Charge retaining mechanism in a barrel

Abstract

The invention relates to a charge retaining mechanism for retaining a charge inside a chamber of a barrel of a gun, comprising retaining members consisting of a central retaining member and two sets of end retaining members, extending from an elongate coil spring, into the chamber. The coil spring is located in an elongate groove formation cut into the inner surface of the barrel and extending partially around the inner circumference of the barrel. The charge retaining members are movable between a charge passing position and a charge retaining position and are biased in the direction of the charge retaining position by means of the coil spring.

1 . A charge retaining mechanism for retaining a charge inside a chamber of a barrel of a gun comprising a charge retaining member which extends into the chamber of the barrel and which is movable between a charge passing position and a charge retaining position.  
   
   
       2 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein the charge retaining member is biased towards the charge retaining position.  
   
   
       3 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 2  which includes biasing means for biasing the charge retaining member towards the charge retaining position.  
   
   
       4 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 3  wherein the biasing means is in the form of a coil spring.  
   
   
       5 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 4  which further includes a groove formation in the inner surface of the barrel chamber and which extends at least partially about the inner circumference of the barrel and wherein the coil spring is located inside the groove formation.  
   
   
       6 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 5  wherein opposite ends of the groove formation progressively cuts deeper into the inside surface of the barrel chamber towards the full depth of the groove formation until a constant depth is reached.  
   
   
       7 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 6  wherein the groove formation is circular in cross-section.  
   
   
       8 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 7  wherein a slit of the groove formation is relatively narrower than the diameter thereof, to define a choked groove.  
   
   
       9 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 8  wherein the charge retaining member comprises a protrusion extending from the coil spring into the chamber of the barrel, through the slit of the groove formation.  
   
   
       10 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 5  wherein the groove formation is adapted such that the coil spring is located inside the groove formation by feeding the coil spring into the groove formation from one end.  
   
   
       11 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 10  which further includes limiting means for limiting movement of the charge retaining member past the charge retaining position.  
   
   
       12 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 11  wherein the limiting means is provided by a side wall of the groove formation.  
   
   
       13 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 12  wherein a portion of a side wall, opposite to the limiting means, complementary to the protrusion is removed to allow the protrusion to move to the charge passing position.  
   
   
       14 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 4  wherein the charge retaining member is a first member and which includes two sets of further members extending from the same coil spring and spaced from the first member, the arrangement being such that a central retaining member and two sets of end retaining members are provided.  
   
   
       15 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 14  wherein each set of end retaining members includes three adjacent retaining members.  
   
   
       16 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 15  wherein the arrangement is further such that the winding direction of the portions of the coil spring between the sets of end retaining members and the end of the coil spring extends in a first direction and the winding direction of the portions of the coil spring between each set of end retaining members and the central retaining member extends in an opposite direction.  
   
   
       17 . A charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 16  wherein the winding direction of the portions of the coil spring between adjacent retaining members of each set are in the same direction, the arrangement being such that the adjacent retaining members of each set are biased in the same direction.  
   
   
       18 . A barrel for a gun including a charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       19 . A gun including a charge retaining mechanism according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . (canceled)