Patent Application
20210239423
The present disclosure relates generally to firearms. In particular, but not by way of limitation, the present disclosure relates to systems, methods and apparatuses for a stock or arm brace configured for coupling to a firearm.
Certain firearms, such as rifles, are commonly used with buttstocks or shoulder stocks to provide force distribution and stability while firing. Some buffer tubes or receiver extensions can include adjustment features to allow a user to adjust a length of pull. Although fixed buffer tubes are sometimes used, this disclosure refers to adjustable buffer tubes or receiver extensions whenever these terms are used. Some adjustable buffer tubes or receiver extensions have multiple holes or recesses set into a slot in a bottom of the buffer tube or receiver extension. Adjustable stocks built to interoperate with these buffer tubes include a pin that can be selectively inserted into one of these holes to adjust the length of pull. Further depression of the pin can allow it to clear a lower edge of the slot and allow the stock to be removed from the buffer tube. In some cases, firearm stocks coupled to or attached to a buffer tube are accidentally detached from the receiver extension by users attempting to adjust the positioning of the firearm stock on the buffer tube.
The following presents a simplified summary relating to one or more aspects and/or embodiments disclosed herein. As such, the following summary should not be considered an extensive overview relating to all contemplated aspects and/or embodiments, nor should the following summary be regarded to identify key or critical elements relating to all contemplated aspects and/or embodiments or to delineate the scope associated with any particular aspect and/or embodiment. Accordingly, the following summary has the sole purpose to present certain concepts relating to one or more aspects and/or embodiments relating to the mechanisms disclosed herein in a simplified form to precede the detailed description presented below.
Some embodiments of the disclosure may be characterized as a firearm stock including a body, a lower stock, a plunger, one or more buttons, and first and second concentric springs. The body can include a buffer tube aperture. The lower stock can extend below the body and can comprise a hollow cavity. The plunger can be slidingly arranged in the hollow cavity. The one or more buttons can be arranged on an outside of the hollow cavity and can be coupled to the plunger through elongated slots in walls of the hollow cavity. The first and second concentric springs can form a nested pair and can be arranged in the hollow cavity, wherein the first spring is taller than the second spring. Depressing the plunger up to a first distance compresses the first spring and depressing the plunger past the first distance compresses the first and second springs.
Other embodiments of the disclosure may also be characterized as a firearm including a barrel, a receiver coupled to the barrel, a buffer tube coupled to the receiver, and a stock coupled to the buffer tube. The stock can include a body, a lower stock, a plunger, one or more buttons, and first and second concentric springs. The body can include a buffer tube aperture. The lower stock can extend below the body and can comprise a hollow cavity. The plunger can be slidingly arranged in the hollow cavity. The one or more buttons can be arranged on an outside of the hollow cavity and can be coupled to the plunger through elongated slots in walls of the hollow cavity. The first and second concentric springs can form a nested pair and can be arranged in the hollow cavity, wherein the first spring is taller than the second spring. Depressing the plunger up to a first distance compresses the first spring and depressing the plunger past the first distance compresses the first and second springs.
Other embodiments of the disclosure can be characterized as a method of detaching a firearm stock from a buffer tube. The method can include depressing one or more buttons coupled to a plunger in a hollow cavity of the firearm stock, to compress one of two concentric springs in the hollow cavity, and thereby withdrawing the plunger from one of a plurality of lock holes in a bottom of the buffer tube. The method can also include sliding the firearm stock along the buffer tube. The method can also include releasing the one or more buttons to allow the plunger to enter a different one of the plurality of lock holes. The method can further include depressing the one or more buttons to compress both of the two concentric springs and thereby withdrawing the plunger from the different one of the plurality of lock holes in a bottom of the buffer tube. The method can yet further include sliding the firearm stock along the buffer tube to remove it, wherein the plunger is sufficiently depressed to clear a bottom of the buffer tube
Various objects and advantages and a more complete understanding of the present disclosure are apparent and more readily appreciated by referring to the following detailed description and to the appended claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments
The present disclosure relates generally to firearm stocks or arm braces that support and stabilize a firearm, such as, but not limited to, an AR-15 or AR-15 pistol, with the user's shoulder (for a stock) or upper arm or forearm (for an arm brace). Although this disclosure applies to stocks and arm braces, the remainder of this disclosure will refer to stocks, though those of skill in the art will appreciate the equivalent applicability to arm braces. The stock can include a body, a lower stock, and can have an adjustable length of pull. The body includes a buffer tube receiving aperture and the lower stock includes a hollow cavity with a plunger and two concentric or nested springs therein. In some embodiments, the hollow cavity may span both the lower stock and the body, though the remainder of this disclosure will refer to situations where the lower stock comprises the hollow cavity. One or more buttons can be affixed to sides of the plunger through elongated slots in the hollow cavity that can be used to depress the plunger against the force of one or both of the springs. One of the two springs may be shorter than the other and have a greater spring constant than the longer spring. Depressing the plunger against the taller spring may allow a user to adjust the length of pull while greater pressure and engagement of the second spring allows the stock to be removed from a buffer tube or receiver extension. In some aspects, such a configuration utilizing two or more springs may prevent accidental removal of the firearm stock attached to the receiver extension due to the differing forces used to compress, for instance, an outer spring for position adjustment, and an inner spring for detachment.
The lower stock 101 can include a hollow cavity (see 530 in
A user of the firearm stock 100 of the current embodiment may brace the stock 100 against his/her shoulder while aiming or firing. When implemented as an arm brace it may be designed to enhance the stability and accuracy of weapons limited to the use of one hand, such as pistols, and is not intended to be used as a shoulder stock. In some cases, the user may attach a sling to a quick detach (QD) socket 215 at the rear of the firearm stock 100, especially when implemented as an arm brace, and further illustrated and described in relation to
As depicted, the firearm stock 100 may comprise one or more buttons 110 on the left and right sides for depressing a plunger that can be moved between locking holes in a bottom of a buffer tube thereby adjusting the length between the rear end of the firearm stock 100 (i.e., end comprising the QD socket 215) and the trigger of the firearm to accommodate users with varying arm lengths (sometimes referred to as length of pull). In some cases, the firearm stock 100 may allow users to adjust the length of pull between multiple discrete adjustment positions (e.g., 4-position or 5-position adjustable). The firearm stock 100 may be designed to be mounted to the buffer tube or receiver extension of a firearm, such as an AR-15.
In some embodiments, the concentric springs may offer differing levels of resistance to movement of the plunger 320. For instance, when the one or more buttons 110 of the firearm stock 100 are pushed down, the plunger 320 may begin compressing a taller of the two springs 525. The force to compress a spring by a distance ‘x’ scales linearly with respect to that distance and a constant factor characteristic of the spring (i.e., its stiffness or spring constant, k). The longer of the two springs can have a smaller spring constant k1 while the shorter of the two springs can have a larger spring constant k2. The two springs in combination can have a third and even greater spring constant k3.
In some examples, if the force applied on the buttons 110 is below a threshold, then the plunger 320 compresses the outer spring 525-a allowing the user to disengage the plunger 320 from the locking holes of the buffer tube or receiver extension and then adjust the length of pull. With application of pressure beyond the threshold, the plunger 320 may engage the inner spring 525-b and allow the plunger to clear the slot in a bottom of the buffer tube or receiver extension thereby allowing the stock 100 to be fully detached from buffer tube or receiver extension. In other words, it may take more than a threshold downward force to move the plunger 320 far enough downward to engage the inner or shorter spring 525-b.
As an example, a user of the firearm stock 100 may utilize the one or more buttons 110 on the sides of the stock to push the plunger 320 down in order to adjust the length of pull. In some cases, upon applying downward force to the button 110 (i.e., pressing down on the button), the plunger 320 may engage and compress one or more springs 525 located in a hollow cavity 530 of the lower stock. The hollow cavity 530 may be substantially vertically oriented and may be shaped to receive at least a portion of the plunger 320 (or locking plunger), and the dual-spring mechanism 525, and a portion of the one or more buttons 110. Further, after selecting the length of pull, the user may release the one or more buttons 110 allowing at least one of the springs (e.g., longer outer spring 525-a) to push the plunger 320 upward and back into engagement with one of the locking holes in a bottom of the buffer tube or receiver extension. A shelf (not shown) or other structure can be arranged within the hollow cavity 530 to support a bottom of the springs 525 and give them a structure to press against.
Additionally or alternatively, if the user pushes the buttons 110 further down until the amount of downward force exceeds the threshold, the plunger 320 may begin compressing the shorter inner spring 525-b of the firearm stock 100, allowing for detachment of the stock 100 from the firearm. For instance, after the inner spring 525-b starts to compress, the plunger 320 of the firearm stock 100 may clear the last groove or slot of the buffer tube of the receiver extension, allowing the user to detach the firearm stock from the buffer tube or receiver extension. In some cases, a slot surrounding the locking holes in a bottom of the buffer tube or receiver extension may be lower than the locking holes and thus greater depression of the plunger 320 allows clearance of a bottom edge of this slot. Accordingly, greater force than optimal for removing the stock 100 as compared to merely moving between length of pull positions (i.e., between locking holes). In some aspects, such a configuration utilizing two or more springs may prevent accidental removal of the firearm stock 100 attached to the receiver extension due to the differing forces used to compress, for instance, the outer spring 525-a for position adjustment, and the inner spring 525-a for detachment.
One of skill in the art will appreciate that firearms may not always be used or arranged in the same orientation, and thus the terms vertical, top, bottom, side, etc. may not always be accurate if one relies on a gravitational definition of up and down. However, those of skill in the art are well aware of the common and understood meanings of top and bottom and that a top of a firearm typically is where a scope or other sights are arranged, and a bottom is typically where the trigger and grip are arranged, though not always.
The terms and expressions employed herein are used as terms and expressions of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof. Each of the various elements disclosed herein may be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an embodiment of any apparatus embodiment, a method or process embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms—even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled.
As but one example, it should be understood that all action may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Regarding this last aspect, by way of example only, the disclosure of a “protrusion” should be understood to encompass disclosure of the act of “protruding”—whether explicitly discussed or not—and, conversely, were there only disclosure of the act of “protruding”, such a disclosure should be understood to encompass disclosure of a “protrusion”. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.
As used herein, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” is intended to mean “either A, B, C or any combination of A, B and C.” The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
The present Application for Patent claims priority to Provisional Application No. 62/960,620 entitled “Firearm Arm Brace” filed Jan. 13, 2020, and assigned to the assignee hereof and hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62960620 | Jan 2020 | US |
