Breaching tool

A combustion-actuated breaching tool for a semiautomatic breaching gun, comprising:

• a barrel extending along a longitudinal axis between a proximal side and a distal side, wherein the barrel comprises a bore and an outer surface, wherein the bore has an inner diameter, and wherein the outer surface has an outer diameter,
• a shaft collar fixedly attached to the barrel proximate to the distal side, wherein the shaft collar extends radially outward from the outer side of the barrel to an outward periphery at an outward diameter;
• a propulsion assembly comprising a pushpin slidingly contained within the barrel's bore, wherein the pushpin has an outermost diameter and is comprised of a back section with a back end and a front section with a front end, wherein the propulsion assembly translates within the bore along the longitudinal axis between a ready position and an extended position, wherein the front end of the pushpin is proximate to the distal side of the barrel in the ready position and translates forward from the distal side of the barrel in the extended position, and wherein a rearward end of propulsion assembly is proximate to the proximal side of the barrel in the ready position and translates forward from the proximal side of the barrel in the extended position;
• a spring can comprising a cylindrical housing, a flange, and a base ring, wherein the spring can is connected to and translates with the propulsion assembly relative to the barrel, wherein the cylindrical housing has a wall thickness, a front edge, and a back edge, wherein the flange and the base ring are fixedly attached to the cylindrical housing proximate to the front edge and the back edge, respectively, wherein an interior diameter of the cylindrical housing is slidingly engaged with the outward periphery of the shaft collar, and wherein an inner edge of the base ring is slidingly engaged with the barrel's outer surface;
• a compression spring contained within the spring can and helically surrounding the outer surface of the barrel, wherein a first end of the compression spring engages the base ring, wherein a second end of the compression spring engages the shaft collar, wherein the compression spring is in a compressed state when the propulsion assembly is in the extended position and has a first longitudinal length, and wherein the compression spring is biased to an expanded state with a second longitudinal length greater than the first longitudinal length forcing the base ring away from the shaft collar and pushing the propulsion assembly back into the ready position;
• and
• a handguard fixedly mounted to the barrel, wherein the handguard is substantially cylindrical with an internal diameter and an external diameter and extends from a back rim to a front rim, wherein an exterior diameter of the spring can is concentric with and slides within the internal diameter of the handguard, and wherein the back edge of the spring can remains within the internal diameter of the handguard at a location rearward of the front rim when the spring can translates forward with the propulsion assembly to the extended position.

A combustion-actuated breaching tool for a semiautomatic breaching gun, comprising:

• a barrel extending along a longitudinal axis between a proximal side and a distal side, wherein the barrel comprises a bore, an outer surface, and a gas port between the bore and the outer surface, wherein the bore has an inner diameter, and wherein the outer surface has an outer diameter,
• a shaft collar fixedly attached to the barrel proximate to the distal side, wherein the shaft collar extends radially outward from the outer side of the barrel to an outward periphery at an outward diameter;
• a propulsion assembly comprising a pushpin slidingly contained within the barrel's bore, wherein the pushpin has an outermost diameter and is comprised of a back section with a back end and a front section with a front end, wherein the propulsion assembly translates within the bore along the longitudinal axis between a ready position and an extended position, wherein the front end of the pushpin is proximate to the distal side of the barrel in the ready position and translates forward from the distal side of the barrel in the extended position, and wherein a rearward end of propulsion assembly is proximate to the proximal side of the barrel in the ready position and translates forward from the proximal side of the barrel in the extended position;
• a spring can comprising a cylindrical housing, a flange, and a base ring, wherein the spring can is connected to and translates with the propulsion assembly relative to the barrel, wherein the cylindrical housing has a wall thickness, a front edge, and a back edge, wherein the flange and the base ring are fixedly attached to the cylindrical housing proximate to the front edge and the back edge, respectively, wherein an interior diameter of the cylindrical housing is slidingly engaged with the outward periphery of the shaft collar, and wherein an inner edge of the base ring is slidingly engaged with the outer diameter of the barrel's outer surface;
• a compression spring contained within the spring can and helically surrounding the outer surface of the barrel, wherein a first end of the compression spring engages the base ring, wherein a second end of the compression spring engages the shaft collar, wherein the compression spring is in a compressed state when the propulsion assembly is in the extended position and has a first longitudinal length, and wherein the compression spring is biased to an expanded state with a second longitudinal length greater than the first longitudinal length forcing the base ring away from the shaft collar and pushing the propulsion assembly back into the ready position;
• a gas block fastened to the barrel's outer surface over the barrel's gas port, wherein the gas block is in fluid communication with the gas port, and wherein the gas port and the gas block are rearward of the spring can's base ring in the ready position and in the extended position;
• and
• a handguard fixedly mounted to the barrel, wherein the handguard is substantially cylindrical with an internal diameter and an external diameter and extends from a back rim to a front rim, wherein the gas block is located within the internal diameter of the handguard, wherein an exterior diameter of the spring can is concentric with and slides within the internal diameter of the handguard, and wherein the back edge of the spring can remains within the internal diameter of the handguard at a location rearward of the front rim when the spring can translates forward with the propulsion assembly to the extended position.