AUTOMATIC RIFLE

• US 3,675,534 A
• Filed: 04/21/1970
• Issued: 07/11/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pier Carlo Beretta
• Original Assignee: Pier Carlo Beretta
• Inventors: Beretta, Pier Carlo
• Primary Examiner(s): Bentley, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US05/030,492
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 33/53-58 42/1F,16A,17A 89/185,191,192,193
• US Class Current: 89/185
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/66 automatically operated, i.e. operated by breech opening or closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/26 semi-automatically or automatically operated, e.g. having a slidable bolt-carrier and a rotatable bolt
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/72 Operating handles or levers; Mounting thereof in breech-blocks or bolts F41C7/02, F41C7/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 5/18 gas-operated
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/16 Adjusting mechanisms therefor; Mountings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/48 for firing grenades from rifles

Abstract

An automatic rifle is disclosed, of the type which exploits the pressure of the explosion gases for cocking the bolt, the improvement consisting in a simplified arrangement for the guiding tube in which the gas-actuated plunger or piston is slidably housed. A limited number of component parts ensures a longer service life for the rifle and the assembling and disassembling operations are considerably facilitated. An improved sighting arrangement is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An automatic rifle comprising a barrel, a receiver at one end of said barrel, a guiding tube mounted parallel to said barrel, a gas intake duct connecting the bore of said barrel with the front end of said tube, an operating rod slidable in said guiding tube, said tube having a plunger at its front end and a transverse coupling groove at its rear end, a compression spring mounted about said rod and interposed between said receiver and said plunger, a carrier slidable in said receiver on longitudinal rigid ways and having a longitudinal bore to receive the rear end of said operating rod, a removable locking slider projecting laterally from said receiver for locking said operating rod to said carrieR, a lever for holding said slider in locked position, resilient means constantly urging said lever into slider-holding position, a breech bolt rotatable and slidable in said receiver and having two dogs at its front end which, upon rotation of the bolt in one direction, engage in a groove in said receiver defined by a step projecting from the internal surface of said receiver to retain said bolt locked in closed position, said carrier having in its bottom a groove with a nonrectilinear axis which is engaged by said step, a firing pin slidably housed in an axial bore of said bolt and having at its rear end an outwardly projecting annular edge, and a pin mounted transversely in said carrier and positioned to engage said annular edge, said operating rod having at its rear end a radially projecting pin positioned to engage an abutment step formed internally of said receiver, said abutment step having a groove longitudinally oriented with respect to said receiver and disposed to allow sliding motion of said radially projecting pin therethrough, said radiallyprojecting pin being on the same side as said transverse coupling groove at the rear end of said rod.

2. An automatic rifle comprising a barrel, a receiver at one end of said barrel, a guiding tube mounted parallel to said barrel, a gas intake duct connecting the bore of said barrel with the front end of said tube, an operating rod slidable in said guiding tube, said tube having a plunger at its front end and a transverse coupling groove at its rear end, a compression spring mounted about said rod and interposed between said receiver and said plunger, a carrier slidable in said receiver on longitudinal rigid ways and having a longitudinal bore to receive the rear end of said operating rod, said carrier having in its bottom a groove with a non-rectilinear axis which is engaged by said step, a firing pin slidably housed in an axial bore of said bolt and having at its rear end an outwardly projecting annular edge, and a pin mounted transversely in said carrier and positioned to engage said annular edge, said carrier having a transverse opening aligned with said transverse groove of said operating rod and forming a seat for said locking slider, said locking slider having a front bevel which facilitates its introduction into said opening, and said slider having a lateral groove therein, a lever having a latching tooth which slides in said lateral groove of said slider and in a groove in said carrier, and a compression spring constantly urging said latching tooth toward latching position, said lever having an external knurled surface for manipulation.

3. An automatic rifle comprising a barrel, a receiver at one end of said barrel, a guiding tube mounted parallel to said barrel, a gas intake duct connecting the bore of said barrel with the front end of said tube, an operating rod slidable in said guiding tube, said tube having a plunger at its front end and a transverse coupling groove at its rear end, a compression spring mounted about said rod and interposed between said receiver and said plunger, a carrier slidable in said receiver on longitudinal rigid ways and having a longitudinal bore to receive the rear end of said operating rod, a removable locking slider projecting laterally from said receiver for locking said operating rod to said carrier, a lever for holding said slider in locked position, resilient means constantly urging said lever into slider-holding position, a breech bolt rotatable and slidable in said receiver and having to dogs at its front end which, upon rotation of the bolt in one direction, engage in a groove in said receiver defined by a step projecting from the internal surface of said receiver to retain said bolt locked in closed position, said carrier having in its bottom a groove with a non-rectilinear axis which is engaged by said step, a fIring pin slidably housed in an axial bore of said bolt and having at its rear end an outwardly projecting annular edge, and a pin mounted transversely in said carrier and positioned to engage said annular edge, and an aiming device comprising two lateral plates encompassing the upper portion of said receiver, a profiled lever pivoted to rotate in a vertical plane with respect to said lateral plates and carrying an aiming hole, a supporting member for said lever mounted rotatably between said lateral plates and having a plurality of surfaces which are at different distances from the axis of rotation of said supporting member, a spring constantly biasing said profiled lever to rest against said supporting member, and a backsight leaf pivoted to said supporting member for grenade throwing and rotatable between an active and an idle position.