 8;

FIG. 14 is a reduced top view, partly in phantom, of an alternate embodiment of the cocking handle block of the firearm of FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a rear view, partly in phantom, of the cocking handle block of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a reduced top view, partly in phantom, of an alternate embodiment of the cocking handle of the firearm of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 17 is a front view of the cocking handle of FIG. 16.

Referring to FIG. 1, a muzzle loading firearm, such as a firearm 10, has a barrel terminating at one end in a muzzle (not shown). Adjacent the other end of the barrel is a receiver 12 which may be integral with the barrel. The receiver 12 has a central longitudinal axis 14. The receiver is attached to the stock (not shown) by any suitable means. In a conventional manner, the rear end of the stock is adapted to be fitted against the shoulder of a user, and the forward end of the stock is adapted to be grasped by one hand for holding the firearm 10 during firing.

The receiver 12 has an internal bore 16 which is coaxial with the central axis 14. Fitted at the rear end of the receiver 12 is a receiver cap 18 having a front wall 20. The receiver cap 18 is mounted to the receiver 12 by threaded connection, welding, or other suitable means. Fitted within the front end of the bore 16 is a tubular breach plug 22 having a rear wall 24. Extending from the rear wall 24 is a centrally located nipple 26. A flash hole 28 extends through the rear wall 24 and through the nipple 26. A passageway 30 provides access to the bore 16 to allow the operator to install a percussion cap 25 on the nipple 26, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Positioned within the receiver is a hammer 40 (FIG. 1). As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the forward end portion 42 of the hammer 40 comprises a cylindrical striking portion 44. The striking portion 44 defines an axial blind bore 46 for partially receiving the nipple 26. Rearward of the forward end portion 42, the hammer 40 has a first body portion 48 having a laterally extending slot 50 for receiving a cocking handle block 84 (FIG. 1).

The rear end portion 52 of the hammer 40 comprises a second body portion 54. An engagement portion 56 disposed intermediate the first and second body portions 48, 54 has a smaller outside diameter than the first and second body portions 48, 54, thereby defining an exterior shoulder 58 which may be engaged by the sear 32 to maintain the hammer 40 in a cocked position. The first body, second body and engagement portions 48, 54, 56 define an axial bore 60 extending from the rear surface 66 of the hammer 40 to the slot 50. The axial bore 60 has first and second portions 62, 64, the first portion 62 being rearward of the second portion 64. The diameter of the first portion 62 is greater than the diameter of the second portion 64 thereby defining an interior shoulder 68.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the outside diameter of the first body portion 48 is greater than the outside diameter of both the engagement portion 56 and the striking portion 44. Tapered surfaces 70, 72 provide a smooth transition between the larger diameter portion and the smaller diameter portions, reducing residual stress. Alternatively, the transition may occur without a taper. In an alternate embodiment, the striking portion 44 and first body portion 48 may have equal diameters.

The cocking handle assembly 80 is comprised of the cocking handle 2 and the cocking handle block 84. The cocking handle block 84 is disposed in the hammer slot 50 and defines an axial bore 86 and a first transverse groove 88 (FIGS. 8 and 9). In a preferred embodiment, the first groove is disposed in the upper surface 90 of the front portion 92 of the cocking handle block 84. A first end portion 94 of the cocking handle 82 (FIGS. 10 and 11) is received in the cocking handle block first groove 88. An axial notch 98 in the first end portion 94 is aligned with the axial bore 86 of the cocking handle block 84. The second portion 104 of a spring guide rod 100 is inserted into the bore 86 and notch 98 to lock the cocking handle 82 to the cocking handle block 84, as shown in FIG. 6. The second end portion 96 of the cocking handle 82 extends outwardly through an orifice 34 in the receiver 12. In a preferred embodiment, the receiver 12 is provided with two orifices 34, 34', allowing the cocking handle 82 to be positioned such that it extends from either the left-hand side or the right-hand side of the receiver 12. The cocking handle assembly 80 is slidably movable between a forward position and a rearward position in the receiver 12. The axial length of the hammer slot 50 is greater than the axial length of the cocking handle block 84 such that the cocking handle block 84 may be slidably moveable within the slot 50 by application of a longitudinal force to the cocking handle 82 (FIG. 1).

As shown in FIG. 7, the spring guide rod 100 comprises first and second portions 102, 104. The diameter of the first portion 102 is greater than the diameter of the second portion 104 thereby defining an exterior shoulder 106. The second portion diameter is sized to fit slidably within the second portion 64 of the hammer bore 60, the bore 86 of the cocking handle block 84, and the notch 98 of the cocking handle first end portion 94. A cocking handle return spring 110 is disposed around the second portion 104 of the spring guide rod 100. The outer diameter of the cocking handle return spring 110 is sized to fit slidably within the second portion 64 of the hammer bore 60. The first end 112 of the cocking handle return spring 110 engages the spring guide rod shoulder 106 and the second end 114 engages the rear surface 91 of the cocking handle block 84. The cocking handle return spring 110 biases the cocking handle assembly 80 towards the forward position. In a preferred embodiment, the rear surface 91 of the cocking handle block 84 has a blind bore 87, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, for receiving the second end 114 of the cocking handle return spring 110. Alternatively, the cocking handle block 84 may have a second transverse groove 89 for receiving the cocking handle return spring 110 as shown in FIG. 8. A hammer spring 120 is disposed around the spring guide rod 100. A first end 122 of the hammer spring 120 engages the front wall 20 of the receiver cap 18. The second end 124 of the hammer spring 120 engages the interior shoulder 68 of the hammer bore 60. The hammer spring 120 biases the hammer 40 towards the breech plug 22.

The hammer 40 is shown in the fired position in FIG. 12a. The hammer spring 120 biases the hammer 40 so that the striking portion 44 engages the nipple 26. The cocking handle return spring 110 biases the cocking handle assembly 80 to the forward position. In a preferred embodiment, the rear surface 91 of the cocking handle block 84 is immediately adjacent the rear surface 51 of the hammer slot 50. Alternatively, the rear surface 91 of the cocking handle block 84 may touch the rear surface 51 of the hammer slot 50.

To cock the firearm 10, the cocking handle assembly 80 is moved to the rear position, as shown in FIG. 12b. The rear surface 91 of the cocking handle block 84 engages the rear surface 51 of the hammer slot 50 to move the hammer 40 to the limit of rearward travel in the receiver 12. When the hammer 40 is at the limit of rearward travel, the sear 32 is received by the groove 57 defined by the hammer engagement portion 56. Releasing the cocking handle 82 allows the cocking handle return spring 110 to urge the cocking handle assembly 80 to the forward position, as shown in FIG. 12c. The hammer spring 120 urges the hammer 40 forward such that the sear 32 engages the hammer shoulder 58 to hold the hammer 40 in the cocked position against the force of the hammer spring 120.

Upon firing, the sear 32 releases the hammer 40 and the hammer spring 120 urges the hammer 40 forward such that the striking portion 44 of the hammer 40 strikes the percussion cap installed on the nipple 26. The cocking handle return spring 110 continues to bias the cocking handle assembly 80, maintaining the cocking handle assembly 80 in the forward position.

It will be appreciated that the cocking handle return spring 110 biases the cocking handle assembly 80 to the forward position at all times. The operator must overcome the biasing force to cock the rifle 10. Therefore, the cocking handle block 84 is not in contact with the rear surface 51 of the hammer slot 50 unless the rifle 10 is being cocked.

It will be further appreciated that the cocking handle 82 may have a variety of configurations for reasons of aesthetics and utility. For example, an alternate embodiment of the cocking handle 82' is shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. Not only does the second end portion 96' present a different appearance, such configuration may provide a handle that is easier to grasp for some operators.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.