TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a self-adjusting clamping system to capture and hold a recoil lug of a bolt style receiver of a firearm relative to a chassis or rifle stock.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Existing gun stocks do not adjust to angularity differences in the mated connection of the recoil lug of the receiver and the stock bedding unless custom epoxy or resin is applied to fill the angularity gap. This can cause the receiver to flex under recoil when the rifle is fired. This flexing motion can cause a harmonic whip in the barrel of the rifle that can throw the projectile off the intended trajectory. The flex in the receiver can also change the angularity between the back of the projectile cartridge and the bolt face. This angularity difference can also cause the bullet to project off the intended trajectory. This new system allows the stock to adjust to the angle of the recoil lug, thus eliminating the angularity difference between the two mated surfaces and increasing accuracy without custom epoxy or resin bedding work.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is embodied by a self-adjusting clamping system for a firearm including a bolt style receiver and a chassis having a recess therein. The receiver includes a lower portion having an outwardly extending recoil lug having a front surface and a rear surface. The lower portion of the receiver and recoil lug are received within the recess of the chassis.
The firearm assembly of the first embodiment also includes an anvil block and a tightening system. The anvil block has a front surface and rear surface. The front surface of the anvil block is configured to contact and confront the rear surface of the recoil lug. The rear surface of the anvil block is outwardly rounded and closely conforms to a first surface of the chassis recess.
The tightening system is at least partially wedge-shaped and has a front surface that is angled and closely conforms to a second surface of the chassis recess. The tightening system also has a rear surface that is configured to contact and closely confront the front surface of the recoil lug.
In one form of the first embodiment, the outwardly rounded rear surface of the anvil block is semi-cylindrical. In another form, the outwardly rounded rear surface of the anvil block is semi-spherical.
The tightening system may be a wedge block with an angled front surface and a planar rear surface. Alternatively, the tightening system may comprise a wedge outer form having an inner wedge form and an adjacent spacer that contacts and confronts the front surface of the recoil lug.
According to another aspect of the invention, the invention may include a means for holding the recoil lug and lower portion of the receiver within a recess of a chassis where the means may include an anvil block on one side of the recoil lug and a tightening system on the other end of the recoil lug, wherein both the anvil block, recoil lug, and tightening system are closely retained relative to each other within the recess of the chassis.
These and other advantages will become more apparent upon review of the drawings, the Detailed Description of the Invention, and the Claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a detail of the current embodiment of the clamping system for a recoil lug of a bolt style receiver, wherein the interrelationship of the bolt style receivers recoil lug, and the clamping system is demonstrated.
FIG. 2 depicts the current embodiment of the clamping system for a recoil lug of a bolt style receiver, as installed in its chassis.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the current embodiment of the assembly, detailing the fit of the bolt style receiver, with its associated recoil lug, into the chassis, and how the chassis and clamping system are related to accomplish the intended clamping of the recoil lug in a positive and exact location.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the current embodiment of the clamping system shown in FIG. 3, and is intended to provide an addition perspective of the assembly.
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of the current invention, demonstrating alternate changes to the clamping system and chassis.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the embodiment from FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The embodied by a self-adjusting clamping system to capture and hold a recoil lug of a bolt style receiver of a firearm relative to a chassis or rifle stock. A first embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and a second embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.
Referring to FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the invention, the clamping system for a recoil lug of a bolt style receiver 5 consists of a semi-cylindrical anvil block 1, with cylindrical side 101 and flat side 102, a spacer block 2 with flat parallel sides 103 and 104, a tightening system 3 with wedge shaped inner block 105 and outer wedged form 106, designed to capture and hold in place the recoil lug 4 of a bolt style receiver 5, along recoil lug surfaces 107 and 108. The wedge angles of the inner block 105 may range from 30 to 60 degrees. The outer wedged form 106 may include an inner angled surface that is generally complementary to the wedge angles of the inner block 105. The outer wedged form 106 may also include an outer lip as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4.
Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen how semi-cylindrical anvil block 1, spacer block 2 and tightening system 3 fit into chassis 6 such that cylindrical side 101 of semi-cylindrical anvil block 1 contacts cylindrical depression 109 of chassis 6, and one side 106 of tightening system 3 seats against edge 110 of chassis 6.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen how bolt receiver 5 can be inserted into chassis 6 in the normal fashion, causing recoil lug 4 to insert between semi-cylindrical anvil block 1 and spacer block 2, bringing surface 108 of recoil lug 4 into contact with flat side 102 of semi-cylindrical anvil block 1 and forward edge 107 of recoil lug 4 into near contact with edge 103 of spacer block 2. At this time semi-cylindrical anvil block 1 is capable of a small amount of rotation between its cylindrical side 101 and cylindrical depression 109 of chassis 6. By this small rotational motion, the flat side 102 of semi-cylindrical anvil block 1 can orient as necessary to come into complete contact with flat side 108 of recoil lug 4, thus compensating for any out-of-square condition of recoil lug 4 during its manufacture. This results in the most accurate clamping action possible for recoil lug 4. Final tightening of the system can be accomplished at this time. By tightening fastener 7, wedge shaped inner block 105 of tightening system 3 is drawn downward. This in turn causes both sides 106 of tightening system 3 to move apart, which in turn causes a compressive action through the components captured between surface 110 and cylindrical depression 109 of chassis 6. The result is that recoil lug 4 of bolt receiver 5 is held stationary, such that during the discharge of the firearm and subsequent recoil, no movement of the bolt style receiver 5 can occur, independent of the chassis 6.
Another embodiment appears in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein the anvil block is configured as a partial sphere. This semi-sphere anvil block la serves the same purpose as the semi-cylindrical anvil block 1 of FIGS. 1 through 4, engaging the recoil lug 4 of the bolt style receiver 5 along sides 108 and 202, clamping the recoil lug 4 of bolt style receiver 5, in place during operation. In this embodiment the spherical surface 201 locates in the spherical depression 207 in chassis 6a, and can roll in its spherical engagement to come into full contact with the back side 108 of recoil lug 4 of bolt style receiver 5. Wedge block 3a has replaced tightening system 3 in this embodiment to engage the front edge 107 of recoil lug 4 against its surface 205. Wedge block 3a engages chassis 6a along angled wedge surface 206 at chassis angled surface 208, and when drawn downward in chassis 6a by tightening fastener 7, causes a compressive action through the components captured between surface 208 and spherical depression 207 of chassis 6a. Angled surface 206 may be in the range of 30 to 60 degrees. The result is that recoil lug 4 of bolt receiver 5 is held stationary, such that during the discharge of the firearm, and subsequent recoil, no movement of the bolt style receiver 5 can occur, independent of the chassis 6a.
The illustrated embodiments are only examples of the present invention and, therefore, are non-limitive. It is to be understood that many changes in the particular structure, materials, and features of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the self-adjusting recoil lug clamping system could be made as an insert that would be installed or molded around any rifle stock or other chassis system. Further, the half round anvil could be made to be an integral part of a receiver's recoil lug (and not a separate part). The chassis with its recess can be part of a rifle stock. Therefore, it is the Applicant's invention that its patent rights not be limited by the particularly embodiments illustrated and described herein, but rather by the following claims interpreted according to accepted doctrines of claim interpretation, including the Doctrine of Equivalents, Doctrine of Claim Differentiation, and Reversal of Parts.