US3240104A

US3240104A - Shotgun shell reloader

Info

Publication number: US3240104A
Application number: US338896A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodore J Bachhuber
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-01-20
Filing date: 1964-01-20
Publication date: 1966-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1983-03-15

Description

March 15, 1966 T. J. BACHHUBER 3,240,104 SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADER Filed Jan. 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i I 4'4 F 4 4 INVENTOR. Z0 72500025 J. (firm/#055 .30 42 22 m,wrbm

ATTOZ/VEYS March 15, 1966 11 J BACHHUBER 3,240,104

SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADER Filed Jan. 20', 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 '25 I '/ZO IN VEN TOR. 72 500085 J. Zia/408M AMhMJOML A 7' TOEIVEY$ United States Patent 3,240,104 SHQTGUN SHELL RELOADER Theodore J. Bachhuber, 725 Daton St., Mayville, Wis. Filed Jan. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 338,896 Claims. (Cl. 86-39) This invention relates to a shotgun shell reloader.

The present reloader is incorporated in a reloader which is an improvement on that shown in my application Serial No. 167,129, filed January 18, 196-2, now Patent No. 3,157,086. The improvement is concerned primarily with the actuation of the tool carriage, the crimping tool, and the die which completes or sets the crimp in the reloaded shell, see also, my Patent 3,'l05,-408, granted October 11, 1963.

The spring-supported tool carriage has a handle lever pivoted to the carriage intermediate its ends. The rear end of the lever continues beyond the pivot as a toggle link having pivotal connection with a complementary link pivoted to the post on which the carriage is guided for reciprocation. The crimping tool is movable independently of the carriage but is constrained by a cam mounted on the handle lever to move with the carriage for the major portion of the carriage stroke.

The die which sets the crimp in the end of the shell is reciprocable within the tubular crimping tool and is connected directly with the carriage. It becomes subject to great pressure as the toggle linkage straightens during final carriage movement and at that time the cam permits the tubular crimping tool to dwell for the purpose of holding a continuing but relatively fixed pressure on the annular bead portion of the crimp while the central portion thereof is subjected to the pressure of the setting die. The pressure on the setting die becomes very great due to the toggle linkage.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a shell reloading device embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view partially in side elevation and partially in section showing the device of FIG. 1 as it appears with the tool carriage in its elevated position.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the carriage in its depressed position.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view taken in section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Since particulars of the manner in which the used shell is recapped and filled with charges of powder and shot have been shown and described in my Patent No. 3,105,- 408 and my aforesaid copending application Serial No. 167,129, and since the present invention is not concerned therewith, the present description will be limited to those features relevant to the instant invention.

A tool carriage 6 is guided for vertical reciprocation on a post 8 held in an erect position :by base 10 which also provides a work support or table 14. A compression spring 12 desirably biases the carriage 6 and the tools carried thereby away from the table toward the elevated position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Shotgun shells to be reloaded are placed on table 14 with their ferrules and rims engaged by a notched rotor 16, whereby they may be indexed to successive positions in registry withtools to act successively thereon. Following each advance, the carriage 6 is caused to descend toward the table to engage respective tools with respective shells. The tools include a creasing die 18, a crimping tool 20, and a crimp setting die 30. In each downward movement of the carriage, the creasing die acts on the shell beneath it and the interior shoulder 22 of the tubular crimping tool 20 turns inwardly the creased 3,249,1li4 Patented Mar. 15, 1966 margins 24 of a shell such as that shown at 26. In the same operation, the die 30 sets the crimp.

The crimping tool 20 is not directly connected with the carriage 6 but is floated therefrom on the stem 28 of the crimp-setting die 30 which, in the lowered position of the carriage shown in FIG. 3, completes the shell by compressing the crimped marginal portion 24 against the charge of shot 32. The die stem 28 is adjustably threaded to a plate or flange 34 with which the carriage 6 is provided The reduced upper extremity 36 of stem 28 has a screwdriver slot 38 to facilitate adjustment of the die respecting the carriage and the adjustment is maintained by a lock nut 46.

Above the crimping shoulder 22, the tool 20 has a bore 42 in which the die 30 is fitted. In the ascending movement of the carriage and die 30, the die 30 engages tool 20 at the upper end of the cylindrical bore 42 to withdraw the tool 20 from the work. In the descending movement of the carriage, motion is transmitted to the tool 20 by means presently to be described, whereby the descending tool 20 is held by a yoke 44 in the position of the parts shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 notwithstanding resistance of the shell which is being crimped.

To eifect the movement of the parts as above described, I provide a handle lever 56 having a grip portion 52 at its free end. The handle lever is bifurcated and its

legs

56, 58 are pivotally connected with the carriage by fulcrum bolts 54.

The

respective legs

56 and 58 are extended and elbowed rearwardly of the fulcrum bolts 54 to form a part of the toggle linkage generically designated by reference character 60. The toggle linkage includes upper link means 62 pivoted at 64 to the upright post 8 upon which the carriage is guided. The pintle 66 connects the upper link means 62 to the lower link means 68 which is provided by the upwardly elbowed end portions of the

legs

56 and 58 of lever 50.

Mounted on at least one of the lower link means 68, and thereby fixed to the lever, is a toggle cam 70 having an arcuate surface 72 concentric with the fulcrum bolts 54 upon which lever 50 is pivoted. The cam further has a surface 74 of lesser radius. The

cam surfaces

72 and 74 interact successively with a cam follower roller 76 mounted on the yoke 44 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The yoke has bearing surfaces guided upon stem 28 and the reduced upper extremity 36 thereof as clearly appears in FIG. 4.

The operation is as follows:

A recharged shell 26 having a margin 24 previously creased by the die 18 is in position as shown in FIG. 2 beneath the crimping tool 20. The operator presses downwardly on the grip at the free end of lever 50. Because the fulcrum 54 does not coincide with fulcrum 64, the oscillation of the lever effects downward movement of carriage 6 against the compression of spring 12. The fixed radial distance of cam surface 72 from the axis of fulcrum bolt 54 requires the yoke 44 to move in unison with carriage 6 and the yoke pushes downwardly on the tool 20. Thus, until the crimping operation of tool 20 on the work is complete, tool 20 and die 31 maintain, for a major portion of the stroke of the handle lever, the relative positions in which they are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4.

When the shoulder 22 of the crimping tool 20 engages the pre-creased margin 24 of shell 26, such margin is turned inwardly 'and crimped over the charge of shot. Pressure adequate for the performance of this operation, and progressively increasing due to the toggle system 60, is still being transmitted to the tool 20 through the cam 72 and the yoke 44, the latter bearing on the upper end of tool 20.

However, as the toggle linkage approaches alignment as shown in FIG. 3, the cam surface 72 rides oil of the cam follower roller 76, which is thereupon engaged with cam surface 74. In effect, this maintains pressure on tool 20 while permitting the tool 20 to dwell, or substantially to dwell, in crimping position during continued advance of the die 30 with flange portion 34 of carriage 6. Due to the action of the toggle linkage, a relatively light pressure on the operating lever 50 will produce tremendous die pressure on the crimped end of the shell to complete or set the crimp and to close all crevices, thus sealing the reloaded shell.

As soon as the operator initiates return movement of lever 50 toward the position of FIG. 1, the die 30 is first drawn into the cylindrical opening 42 of tool 20 and the die thereupon pulls tool 20 from the finished reloaded and crimped shell 27. Another shell shown at 25, FIG. 2, and upon which the creasing tool 18 will have acted during the operation above described, is now moved into the position of the creased shell 26 of FIG. 2 by the same movement of rotor 16 which delivers the completed shell 27 from the position in which it is shown in FIG. 3.

I claim:

1. In a shell reloading device, the combination with a work-supporting table, of a carriage, means comprising a post projecting above the table guiding the carriage for reciprocation to and from the table, a crimp-setting die fixed to the carriage for movement therewith to and from the table, a crimping tool within which said die is disposed, means supporting the tool for movement relative to the die in the direction of carriage movement to and from the table, means for actuating the carriage for the reciprocation thereof to and from the table and for exerting pressure toward the table on tools connected with the carriage, the means for actuating the carriage comprising a lever in pivotal connection with the carriage and a toggle system comprising links, one of which is a part of said lever and the other of which is in pivotal connection with said post, said links being in pivotal connection with each other, and means for transmitting carriage movement and pressure to the tool for a first portion of the carriage reciprocation toward the table and for then relieving the tool of pressure increase, at least in part, during continued reciprocation of the carriage and die toward the table, the means for transmitting motion and pressure to the crimping tool comprising a cam connected with the lever, and a yoke having a cam follower engaged by the cam, said yoke being in motion transmitting engagement with said tool.

2. A shell reloading device comprising the combination with a base having a work-supporting table, and a carriage-guiding post projecting upwardly above the base, of a carriage reciprocably guided on said post, tool means carried by the carriage, and carriage actuating means comprising a hand lever having an intermediate portion provided with a fulcrumed connection to the carriage and having one end portion constituting a handle and another end portion constituting a link, said link having pivotal connection with a separate link which is pivotally connected with said post, the said links constituting a toggle lever system in which said links move toward alignment when said lever is oscillated in a direction to move said carriage toward said table.

3. A shell reloading device comprising the combination with a base having a work-supporting table, and a carriage-guiding post projecting upwardly above the base, of a carriage reciprocably guided on said post, tool means carried by the carriage, and carriage actuating means comprising a hand lever having a portion provided with a fulcrumed connection to the carriage and having another portion constituting a link, said link having pivotal connection with a separate link which is pivotally connected with said post, the said links constituting a toggle lever system in which said links move toward alignment when said lever is oscillated in a direction to move said carriage toward said table, the tool means carried by the carriage including a crimp setting die having a shank portion connected with the carriage and having a die head beneath the carriage, a tubular crimping tool surrounding the die and having a crimping shoulder above which said tool has a cavity in which the said head is 'recip rocable, said tool having at its upper end a bearing portion guided on the shank of said die between said head and said carriage, a yoke having a portion interposed between the upper end of the tool and the carriage, a cam follower mounted on the yoke, a cam connected with said lever and coacting with said cam follower and having surfaces for successive coaction with said cam follower, one such surface being substantially concentric with the fulcrumed connection of the lever to the carriage and another said surface having decreased radius from said connection as compared with said concentric surface.

4. A shell reloading device comprising the combination with a base having a shell-supporting table and a carriage-guiding post projecting upwardly above the base, of a carriage reciprocably guided on the post for movement to and from the table, tool means mounted in arcuate series on the carriage for interacting with shells upon the table, means for guiding arcuately for indexing about the post successive shells on the table to and from positions of registry with successive tools, a toggle lever system comprising first link means pivoted to the post above the carriage and second link means pivoted to the first link means and to the carriage, the respective first and second link means being relatively pivotally movable between a first position in which the said link means are at an acute angle to each other and a second position in which the said link means approach alignment with each other as the carriage approaches the table, and an extension of one of said link means comprising an operating hand lever for the operation of said system and the reciprocation of said carriage, the said second position of said link means being a position in which tool means carried by the carriage is operating on shells on the table.

5. A shell reloading device comprising the combination with a base having a shell-supporting table and a carriage-guiding post projecting upwardly above the base, of a carriage reciprocably guided on the post for movement to and from the table, tool means mounted on the carriage for interacting with shells upon the table, means for indexing about the post successive shells on the table to and from positions of registry with successive tools, a toggle lever system comprising first link means pivoted to the post above the carriage and second link means pivoted to the first link means and to the carriage, the respective first and second link means being relatively pivotally movable between a first position in which the said link means are at an acute angle to each other and a second position in which the said link means approach alignment with each other as the carriage approaches the table, and an extension of one of said link means comprising an operating hand lever for the operation of said system and the reciprocation of said carriage, the said second position of said link means being a position in which tool means carried by the carriage is operating on shells on the table, the tool means mounted on the carriage including a creasing die for acting on marginal portions of a shell, and a combination crimping tool and crimp setting die, the crimp setting die having a shank in adjustably fixed connection with the carriage and having a head normally retracted into a cavity with which the crimping tool is provided, the crimping tool comprising a tubular member having an internal shoulder below said cavity constituting means for directing and crimping marginal portions of a shell which have been creased by the creasing die, the tool being reciprocable to a limited extent along the shank of the crimp setting die, and a yoke interposed between the tool and the carriage and likewise reciprocable along said shank, a cam follower mounted on the yoke, and a cam connected with the second link means and engaged with the cam follower and having a first surface concentric with the pivotal connection of the second link means to the carriage and another surface extending from the first surface at a lesser radius, whereby the carriage is moved toward the table upon actuation by said hand lever in one direction, said cam and yoke pushing the tool ahead of the crimp-setting die head until the concentric surface of the cam clears the cam follower, whereupon the head advances independently of the tool to set the crimp formed by the crimping tool.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner.

Claims

2. A SHELL RELOADING DEVICE COMPRISING THE COMBINATION WITH A BASE HAVING A WORK-SUPPORTING TABLE, AND A CARRIAGE-GUIDING POST PROJECTING UPWARDLY ABOVE THE BASE, OF A CARRIAGE RECIPROCABLY GUIDED ON SAID POST, TOOL MEANS CARRIED BY THE CARRIAGE, AND CARRIAGE ACTUATING MEANS COMPRISING A HAND LEVER HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION PROVIDED WITH A FULCRUMED CONNECTION TO THE CARRIAGE AND HAVING ONE END PORTION CONSTITUTING A HANDLE AND ANOTHER END PORTION CONSTITUTING A LINK, SAID LINK HAVING A PIVOTAL CONNECTION WITH A SEPARATE LINK WHICH IS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID POST, THE SAID LINKS CONSTITUTING A TOGGLE LEVER SYSTEM IN WHICH SAID LINKS MOVE TOWARD ALIGNMENT WHEN SAID LEVER IS OSCILLATED IN A DIRECTION TO MOVE SAID CARRIAGE TOWARD SAID TABLE.