Safety filler for underloaded firearm cartridge

• US 4,157,684 A
• Filed: 03/24/1977
• Issued: 06/12/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karl C. Clausser
• Original Assignee: Karl C. Clausser
• Inventors: Clausser, Karl C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendegrass, Verlin R.
• Application Number:
  US05/780,796
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 102/38 R, 102/41, 102/92.7
• US Class Current: 102/444
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/02 Cartridges, i.e. cases with charge and missile

Abstract

A safety filler for underloaded firearm cartridges, in which the volume of powder is less than the volumetric capacity of the powder chamber. The filler comprises a sleeve that is inserted into the powder chamber, which radially reduces the typical interior volume of a cartridge shell so that a lesser amount of powder charge fills the remaining space to about 90% of its available capacity. Being preferably made of a flexible and resilient material, the filler sleeve can be inserted into a cartridge shell having a necked-down configuration. The specific configuration of the filler sleeve provides for a reduced volume powder chamber within the cartridge to allow an even distribution of the powder which will burn evenly and uniformly, allowing safe firing of the bullet.

Claims

1. A reusable safety filler for use in an underloaded firearm cartridge of the type having a cylindrical case with a powder chamber and a necked-down front end portion into which a bullet is inserted, said case having a primer flash hole centered at the rear end thereof, and a powder charge contained within said powder chamber, said powder charge having a volume substantially less than about 90% of the full volumetric capacity of the case, said safety filler comprising:

an open-end tubular insert of a pliable material that is resistant to the combustion of the powder charge and can be contracted in diameter so as to allow it to be inserted through said necked-down portion into the powder chamber of the cartridge case, where it expands to lie against the inner surface of the powder chamber, said insert serving as a space filler and providing a central, reduced-volume powder chamber in which the powder is loaded to substantially 90% or more of the volumetric capacity of the reduced-diameter chamber, forming a packed cylindrical powder charge that is coaxial with both the flash hole and the bullet;

said powder charge being in direct contact with the flash hole for optimum ignition by the primer flash discharged from the flash hole, and the powder charge being in direct contact with the rear end of the bullet so that gas pressure generated by combustion of the powder acts directly against the bullet to propel the same forwardly.

2. A safety filler insert as in claim 1, wherein the edges of said piece of sheet material are cut at an obtuse angle with respect to the flat planar surface of the sheet material, so that when said edges are in contact with one another inside the cartridge case, said edges will slide over each other, allowing the insert to expand and contract radially so as to accommodate variations of the inside diameter or surface contours of the powder chamber in similar cartridge cases.