A compressed gas-powered gun that has the same form factor as an AR-15, one of the most common automatic rifles on the market, is useful because it allows a user to practice with an AR-15-like gun without the need to purchase AR-15 ammunition or the need to go to a gun range for practice. It is challenging to build an accurate, efficient, compressed gas-powered gun that has the form factor of an AR-15.
The lower receiver 102 includes a trigger assembly 114 (designated in
The upper receiver 104 has a rear end 124 to which the compressed gas power source 106 can be coupled, and a front end 126 from which the barrel 108 extends. The upper receiver 104 also includes a gas path (discussed below in connection with
The first segment 202 of the gas path 200 includes an air source adapter 216 to which the gas bottle 106 can be coupled.
The air source adapter 216 has a boss 302 to release gas from the gas bottle 106 coupled to the air source adapter 216 and an outlet port 304 through which the released gas can flow.
The first segment 202 includes a transfer tube 306 coupled to the outlet port 304 of the air source adapter 216. The transfer tube 306 extends through the upper receiver 104 toward the front end 126 of the upper receiver 104. The transfer tube 306 is hollow.
As can be seen, the first segment 202 provides a gas path through the upper receiver 104 from the compressed gas power source 106, through the outlet port 304 of the air source adapter 216, and through the transfer tube 306 toward the front end of the upper receiver 126.
Returning to
The transfer bushing screw 228 fits through a channel 402 in the transfer bushing 226, as shown by the dashed arrow between
The transfer bushing 226 includes an inlet port 412 into which the transfer tube 306 can be inserted, providing the connection between the first segment 202 and the second segment 204 of the gas path 200. The transfer bushing 226 includes an outlet port 414 that mates with the valve 210, described in connection with
The transfer bushing 226 includes a transfer groove 416. The transfer groove 416 has an inlet tube 418 that is in fluid communication with the inlet port 412 and proceeds through the transfer bushing 226 as shown in
The left barrel-traversing groove 422 and the right barrel-traversing groove 424 are sealed by O-rings (not shown) that are installed in O-ring slots 406 and 408 when the transfer block 224 is assembled.
Thus, the second segment 204 of the gas path 200 begins at the input port 412, passes through the inlet tube 418, through the left barrel-traversing groove 424 and the right barrel-traversing groove 426, and through the outlet tube 426 to the outlet port 414 which provides a connection to the valve 210.
The valve 210 has a valve body 502 having an inside diameter 504, a striker end 506, and an inlet end 508. Note that the valve body 502 is transparent in
The valve 210 includes threads 526 that mate with corresponding threads (not shown) on the upper receiver 104 around the outlet port 414 on the transfer bushing 226. The outlet port 414 on the transfer bushing 226 compresses the spring 522 and urges the mushroom-shaped element 524 into sealing contact with the valve seal 520.
A path for gas through the valve 210 from the inlet end 508 to the outlet port 524 is created when pressure is exerted on the striker end 512 of the valve stem 510 of sufficient force to overcome the force of the valve spring 522 holding the mushroom-shaped element 514 against the valve seal 520. This valve-opening pressure is applied when the trigger is actuated, as described below.
The third segment 206 of the gas path 200 includes a channel 602 through the upper receiver 104, around the barrel 108 through a left barrel-traversing outlet channel 604 and a right barrel-traversing outlet channel 606 to two barrel ports 608 and 610. The barrel 108 includes two input ports 612 and 614. The barrel 108 includes two O-ring grooves 616 and 618 that hold O-rings (not shown) to seal the gas path from the two barrel ports 608 and 610 in the upper receiver 104 to input ports 612 and 614 on the barrel. Gas that enters the barrel 108 through the two input ports 612 and 614 exits on either end of the barrel as shown by the heavy arrows in
The striker assembly 706 includes an intermediate striker 708, a cylindrical spring guide 710, a helical main spring 712, and a striker 714.
The intermediate striker 708 includes a lock face 816 in the longitudinal body 802. The lock face 816 faces the front end 804 of the longitudinal body 802, is transverse to the longitudinal spring guide orifice 810, and is set back from the rear end 806 of the longitudinal body 802. The cylindrical spring guide 710 is inserted into the longitudinal spring guide orifice 810 (as can be seen in
The trigger pack 702 includes the trigger element 704. The trigger element 704 includes a trigger body 902 and a trigger slot 904 to engage a trigger pin 906 coupled to the lower receiver 102 about which the trigger element 704 rotates. The trigger element 704 further includes a shelf-sear engagement arm 908 extending from the trigger slot 904, an adjustment screw 910 (two are shown—one is adjusted to have effect) extending from the shelf-sear engagement arm 908, an auto-sear-linkage engagement pin 912 coupled to the trigger body 902 frontward of the trigger slot 904, and a trigger spring (typically a torsion spring, not shown) engaged with the trigger body 902 urging the trigger element 704 into a before-firing position illustrated in
The trigger pack 702 includes a main sear 932. The main sear 932 has a main sear front end 934 and a main sear rear end 936. The main sear 932 includes a hook-shaped cutout 938 adjacent the main sear front end 934. The main sear 932 includes a slot 940 engaged with a main sear pin 942 coupled to the lower receiver 102. The main sear 932 includes a tab 944 having a rearward facing flat face 946 that engages the lock face 816 of the intermediate striker 708 when the main sear 932 is in a before-firing position. The tab 944 includes a forward facing ramped face 948. The main sear 932 includes a main-sear shelf 950 that engages the main-sear-supporting arm 922 of the shelf sear 916 when the main sear 932 is in the before-firing position.
The trigger pack 702 includes a main sear spring 952 coupled adjacent to the main sear rear end 936 that urges the main sear 932 to move and rotate about the main sear pin 942 as constrained by the slot 940 in the main sear 932.
The trigger pack 702 includes a trigger-to-auto-sear linkage 968 coupled to and rotatable around the auto-sear-linkage pin 920. The trigger-to-auto-sear linkage 968 includes a pusher arm 970 extending from the auto-sear-linkage pin 920 into an area between the main body 958 and the end piece 962 of the auto sear 954 and a pinned arm 972 from the auto-sear-linkage pin 920 at an obtuse angle θ from the pusher arm 970. The pinned arm 972 has a trigger-to-auto-sear-linkage slot 974 that engages with the auto-sear-linkage engagement pin 912.
In one or more embodiments, the auto sear 954 includes a second cross piece 960a and a second end piece 962a and the trigger pack 702 includes a second trigger-to-auto sear linkage (not shown) coupled to and rotatable around the auto-sear-linkage pin 920. The second trigger-to-auto sear linkage (not shown) is on the opposite side of the main sear 932 from the trigger-to-auto-sear linkage 968. The second trigger-to-auto sear linkage (not shown) engages the auto sear 954 between the second cross piece 960a and the second end piece 962a and engages the auto-sear-linkage engagement pin 912 in the same way that the trigger-to-auto-sear linkage 968. The interaction between the auto sear 954 and the trigger-to-auto sear linkage 968 and the second trigger-to-auto sear linkage (not shown) provides a balanced pull on the auto sear 954 when the trigger body 902 is pulled.
Moving the trigger body 902 from a before-firing position, shown in
As a result of the main-sear-supporting arm 922 no longer supporting the main sear 932, the intermediate striker 708 causes the main sear 932 to rotate such that the tab 944 on the main sear 932 no longer engages the lock face 816 of the intermediate striker 708, allowing the intermediate striker 708 to move to cause the striker 714 to engage the valve stem 510 to open the valve 210. After the intermediate striker 708 moves, the main sear spring 952 causes the main sear 932 to return to its before-firing position, illustrated in
The intermediate striker 708, upon being urged rearwardly by the bolt assembly 214 in a cocking action, engages the forward facing ramped face 948 of the main sear tab 944, causing the main sear 932 to deflect out of the path of the intermediate striker 708. The intermediate striker 708 compresses the main spring 712. The intermediate striker 708 then moves forwardly causing the lock face 816 of the intermediate striker 708 to engage the rearward facing flat face 946 of the main sear tab 944. This causes the main sear 932 to move forwardly, which causes the hook-shaped cutout 938 of the main sear 932 to engage with the shelf 964 of the auto sear 954.
Releasing the trigger causes the trigger body 902 to move from the after-firing position, illustrated in
The trigger assembly 114 includes a selector switch 976 having a lever element 978 coupled to a barrel element 980. The barrel element 980 has a shelf-sear detent 982 and a selector-switch-to-auto-sear-linkage detent 984. As can be seen in
The selector switch has three selectable positions. The first position is a safety position (the selector switch's position in
The second position is a semi-automatic position in which the selector switch 976 is rotated counter-clockwise 90 degrees from the position shown in
The third position is an automatic position in which the selector switch 976 is rotated 180 degrees from the position shown in
The selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage 986 is rotatably coupled to the auto-sear pin 966 and has a bolt-engaging arm 988 and a selector-switch arm 990 that engages with the barrel element 980 of the selector switch 976. When the selector switch 976 is in the automatic position, the selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage 986 is deflected upward from the position shown in
Moving the selector switch 976 to the automatic position prevents the selector-switch-to-auto-sear-linkage detent 984 from engaging the selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage 986 so that the bolt-engaging arm is in a bolt-engaging position.
Moving the selector switch 976 to the semi-automatic position causes the selector-switch-to-auto-sear-linkage detent 984 to engage the selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage 986 so that bolt-engaging arm 988 is in a non-bolt-engaging position. In this position, the bolt assembly 214 engages the bolt-engaging arm 988 of the selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage 984 after the bolt assembly 214 achieves a bolt lock condition causing the auto sear 954 to move from the after-firing-position, shown in
The selector switch 1016 of the alternative trigger pack 1002 has a lever element 1060 coupled to a barrel element 1062. The barrel element 1062 has a shelf-sear detent 1064 and an ALC detent 1066. As can be seen in
The selector switch 1016 has three selectable positions. The first position (the position shown in
The second position is a semi-automatic position in which the selector switch 1016 is rotated counter-clockwise 90 degrees (as seen along the view lines 10K and 10L shown in
The third position is an automatic position in which the selector switch 1016 is rotated 180 degrees from the position shown in
In the ready-to-fire position shown in
When the trigger element 1004 is pulled, the adjustment screw 910 presses against the shelf sear 1008, causing the shelf sear 1008 to rotate around the shelf sear pivot pin 1070, which causes the shelf sear 1008 to fall out from under the main sear 1006, as described above. The energy stored in the main spring 712 against the intermediate striker 708 overcomes the force of the lift spring 1014 holding the main sear 1006 against the intermediate striker 708. As a result, the main sear 1006 is deflected out of the path of the intermediate striker 708, which moves forwardly and strikes the striker 714. The striker 714 depresses the valve stem 510, causing the valve 210 to open.
The shelf sear pin 1070, which extends from both sides of the shelf sear 1008, is coupled to the actuator 1010 through the pivot hole 1028 on the first bent arm 1020 and through the pivot hole 1030 on the second bent arm 1026 of the actuator 1010 (See
Two of the constraints of the AR-15 trigger assembly form factor, illustrated in
The AR-15 trigger assembly form factor is also constrained, as shown in
The AR-15 trigger assembly form factor is also constrained, as shown in
The AR-15 trigger assembly form factor is also constrained by dimensions shown in
The bolt assembly 214 includes a first part 1202 and a second part 1204 that are separated by a small gap 1206 just prior to actuation of the trigger assembly 114. The first part 1202 and the second part 1204 become separated by a large gap, larger than the small gap, over a projectile-firing period of time immediately after the trigger assembly 114 is actuated. The increase in the gap size is caused by movement of the second part 1204 in response to gas entering the small gap 1206 from the output side 212 of the valve 210. The first part 1202 and the second part 1204 move together to cock the gun 100 once they are separated by the large gap.
The first part includes a bolt lock piston 1208.
The second part 1204 includes a bolt probe 1210. The second part 1204 includes a bolt lock regulator body 1212 coaxial to and fixedly coupled to the bolt probe 1210. The second part 1204 includes a bolt lock bushing 1214 coaxial to the bolt probe 1210, laterally fixed to the bolt probe 1210, and rotatable about the bolt probe 1210. The second part 1204 includes a cam pin 1216 fixedly coupled to the bolt lock bushing 1214. The second part 1204 includes a torsion spring 1218 coupled between the bolt lock regulator body 1212 and the bolt lock bushing 1214 that biases the bolt lock bushing 1214 to rotate about the bolt probe 1210.
The bolt assembly 214 further includes a cylindrical bolt carrier 1220 fixedly coupled to the bolt lock piston 1208. The cylindrical bolt carrier has a cam slot 1222. The cam pin 1216 extends through the cam slot 1222 and the L-shaped slot 116, as shown in
The torsion spring 1218 biases the cam pin 1216 within cam slot 1222 and the L-shaped slot 116 along the long leg of the L-shaped slot 118, toward the junction 120, and, guided by the cam slot 1220, into the short leg 122.
The bolt probe 1210 is coupled to a source of pressurized gas, such as the gas path 200, at one end, and to a poppet valve 1224 within the bolt lock regulator body 1212 at the other end. The poppet valve 1224 separates a pressurized chamber 1226 in the bolt lock regulator body 1212 (inside the bolt probe 1210) from a pressurizable chamber 1228 between the bolt lock regulator body 1212 and the bolt lock piston 1208. The pressurizable chamber 1228 is sealed within the cylindrical bolt carrier 1220 by a valve spring 1230 and an O-ring 1232.
The poppet valve 1224 includes a spring 1234 and a hollow set screw 1236. Rotation of the hollow set screw 1236 adjusts a tension in the spring 1234 and a pressure required to open the poppet valve 1224 so that the pressurized chamber 1226 communicates with the pressurizable chamber 1228.
The hollow set screw 1236 provides gaseous communication from the pressurizable chamber 1226 to the gap 1206 between the bolt lock regulator body 1212 and the bolt lock piston 1208.
In operation, pressure from gas released from the gas path 200, indicated by the heavy arrow pointing to the right in
The pressurization of the pressurizable chamber 1228 causes the bolt lock piston 1208 to move relative to the bolt lock regulator body 1212. The cylindrical bolt carrier 1220 is secured to the bolt lock piston 1208 and moves with it. Movement of the cylindrical bolt carrier 1220 causes the cam pin 1216 (secured to the bolt lock bushing 1214, which is itself secured to the bolt probe 1210 in such a way that the bolt lock bushing 1214 can rotate around the bolt probe 1210 but cannot translate relative to the bolt probe 1210) to move following a ramped edge 1240 of the cam slot 1222. The rotation of the bolt lock bushing 1214 and movement of the cam pin 1216 along the ramped edge of the cam slot 1222 is resisted by the torsion spring 1218.
These movements can be seen by comparing
Further pressurization of the pressurizable chamber 1228 causes the bolt lock piston 1208 to move relative to the bolt lock regulator body 1212 increasing the size of the large gap 1302. These movements can be seen by comparing
At this point, the cam pin 1216 can move down the long leg 118 of the L-shaped slot 116. Thus, any further pressurization of the pressurizable chamber 1228 will cause the bolt lock piston 1208, the entire bolt assembly, including the bolt lock regulator body 1212, the bolt lock bushing 1214, the cam pin 1216, and the cylindrical bolt carrier 1220, to move rearwardly, i.e., to the right in
In the embodiment in
The alternative trigger pack 1002 includes the main sear 1006. The main sear 1006 has a main sear front end 1416 and a main sear rear end 1418. The main sear 1006 includes a main sear slot 1420 engaged with the main sear pin 1058 coupled to the lower receiver 102. The main sear 1006 includes a tab 1422 having a rearward facing flat face 1424 that engages the lock face 816 of the intermediate striker 708 when the main sear 1006 is in a before-firing position. The tab 1422 includes a forward facing ramped face 1426. The main sear 1006 includes a main-sear shelf 1428 that engages the main-sear-supporting arm 1404 of the shelf sear 1008 when the main sear 1006 is in the before-firing position, as shown in
The trigger pack 1002 includes the trigger element 1004. The trigger element 1004 includes a trigger body 1430 and a trigger slot 1432 to engage a trigger pin 1433 coupled to the lower receiver 102 about which the trigger element 1004 rotates. The trigger element 1004 further includes a shelf-sear engagement arm 1434 extending from the trigger slot 1430, the adjustment screw 910 (two are shown—one is adjusted to have effect) extending from the shelf-sear engagement arm 1434, the actuator engagement pin 1072 coupled to the trigger body 1428 frontward of the trigger slot 1432, and a trigger spring (typically a torsion spring, not shown) engaged with the trigger body 1428 urging the trigger element 1004 into the before-firing position illustrated in
In the semi-automatic mode, the alternative trigger pack 1002 proceeds through the positions shown in the following order:
In the automatic mode, the alternative trigger pack 1002 proceeds through the positions shown in the following order:
In one aspect, an apparatus includes a lower receiver having a trigger assembly. The apparatus includes an upper receiver, coupled to the lower receiver. The lower receiver has a bolt assembly and an L-shaped slot. The L-shaped slot has a long leg, a junction, and a short leg. The bolt assembly interacts with the L-shaped slot. The upper receiver has a rear end to which a compressed gas power source can be coupled. The upper receiver has a gas path from the compressed gas power source for firing a projectile through a barrel and for cocking the bolt assembly. The gas path is entirely contained by the upper receiver.
Implementations may include one or more of the following. The gas path may include a first segment. The first segment may provide a path for gas through the upper receiver toward a front end of the upper receiver, wherein the front end and rear end are on opposite ends of the upper receiver. The gas path may include a second segment coupled to the first segment. The second segment may provide a path for gas toward the rear end of the upper receiver to an input side of a valve that is actuatable by the trigger assembly. The gas path may include a third segment coupled to an output side of the valve. The third segment may provide a path for gas into a barrel coupled to the upper receiver and into the bolt assembly.
The first segment of the gas path may have an air source adapter, to which the compressed gas power source can be coupled. The air source adapter may have a boss to release gas from the compressed gas power source coupled to the air source adapter and an outlet port through which the released gas can flow. The first segment of the gas path may have a transfer tube coupled to the outlet port of the air source adapter. The transfer tube may extend through the upper receiver toward the front end of the upper receiver.
The second segment of the gas path may have a transfer block that provides a path for gas from an inlet port coupled to the transfer tube, through a transfer groove around a transfer bushing, which is coupled to the barrel, and out an outlet port toward the rear end of the lower receiver. The second segment of the gas path may have a connection from the outlet port of the transfer block to the input side of the valve.
The valve may have a valve body having an inside diameter, a striker end, and an inlet end. The valve may have a valve stem having a striker end protruding from the striker end of the valve body and having a mushroom-shaped element coupled adjacent an inlet end of the valve stem. A curved surface of the mushroom-shaped element may face the striker end of the valve stem. The valve may have a valve seal slidably coupled to the valve stem between the mushroom-shaped element and the striker end of the valve stem. The valve seal may seal against the inside diameter of the valve body. The valve may have a valve spring engaged with and urging the mushroom-shaped element against the valve seal. The valve may have an outlet port through the valve body. A path for gas through the valve from the inlet end to the outlet port may be created when pressure is exerted on the striker end of the valve stem of sufficient force to overcome the force of the valve spring holding the mushroom-shaped element against the valve seal.
The trigger assembly may be select-fire striker based and fit within select-fire hammer based trigger constraints.
The trigger assembly may include an intermediate striker. The intermediate striker may have a longitudinal body having a front end and a rear end. The intermediate striker may have a cocking cap screw projecting from and adjacent to the rear end of the longitudinal body. The intermediate striker may have a longitudinal spring guide orifice partially through the longitudinal body. The intermediate striker may have a main spring compression cavity coaxial with, and having a larger diameter than, the longitudinal spring guide orifice, and extending a main spring compression depth into the rear end of the longitudinal body. The intermediate striker may have a lock face in the longitudinal body, wherein the lock face faces the front end of the longitudinal body, is transverse to the longitudinal spring guide orifice, and is set back from the rear end of the longitudinal body. The trigger assembly may have may have a cylindrical spring guide inserted into the longitudinal spring guide orifice. The trigger assembly may have a helical main spring mounted on the spring guide and constrained on one end by an intermediate striker stop and contained on the other end by the main spring compression cavity. The trigger assembly may have a striker positioned between the intermediate striker and a valve stem on the valve.
The trigger assembly may have a trigger element. The trigger element may have a trigger body. The trigger element may have a trigger slot to engage a trigger pin coupled to the lower receiver about which the trigger element rotates. The trigger element may have a shelf-sear engagement arm extending from the trigger slot. The trigger element may have an adjustment screw extending from the shelf-sear engagement arm. The trigger element may have an auto-sear-linkage engagement pin coupled to the trigger body frontward of the trigger slot.
The trigger assembly may have a trigger spring engaged with the trigger body urging the trigger into a before-firing position.
The trigger assembly may have a shelf sear. The shelf sear may have an elongated body that rotates around an auto-sear-linkage pin coupled to the lower receiver. The shelf sear may have a main-sear-supporting arm adjacent to a front end of the shelf sear elongated body. The shelf sear may have an L-shaped element adjacent to a rear end of the shelf sear elongated body.
The trigger assembly may have a shelf sear spring coupled to the front end of the shelf sear elongated body that urges the shelf sear to rotate about the auto-sear-linkage pin.
The trigger assembly may have a main sear. The main sear may have a main sear front end and a main sear rear end. The main sear may have a hook-shaped cutout adjacent the main sear front end. The main sear may have a slot engaged with a main sear pin coupled to the lower receiver. The main sear may have a tab having a rearward facing flat face that engages the lock face of the intermediate striker when the main sear is in a before-firing position, and a forward facing ramped face. The main sear may have a main-sear shelf that engages the main-sear-supporting arm of the shelf sear when the main sear is in the before-firing position.
The trigger assembly may have a main sear spring coupled adjacent to the main sear rear end that urges the main sear to move and rotate about the main sear pin as constrained by the slot in the main sear.
The trigger assembly may have an auto sear. The auto sear may have a lower-case-h-shaped auto-sear body having a main body, a cross piece extending from the main body, and an end piece extending from the cross piece. The auto sear may have a shelf in an area between the main body and the cross piece. The auto sear may have an auto-sear pin coupled to the end piece.
The trigger assembly may have a trigger-to-auto-sear linkage coupled to and rotatable around the auto-sear-linkage pin. The trigger-to-auto-sear linkage may have a pusher arm extending from the auto-sear-linkage pin into an area between the main body and the end piece of the auto sear. The trigger-to-auto-sear linkage may have a pinned arm from the auto-sear-linkage pin at an obtuse angle from the pusher arm, the pinned arm having a trigger-to-auto-sear-linkage slot that engages with the auto-sear-linkage engagement pin.
Moving the trigger body from a before-firing position to an after-firing position may cause the adjustment screw extending from the shelf-sear engagement arm to engage the shelf sear and cause the shelf sear to rotate about the auto-sear-linkage engagement pin so that the main-sear-supporting arm no longer supports the main sear, and the trigger-to-auto-sear linkage to rotate around the auto-sear-linkage pin as constrained by the trigger-to-auto-sear-linkage slot such that the pusher arm of the trigger-to-auto-sear linkage pushes the auto sear from a before-firing position to an after-firing position.
As a result of the main-sear-supporting arm no longer supporting the main sear, the intermediate striker may cause the main sear to rotate such that the tab on the main sear no longer engages the lock face of the intermediate striker, allowing the intermediate striker to move to cause the striker to engage the valve stem to open the valve. After the intermediate striker moves, the main sear spring may cause the main sear to return to its before-firing position. The intermediate striker, upon being urged rearward by the bolt assembly in a cocking action, may engage the forward facing ramped face of the main sear tab, causing the main sear to deflect out of the path of the intermediate striker. The intermediate striker may compress the main spring. The intermediate striker may move in a forward direction causing the lock face of the intermediate striker to engage the rearward facing flat face of the main sear tab, causing the main sear to move forwardly, causing the hook-shaped cutout of the main sear to engage with the shelf of the auto sear. Releasing the trigger may cause the trigger body to move from the after-firing position to the before-firing position, causing the trigger-to-auto-sear linkage to rotate and push the auto sear from the after-firing position to the before-firing position, which allows the main sear to drop until the main sear engages the main sear supporting arm of the shelf sear.
The apparatus may include a selector switch having a lever element coupled to a barrel element. The barrel element may have a shelf-sear detent and a selector-switch-to-auto-sear-linkage detent. The selector switch may have three selectable positions. The selector switch may have a safety position in which the shelf-sear detent does not face the shelf sear, preventing the shelf sear from moving in response to movement of the trigger body. The selector switch may have a semi-automatic position in which the shelf-sear detent faces the shelf sear and in which the selector-switch-to-auto-sear-linkage detent faces a selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage. The selector switch may have an automatic position in which the shelf-sear detent faces the shelf sear and in which the selector-switch-to-auto-sear-linkage detent does not face the selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage. The apparatus may include a selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage rotatably coupled to the auto-sear pin and may have a bolt-engaging arm and a selector-switch arm that engages with the barrel element of the selector switch. The apparatus may include a selector-switch-to-auto-sear-linkage spring that urges the selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage into engagement with the barrel element of the selector switch. Moving the selector switch to the automatic position may prevent the selector-switch-to-auto-sear-linkage detent from engaging the selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage so that the bolt-engaging arm is in a bolt-engaging position. Moving the selector switch to the semi-automatic position may cause the selector-switch-to-auto-sear-linkage detent to engage the selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage so that bolt-engaging arm is in a non-bolt-engaging position. The bolt assembly engaging the bolt-engaging arm of the selector-switch-to-auto-sear linkage after the bolt assembly achieves a bolt lock condition may cause the auto sear to move from the after-firing-position to the before-firing position.
The trigger assembly may include a trigger element. The trigger element may have a trigger body. The trigger element may have a trigger slot to engage a trigger pin coupled to the lower receiver about which the trigger element rotates. The trigger element may have a shelf-sear engagement arm extending from the trigger slot. The trigger element may have an adjustment screw extending from the shelf-sear engagement arm. The trigger element may have an actuator engagement pin coupled to the trigger body frontward of the trigger slot.
The trigger assembly may include a trigger spring engaged with the trigger body urging the trigger body into a before-firing position;
The trigger assembly may include a shelf sear. The shelf sear may have an elongated body that rotates around a shelf sear pivot pin coupled to the lower receiver. The shelf sear may have a main-sear-supporting arm adjacent to a front end of the shelf sear elongated body. The shelf sear may have an L-shaped element adjacent to a rear end of the shelf sear elongated body.
The trigger assembly may include a shelf sear spring coupled to the front end of the shelf sear elongated body that urges the shelf sear to rotate about the shelf sear pivot pin.
The trigger assembly may include a main sear. The main sear may have a main sear front end and a main sear rear end. The main sear may have a slot engaged with a main sear pin coupled to the lower receiver. The main sear may have a tab having a rearward facing flat face that engages the lock face of the intermediate striker when the main sear is in a before-firing position, and a forward facing ramped face. The main sear may have a main-sear shelf that engages the main-sear-supporting arm of the shelf sear when the main sear is in the before-firing position.
The trigger assembly may have a lift spring coupled adjacent to the main sear front end that urges the main sear to rotate about the main sear pin as constrained by the slot in the main sear;
The trigger assembly may have an actuator. The actuator may have a curved crossbar. The actuator may have a first bent arm coupled to a first end of the curved crossbar. The first bent arm may have a first bent arm narrow section. The actuator may have a second bent arm coupled to a second end of the curved crossbar. The second bent arm may have a second bent arm narrow section. The actuator may be rotatably coupled to the shelf sear by the shelf sear pivot pin passing through a first bent arm pivot hole on the first bent arm and a second bent arm pivot hole on the second bent arm.
The trigger assembly may have an auto link connector (ALC). The ALC may have a pinned arm coupled to an ALC pin hole on the first bent arm of the actuator. The ALC may have a selector switch engagement arm. The ALC may have a bolt engagement arm.
Moving the trigger body from a before-firing position to an after-firing position may cause the adjustment screw extending from the shelf-sear engagement arm to engage the shelf sear and cause the shelf sear to rotate about the shelf sear pivot pin so that the main-sear-supporting arm no longer supports the main sear, and the actuator to rotate around the shelf sear pivot pin as constrained by interaction between the actuator engagement pin and the narrow portion of the first bent arm from a before-firing position to an after-firing position.
As a result of the main-sear-supporting arm no longer supporting the main sear, the intermediate striker may cause the main sear to rotate such that the tab on the main sear no longer engages the lock face of the intermediate striker, allowing the intermediate striker to move to cause the striker to engage the valve stem to open the valve. After the intermediate striker moves, the lift spring may cause the main sear to move into a position to intercept the intermediate striker. The intermediate striker, upon being urged rearward by the bolt assembly in a cocking action, may engage the forward facing ramped face of the main sear tab, causing the main sear to deflect out of the path of the intermediate striker. The intermediate striker may compress the main spring. The intermediate striker may move in a forward direction causing the lock face of the intermediate striker to engage the rearward facing flat face of the main sear tab, causing the main sear to move forwardly, causing the main sear to engage with the curved crossbar on the actuator. Releasing the trigger may cause the trigger body to move from the after-firing position to the before-firing position, causing the actuator to rotate from the after-firing position to the before-firing position, which allows the main sear to drop until the main sear engages the main sear supporting arm of the shelf sear.
The apparatus may include a selector switch having a lever element coupled to a barrel element. The barrel element may have a shelf-sear detent and an ALC detent. The selector switch may have three selectable positions. The selector switch may have a safety position in which the shelf-sear detent does not face the shelf sear, preventing the shelf sear from moving in response to movement of the trigger body. The selector switch may have a semi-automatic position in which the shelf-sear detent faces the shelf sear and in which the ALC detent does not face the ALC. The selector switch may have an automatic position in which the shelf-sear detent faces the shelf sear and in which the ALC detent faces the ALC.
Moving the selector switch to the automatic position may allow the ALC detent to engage the ALC so that the bolt engagement arm is in a bolt-engaging position. Moving the selector switch to the semi-automatic position may prevent the ALC detent from engaging the ALC so that bolt engagement arm is in a non-bolt-engaging position. The bolt assembly engaging the bolt engagement arm of the ALC after the bolt assembly achieves a bolt lock condition may cause the actuator to move from the after-firing-position to the before-firing position.
The bolt assembly may include a first part and a second part that are separated by a small gap just prior to actuation of the trigger assembly, and become separated by a large gap, larger than the small gap, over a projectile-firing period of time immediately after the trigger assembly is actuated, the increase in the gap size being caused by movement of the second part in response to gas entering the small gap from the output side of the valve. The first part and the second part may move together in a cocking action once they are separated by the large gap. The the projectile-firing period of time may be adjusted to be a multiple of a transit time of the projectile through the barrel. The first part may include a bolt lock piston. The second part may include a bolt probe. The second part may include a bolt lock regulator body coaxial to and fixedly coupled to the bolt probe. The second part may include a bolt lock bushing coaxial to the bolt probe, laterally fixed to the bolt probe, and rotatable about the bolt probe. The second part may include a cam pin fixedly coupled to the bolt lock bushing. The second part may include a torsion spring coupled between the bolt lock regulator body and the bolt lock bushing that biases the bolt lock bushing to rotate about the bolt probe.
The bolt assembly may include a cylindrical bolt carrier fixedly coupled to the bolt lock piston. The cylindrical bolt carrier may have a cam slot. The cam pin may extend through the cam slot and the L-shaped slot. The cylindrical bolt carrier may contain the bolt lock regulator body, the bolt lock bushing, and the bolt probe.
The torsion spring may bias the cam pin within cam slot and the L-shaped slot along the long leg of the L-shaped slot, toward the junction, and, guided by the cam slot, into the short leg.
The bolt probe may be coupled to a source of pressurized gas at one end and to a poppet valve within the bolt lock regulator body at the other end. The poppet valve may separate a pressurized chamber in the bolt lock regulator body from a pressurizable chamber between the bolt lock regulator body and the bolt lock piston. The poppet valve may include a spring and a hollow set screw. Rotation of the hollow set screw may adjust a tension in the spring and a pressure required to open the poppet valve so that the pressurized chamber communicates with the unpressurized chamber. The hollow set screw may provide gaseous communication from the pressurizable chamber to the gap between the bolt lock regulator body and the bolt lock piston.
In one aspect, an apparatus includes a lower receiver having a trigger assembly wherein the trigger assembly is select-fire striker based and fits within select-fire hammer based trigger constraints. The apparatus includes an upper receiver, coupled to the lower receiver, having a bolt assembly and an L-shaped slot, wherein the L-shaped slot has a long leg, a junction, and a short leg, and wherein the bolt assembly interacts with the L-shaped slot. The upper receiver has a rear end to which a compressed gas power source can be coupled. The apparatus includes a gas path from the compressed gas power source for firing a projectile through a barrel and for cocking the bolt assembly.
In one aspect, an apparatus includes a lower receiver having a trigger assembly. The apparatus includes an upper receiver, coupled to the lower receiver, having a bolt assembly and an L-shaped slot, wherein the L-shaped slot has a long leg, a junction, and a short leg, and wherein the bolt assembly interacts with the L-shaped slot. The upper receiver has a rear end to which a compressed gas power source can be coupled. The apparatus includes a gas path from the compressed gas power source for firing a projectile through a barrel and for cocking the bolt assembly. The bolt assembly includes a first part and a second part are separated by a small gap just prior to actuation of the trigger assembly, and become separated by a large gap, larger than the small gap, over a projectile-firing period of time immediately after the trigger assembly is actuated. The increase in the gap size is caused by movement of the second part in response to gas entering the small gap from the output side of the valve. The first part and the second part move together in a cocking action once they are separated by the large gap.
The word “coupled” herein means a direct connection or an indirect connection.
The text above describes one or more specific embodiments of a broader invention. The invention also is carried out in a variety of alternate embodiments and thus is not limited to those described here. The foregoing description of an embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/340,681, entitled “Efficient High-Velocity Compressed Gas-Powered Gun,” filed Nov. 1, 2016, incorporated by reference, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/551,833, entitled “Efficient High-Velocity Compressed Gas-Powered Gun,” filed Nov. 24, 2014, incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14551833 | Nov 2014 | US |
Child | 15340681 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15340681 | Nov 2016 | US |
Child | 15593467 | US |