Auxiliary caliber weapon system

Abstract

An auxiliary caliber weapon system that allows a conventional shotgun, such as a pump action shotgun or other firearm, including artillery weapons to be modified to fire ammunition rounds of a selectable caliber. The system includes a barrel assembly and to load an ammunition round within the shotgun or other firearm and a shotgun shell adapter of a selected auxiliary caliber is utilized. The shotgun includes a stock with grip a receiver and an internal magazine. The shotgun barrel is removed and the system's barrel assembly is attached to the shotgun, interfacing with the receiver. An ammunition round of a selected auxiliary caliber is inserted into the adapter, which is then placed into the magazine via a loading port. When the shotgun pump is actuated the adapter with the auxiliary caliber round is loaded from the magazine into the receiver, and is ready to be fired. After being fired, the pump is actuated again causing the adapter to be ejected out an ejection port and another adapter with an auxiliary caliber round to be loaded. For use with an artillery weapon, the adapter is scaled to a larger dimension to accommodate the larger size ammunition used but the functionality is the same.

Claims

1. An auxiliary caliber weapon system (ACWS) comprising: a barrel assembly including: a hub sleeve bush configured as a shotgun receiver interface, a shotgun barrel sleeve having a chamber, and attached to and extending from the hub sleeve bush, a shotgun chamber, an auxiliary caliber barrel shank configured adjacent to the shotgun chamber, an auxiliary caliber chamber, an auxiliary caliber barrel extending from the auxiliary caliber chamber and having a rifled bore therethrough, a shotgun shell adapter having: a head case face having an auxiliary caliber round inlet with a groove, three slots configured longitudinally on the adapter, and extending on the head case face to the inlet, the three slots cause the inlet to enlarge when pressure is applied on the slots, thereby facilitating the insertion of a round into the adapter via the inlet, an open end that allows a bullet to exit the adapter when fired and provides access to push on a fired shell for extraction of the shell from the adapter via the inlet, a shotgun including: a receiver with an ejection port for ejecting a shell or misfired round, an extractor for extracting a shell or misfired round, and a loading port for loading a round, an internal magazine, and a barrel that is removable to allow an ACWS barrel assembly to be attached onto and interface with the shotgun receiver, the barrel configured to receive an ammunition round of an auxiliary caliber into the adapter which is configured to be placed in the shotgun magazine, the shotgun magazine configured to be positioned within the shotgun receiver during use.

2. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 1 wherein the barrel assembly is longer than the shotgun magazine.

3. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 1 wherein the inlet groove is a mirror image of an ammunition round's extractor groove.

4. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 1 wherein the barrel assembly is configured to interfaces with shotgun receivers of multiple makes and models of shotguns.

5. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 1 wherein the barrel assembly further comprises a front sight with attachment means located adjacent an upper distal end of the barrel.

6. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 1 wherein the barrel assembly further comprises a take down mount with attachment means located a lower distal end of the barrel.

7. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 1 wherein the adapter comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic and composite.

8. An auxiliary caliber weapon system (ACWS) comprising: a barrel assembly comprising: a hub sleeve bush configured as a shotgun receiver interface, a shotgun barrel sleeve having a chamber, and attached to and extending from the hub sleeve bush, a shotgun chamber, an auxiliary caliber barrel shank configured adjacent to the shotgun chamber, an auxiliary caliber chamber, an auxiliary caliber barrel extending from the auxiliary caliber chamber, and having a rifled bore therethrough, a front sight configured at a distal end of the barrel assembly and including a front sight attachment member, a take down mount configured adjacent the front sight and including a take down mount attachment member, an adapter with a particular shotgun shell size, the adapter having: a first end, a second end, an outer surface, an inner surface, a head case face having an auxiliary round inlet with a groove, three slots that cause the inlet to enlarge when pressure is applied on the slots, thereby facilitating the insertion of a round into the adapter via the inlet, an open end that allows a bullet to exit the adapter when fired and provides access to press on a fired shell for extraction of the shell from the adapter via the inlet, a shotgun including: a rearward extending stock with a downward-extending grip, a receiver having: a trigger, a bolt positioned within the receiver, an ejection port for ejecting a shell or misfired round, an extractor for extracting shell or misfired round, a loading port for loading a round, an internal magazine and a barrel that is removable to allow an ACWS barrel assembly to be attached onto and interface with the shotgun receiver, an ammunition round of a selected caliber is inserted into the adapter, which is then placed via the loading port into the shotgun magazine from where the adapter is loaded into the shotgun receiver, ready to be fired.

9. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 8 wherein the barrel assembly is longer than the shotgun magazine.

10. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 8 wherein the barrel assembly interfaces with shotgun receivers of multiple makes and models of shotguns.

11. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 8 wherein the adapter is made of a material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic and composite.

12. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 8 wherein the adapter accepts centerfire ammunition.

13. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 8 wherein the adapter accepts rimfire ammunition.

14. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 8 wherein the ammunition round comprises an extractor groove.

15. The auxiliary caliber weapon system of claim 8 wherein the inlet groove is a mirror image of the ammunition round extractor groove.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an orthographic view of a an auxiliary caliber weapon system showing a barrel assembly and a shotgun shell adapter.

(2) FIG. 2 is an orthographic rear view of the adapter.

(3) FIG. 3 is an elevational rear view of the adapter.

(4) FIG. 4 is an orthographic cut-away view of the adapter.

(5) FIG. 5 is an elevational side view of the adapter with an ammunition round about to be inserted.

(6) FIG. 6 is a cut-away view of the adapter with an ammunition round inserted.

(7) FIG. 7 is an elevational side view of the conventional shotgun and a shotgun with the system's auxiliary caliber barrel.

(8) FIG. 8 is an elevational side view of an artillery shell adapter.

(9) FIG. 9 is an elevational cut-away view of the artillery adapter.

(10) FIG. 10 is an elevational cut-away view of the artillery adapter with an auxiliary round inserted.

(11) FIG. 11 is an elevational side view of a conventional artillery cannon, also known as a chain gun.

(12) FIG. 12 is a side cut-a-way view of the barrel assembly

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(13) The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms that disclose a preferred embodiment with multiple design configurations of an an auxiliary caliber weapon system (ACWS). Firearms are available in a large variety of types, sizes and calibers. The three common categories of firearms include rife, shotguns, a handguns, all of which can have multiple shapes and sizes, as well as the caliber of the ammunition a firearm shoots. The type and caliber of a selected firearm depends on the requirement of use and preference of the person using the firearm. For ease of carrying or concealment, a handgun is typically preferred. For an activity such as animal hunting, a rifle is most commonly used, and for bird hunting or skeet shooting a shotgun is usually chosen.

(14) If a person participates in multiple activities, they do not have a choice but to purchase, store and transport multiple type of firearms. It is not only expensive to purchase multiple firearms, but they must be safely stored when not in use, which often requires the ownership of a gun safe. Also, a major drawback is that when a person requires the use of multiple guns at a distant location such as on a hunting and camping trip, all of the guns must be carried to the location. The auxiliary caliber weapon system 10 provides a solution to these problems by allowing a conventional shotgun to be modified to fire other calibers of centerfire or rimfire ammunition. The system 10 utilizes a shotgun platform to which barrels of various caliber can be attached, as shown in FIG. 7. A person will then be able to selectivity choose to fire the standard shotgun shell or any other caliber ammunition, while only needing to own and carry the shotgun and a barrel for each caliber. A specially designed shotgun shell adapter facilities the use of the interchangeable barrel on the shotgun.

(15) The ACWS 10, as shown in FIGS. 1-12, is essentially comprised of a barrel assembly 12 and a shotgun shell adapter 48. The barrel assembly 12 is designed to be used with a specific manufacturer's shotgun, thereby possibly requiring modification to the barrel assembly 12 design. These modifications are anticipated and do not deviate from the scope of the inventive concept. The system 10 can effectivity be adapted and utilized for use with any type of shotgun 70, with the only requirement being the shotgun's use of a conventional shotgun.

(16) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 12, the barrel assembly 12 is comprised of a hub sleeve bush 14 that functions as a receiver interface. A shotgun barrel sleeve 18 barrel connection section having a shotgun chamber 20 is integrally attached to and extends forward from the hub sleeve bush 14. The shotgun chamber is located within an auxiliary caliber barrel shank 22, which also includes an auxiliary caliber chamber 24.

(17) Extending forward from the shotgun barrel sleeve 18 is an auxiliary caliber barrel 26 having a rifled barrel bore 32 therethrough. Located at the barrel distal end is a front sight 36 that is secured by a front sight attachment member 38. Located adjacent the barrel distal end is a take down mount 42 that is secured by a takedown mount attachment member 44. Each auxiliary barrel acts as an attachment and converts a shotgun to a rifle. The auxiliary barrel replacements are made according to instructions in an existing shotgun factory manual and the barrel is longer than a shotgun's magazine 86. The ACWS barrel assembly has two chambers, one inside the other, as shown in cut-a-way in FIG. 12. One of the chambers is the shotgun chamber 20 and the other is the auxiliary caliber rifled chamber 24. Around the shotgun chamber 20 and auxiliary caliber barrel shank 22 is a space for the adapter 48 to be inserted. When the shotgun 70 is actuated, such as by pump action, the adapter 48 moves from the magazine 86 to the shotgun chamber 20, exactly between the shotgun chamber 20 and auxiliary caliber barrel shank 22 and an auxiliary caliber ammunition round 90 moves to the auxiliary caliber chamber 24. The barrel assembly is made specifically to correspond to the gauge of any conventional shotgun, and is designed to replace the shotgun's original barrel, by fitting into the receiver of the shotgun. Similar barrel systems used for artillery or cannon have the same functionality, only the dimensions are different.

(18) The second element of the ACWS 10 is the adapter 48 which is a single component, integrally constructed as one piece, with no mechanical function. As shown in FIGS. 1-6, the adapter 48 is comprised of an outer surface 52, an inner surface 54 and a head case face 56 having an auxiliary caliber round inlet 58 with a groove 60 extending along an inner perimeter. Extending along and equidistantly positioned on the head case face 56 and down the body of the adapter 48 are preferably three slots 66. The adapter 48 also has an open end 64 opposite the head case face. The adapter 48 is designed to resemble a shotgun round casing and functions as a three-section jaw action that grips the auxiliary caliber round by applying pressure. An auxiliary caliber round 90 is inserted into the adapter 48 through the auxiliary caliber round inlet 58 on the head case face 56, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The jaw side of adapter expands and contracts back to form, with assistance from the three slots 66, when a round is inserted or extracted from the adapter. Once clicked into place, the auxiliary caliber round is securely held by the jaw action. The groove 60 on the auxiliary caliber round inlet 58 is designed to interface and circumvent the diameter of a round's extractor groove 98. It should be noted that the inlet groove 60 is a mirror image of an auxiliary caliber round extractor groove 98. Once the round is inserted, the auxiliary caliber round inlet 58 compresses and grasps the round along the perimeter of the extractor groove 98, as shown in FIG. 6. There is enough force on the round to maintain the round in a straight, centered position within the adapter 48. This is important because the adapter's inner surface interfaces 54 with the barrel shank 22, and the round must be directed straight into the auxiliary caliber barrel chamber 24. To extract an empty shell from the adapter 48 the most efficient method is to insert an object (even a person's finger) into the adapter and simply push the empty shell out of the adapter from the open end 64.

(19) As previously disclosed, the ACWS 10 functions with a conventional shotgun 70. As shown in FIG. 7, the shotgun 70 includes a stock with a grip 72, and a receiver 74 having a trigger 76, a bolt 78, an ejection port 80, an extractor 82 and a loading port 84. Positioned within and connected to the receiver 74 is an internal magazine 86. The shotgun 70 also has a barrel 88 which is quickly and easily removable.

(20) The ammunition round 90 can either be a centerfire type or a rimfire type. The round 90 includes a cartridge case 92 with a first end 94 having a primer opening 96 and the previously disclosed extractor groove 98, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. A second end 100 of the cartridge case has an opening 102 into which is inserted a bullet 106 with a first end 108 ad a typically pointed or rounded second end 110.

(21) The barrel assembly 12 is made of metal such as steel, and the adapter 48 is preferably made of a thin metal, plastic or a composite. The barrel assembly 12 is longer than the shotgun magazine, and the adapter is dimensioned the same as the shotgun shell of the shotgun that is modified.

(22) To use the ACWS 10, a person removes the standard shotgun barrel. The system's barrel assembly 12 is attached onto the shotgun, with the assembly 12 interfacing with the shotgun's receiver 74. An auxiliary caliber ammunition round is inserted into the adapter 48 as previously disclosed. The adapter 48 with round is then placed into the magazine 86 via the loading port 84. The shotgun pump is then actuated which loads the adapter 48 with an auxiliary caliber round into the chambers 20,24 from where it can be fired. When the shotgun pump is again actuated, the now round-less adapter is ejected through the ejection port 80 and a new adapter with round is loaded from the magazine. This action can be repeated up to the number of adapters with rounds that are placed into the magazine.

(23) In an alternate embodiment, the ACWS 10 can be utilized to fire an auxiliary caliber ammunition round from a larger caliber artillery weapon, such as a cannon, as shown in FIG. 11. The ACWS is especially viable for this purpose since there is a significant cost for each ammunition round fired from a cannon. This problem is exacerbated when it is realized that during training of soldiers to use a cannon, a large number of ammunition rounds must be fired. There have been attempts to offer a solution to this problem, but there is no solution that utilizes the adapter 48 of the ACWS 10.

(24) A benefit of using the ACWS is that it is mainly a matter of scale of the ease adapter. The inventive concept of using the adapter to load and fire auxiliary caliber ammunition into a larger caliber cannon is essentially the same as for a shotgun. For use with a cannon, the adapter is designated as element 50 and the other element designators are the same as the adapter.

(25) As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the adapter 50 is correspondingly dimensioned to accept an auxiliary caliber ammunition round. For whichever type of cannon is used, the adapter 50 is specifically shaped, as shown in FIGS. 8-10. This is important because a training crew learning to use/fire a cannon will become familiar with and be able to manipulate the adapter 50 and when necessary, easily be able to switch to the conventional ammunition. Also, the ACWS 10 can be used with artillery weapons such as a chain gun which ammunition is fed into via an ammunition belt that maintains a multiplicity of ammunition rounds in-line, ready for use. As long as the adapter 50 is similarly shaped and dimensioned as a large caliber ammunition round, the ACWS can be effectively utilized for an artillery weapon such as a cannon.

(26) While the invention has been described in detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modification may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the claims.