This invention relates generally to firearms and more particularly to a charging handle associated therewith.
For many modern firearms, a charging handle is used to engage the bolt assembly of the firearm so that a preliminary cartridge is loaded into the action. This charging handle is typically mounted parallel with the bolt assembly and is manually operated to pull the bolt assembly to insert the first cartridge. Once the first cartridge is loaded, the charging handle is latched to the firearm as the firing of the first cartridge produces gas pressure to load the second and subsequent cartridges.
The charging handle utilizes a handle portion which was originally designed to be grasped by the operator using two fingers, one placed on each side of the pull rod. In the pulling action, the latch is pulled back into a slot in the handle portion, thereby releasing the charging handle so that it can be withdrawn to load the cartridge.
While this technique works well, it does require the use of two fingers and that the weapon be moved off target for the initial charging. To eliminate these problems, paddles or strike pads were added by extending them from the latch. In operation, the user, using one finger or the back of the hand, presses the paddle backwards while the weapon remains on target. This movement against the paddle releases the latch and pulls the charging handle backwards to load the weapon.
Unfortunately, this arrangement forces the latch to rotate abnormally with all of the force on the latch mechanism, thereby placing a great deal of stress on the pin used to secure the latch to the handle portion. This stress manifests itself in rapid metal fatigue of the pin and a twisting motion in the latch.
It is clear there is a need for an improved charging handle.
The invention relates to a charging handle assembly for a firearm. Those of ordinary skill in the art readily recognize the use of a charging handle. Examples of such apparatus are described in: U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,598, entitled “Gas-Operated Rifle System” issued to Schuetz on Oct. 4, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,940, entitled “Gas-Operated M16 Pistol” issued to Schuetz et al. on Sep. 12, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,179, entitled “Bolt Carrier” issued to Young on Sep. 3, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,569, entitled “Gas-Operated Rifle System” issued to Schuetz on Mar. 19, 1996; and, U.S. Pat. No. 7,461,581, entitled “Self-Cleaning Gas Operating System for a Firearm” issued to Leitner-Wise on Dec. 9, 2008, all of which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
The invention is an assembly which includes a handle mechanism having a pull rod to engage an action of a firearm. At one end of the assembly is a handle allowing the operator to manually operate the charging mechanism. On the handle portion of the charging handle is a stop surface.
A latch mechanism is rotationally secured to the handle and is meant to be manually activated to disengage the mechanism from the firearm, thereby allowing the charging handle to be pulled to load the weapon with a cartridge. The latch mechanism is secured to the handle via a pin.
When the latch mechanism is moved to an open position, a surface of the latch mechanism contacts the stop surface of the handle mechanism. In this manner, pressure from the user's operation of the charging handle is transferred from the pin to the contact between the latch mechanism and the stop surface.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a second stop surface is also used on the handle portion. This second stop surface engages a secondary portion of the latch substantially simultaneously with the contact between the initial stop surface and the latch mechanism.
This preferred embodiment significantly strengthens the charging handle so that metal fatigue and torque is all but eliminated.
A spring mechanism is used to maintain the latch mechanism in a closed position. The spring is held within a cavity of the handle and presses against a surface of the latch mechanism.
The invention, together with various embodiments thereof will be more fully explained by the accompanying drawings and the following description thereof.
The handle mechanism has a handle portion 10 which is designed to be gripped using two fingers in the traditional embodiment. A rod 11 extends to the hook mechanism 12 which is designed to engage the action of the firearm.
As the handle is withdrawn, the hook mechanism engages the bolt mechanism of the firearm and loads a cartridge into the chamber of the firearm.
Hole 13 is used to affix the latch mechanism to the handle mechanism.
These two embodiments are very similar in general construction. Paddles 21A and 21B permit operator pressure to engage the charging handle to that rotation occurs around a pin positioned through hole 22A and 22B. A pin, not shown, secures the latch mechanisms to the hole 13 and handle mechanism described in
The embodiments of
The difference between the embodiment of
Note the surfaces 25A and 25B of the two embodiments. These surfaces are designed to engage a stop surface on the handle mechanism during the operator's movement of paddles 21A and 21B, thereby checking the movement so that undue torque is not imparted into the pin within holes 22A and 22B.
As with the embodiments described in
In this embodiment, surfaces 33 are used to check the rotational movement of the latch mechanism, and a second surface 32 is also used to engage a stop surface on the handle portion of the handle mechanism. Surface 33 and surface 32 are configured to engage their respective stop surfaces at the same time, to provide even more durability for the assembly since torque caused during operator operation of paddle 31 is spread to the surfaces 33 and surface 32.
This rotation around pin 43 results in the arrangement illustrated in
When the operator releases pressure 42A, spring 44B, now in a compressed state, cause the latch mechanism to rotate forward so that hook 46B is again positioned to engage the firearm.
In this manner, minimal torque is applied to pin 43 as the rear surface of latch mechanism 41B and stop surface 45 bear the majority of the pressure caused by the operator during operation of the charging handle.
In this embodiment of the invention, latch mechanism 50 has reservoirs 52 positioned along it rear surface as first described relative to
In another embodiment, the purging openings are below the reservoirs, allowing gravity to expunge the debris collected in the reservoirs.
The present invention provides for a highly improved charging handle
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20110005372 A1 | Jan 2011 | US |