Barrel with cam followers

A firearm comprising:

• a frame;
• a slide mounted on said frame and reciprocably movable relative thereto along a slide axis, said slide having an inner surface defining a central space;
• a first cam positioned on said inner surface of said slide, said first cam comprising a run surface on said inner surface of said slide and a recess in said inner surface of said slide, said recess having a ramp surface oriented angularly with respect to said slide axis, said run surface being contiguous with said ramp surface and positioned between said recess and said muzzle end;
• a barrel mounted on said frame and positioned within said central space, said barrel comprising:
• a tube having a breech end and a muzzle end oppositely disposed, said tube defining a longitudinal axis extending lengthwise along and positioned coaxially within said tube;
• a chamber comprising said breech end of said tube;
• a means for arresting motion of said barrel underlying said chamber;
• a first cam follower positioned on said tube between said breech end and said muzzle end, said first cam follower comprising a projection extending outwardly from said tube in a direction angularly offset from said means for arresting motion of said barrel about said longitudinal axis so as to align with said first cam, said ramp surface facing said first cam follower and having an orientation angle relative to said slide axis from about 10° to about 20° ;
• wherein
• said first cam follower engages said first cam upon sliding motion of said slide relatively to said barrel;
• a second cam mounted on said inner surface of said slide, said second cam being positioned proximate to said muzzle end of said tube;
• a second cam follower positioned on said tube and underlying said muzzle end, said second cam follower comprising a projection extending outwardly from said tube and aligned with said second cam, said first cam follower being positioned lengthwise between said second cam follower and said means for arresting motion of said barrel;
• wherein
• upon motion of said slide relative to said barrel said second cam follower engages said second cam, said first and second cams and cam followers cooperating to determine said orientation angle between said longitudinal axis of said barrel and said slide axis during operation of said firearm.

A barrel for a firearm, said barrel comprising:

• a tube having a breech end and a muzzle end oppositely disposed, said tube defining a longitudinal axis extending lengthwise along and positioned coaxially within said tube;
• a chamber comprising said breech end of said tube;
• a means for arresting motion of said barrel underlying said chamber;
• a first cam follower positioned on said tube between said breech end and said muzzle end, said first cam follower comprising a projection extending outwardly from said tube in a direction angularly offset about said longitudinal axis from said means for arresting motion of said barrel;
• a second cam follower positioned on said tube and underlying said muzzle end, said second cam follower comprising a projection extending outwardly from said tube, a surface of said projection of said second cam follower oriented angularly relative to said longitudinal axis, said surface of said projection of said second cam follower facing said breech end and having an orientation angle from about 5° to about 15° relative to said longitudinal axis;
• wherein
• said first cam follower is positioned lengthwise between said second cam follower and said means for arresting motion of said barrel.

A firearm comprising:

• a frame;
• a slide mounted on said frame and reciprocably movable relative thereto along a slide axis, said slide having an inner surface defining a central space;
• a first cam positioned on said inner surface of said slide;
• a barrel mounted on said frame and positioned within said central space, said barrel comprising:
• a tube having a breech end and a muzzle end oppositely disposed, said tube defining a longitudinal axis extending lengthwise along and positioned coaxially within said tube;
• a chamber comprising said breech end of said tube;
• a means for arresting motion of said barrel underlying said chamber;
• a first cam follower positioned on said tube between said breech end and said muzzle end, said first cam follower comprising a projection extending outwardly from said tube in a direction angularly offset from said means for arresting motion of said barrel about said longitudinal axis so as to align with said first cam, a surface of said projection oriented angularly with respect to said longitudinal axis, said surface facing said muzzle end, said surface having an orientation angle from about 10° to about 20° relative to said longitudinal axis;
• wherein
• said first cam follower engages said first cam upon sliding motion of said slide relatively to said barrel;
• a second cam mounted on said inner surface of said slide, said second cam being positioned proximate to said muzzle end of said tube;
• a second cam follower positioned on said tube and underlying said muzzle end, said second cam follower comprising a projection extending outwardly from said tube and aligned with said second cam, said first cam follower being positioned lengthwise between said second cam follower and said means for arresting motion of said barrel;
• wherein
• upon motion of said slide relative to said barrel said second cam follower engages said second cam, said first and second cams and cam followers cooperating to determine said orientation angle between said longitudinal axis of said barrel and said slide axis during operation of said firearm.

A firearm comprising:

• a frame;
• a slide mounted on said frame and reciprocably movable relative thereto along a slide axis, said slide having an inner surface defining a central space;
• a first cam positioned on said inner surface of said slide;
• a barrel mounted on said frame and positioned within said central space, said barrel comprising:
• a tube having a breech end and a muzzle end oppositely disposed, said tube defining a longitudinal axis extending lengthwise along and positioned coaxially within said tube;
• a chamber comprising said breech end of said tube;
• a means for arresting motion of said barrel underlying said chamber;
• a first cam follower positioned on said tube between said breech end and said muzzle end, said first cam follower comprising a projection extending outwardly from said tube in a direction angularly offset from said means for arresting motion of said barrel about said longitudinal axis so as to align with said first cam;
• wherein
• said first cam follower engages said first cam upon sliding motion of said slide relatively to said barrel;
• a second cam mounted on said inner surface of said slide, said second cam being positioned proximate to said muzzle end of said tube;
• a second cam follower positioned on said tube and underlying said muzzle end, said second cam follower comprising a projection extending outwardly from said tube and aligned with said second cam, a surface of said projection of said second cam follower oriented angularly relative to said longitudinal axis at an orientation angle from about 5° to about 15° relative to said longitudinal axis, said surface facing said breech end, said first cam follower being positioned lengthwise between said second cam follower and said means for arresting motion of said barrel;
• wherein
• upon motion of said slide relative to said barrel said second cam follower engages said second cam, said first and second cams and cam followers cooperating to determine said orientation angle between said longitudinal axis of said barrel and said slide axis during operation of said firearm.