US3282147A - Shotgun shell reloading press - Google Patents

Description

1, 1966 R. s. HAVOURD ETAL 3,232,147

SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADING PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 9, 1964 INVENTO R5 RICHARD 5. HA VOL/RD W/LL lA/Vl .5. W/NTON BY 64 m nme ATTORNEYS 1966 R. s. HAVOURD ETAL 3,282,147

SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADING PRESS 5 Sheecs heet 2 Filed Sept 1964 INVE ORS HA OaRD WILL/A M .S'. W NTON RICH RD s.

B 4 we WX TZNEYS 1956 R. s. HAVOURD ETAL 3,232,147

SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADING PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 9, 1964 all,

INVENTORS RICHARD HAVOURD W LL/AM W/NTON BY 10710.4

ATTORNEYS w &

tes

This invention relates to reloading of ammunition and more particularly to a reloader for shotgun shells.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a tool for reloading shotgun ammunition which is simple to use but insures accurate results in resizing, loading, wad pressurization and crimping of the shotshell case.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shotshell reloading tool which eliminates shell handling throughout the entire procedure from the step of resizing to final crimping.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shotshell reloading tool having simple and effective means for ejecting and discharging spent primers and inserting new primers.

It is also an object of this invention to provide improved means for uniformly pressurizing shotshell wads.

The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FlG. 1 is a perspective view showing a reloading tool embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 isa perspective view partly in section of ashotgun shell;

FIG. 3 shows a shotgun shell sizing die partly in section;

FIG. 4 shows a wad guide with parts cut away;

FIG. 5 is a partial front elevational View showing the reloading tool embodying this invention;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along line 66 of FIG. 5;

PEG. 7 is a partial side elevational view illustrating the primer ejection system of the reloading tool embodying this invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing the primer ejection system;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view showing the wad pressurizin g means embodying this invention;

FIG. 10 is a section taken along line 1tl-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a partial elevational view of the wad pressurizing system with the components thereof in different operative relationship; and

FIG. 12 is an elevational view showing the sizing die extractor system of the reloading tool embodying this invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 is shown an overall view of a shotgun shell reloading tool or press embodying this invention. In general the press comprises a base 12 by which the unit may be securely attached to a supporting surface, such as work bench or the like. As shown, the base is bolted to a supporting bench b by means of screws or bolts 14. A tubular rod or shaft 16 extends upwardly from a socket 17 (FIG. 7) in the base and provides support for a turret 18 and a slide for ram 20. The turret is rotatably mounted on the shaft 16 and provides support means for a plurality of individual tools used in the shotshell reloading process. A shell s, shown in FIG. 1, is carried to and from the turret by means of the ram 2i). The ram slidably disposed on the post 16 is raised and lowered by an operating lever 22 in a manner to be described below.

Disposed above the turret 18, adjacent the upper end of the rod 16, is the powder and shot charging assembly atent 0 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 lCe indicated generally at 24. The assembly includes one hopper 26 for the shot and a second hopper 28 for the powder which are selectively charged into the shotshell carried on the arm.

A general understanding of the construction of a shotshell is considered a prerequisite to a full understanding of the shotshell press embodying this invention. As shown in FIG. 2, a shotshell consists of a base 30 usually formed of brass or steel. A tube 32, usually paper or plastic, extends upwardly from the base. The upper end of the tube is folded or crimped inwardly closing the mouth of the shell as shown at 34. The primer 36 is fitted into the base 30 and a base wad 38 surrounds the primer 36. The powder 40 is disposed within the case and directly over the powder is a wad 42 which serves as a pressure seal and assists in proper burning of the powder so that correct pressures are produced. This wad is usually made of a cardboard-like material or plastic. An important factor in the performance of reloaded shotgun shells is the pressurization of the powder charge by the Wad 42. Superimposed over the powder wad 42 is a cushion or filler wad 44. This wad is also known as the under-shot wad. The under-shot wad cushions the explosion of the powder to reduce recoil and distortion of the shot pellets and also provides filler so that, after the shot charge is placed in the shell, a sufiicient length of tube wall remains for proper crimping. The undershot wad may be made of various resilient materials including fiber, felt, cork and the like. The shot pellets 46 are disposed above the wad 44. The load depends on the use to be made of the shells being loaded, and various sizes of shot are available. The upper end of the shotshell is closed by the crimps 34. To make perfect crimps the contents, i.e., the powder, wads and shot of the reloaded shell must be such that after the case is charged with the shot pellets a predetermined length of the case wall extends above the upper surface of the pellets.

To reload a shotshell, as shown in FIG. 2, the press, as shown in FIG. 1, includes three circumferentially spaced stations on the turret 18, the first station shown generally at 50 is for resizing the shotshell, depriming the old shell and repriming. Station II shown generally at 52 serves for powder charging, wad seating and shot charging, including proper wad pressure adjustment. Station III shown at 54 crimps and ejects the loaded shell from the sizing die 56, FIGS. 1 and 3.

The sizing die is formed of two parts, namely, a tubular sleeve 55 and a hardened steel resizing ring 57. The inner diameter of the sleeve is tapered, corresponding to a shotgun chamber and serves to prevent expansion of the shotshell tube wall during reloading and wad pressurizing. As shown, the upper edge 58 of the ring 57 extends inwardly to retain the ring and sleeve in assembled relation. The ring 57 is dimensioned for a floating or slightly loose fit on the lower end of the sleeve 55. The lower flange 59, of the rings 57, has an internal diameter d accurately dimensioned to resize the metallic base of the shotshell. At the bottom, the flange 59 includes a lip 59 beveled on its outer surface to interfit with a correspondingly shaped recess in shell holder 68 carried on ram 2% as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. With this arrangement, the sizing die ring 57 is effective to resize the brass base of shotshells down to the rim thereof. Furthermore, with this two part construction of the sizing die, the ring 57 is capable of alignment independently of the sleeve 55. It will thus be realized that the operation of the sizing ring 57 is independent of slight misalignment of the sleeve 55 such as might be caused by im-perfections' or inaccuracies in the tube portion of a shotshell.

The reloading tool is operated by the operating handle 22 which extend from a bar 60, rotatably supported by base 12. A pair of rods 62 (FIG. 7) extend radially from the bar 60, the rods 62 are disposed on opposite sides of the upright portion of the base 12. Pivotably connected to each of the rods 62, adjacent their outer ends, is a connecting link 64 shOWn in FIGS. 1, and 7. The opposite end of each connecting link 64 is pivotably connected to the ram or press 26 by means of a pin 66. With this arrangement, as the operating lever 22 is swung forward and downward, the bar 60 i rotated carrying the bars 62 whereby the ram is raised by the connecting links 64. The base also includes a primer cup 63 which extends from its upper surface directly below the ram. The cup is supported on the upper end of a spring 65 which is disposed around a post 67 extending upwardly from the base 12. As the ram is lowered, the cup is moved downwardly compressing spring 65 and the upper end of the upright post 67 serves to seat the primer in the shell.

The shell carrying ram 21 operates on the shaft 16 which is supported in socket 17 provided in the base 12. As mentioned, the shaft 16 is tubular and extends from the base 12 upwardly through the turret 18 and its upper end supports the powder and shot charging assembly 24. The ram 20 is provided with a shell holder 68 (FIGS. 9 and 10) having a counterbore into which fits the rim of a shotgun shell. The flange 71, forming the counterbore is tapered outwardly and upwardly so as to interfit with the tapered lower lip of the sizing die. The shell holder has a central opening or hole 69 to permit ejection and insertion of primer as described. As a preliminary step to reloading, the shotgun shell is first inserted into a sizing die 56, as shown in FIG. 3.

The turret 18 includes a bore 70, FIG. 6, which receives the post 16. The turret is pivotably held in a fixed axial position on the shaft 16 by means of collars 72 held in place entire post 16 by any suitable means such as set screws 74. The hub portion 73 of the turret extends upwardly from the surface of the turret and is provided on its upper surface with a plural ity of circumferentially spaced cavities or recesses 75 corresponding in number and location to a number of circumferentially spaced holes 76 for securing to the turret various tools and dies to be used in the resizing operation. A spring loaded ball 7'7 is carried in the upper collar 72 and functions with the recess '75 to provide a detent arrangement for accurately registering the tools, carried by the turret, with the shell carried by the ram. The turret can then be rotated in a series of steps from one circumferential position to the next.

In the embodiment shown, three tool elements extend downwardly from the undersurface of the turret 18. Of course, a greater or lesser number of tools can be employed since five tool locations are provided, As shown, the first of these, previously referred to as Station I, is represented generally at 511. To use a tool mounted at this station, the turret is rotated so that the tool is vertically disposed over the shotshell carried on the ram 21). The turret detent arrangement assures accurate registration. At the first station, a decapping punch 82 exends downwardly within a cylindrical shell 84. The diameter of the shell 84 is such as to receive the upper end of the sizing die 56 until the lower end of the shell 84 comes into contact with a rib or flange 86 on a sizing die. By downward operation of the lever 22 the sizing die is thus forced downwardly over the base 30 of the shotgun shell. By forcing the sizing die over the shell base 30 (FIG. 2) in this manner the shell is resized. At the same time, the punch 82 forces the old primer out of shell base. The spent primer is carried by a chute 86 (FIGS. 7 and 8) into the tubular rod 16 through a longitudinal slot 88 in the wall of the rod. The chute 86, rod 16 and box 90 serve as an ejected primer disposal system.

The primer disposal or ejection system comprising chute 8-6 is pivota'bly mounted on a pin 92 extending across the interior of tubular rod 15. A spring 93 urges the chute upwardly to the position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Downward movement of the ram 20 moves the chute 86 down against the pressure of spring 93. The chute is thus swung through slot 88 into the shaft 16. As the ram is raised, the chute 86 is automatically swung upwardly by spring 93 ready to receive the next expended primer. A skirt or baflie plate 94 extends downwardly from the chute pivot pin 92 and eliminates the possibility of spent primers being deflected outwardly through the longitudinal slot 88.

After depriming and resizing the shell, the operating lever 22 is raised, returning the ram 20 to its lower position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. With a new primer disposed in primer cup 63, the shell is reprimed by firm upward movement of arm 22, the primer being inserted through hole 69 in the center of shell holder 63, FIG. 10. Turret 18 may then be rotated to the next position, bringing station 52 in vertical alignment with shell s. In this position, feed spout 95 of the charging assembly is disposed directly above a funnel 96 which is fitted into feed tube 100 (FIG. 5). The funnel can be raised to the spout 95 to eliminate the possibility of spilling powder or shot. The tube 100 is supported in socket 80, extending upwardly from turret 18, by means of a nut 102 screwed onto the threaded upper end of the tube 101 The feed tube extends upwardly through an opening 104 in the socket 80. Powder may be charged into the shell s at this time by moving charging bar 105 from P to S and powder is fed through funnel 96 and tube 100 into the shell. The ram may then be lowered and wads are placed in the wad guide 112. The ram is then raised again to pressurize the wad.

The pressurization system includes a compression spring 1116 seated in the socket 811 between its upper wall and radial flange 105 on the feed tube 100. The feed tube 100 is threaded for a portion of its length below flange 105 receiving a cylindrical sleeve having an annular flange or ring 111 at its lower end which serves as a wad pressure adjusting ring in a manner to be described.

Removably telescoped over the lower end of the tube 189 is the wad guide 112, shown also in FIG. 4. Flexible metal fingers 113 clamp onto the tube 180 to hold the wad guide in place on the tube and guide the wad into the shotshell. As the ram 20 is raised by the operating lever 22, the lower end of the tube 100 engages the wad E4 and forces it into the shell s. Continued movement of arm 22 simultaneouslycompresses wad 44 and spring 106 Compression of the spring can be continued until the flange 111 of the sleeve 110 engages the lower surface of the turret plate 18, thus providing a positive stop. A pressurization scale is imprinted on the upper end of the tube 100 and the correct wad pressure is obtained by moving the operating handle 22 until the correct pressure reading on the pressurization scale is registered with the upper surface of the turret, as shown in FIG. 9. The scale shows the extent of compression of spring 1% caused by the lower end of feed tube 100 compacting the wad and powder column in shell s. With the ram held in the correct position, ring 111 is then rotated to move it downward until it contacts the top edge of wad guide 112. When the flange is engaged with the upper edge of the wad guide 112, it is in turn seated in the top edge of sizing die 56. The distance the tube extends into shotshells is thereafter limited to predeterrnined distance a, as shown in FIG. 9. Since there is a continuous column of metal from the shell holder 68 to the flange 105 of tube 180, ram 20 can be elevated pressurized by moving the operating lever to raise the funnel 96 into proximity with the feed spout 95, a positive stop being provided by ring 111 contacting turret 18. It is thus unnecessary to observe the pressure scale.

After pressurization of the wad, the charging bar is moved from P to S, whereby shot is charged into the shell through funnel 96 and feed tube 100. The funnel may be raised to spout 95 to prevent spilling of any shot. The ram is then lowered and the turret swung to the next tool station for crimping of the upper end of the shell casing. At this station there is a crimping die 120 extending downwardly from the turret 18. Mounted on the outer surface of the crimping die 120 is a spring metal extractor arm 122 having a small projection for engaging the undersurface of rib or flange 86 provided on the sizing die 56. The arm 122 extends downwardly and outwardly from the die 120.

To assure uniform crimps, the ram 20 is fully raised and handle 22 is firmly pressed downwardly. Thereafter the ram may be lowered and extractor arm 122 is deflected inwardly against the sizing die 56. The projec tion 124 engages the rib 86 and holds it against any further movement. Thus, as movement of handle 22 is continued, the shell is extracted from the die during the terminal portion of the ram stroke. The finished reload may then simply be removed from the ram shell holder readying the press for the next reload. Another shell disposed in the die 56 is placed in the shell'holder 68 on ram 20. The turret 18 is rotated to its first position with die 84 registered above the shell. The shotshell press is now prepared for another cycle of operation.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed 1. A shotshell reloading press comprising a base, primer insertion means disposed on said base, a tubular post extending upwardly of said base, a turret disposed on said shaft in axially fixed relation above said base, a ram slidable on said post above said primer insertion means, mechanical means to move said ram in a stroke toward and away from said turret, said turret being rotatable on said shaft, means for mounting on said turret, in circumferentially spaced relation, a plurality of implements used in shotshell reloading, detent means for releasably retaining said turret in a plurality of angular positions in which each of said implements is in registered alignment with said ram, a shot and powder charging assembly fixedly disposed above said turret, said turret including a primer ejector, a combination powder charging and wad compacting tube, and a spring compressed by upward movement of said compacting tube, indicia on said tube indicating the compression of said spring, and positive stop means adjustable to limit said compression of said spring to a predetermined value shown by said indicia in compacting a wad but permitting unlimited compression of said spring in response to upward movement of said ram, whereby said tube is raised substantially above its wad compacting position for receiving a charge of shot, a crimping die including a shell extracting arm extending downwardly and outwardly of the outer surface of said crimping die, said arm being sufliciently flexible to be flexed into engagement with a sizing die carried on said ram to extract the shell from said sizing die by movement of said ram away from said turret.

2. In a shotshell reloading press having a rotatable turret and a reciprocable ram, a wad. pressurizing system comprising a socket formed on said turret, a combination feed and wad compaction tube disposed in said socket and extending downwardly therefrom, a spring seated between the upper end of said socket and a shoulder on said tube and compressed by upward movement of said tube, a scale on the upper end of said tube to indicate the extent of compression of said spring when said tube is pressurizing a wad, a sleeve threaded onto said tube below said turret and adjustable to limit the distance of insertion of said tube into a shotshell for a given spring compression at a desired reading on said scale but not limiting upward movement of the tube in response to ram movement whereby predetermined wad pressurization is obtained while enabling further compression of the spring by said ram in raising the feed tube to a charging position.

3. In a shotshell reloading press as set forth in claim 2 and in which a powder and shot charging system is disposed above said turret, and a funnel is disposed in the upper end of said tube, said funnel being carried upwardly by said tube when said ram is raised further compressing said spring, said funnel is disposed to receive a charge from said charging system but without further pressurizing said wad.

4. For use in a shotshell reloading press having a reciprocable ram, the combination comprising a shell 'holder carried by said ram having a counterbore slotted to receive thereon the rim of a shotshell, the flange forming said counterbore being tapered outwardly and upwardly and a sizing die comprising a tubular sleeve and a hardened ring tiltably carried on the lower end of said sleeve and dimensioned to resize the base of said shotshell, the lower edge of said ring being tapered to interfit with the taper of said shell holder.

5. For use in a shotshell reloading press as set forth in claim 4 in which said sleeve has an'internal configuration corresponding to the chamber of a shotgun for said shotshell.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,004,420 6/1935 Siebert et a1. 8623 2,660,085 11/ 1953 Swansick 8636 3,819,644 1/ 1958 Corcoran 8630 2,960,903 11/1960 Scott 8623 3,001,436 9/ 1961 Deitemeyer 8625 3,057,247 10/ 1962 Behrens 8625 3,097,560 7/1963 Ponsness et a1. 8629 3,105,408 10/1963 Bachhuber 86-25 BENJAMIN -A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

R. V. LOTTMANN, P. A. SHANLEY,

Assistant Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. A SHOTSHELL RELOADING PRESS COMPRISING A BASE, PRIMER INSERTION MEANS DISPOSED ON SAID BASE, A TUBULAR POST EXTENDING UPWARDLY OF SAID BASE, A TURRET DISPOSED ON SAID SHAFT IN AXIALLY FIXED RELATION ABOVE SAID BASE, A RAM SLIDABLE ON SAID POST ABOVE SAID PRIMER INSERTION MEANS, MECHANICAL MEANS TO MOVE SAID RAM IN A STROKE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID TURRET, SAID TURRET BEING ROTATABLE ON SAID SHAFT, MEANS FOR MOUNTING ON SAID TURRET, IN CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RELATION, A PLURALITY OF IMPLEMENTS USED IN SHOTSHELL RELOADING, DETENT MEANS FOR RELEASABLY RETAINING SAID TURRET IN A PLURALITY OF ANGULAR POSITIONS IN WHICH EACH OF SAID IMPLEMENTS IS IN REGISTERED ALIGNMENT WITH SAID RAM, A SHOT AND POWDER CHARGING ASSEMBLY FIXED DISPOSED ABOVE SAID TURRET, SAID TURRET INCLUDING A PRIMER EJECTOR, A COMBINATION POWDER CHARGING AND WAD COMPACTING TUBE, AND A SPRING COMPRESSED BY UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID COMPACTING TUBE, INDICIA ON SAID TUBE INDICATING THE COMPRESSION OF SAID SPRING, AND POSITIVE STOP MEANS ADJUSTABLE TO LIMIT SAID COMPRESSION OF SAID SPRING TO A PREDETERMINED VALUE SHOWN BY SAID INDICIA IN COMPACTING A WAD BUT PERMITTING UNLIMITED COMPRESSION OF SAID SPRING IN RESPONSE TO UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID RAM, WHEREBY SAID TUBE IS RAISED SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE ITS WAD COMPACTING POSITION FOR RECEIVING A CHARGE OF SHOT, A CRIMPING DIE INCLUDING A SHELL EXTRACTING ARM EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY OF THE OUTE SURFCE OF SAID CRIMPING DIE, SAID ARM BEING SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO BE FLEXED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH A SIZING DIE CARRIED ON SAID RAM TO EXTRACT THE SHELL FROM SAID SIZING DIE BY MOVEMENT OF SAID RAM AWAY FROM SAID TURRET.

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