Clip and indexing mechanism for a gas-operated gun

A gun assembly for firing hygienic ballistic implant projectiles from a clip containing individually aseptically sealed projectiles comprising:

• a housing,
• a barrel having a bore mounted on said housing,
• a breechblock movable longitudinally within said housing including an obturator movable in axial alignment with the bore of said barrel,
• means supported by said housing for reciprocating said breechblock,
• a hammer slidably mounted in said housing,
• spring means for driving said hammer from a cocked position to a firing position,
• means interconnecting said breechblock and said hammer for cocking said hammer upon reciprocation of said breechblock, and
• said housing having an opening extending transversely thereof and in the path of movement of said obturator and positioned between said barrel and said breechblock for receiving a clip,
• a pawl positioned adjacent said opening and mounted for movement transverse to the direction of movement of said obturator to advance a clip through said transverse opening,
• spring means moving said pawl in a first transverse direction, and
• means cooperating with said hammer upon reciprocation thereof to cock said hammer for moving said pawl to advance a said clip and for holding said pawl against the bias of said spring means to restrict movement of said pawl in said first direction.

A gas-operated gun for firing a projectile supplied to said gun in a clip having a plurality of parallel chambers sealed by mechanically rupturable seals and each chamber holding a said projectile, and said chambers being positioned on a web, and said web having a plurality of recesses opposite said chambers, said gun comprising:

• a housing,
• a gas valve positioned within said housing,
• a barrel having a small bore fastened at one end in said housing and having an opening communicating with a normally closed discharge passage from said valve,
• a breechblock including a bolt aligned with the bore of said barrel and supported for reciprocation within said housing with said bolt aligned with said bore,
• means for reciprocating said breechblock,
• a hammer,
• means within said housing slidably supporting said hammer for reciprocation,
• spring means normally urging said hammer toward said valve,
• means interconnecting said hammer and said breechblock for movement of said hammer to cocked position upon movement of said breechblock to move said bolt from said bore,
• guide means for receiving and supporting said clip at said one end of said barrel,
• detent means adjacent said guide means for engagement with said recesses in said clip,
• oscillating pawl means disposed adjacent said guide means for advancing a clip through said housing transverse to said bore,
• means for advancing said pawl in a first direction in response to movement of said breechblock in a direction to cock said hammer for advancing said clip and for holding said pawl in said advanced position when said hammer is cocked,
• whereby said pawl means will advance a said clip through said housing to align a cylindrical portion thereof with said bore upon retraction of said bolt from said bore and said pawl means will be held in place with the hammer cocked, and
• trigger means for releasing said hammer upon return of said breechblock and said bolt to close the barrel for allowing said hammer to operate said valve to fire a projectile and release said pawl means.