Blowback action with gas assist
AssigneeSmith & Wesson Corp.
InventorGary Zukowski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A firearm using blowback action has a barrel which is movably mounted within a shroud which is fixedly mounted on the firearm's frame. A gas space is formed between the barrel and the shroud by a difference between the inner diameter of the shroud and the outer diameter of the barrel. At least one gas port provides fluid communication between the bore of the barrel and the gas space. During firing of a cartridge, pressurized gas in the gas space applies a force to the barrel which moves relatively to the shroud away from the muzzle end of the firearm to engage a slide or bolt, helping to move it out of battery and extract the spent cartridge casing. Gas is vented to the atmosphere through a gas vent defined between the barrel and the shroud in fluid communication with the gas space.
Claims21
A firearm, said firearm comprising:
- a frame;
- a slide mounted on said frame and movable relatively thereto along a line of action into and out of battery;
- a shroud fixedly mounted on said frame between said slide and said frame;
- a forward stop surface fixedly mounted relatively to said frame;
- a rearward stop surface fixedly mounted relatively to said frame;
- a barrel mounted within said shroud, said barrel having a breech end and a muzzle end and defining a bore extending therebetween, said barrel being movable relative to said shroud along said line of action between a forward position and a rearward position;
- a forward engagement surface mounted on said barrel, said forward engagement surface being engageable with said forward stop surface when said barrel is in said forward position;
- a rearward engagement surface mounted on said barrel, said rearward engagement surface being engageable with said rearward stop surface when said barrel is in said rearward position;
- a gas space defined between said shroud and said barrel;
- a thrust surface on said barrel oriented transversely to said line of action and facing said gas space;
- a reaction surface on said shroud oriented transversely to said line of action and facing said gas space;
- and
- at least one gas port within said barrel extending between said bore and said gas space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.