United States Patent (19) (11) Patent Number: 4,648,190 Allen 45) Date of Patent: Mar
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United States Patent (19) (11) Patent Number: 4,648,190 Allen 45) Date of Patent: Mar. 10, 1987 54). SINGLE SHOT FALLING BLOCK ACTION 3,735,517 5/1973 De Haas et al. ........................ 42/23 4,270,294 6/1981 Compton ................................ 42/24 76 Inventor: Donald L. Allen, White Wood Rd., Sturgis, S. Dak. 57785 Primary Examiner-Deborah L. Kyle Assistant Examiner-Ted L. Parr (21) Appl. No.: 766,959 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Orrin M. Haugen; Thomas J. 22 Filed: Aug. 19, 1985 Nikolai; Frederick W. Niebuhr 51) Int. Cl.'......................... F41C 7/06; F41C 11/04; (57) ABSTRACT F41C 15/08 A falling block rifle action which is cocked by the 52 U.S. Cl. ............................................ 42/23; 42/25 downward movement of the breechblock and which 58 Field of Search .................... 42/25, 23, 24, 46, 47 includes a safety mechanism for blocking not only a trigger movement but also the movement of the striker 56) References Cited and other interconnecting linkages. An adjustable ex U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS tractor mechanism coupled to the cocking lever in cen 33,607 10/1861 Sharps ..................................... 42/23 tral relation to the chamber accommodates a wide vari 326,276 9/1885 Davenport .............................. 42/23 ety of types and sizes of cartridges. 901,043 10/1908 Scott .............. ... 42/69.03 X 3,355,833 12/1967 Ruger et al. ............................ 42/23 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 36 so 32 s 28 N SN has U.S. Patent Mar. 10, 1987 Sheet 1 of 2 4,648,190 | <<< > • Z, | | 2 82 U.S. Patent Mar. 10, 1987 Sheet 2 of 2 4,648,190 4,648,190 1. 2 to accept rimmed, rimless, as well as cartridges having SINGLE SHOT FALLING BOCK ACTION rims of different sizes. With respect to the mechanism for controlling ham BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION mer motion, the falling block action of the present in The present invention relates to breechblock rifles 5 vention permits the hammer to be cocked directly by and in particular to a lever-cocked falling block action, downward movement of the breechblock, thus provid including safety means for blocking the movement of ing for a reduction in size and weight, while accommo not only the trigger, but also the striker and intercon dating more rapid movement of the mechanism. necting moving parts, and including a centrally The above objects, advantages and distinctions of the mounted adjustable ejector mechanism. 10 present invention over the prior art, among others, as Over the years, a variety of breechblock rifle actions well as its particular construction, will become more have been developed and which have generally been apparent upon directing attention to the following de classified into a variety of different types of actions. The scription thereof with respect to the appended draw specific type of action is typically determined by the ings. Before referring thereto, however, it is to be rec type of movement imparted to the breechblock as the 15 ognized that the following description is made by way breechblock moves into engagement with and disen of reference to the presently preferred embodiment gagement from the cartridge chamber. Some of the only and which is not intended to be all inclusive in its commonly known types of actions are the swinging description. Accordingly, the following description block action, the rolling block action and the falling should not be interpreted in any way to be self-limiting. block action. Within these types of actions, then, nu merous designs have been developed by gunsmiths SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION around the world. A single shot lever actuated falling block action One particular falling block design that has been where the breechblock includes an arcuate, gravity popularized in the United States in recent times is the mounted firing pin. A linkage coupled between the Ruger No. 1 Falling Block Action and which comprises 25 cocking lever and the breechblock vertically operates a lever actuated single shot mechanism having a breech block contained, spring biased firing pin mechanism. the breechblock relative to the cartridge chamber and This action is described, among other places, in U.S. causes the ejection of the spent cartridge and cocking of Pat. No. 3,355,833. Necessary spring pressure for per the trigger mechanism upon being extended to its for forming the cocking and ejecting functions is obtained 30 wardmost position. The ejector is pivotally mounted to via attendant springs mounted forward of the receiver, and actuated by the counterclockwise actuation of the beneath the barrel. While over the years this action has cocking lever. An associated adjustment screw permits generally proven to be reliable, it requires a significant the adjustment of the ejector to accommodate a variety number of piece parts and close tolerance manufactur of cartridge types. ing to ensure the smooth operation of one to the other. 35 A main spring containing mechanism coupled to a A variety of other falling block actions of which pivotally mounted striker, extends rearwardly of the Applicant is aware of are the Kettner action, the striker and is mounted in a ball and socket fashion to the Guedes action, a variety of German actions, the Lech receiver. The striker is cocked with the falling action of ner action and the Hagnaction, to name but a few of the the breechblock and the trigger is engaged via an inter many falling block actions that have been developed mediate sear and searlink coupled therebetween, spring over the years. A description of these actions can be tension is provided to the trigger via the counteracting formed in Single Shot Rifles and Actions, by F. dehass force of the sear on the striker. (1969). A tang mounted safety is positioned in overlying In an effort to improve upon these various actions, relation to the sear to prevent the pivotal rotation and the present invention provides another lever actuated 45 release of the striker, when in its "safety' position. falling block action which has been designed in combi Thus, the present safety blocks not only the motion of nation with some of the features of its predecessors and the trigger, but also that of the striker and intermediate with added features being provided to achieve a new interconnecting linkages so as to provide an inherently improved action that is relatively easy to manufacture safe action. In the "fire” position, the safety permits the and which exhibits a relatively lightweight and aesthet 50 trigger to pivotally actuate the sear so as to release the ically pleasing design, while accommodating a broad striker and which is caused by the main spring to rotate range of calibers. Thus, the present falling block action and engage the firing pin and thereby the cartridge. is adaptable to a wide variety of caliber cartridges and associated stock designs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Briefly, the present invention provides a falling block 55 FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view through the action with an improved safety arrangement and extrac action of the present invention and wherein the cocked tor design. The overall design further contributes to position is shown in dotted line and the uncocked posi improved motion for the hammer. For example, in the tion is shown in solid line relative to the action of the past known safety systems were designed to block only cocking lever. the movement of the trigger, while the design of the FIG.2 shows an exploded assembly view of the piece present structure provides an arrangement for blocking part components which make up the present action. not only trigger motion, but also the hammer and its connecting springs and mechanical linkages. The ex DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED tractor linkage of the falling block action of the present EMBODIMENT invention provides line pressure on the rim of the case, 65 Turning attention to FIG. 1, a cross-sectional view is thus providing for a strong extraction. Furthermore, the shown through the receiver 2 of a rifle constructed in extractor device is designed to be adjustable with re accordance with the teachings of the present invention. spect to its degree of "bite' on the rim of the case, so as For purposes of the present description, the stock and 4,648,190 3 4 . barrel portions of the rifle have been deleted, but it is to spring loaded ball (not shown) mounted relative to the be recognized that depending upon the user's wishes breechblock 4 and a pair of indentations formed in the and caliber type, they can be adjusted accordingly. breechblock surface adjacent the cartridge chamber From FIG. 1, the present falling block action is shown (not shown) positively engage the breechblock 4 when as it would appear after being fired and as it is when 5 the cocking lever 8 is positioned in its leftmost and being re-cocked and wherein the fired position is shown rightmost positions so as to prevent against the inadver in solid line and the re-cocked position is shown in tent rotation thereof. dotted line. Referring first to the fired position, this Once the present action has been fired, it is necesary position equates with the breechblock 4 being posi to grasp and pivot the cocking lever 8 in a counter tioned in its uppermost position relative to the receiver O clockwise direction to its forwardmost position and 2 and in covering relation to the cartridge chamber 6. which motion via the breechblock linking arm 14 causes The cartridge chamber being shown only in relation to the breechblock 4 to be vertically lowered and which the threaded region whereat the barrel would be se action causes the striker 20 to be tipped and rotated cured to the receiver 2, in that the chamber itself is back to its cocked position relative to the sear 30.