Projectile carrier

• US 5,164,539 A
• Filed: 10/31/1991
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thompson Intellectual Properties, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: K W Thompson Tool Company Incorporated
• Inventors: French, Kendrick L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Application Number:
  US07/786,050
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 102/520, 102/521, 102/522, 102/532, 102/511, 102/442, 42/51, 42/90
• US Class Current: 102/520
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 14/064 Sabots enclosing the rear end of a kinetic energy projectile, i.e. having a closed disk shaped obturator base and petals extending forward from said base

Abstract

A projectile carrier for use for the muzzle loading firearm. The carrier is formed of two separate and identical halves which abut along a common vertical plane. The two halves of the carrier when combined form a circular bottom wall and a cylindrical side wall which extends upwardly from the bottom wall. The side wall has a top opening for receiving a projectile.

Claims

1. A projectile carrier for use with a muzzle loading firearm which includes a barrel having a bore, said projectile carrier comprising:

(a) a circular bottom wall,

(b) a cylindrical side wall which extends upwardly from said bottom wall, said side wall having a top opening for receiving a projectile, and

(c) an annual outer flange which extends beyond said outer cylindrical surface for scraping and cleaning the bore of the barrel during loading and discharge of the firearm.

2. A projectile carrier as recited in claim 1, wherein said carrier further comprises:

(a) a disc of lubricant adsorbing material, and

(b) connecting means for removably mounting said disc against the bottom surface of said bottom wall.

3. A projectile carrier as recited in claim 2, wherein said disc is a compressible and resilient wad of fibrous material.

4. A projectile carrier for use with a muzzle loading firearm which includes a barrel having a bore, said projectile carrier comprising:

(a) a circular bottom wall,

(b) a cylindrical side wall which extends upwardly from said bottom wall, said side wall having a top opening for receiving a projectile,

(c) a disc of lubricant adsorbing material, and

(d) connecting means for removably mounting said disc against the bottom surface of said bottom wall so that the bore of the barrel is lubricated by said disc during loading and discharge of the firearm.

5. A projectile carrier as recited in claim 4, wherein said disc is a compressible and resilient wad of fibrous material.

6. A projectile carrier for use with a muzzle loading firearm comprising:

(a) a first half element which has a first semi-circular horizontal base and a first semi-cylindrical side wall which extends upwardly from said base, said base having a vertical edge surface, said side wall having a pair of spaced vertical edge surfaces which lie in the same vertical plane as the vertical edge surface, of said base,

(b) a second half element which has a second semi-circular base and a second cylindrical side wall which extends upwardly from said second base, said second base having a second vertical edge surface, said second side wall having a pair of spaced vertical edges surfaces which lie in the same vertical plane as the vertical edge surface of said second base, the vertical edges surfaces of said first half element abutting the vertical edge surfaces of said second half element to form a cylindrical projectile holding cap having a circular bottom wall which has a bottom surface, a cylindrical side wall and a circular top opening,

(c) a disc of lubricant adsorbing material, and

(d) connecting means for removably mounting said disc against the bottom surface of said bottom wall.

7. A projectile carrier as recited in claim 6, wherein said connecting means comprises:

(a) a projection which extends downwardly from the bottom surface of each of said first and second half elements, said projections abutting and together forming a retaining pin, and

(b) a central aperture in said disc for receiving said retaining pin so that said first and second half elements are tenuously held together by said disc.

8. A projectile carrier as recited in claim 7, wherein said retaining pin has a frusto-conical shape which tapers outwardly and downwardly from said bottom wall.

9. A projectile carrier as recited in claim 6, wherein said disc is a compressible and resilient wad of fibrous material.

10. A projectile carrier for use with a muzzle loading firearm comprising:

(a) a first half element which has a first semi-circular horizontal base and a first semi-cylindrical side wall which extends upwardly from said base, said base having a vertical edge surface, said side wall having a pair of spaced vertical edge surfaces which lie in the same vertical plane as the vertical edge surface, of said base, and

(b) a second half element which has a second semi-circular base and a second cylindrical side wall which extends upwardly from said second base, said second base having a second vertical edge surface, said second side wall having a pair of spaced vertical edge surfaces which lie in the same vertical plane as the vertical edge surface of said second base, the vertical edge surfaces of said first half element abutting the vertical edge surfaces of said second half element to form a cylindrical projectile holding cap having a circular bottom wall, a cylindrical side wall and a circular top opening, said cylindrical side wall having an outer cylindrical surface and said circular bottom wall having an annular outer flange which extends beyond said outer cylindrical surface.

11. A projectile carrier for use with a muzzle loading firearm comprising:

(a) a circular bottom wall which has a bottom surface,

(b) a cylindrical side wall which extends upwardly from said bottom wall, said side wall having a top opening for receiving a projectile, said projectile carrier being formed of two separate and identical halves which abut along a common vertical plane,

(c) a circular wad of fibrous material, and

(d) connecting means for removably mounting said wad against the bottom surface of said bottom wall.

12. A projectile carrier as recited in claim 11, wherein said connecting means comprises:

(a) a projection which extends downwardly from the bottom surface of each half of said projectile carrier, said projections abutting along said common vertical plane and together forming a retaining pin, and

(b) a central aperture in said wad for receiving said retaining pin so that said projectile carrier halves are tenuously held together by said wad.

13. A projectile carrier as recited in claim 12, wherein said retaining pin has a frusto-conical shape which tapers outwardly and downwardly from said bottom wall.

14. A projectile carrier for use with a muzzle loading firearm comprising:

(a) a circular bottom wall,

(b) a cylindrical side wall which extends upwardly from said bottom wall, said side wall having an outer cylindrical surface, a top opening for receiving a projectile, said projectile carrier being formed of two separate and identical halves which abut along a common vertical plane, and

(c) an annular outer flange which extends from said bottom wall beyond said outer cylindrical surface.