The present disclosure relates to a folding firearm, and more particularly to a firearm having a barrel configured to be selectively folded relative to a receiver or action to which the barrel is attached, and to methods of manufacturing and using such a firearm.
Conventional firearms including a barrel that is threaded to a receiver that houses the action. Within the civilian, law enforcement, and military firearms community there exists a need and demand for compact semi-automatic sniper system firearms, especially with respect to precision auto-loading firearms that are capable of being collapsed down into a manageable size during transport and storage. Thus, firearms have been developed that have a stock that can be folded relative to the receiver for storage and transport. These existing foldable stock designs allow reduction of the overall firearm length by approximately 8 inches on an AR-style firearm.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are described in further detail in the detailed description of example embodiments of the disclosure below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes a firearm comprising a receiver, a forearm pivotally attached to a distal end of the receiver, and a barrel having a barrel extension. A proximal end of the barrel and barrel extension are secured within the forearm such that the barrel and barrel extension are pivotable with the forearm relative to the receiver between a first assembled position and a second folded position. The firearm includes a locking mechanism for securing the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension to the receiver in the first assembled position. The barrel is not secured to the receiver by complementary threads.
In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes methods of using such a firearm. The forearm, barrel, and barrel extension may be secured to the receiver in the first assembled position using the locking mechanism, and one or more rounds of ammunition may be fired using the firearm. The locking mechanism may be unlocked, and the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension may be folded relative to the receiver from the first assembled position to the second folded position.
In yet further embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method of manufacturing a firearm. A receiver, barrel, and barrel extension are provided. A proximal end of the barrel and the barrel extension are secured to a forearm, and the forearm is pivotally attached to a distal end of the receiver, such that the barrel and barrel extension are pivotable with the forearm relative to the receiver between a first assembled position and a second folded position. A locking mechanism is included for securing the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension to the receiver in the first assembled position.
The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particular firearm or component thereof, but are merely idealized representations that are used to describe embodiments of the disclosure.
As used herein, the term “proximal,” when used in relation to a firearm or component of a firearm, means proximate or nearer to a user of the firearm or component of a firearm when the user is holding the firearm in a shooting position. As used herein, the term “distal,” when used in relation to a firearm or component of a firearm, means remote or farther from a user of the firearm or component of a firearm when the user is holding the firearm in a shooting position.
As used herein, the term “firearm” means and includes both a complete firearm, as well as what is referred to in the industry as an “upper” of an AR-style firearm, which includes an upper receiver and a barrel connected to the upper receiver. Uppers are often commercially sold without the lower receiver, trigger, magazine, and stock. The upper receiver may or may not include a bolt carrier group. Thus, an upper receiver (with or without a bolt carrier group) with a barrel coupled to the upper receiver is considered to be a firearm for purposes of the present application.
As used herein, the term “receiver” means and includes any the part of a firearm that houses the operating parts, and includes, but is not limited to, the housing of the action of a bolt action firearm, the upper and/or lower housing of an AR-style autoloading firearm, and the housing for the action components of other styles of autoloading firearms.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail herein with respect to an AR-style autoloading firearm, but the present disclosure may be similarly applied to any other style of firearm. In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may allow all levers and mechanisms used in the system to remain secured in place while the firearm is either in the folded configuration or the unfolded configuration. In addition, firearms of the present disclosure may allow the firearm to be repeatedly folded and unfolded and secured in the unfolded, operational configuration in a manner that does not require tools.
The firearm 100 further includes a locking mechanism 140 for securing the forearm 108, barrel 112, and barrel extension 114 to the upper receiver 102 in the first assembled position of
As can be seen in
With continued reference to
As can be seen in
Referring to
In some embodiments, the barrel extension 114 has a frustoconical outer side surface 115 (
Furthermore, as can be seen in
In additional embodiments, the barrel extension 114 may include relief surfaces (in addition to, or in place of, the relief surfaces 124, 126) to provide the clearance needed to allow the barrel extension 114 to pivot relative to the upper receiver 102 into and out from the assembled position.
In the unfolded, assembled configuration, the frustoconical outer side surface 115 of the barrel extension 114 is squeezed tightly against the complementary-shaped frustoconical inner surface 119 of the upper receiver 102 by the locking mechanism as described hereinbelow, and a small gap (e.g., a gap of between about 0.002 in. and about 0.010 in.) may exist between the upper receiver 102 and the forearm 108.
Referring to
For example, referring to
The locking mechanism 140 further includes a retention mechanism for securing the lever 142 in the locking position. The retention mechanism includes a locking retainer 160 carried by the lever 142 and movable relative to the lever 142 between a retaining position and a releasing position.
Referring again to
In some embodiments, a spring member, such as a wire spring member, may be mounted around the pin 156 (
As in the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the firearm 100 may be an automatic or semiautomatic rifle, and may be an AR-style rifle having a conventional bolt carrier group disposed within the receiver. Referring again to
In yet additional embodiments, one of the adjoining ends of the forward gas tube 174 and the rear gas tube 176 may have a flared female end, and the other of the adjoining ends of the forward gas tube 174 and the rear gas tube 176 may simply be a straight-walled end of the respective tube 174, 176, and may be received into the flared female end of the other tube 174, 176.
In other embodiments, the adjoining ends of the forward gas tube 174 and the rear gas tube 176 may not have a male-female junction, and may simply abut against one another. In such embodiments, one or more gas-seal members, such as O-rings, may be used to establish an at least substantially gas-tight seal between the adjoining ends of the gas tubes 174, 176.
Referring again to
The male plug assembly 182 may be threaded onto (or otherwise attached to) the upper receiver 102, and the female socket 184 may be threaded onto (or otherwise attached to) the handguard 110, or vice versa. The snap device 180 enables a snap connection to be made between the upper receiver 102 and the handguard 110, thus allowing the forearm 108, handguard 110, barrel 112, and barrel extension 114 to be rigidly connected to the upper receiver 102 when the firearm 100 is in the folded configuration.
In yet further embodiments, the present disclosure includes an adapter that may be used with an AR style upper and a handguard or forearm to provide a folding mechanism as described herein. In particular, such an adapter may include a first subassembly that is configured to be threaded, bolted, or otherwise attached to an AR style upper, and the first subassembly may include the features of the distal end 118 of the upper receiver 102 described herein. The adapter may include a second subassembly that is configured to be threaded, bolted, or otherwise attached to a handguard or forearm and barrel. The second subassembly may include the features of the locking mechanism 140 as described herein. The first and second subassemblies may be hingedly attached to one another using, for example, the pivot pin 109 as described hereinabove. Thus, using such an adapter, an AR style firearm may be configured to fold as described herein.
Embodiments of firearms 100 as described herein may be conveniently stored and transported in the folded configuration. When it is desired to use the firearm 100, the forearm 108, barrel 112, and barrel extension 114 may be secured to the upper receiver 102 in the assembled position of
Additional non-limiting example embodiments of the disclosure are set forth below.
A firearm, comprising: a receiver; a forearm pivotally attached to a distal end of the receiver; a barrel having a barrel extension, a proximal end of the barrel and barrel extension secured within the forearm such that the barrel and barrel extension are pivotable with the forearm relative to the receiver between a first assembled position and a second folded position; and a locking mechanism for securing the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension to the receiver in the first assembled position; and wherein the barrel is not threaded to the receiver.
The firearm of Embodiment 1, wherein the distal end of the receiver includes a frustoconical surface located and configured to receive the barrel extension therein when the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension are in the first assembled position.
The firearm of Embodiment 2, wherein the distal end of the receiver further includes at least one relief surface intersecting the frustoconical surface of the distal end of the receiver, the relief surface located and configured so as to provide clearance between the barrel extension and the distal end of the receiver as the forearm, barrel and barrel extension are pivoted from the second folded position to the first assembled position.
The firearm of any one of Embodiments 1 through 3, wherein at least a portion of the barrel is disposed laterally adjacent a lateral exterior side surface of the receiver when the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension are in the second folded position.
The firearm of any one of Embodiments 1 through 4, wherein the barrel extension projects outwardly in the proximal direction from a proximal end of the forearm.
The firearm of any one of Embodiments 1 through 5, wherein the firearm is an automatic or semiautomatic rifle, and wherein the barrel includes a gas port extending through the barrel from an inner bore of the barrel, the firearm further comprising: a bolt carrier group disposed within the receiver; a gas block mounted to the barrel over the gas port; a forward gas tube extending between the gas block and the forearm; and a rear gas tube mounted to the receiver; and wherein, upon firing a round of ammunition in the firearm, expanding gas within the barrel travels through the gas port in the barrel, through the gas block, through the forward gas tube, and through the rear gas tube and acts upon the bolt carrier group within the receiver so as to cause cycling of the bolt carrier group, cycling of the bolt carrier group resulting in discharge of a spent casing of the round of ammunition and reloading of another round of ammunition into a firing chamber within the barrel.
The firearm of Embodiment 6, wherein one of the forward gas tube and the rear gas tube has a tapered male gas fitting, and wherein the other of the forward gas tube and the rear gas tube has a tapered female gas fitting configured to receive the tapered male gas fitting when the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension are in the first assembled position.
The firearm of any one of Embodiments 1 through 7, wherein the proximal end of the barrel is threaded to the barrel extension, and further comprising at least one set screw extending through the forearm and securing the barrel or barrel extension in fixed position relative to the forearm.
The firearm of any one of Embodiments 1 through 8, wherein the locking mechanism comprises: a lever pivotally attached to the forearm; a hook member pivotally attached to the lever and configured to engage a feature on the receiver; wherein the hook member may be engaged with the feature on the receiver and the lever moved relative to the forearm to a locking position to generate a compressive force between the barrel extension and the receiver and to secure the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension to the receiver in the first assembled position.
The firearm of Embodiment 9, further comprising a retention mechanism for securing the lever in the locking position.
The firearm of Embodiment 10, wherein the retention mechanism comprises: a locking retainer carried by the lever and movable relative to the lever; and a spring biasing the locking retainer to a retaining position relative to the lever; and wherein the locking retainer engages with a retaining feature on the forearm in the retaining position, and wherein the locking retainer may be moved against a force of the spring by a user from the retaining position to a releasing position to release the retention mechanism and allow unlocking of the locking mechanism.
The firearm of any one of Embodiments 1 through 11, further comprising a handguard secured to the forearm and extending over and around at least a portion of the barrel.
The firearm of any one of Embodiments 1 through 12, further comprising a retention mechanism for retaining the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension in fixed position relative to the receiver in the second folded position.
A method of using a firearm as recited in any one of Embodiments 1 through 13, comprising: securing the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension to the receiver in the first assembled position using the locking mechanism; firing one or more rounds of ammunition using the firearm; unlocking the locking mechanism; and folding the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension relative to the receiver from the first assembled position to the second folded position.
A method of manufacturing a firearm, comprising: providing a receiver having a distal end; providing a barrel having a barrel extension; securing a proximal end of the barrel and the barrel extension to a forearm; pivotally attaching the forearm to the distal end of the receiver, such that the barrel and barrel extension are pivotable with the forearm relative to the receiver between a first assembled position and a second folded position; and providing a locking mechanism for securing the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension to the receiver in the first assembled position.
The method of Embodiment 15, wherein providing the receiver comprises forming a frustoconical surface at a distal end of the receiver, the frustoconical surface located and configured to receive the barrel extension therein when the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension are in the first assembled position, and forming at least one relief surface intersecting the frustoconical surface of the distal end of the receiver, the relief surface located and configured so as to provide clearance between the barrel extension and the distal end of the receiver as the forearm, barrel and barrel extension are pivoted from the second folded position to the first assembled position.
The method of Embodiment 15 or Embodiment 16, wherein pivotally attaching the forearm to the distal end of the receiver comprises pivotally attaching the forearm to the receiver using a pivot pin oriented vertically relative to the receiver, such that at least a portion of the barrel is disposed laterally adjacent a lateral exterior side surface of the receiver when the forearm, barrel, and barrel extension are in the second folded position.
The method of any one of Embodiments 15 through 17, further comprising configuring the barrel extension to project outwardly in the proximal direction from a proximal end of the forearm.
The method of any one of Embodiments 15 through 18, wherein the firearm is an automatic or semiautomatic rifle, and wherein the barrel includes a gas port extending through the barrel from an inner bore of the barrel, the method further comprising: disposing a bolt carrier group within the receiver; mounting a gas block to the barrel over the gas port; providing a forward gas tube extending between the gas block and the forearm; and mounting a rear gas tube to the receiver.
The method of any one of Embodiments 15 through 19, further comprising threading the proximal end of the barrel to the barrel extension, and securing the barrel or barrel extension in fixed position relative to the forearm using at least one set screw.
The example embodiments of the disclosure described above do not limit the scope of the invention, since these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this invention. Indeed, various modifications of the disclosure, in addition to those shown and described herein, such as alternative useful combinations of the elements described, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/382,320, filed Sep. 1, 2016 and entitled “Apparatus for Folding Firearms,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20180058802 A1 | Mar 2018 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62382320 | Sep 2016 | US |