FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a cartridge ignition apparatus and more specifically, but not exclusively, to a cartridge ignition apparatus for forensic analysis. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Firearms are used by criminals in the commission of various crimes. When a firearm is discharged during a crime, it is common practice for law enforcement officials to collect forensic evidence relating to the discharge of the firearm. Such evidence may include trajectories of fired bullets, empty cartridge cases, the actual firearm (if recovered), and also so-called gunshot residue (GSR) from the crime scene and from hands and clothing of the criminal or a suspect.

In the forensic investigation, it is often necessary to discharge firearm ammunition from various sources to check whether the cartridge is viable or to conduct comparative analyses thereon. Usually, this involves firing the ammunition using a suitable firearm. Such firearm would have to be procured or be obtained through administrative procedures. This adds to the cost of the analyses or increases the administrative burden on forensic analysts. Additionally, the firearm would have to be discharged by a trained analyst or official in a controlled environment and would thereafter have to be properly stored and/or disposed of. Considering that this procedure is applicable to a very large number of possible calibres, it is easy to see that it is a very cumbersome and inefficient process.

The procedure described above is also applicable to training new forensic officials. It is inherently dangerous for trainees to handle firearms and inexperienced trainees may be placed in danger. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a cartridge ignition apparatus which, at least partially, alleviates the problems associated with the prior art or provides a useful alternative thereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention there is provided a cartridge ignition apparatus comprising: a base with a plurality of cartridge holders extending from the base; each cartridge holder being shaped and sized for holding a firearm cartridge; a firing pin guide for operatively aligning and guiding a firing pin aligned to the cartridge holder; a striker for striking the firing pin, which is operatively aligned to the firing pin, and movable between a primed position, wherein the striker is primed for striking, and a striking position, wherein the striker strikes the firing pin; and biasing means for biasing the striker in the primed position towards the striking position such that when the striker is moved to and released from the primed position the striker moves toward the striking position and strikes the firing pin.

The striker may be removably attached to the base through a support. The support may be removably attached to the base through a key at the base of the support which may be inserted into a corresponding hole in the base.

The striker may include an elongated lever with a head at one end of the lever which is pivotally attached to the support.

The striker is in the primed position when pivotally raised relative to the base and the striker is in the striking position when the head of the striker engages the firing pin. The head may be cylindrical.

The firing pin guide may include a guiding body with a cylindrical bore for guiding a cylindrical portion of the firing pin and the guiding body is attached to the support through an arm such that the sleeve is aligned to the head of the striker in the striking position.

The firing pin guide and arm may be aligned to a plane of pivotal movement of the striker lever such that the head of the striker engages the firing pin when the lever is aligned to the base.

The biasing means may at least partially be provided by gravity acting upon the striker. The biasing means may include a spring.

The spring may be located between the arm and the lever.

Each cartridge holder may have a central bore with a diameter which corresponds to case diameter of a specific cartridge.

The apparatus may include five cartridge holders arranged at regular intervals in a circular pattern. The base may include five key holes arranged in at regular intervals in a circular pattern inverse to the pattern of the cartridge holders such that each key hole has an opposite corresponding cartridge holder.

The key and key holes may be shaped and sized to allow the key to be inserted in a single orientation.

The single orientation may be such that the striker and firing pin guide are aligned to the corresponding opposite cartridge holder.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of igniting a cartridge comprising the steps of: providing a cartridge ignition apparatus according to any of the preceding claims; inserting a cartridge into one of the cartridge holders of the apparatus; aligning the firing pin guide to the cartridge; inserting a firing pin into the firing pin guide such that one end thereof engages a primer of a cartridge and another end thereof protrudes from the guide; moving the striker to the primed position and releasing the striker such that the biasing means moves the striker from the primed position to the striking position where the striker strikes the firing pin and the firing pin strikes and ignites the primer of the cartridge.

The method includes the step of removing a projectile and propellant from the cartridge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention is described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a cartridge ignition apparatus;

Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a cartridge ignition apparatus in a striking position; and

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a cartridge ignition apparatus in a primed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the drawings in which like features are indicated by like numerals, a cartridge ignition apparatus is generally indicated by reference numeral 1. The apparatus 1 includes a base 2 which is substantially flat and circular. The base 2 has a plurality of, in the case of the current example five, cartridge holders 3 which are shaped and sized to hold and engage a firearm cartridge 4. The cartridge 4 is engaged by a central bore 5 which has a diameter which corresponds to the largest outer diameter of the case, excluding the rim, of a specific firearm cartridge. For example, if the cartridge holder is intended for use with a 9x19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge, which has a tapered body with a base diameter of 9.93mm and a neck diameter of 9.65mm, the bore 5 diameter would correspond, or typically be slightly larger than, 9.93mm. Similarly, if the cartridge holder 3 is shaped and sized for use with a .45 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP) cartridge, which has a case diameter of 12.1mm, the central bore 5 of the cartridge holder 3 would have a corresponding or slightly larger diameter (provided that the bore 5 should not be larger than the rim of the cartridge). In the current example, the circular base 2 has five cartridge holders 3 extending from the base 2. The cartridge holders are arranged in a circular pattern at regular intervals which forms a pentagonal pattern. The apparatus 1 includes a firing pin guide 6 for aligning and guiding a firing pin 7. The guide 6 keeps the firing pin 7 in place in order to align and guide the firing pin 7 to a primer 8 of the cartridge 4 (as shown in the figures). The apparatus 1 also includes a striker (generally indicated by reference numeral 9) for striking the firing pin 7. The striker is movable between a primed position (shown in figure 3), wherein the striker is primed for striking, and a striking position (shown in figures 1 and 2), wherein the striker strikes the firing pin. The striker 9 and guide 6 are removably attached to the base 2 through a support 10. The guide 6 is attached to the support 10 through arm 11 which is fixed to the guide 6 and the support 10. The striker 9 has a head 12 and a lever 13 which pivotally attaches the striker 9 to the support through pin 14. The pivotal connection of the striker 9 to the support 10 allows movement thereof in a plane which is aligned to the fixed arm 11. This ensures that the striker 9 will always be aligned to the arm such that the head 12 will align and be concentric with the guide 6 and consequently the firing pin 7.

The support 10 engages the base through a key (not shown), in the current example in the form of a cylindrical pin, at the base of the support 10 which may be inserted into a corresponding hole 15. This removably secures the support 10, and consequently the guide 6 and striker 9, to the base 2. The striker 9 may be moved to the primed position by pivotally raising the head 12 away from the base 2 (as shown in figure 3). The striker 9 is in the striking position when it strikes and engages the firing pin 7 (as shown in figures 1 and 2).

The apparatus 1 includes biasing means for biasing the striker 9 in the primed position towards the striking position such that when the striker 9 is moved to and released from the primed position the head 12 of the striker 9 moves toward the striking position and strikes the firing pin 7. The biasing means is at least partially provided by gravity acting on the striker 9. Specifically, the head 12 is made of solid metal in order to increase the mass and consequently the gravitational force acting upon the striker 9. The apparatus 1 may also include a spring (not shown) which contributes to the biasing means if a greater bias is required. In the arrangement shown in the figures, the spring will typically be located between the arm 11 and the lever 13 to bias the striker 9 towards the striking position.

In the example described herein, the base 2 includes five key holes 15 which are arranged in a circular pattern at regular intervals in a circular pattern inverse to the pattern of the cartridge holders 3 such that each key hole 15 has an opposite corresponding cartridge holder 3. In such case it may be useful to have a key and key holes 15 which are shaped and sized to allow the key to be inserted in a single orientation wherein the striker 9 and guide 6 are aligned to the corresponding opposite cartridge holder 3.

In use, the apparatus 1 will typically be used to check the validity or viability of a cartridge or to extract primer residue from a cartridge 4 for forensic analysis. An operator will first manually remove the projectile and propellant from the cartridge 4 to be ignited and then insert the cartridge 4 into a cartridge holder of the base 2 which has a bore 5 which suits the cartridge.

The operator will then insert the key of the support 10 into a opposite corresponding key hole 15 such that the guide 6 and striker 9 are aligned to the chosen cartridge holder 3. The operator will then move the striker 9 to the primed position and insert the firing pin into the guide 6 such that one end of the firing pin 7 engages the primer 8 of the cartridge 4 and another end thereof protrudes from the guide 6. The operator may then optionally slowly lower the striker 9 to softly engage the firing pin such that any necessary safety precautions may be taken before the cartridge 4 is ignited. If all is in order the operator will move the striker 9 to the primed position (either by raising the head 12 or by pulling down the lever 13 on the opposing side of the pin 4. When the striker is released from the primed position, the head 12 pivotally moves through the biasing means towards the striking position. When the head 12 reaches the striking position, it strikes the firing pin 7, which in turn strikes the primer 8 and ignites the cartridge. This will confirm the viability of the cartridge and the resultant ignition will release the primer 8 residue which may be collected and extracted to be used as evidence or in further analysis.

It is envisaged that the invention will provide a cartridge ignition apparatus which negates the need to use firearms for checking the validity of cartridge or extraction of primer residue for evidentiary or analysis purposes. The apparatus also ensures that cartridges may safely be ignited or discharged by trainees without the use of a corresponding firearm. The plurality of cartridge holders allows multiple calibres and cartridges to be ignited using a single apparatus negating the need, and associated cost, time, safety issues, and associated administration involved with procuring and administering multiple calibre firearms. The invention is not limited to the precise details as described herein. For example, instead of a circular flat base, a square, rectangular, or hollow base may be used. Further, instead of having five cartridge holders, any suitable number may be employed. The striker need not be pivotally movable and may employ a collinear or inline mechanism, along with suitable biasing means, in order to achieve the same effect.