Firearm comprising counter recoil device

Abstract

The invention relates to firearms and especially shotguns as well as devices or mechanisms for reducing felt recoil. In particular, the invention relates to a gas-operated device to reduce felt recoil using a recoil suppressing mass, or recoil mass, to create a counter-acting force to the recoil force. The recoil mass moves in response to the gas pressure in the barrel after firing, and more particularly the control of the flow of gas into a chamber to force the recoil mass to move and generate a recoil suppressing force. In one aspect, incorporating the gas-operated device in a firearm can improve the operator's control of the firearm and measurably reduces felt recoil and/or muzzle climb

1 . A firearm comprising: a barrel; a bolt assembly having a forward position and a rearward position; an action piston tube having an action piston; and a counter recoil assembly having a recoil mass chamber and recoil mass,
 wherein the barrel comprises a first gas port in communication with the recoil mass chamber, the recoil mass chamber having an internal moving recoil mass that moves in reaction to gas pressure in the barrel and independent of the bolt assembly, the first gas port configured to delay the gas flow into the recoil mass chamber to cause the movement of the recoil mass at about 0.0025 to about 0.005 seconds from firing,   and wherein the barrel comprises a second gas port in communication with an action piston tube having an action piston and a bolt carriage rod linked to the bolt assembly to move the bolt from a forward position to a rearward position in reaction to gas pressure in the barrel,   whereby the firing of the firearm creates a counter recoil force generated by the movement of the recoil mass in response to gas pressure through the first gas port.   
     
     
         2 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the firearm is a gas-operated shotgun. 
     
     
         3 . The firearm of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the recoil mass tube is positioned below the barrel and comprises an internal return spring at a rearward position and a buffer device at the forward position. 
     
     
         4 . The firearm of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the first gas port is in communication with a gas manifold that directs gas pressure into the recoil mass chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The firearm of  claim 4 , wherein the gas manifold has an adjustable valve for controlling the pressure directed into the recoil mass chamber or the action piston tube. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the bolt assembly comprises a rotating bolt face region to contact a cartridge, a bolt carriage track, and a main bolt carriage body linked to the bolt carriage rod and capable of moving on the bolt carriage track from a forward, locked position to a rearward position. 
     
     
         7 . The firearm of  claim 3 , wherein the buffer device comprises fluidic chambers that dampen the force of the recoil mass as it returns to a forward position. 
     
     
         8 . The firearm of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein a firing system incorporated into the bolt assembly is actuated by an electronic signal initiated by a trigger that activates a solenoid and spring to move the firing pin and contact a primer on a loaded cartridge. 
     
     
         9 . A semi-automatic or automatic shotgun comprising:
 (a) a barrel having a bore with a breech at its rearward end and the barrel having gas ports at a location along the bore communicating with a gas manifold;   (b) a receiver having an ejection port and a feed tube;   (c) at least one action piston tube in communication with the gas manifold and a rod assembly extending from an action piston in the tube and along the barrel, the rod operably driven by the action piston to move a bolt assembly in the rearward direction and a return spring to move the bolt assembly in the forward direction;   (d) a bolt and carriage assembly having a guide supporting a moving bolt, the bolt and carriage assembly defining a cartridge receiving space;   (e) a rotating bolt face to engage the cartridge and having an aperture for a firing pin, the face rotating during the backward and forward movement of the bolt assembly; and   (f) a recoil mass chamber in communication with the gas manifold and along the barrel, the chamber having a recoil mass that moves rearward in response to gas pressure in the barrel after firing, the gas manifold configured to delay the gas flow into the recoil mass chamber to cause the movement of the recoil mass at about 0.0025 to about 0.005 seconds from firing.   
     
     
         10 . The shotgun of  claim 9 , further comprising an electronic trigger assembly including a trigger, a power supply, a mechanical switch actuated by an electrical signal from the trigger to actuate the movement of a firing pin. 
     
     
         11 . The shotgun of  claim 9  or  10 , wherein the feed tube conveys cartridges by spring force in sequence into an advance position across the bolt face during its forward motion, and optionally a lock which holds a cartridge from moving into position across the bolt face. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the felt recoil is reduced by the action of the recoil mass by about 20% or more compared to a firearm where the recoil mass does not move. 
     
     
         13 . The firearm or shotgun of one of  claim 1  or  9 , wherein the felt recoil is reduced by the action of the recoil mass by about 20% or more compared to a firearm where the recoil mass does not move. 
     
     
         14 . The firearm or shotgun of one of  claim 1  or  9 , wherein the felt recoil is reduced by the action of the recoil mass by about 30% or more compared to a firearm where the recoil mass does not move. 
     
     
         15 . The firearm or shotgun of one of  claim 1  or  9 , wherein the felt recoil is reduced by the action of the recoil mass by about 40% or more compared to a firearm where the recoil mass does not move. 
     
     
         16 . The shotgun of  claim 9 , wherein the recoil mass chamber comprises a buffer device to reduce the impact of the movement of the recoil mass. 
     
     
         17 . The shotgun of  claim 9 , wherein the gas manifold has an adjustable valve for controlling the pressure directed into the recoil mass chamber or the action piston tube. 
     
     
         18 . The shotgun of  claim 9 , wherein two action piston tubes are in communication with the gas manifold. 
     
     
         19 . The shotgun of  claim 18 , wherein two action piston tubes are positioned on either side of the barrel. 
     
     
         20 . The shotgun of  claim 9 , wherein the recoil mass chamber is below the barrel. 
     
     
         21 . The firearm or shotgun of one of  claim 1  or  9 , wherein the design of the gas flow into the recoil mass chamber causes the recoil mass to move within about 0.0025 seconds from initial detection of firing impulse. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled)