Patent Application
20130174457
The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to a firearm having both top-mounted and side-mounted charging handles.
The charging handle is a device on a firearm which, when operated, results in the hammer or striker being cocked or moved to the ready position. It allows the operator to pull the bolt to the rear, facilitating any number of the following:
Ejecting a spent shell casing or unfired cartridge from the chamber.
Loading a round from the magazine or by hand through the chamber.
Clearing a stoppage such as a jam, double feed, stovepipe, or misfire.
Verifying the weapon's chamber is clear of any rounds or other obstructions.
Moving the bolt into battery, acting as a forward assist but not necessarily.
Releasing a bolt locked to the rear, such as would be the case after firing the last round on a firearm equipped with a last-round-hold-open feature.
These devices vary significantly between firearms, but may occur in the form of a small protrusion or hook from the side of the bolt, a pumped slide, or a lever.
There are also additional factors concerning the design of charging handles, and some of them are especially important if the weapon is for tactical use. One issue is the mean time between failures due to metal fatigue. Just like other parts, charging handles sometimes break when weapons are heavily used. Another issue is whether the charging handle is sufficiently large for use by someone wearing heavy gloves and protective clothing.
Another important consideration is the location of the charging handle. Top-mounted T-shaped charging handles are standard features of M-16 and AR 15 rifles, and have the advantage of being readily operable with either hand. However, a top-mounted charging handle is difficult to operate when actively using optics. It is also possible to experience uncomfortable contact with a scope or sights while operating a top-mounted charging handle.
As a result, side charging handles have been developed so that the firearm can be charged while the shooter maintains a cheek weld and his or her sight picture. An example of a firearm employing a side charging handle is the JP LRP-07™ Long Range Precision Rifle (LRPR) manufactured by JP Enterprises, Inc. of Hugo, Minn. A side-mounted charging handle mounted on a firearm on the shooter's dominant side also provides more leverage than does the traditional top-mounted T-shaped charging handle. However, the shooter is not necessarily disadvantaged if the charging handle is mounted on the shooter's weaker side as it allows the shooter to keep his or her strong hand on the pistol grip in a shooting position. It also makes it easier for the shooter to keep his or her eyes on the sights. The downside is the shooter has to give up his or her hold on the forearm of the rifle to charge. However, this is not an issue when shooting off a rest or bipod.
Each type of charging handle has its advantages and disadvantages. Not only do these vary depending on the user, but they vary depending on the use, even for a given user.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved firearm with dual charging handles that retains the traditional T-shaped top charging handle while adding a redundant side charging handle. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. In this respect, the firearm with dual charging handles according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of retaining the traditional T-shaped top charging handle while adding a redundant side charging handle.
The present invention provides an improved firearm with dual charging handles, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide an improved firearm with dual charging handles that has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned above.
To attain this, the preferred embodiment of the present invention essentially comprises a rifle having a frame defining an elongated bolt and bolt carrier passage, a bolt and bolt carrier assembly received within the bolt and bolt carrier passage and operable to reciprocate between a forward battery position and a rearward retracted position, a first elongated charging handle having a rear end extending rearward of the rear aperture of the frame, an intermediate portion received in the aperture, and a forward end within the bolt passage and adapted to operably contact the bolt carrier, the frame defining an elongated slot parallel to the bolt passage and communicating therewith, and a second charging handle having a handle portion external of the bolt passage, an intermediate portion extending through the slot, and a contact element adapted to operably contact the bolt carrier. The first charging handle may have a T shape. The second charging handle may include a dust cover overlaying the slot. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.
An embodiment of the firearm with dual charging handles of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral 200.
The muzzle 244 end of a barrel 140 extends forwardly from the front 14 of the upper receiver 12. The barrel has a central bore 142. A hand guard 212 removably encircles the barrel with the hand guard's rear 220 abutting the front of the barrel nut 218, and the barrel nut abuts the front 14 of the upper receiver.
The upper receiver 12 carries a reciprocating bolt carrier 38 that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The bolt carrier 38 has a front 42, rear 40, top 48, bottom 62, a left side 126, right side 128, and defines a central bore 60. The bolt carrier supports and positions a bolt 84, thereby forming a bolt assembly. The locked position is the position in which the bolt carrier has positioned the bolt for firing. The unlocked position is any position other than the locked position, which includes the position where the bolt carrier has retracted the bolt from the chamber (not shown) to permit ejection of a casing and insertion of a cartridge from the magazine 216.
A carrier key body 50 is coupled to the top 48 of the bolt carrier 38 by bolts 58 in the rear 54 of the carrier key body. The carrier key body is acted upon by pressurized gas to move the bolt carrier between the locked and the unlocked positions. The rifle is ready for firing when the bolt carrier is in the locked position with a cartridge chambered. When the rifle is fired by pulling the trigger 114, gas from the detonated round escapes from the barrel bore 142 into a gas conduit (not shown). Gas is transmitted to the carrier key body 50 via the gas conduit, which is positioned above and extends parallel to the barrel and terminates in an engagement with a gas tube 82 in the front of the upper receiver. A gas hole 74 in the front 70 of the top charge handle assembly 64 permits gas to pass from the gas tube into a gas channel 56 in the front 52 of the carrier key body.
The side charging handle assembly 86 is slidably and removably mounted on the dovetail 88. The side charging handle assembly has a slider 98, pivot pin 110, and handle 100. The slider has a front 102, rear 104, top 106, and bottom 108. The bottom of the slider defines two short front lips 122, two takedown notches 130, and two elongate rear lips 124. The front lips and rear lips undercut the dovetail and define a channel 44 between them having a C-shaped cross-section that receives the dovetail. The lug 96 protrudes from the bottom of the slider between the takedown notches 130. The top receives two roll pins 120 that attach the lug to the slider. Two hook holes 128 are located immediately behind the roll pins. The slider is otherwise solid so that the slider can serve as a dust cap for the slot 94 in the dovetail 88. The top forms two ears 114, each having a central aperture 132, that receives the pivot pin 110.
The handle 100 is pivotally anchored to the top of the slider by the pivot pin 110. The handle folds downward to cover the front of the slider when the handle is not in use. The bottom of the handle forms two hooks 126. When the handle is not in use, the hooks extend through the hook holes 128 in the top 106 of the slider 98 and are received by the hook notches 136 in the dovetail 88 with a sloped, undercut engagement (shown in
To use the side charging handle assembly 86 to cock the rifle 200, the handle 100 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction 90° and then pulled rearward to slide the slider 98 rearward on the dovetail 88. Because the protruding portion of the lug is received by a notch 118 in the front 42 of the bolt carrier 38 and engages a ledge 116 on the left side 126 of the bolt carrier, the lug pulls the bolt carrier rearward as well. However, as was mentioned previously, the top charging handle assembly 64 is unaffected by the motion of the bolt carrier. Furthermore, because the front of the notch 118 is open, the bolt carrier can move rearward without affecting the side charging handle assembly 86.
To remove the side charging handle assembly 86 from the rifle 200, the bolt carrier 38 and bolt 84 must first be removed. This enables the side charging handle assembly to be moved further rearward than normal. When the front lips 122 are aligned with the takedown notches 134 in the dovetail 88, the takedown notches 130 in the slider 98 disengage the slider from the rearmost flanged portion of the dovetail. At the same time, the rearmost portion of the dovetail lacking a flange disengages the rear lips 124 from the dovetail. As a result, the side charging handle assembly can be lifted off the dovetail and completely disconnected from the rifle. This procedure is reversed to attach the side charging handle assembly to the rifle.
In the context of the specification, the terms “rear” and “rearward,” and “front” and “forward” have the following definitions: “rear” or “rearward” means in the direction away from the muzzle of the firearm while “front” or “forward” means it is in the direction towards the muzzle of the firearm.
While a current embodiment of a firearm with dual charging handles has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
