Patent Application
20180172374
The present disclosure is generally related to firearms, such as bolt-action firearms, and more particularly to a manual bolt action latch mechanism for use with firearms and configured to catch a bolt, after ballistic discharge, and to secure the bolt a retracted or disengaged state until the user manually releases the bolt to chamber a next round.
Bolt-action firearms typically require manual cycling of the bolt or action after loading and before a first shot. Some firearms, perform steps necessary to prepare the firearm to discharge again after firing a shot, assuming the ballistic cartridges remain in the firearm's feed device (e.g., clip or other feed device). Preparation of the firearm for the next shot may include extracting and ejecting a spent cartridge case (or shell) from a firing chamber of the firearm, re-cocking the firing mechanism, and loading a new ballistic cartridge into the firing chamber.
In a bolt action firearm, after discharge, the user must manually chamber the next round. This manual action may also reset the sear. In some instances, the clip or other feed device may automatically insert the next round into the chamber, but the user may still need to manually move the bolt forward to advance the next round into a firing position.
In some embodiments, an apparatus can include a firearm and a bolt latch mechanism coupled to the firearm. The bolt latch mechanism may be configured to capture a bolt of the firearm after each discharge of the firearm. Further, the bolt latch mechanism may include a latch release button accessible by a user to release the bolt to chamber a next round.
In other embodiments, an apparatus may include a firearm and a bolt latch mechanism between a trigger assembly and a buffer tube of the firearm. The bolt latch mechanism can be configured to automatically capture a bolt after each discharge of the firearm. In at least one aspect, the bolt latch mechanism can include a latch release button accessible by a user to release the bolt to chamber a next round.
In still other embodiments, a method may include providing a bolt latch mechanism including a bolt latch extending into a path along which a bolt travels after each discharge of a firearm. The method may further include securing the bolt in a disengaged state after each discharge. In at least one aspect, the method may further include releasing the bolt in response to a manual selection of a latch release button associated with the bolt latch.
In the following discussion, the same reference numbers are used in the various embodiments to indicate the same or similar elements.
Embodiments of a manual bolt action latch mechanism may include a bolt latch mechanism including a bolt latch and a user-accessible element (such as a button or a lever) configured to control the bolt latch. The bolt latch may be configured to engage a bolt and to secure the bolt in a retracted position after each discharge of a firearm. The lever may be accessed by a user to manually release the bolt latch to allow the firearm to chamber a next round. In some embodiments, the bolt latch mechanism may include a spring element configured to bias the bolt latch toward the bolt and to push the bolt latch into a bolt engagement position when the bolt moves away from the firing chamber after discharge.
In a particular embodiment, the smart scope 102 may include circuitry including optical sensors configured to capture optical data corresponding to a view area of the scope (which may be more extensive than the aim point of the firearm 104), a range finder circuit configured to determine a range to one or more objects within the field of view, environmental sensors, and motion and orientation sensors configured to provide sensor signals corresponding to an aim point of a firearm. The circuitry may further include a display, an interface through which a user may select a target within the optical data, and circuitry configured to calculate a ballistic solution for the selected target. The circuitry may also include circuitry configured to predict when the aim point of the firearm 104 may intersect the selected target and to provide a control signal to the trigger circuitry 120 of the trigger assembly 110 of the firearm 104 to control timing of the discharge. In particular, the circuitry may control timing of the discharge by preventing discharge while the trigger is pulled until the ballistic solution indicates that the discharged ballistic will intersect the target based on the predicted intersection of the ballistic reticle with the selected target, the ballistic flight dynamics, environmental conditions, and so on.
In some embodiments, the smart scope 102 may provide an initial reticle, which the user may utilize to view and select a target. Target selection may include aligning the aiming reticle to the target and depressing and/or releasing a button to “tag” or select a target. In some embodiments, a processor within the smart scope 102 may place a visual marker on the selected target within the display data in response to the target selection operation. Further, in response to the target selection, the processor within the smart scope 102 may determine a range to the target as well as the incline, direction, and environmental conditions. The smart scope 102 may calculate a ballistic solution for the selected target and may provide a ballistic reticle (replacing the aiming reticle) that reflects the calculated ballistics solution, such that the view area provided on the display of the smart scope 102 may reflect the impact location of the ballistic if the firearm 104 is discharged. Depending on the range and the environmental conditions, the ballistic reticle may reflect bullet drop and the displayed area may shift to reflect the ballistic solution, such that the selected target may no longer be presented in the field of view. In particular, the optical sensors of the smart scope 102 may capture a wider and larger view area than that presented on the display within the smart scope 102, allowing the smart scope 102 to continue tracking the selected target (moving the tag to remain on the target as the target moves), even while the selected target is not presented on the display within the smart scope 102. One the user visually reacquires the selected target within the view area of the smart scope 102, the user may attempt to align the ballistic reticle to the selected target by aiming the firearm 104 while viewing the ballistic reticle through the scope 102.
In some embodiments, the smart scope 102 cooperates with the trigger circuitry 120 to provide a fire control system that guides the release of ordnance to virtually eliminate misaiming, mistiming, and jitter related errors. In a particular embodiment, the fire control system may control discharge to precisely release the shot within 0.5 inches of a designated aim point on a selected target at distances over half of a mile away. In an example, if the user pulls the trigger of the firearm 104 and the ballistic reticle is not aligned to the digital tag previously applied to the target, the smart scope 102 may send a signal to the trigger circuitry 120 to prevent discharge. At a precise time when the smart scope 102 predicts that the ballistic site will intersect the digital tag on the target (based on motion sensor signals and optionally based on optical processing), the smart scope 102 may release the trigger circuitry to allow discharge, and the guided trigger is released to respond to the user's trigger pull.
The system 100 may include a connector 122 configured to couple the trigger circuitry 120 to circuitry within the smart scope 102, which scope circuitry is generally indicated at 124. The smart scope 102 may include a viewing lens 126 through which a user may view a display associated with the circuitry 124. The smart scope 102 may further include an optical receiver (such as an objective lens and associated optical sensors) generally indicated at 128, laser range finding circuitry generally indicated at 130, a weather station 134, and a microphone 136. In some embodiments, the laser range finding circuitry 130 may direct laser beams 132 toward a barrel reference site 133 and may receive reflected light from the barrel reference site 133 to automatically align the smart scope 102 to the firearm 104.
In the illustrated example, the firearm 104 may include a manual bolt action latch mechanism, which may be accessed by a lever or button 140 and which may be configured to disengage a bolt latch inside of the firearm 104. The firearm 104 further includes a bolt 142, a chambered shell 144, and a spring 146 (shown in phantom), which may be part of a buffer tube. When the firearm 104 is discharged, the expansion gas from the discharge of the ballistics propels the bolt 142 toward the stock 106, compressing the spring 146. When the bolt 142 retreats behind the bolt latch, a spring of the bolt latch assembly pushes the bolt latch into an engagement position, which secures the bolt 142 in a compressed (retracted or disengaged) position. The user may then press the lever or button 140 to release the bolt 142, allowing the spring 146 to push the bolt 142 into engagement with the next round (or shell 144) to enable a next shot.
In a particular embodiment, an apparatus may include the firearm 104 and a bolt latch mechanism coupled to the firearm and configured to capture the bolt 142 of the firearm 104 after each discharge event. The bolt latch mechanism can include a latch release button 140 accessible by a user to release the bolt 142 to chamber a next round. In some embodiments (as shown, for example, in
It should be appreciated that the manual bolt action latch mechanism may utilize a Hall affect sensor or other sensor in communication with the trigger circuitry 120 to determine the relative state of the bolt latch. In some embodiments, the trigger circuitry 120 may monitor a state of the bolt latch based on signals from the sensor and may lock the trigger assembly to prevent discharge of the firearm 104 unless the bolt latch state changes to engage the bolt 142 after each discharge. Other embodiments are also possible.
As shown, the firing assembly 200 may include an opening 210 sized to receive a trigger mechanism, including a trigger shoe configured to selectively release a firing pin. The firing assembly 200 may further include a buffer tube attachment opening 208 configured to attach to a cylindrical buffer tube including a spring. Additionally, the firing assembly may include a manual bolt action latch mechanism 240 including a bolt latch and a bolt latch release button 140.
In certain embodiments, in response to discharge of the firearm 104, a bolt may be propelled toward the stock of the firearm 104, through an opening in the buffer tube attachment opening 208 and into the buffer tube, compressing the spring. After the bolt slides past the manual bolt action latch mechanism 240, a spring (252 in
In response to pressing of the bolt action latch button 140, a spring within a buffer tube (near the stock or butt of the firearm 104) attached to the buffer tube attachment opening 208 may push the bolt toward the clip or magazine to chamber a next ballistic round. Once the bolt action latch button 104 is released, the spring 252 within the housing 202 may push the bolt latch 254 into a blocking state until the next shot is fired.
After the firearm 104 is discharged, the bolt may accelerate away from the chamber toward the spring within the buffer tube pushing the blocking lever 254 down into the recess as it advances toward the buffer tube. Once the bolt moves past the blocking lever 254, a spring 252 within the housing 202 pushes the blocking lever 254 into a blocking state. The manual bolt action latch mechanism 240 may further include a spring 252 within the housing 202 and configured to compress in response to pressing of the bolt action latch button 140 so that when the bolt action latch button 140 is released and the bolt moves away from contacting the upper portion of the blocking lever 254, the spring 252 may push the blocking lever 254 into a catch position so that it catches the bolt before the bolt can advance to chamber a next round. Thus, to chamber a next round, reset the firing mechanism, and fire a next round, the user has to push the bolt action latch button 140 to release the bolt.
In the expanded view 340, the shape of the bolt latch 254 can be seen. A “chamber side” 342 of the bolt latch 254 defines an obtuse angle relative to a plane in which the bolt travels and from a direction of the chamber, allowing the force of the recoil of the bolt to push the bolt latch 254 down as the bolt traverses the slope. In contrast, a “stop” side 344 of the bolt latch 254 defines an angle of approximately ninety degrees relative to the plane in which the bolt travels, providing a stop surface to resist movement of the bolt in a forward direction to chamber a next round. Thus, the bolt latch 254 may secure the bolt in a recessed state against the stop side 344 of the bolt latch 254, but does not stop the movement of the bolt after discharge of the firearm 104. Further, the force of the bolt may push the bolt latch 254 down and into the housing, compressing the spring 252 until the bolt moves out of contact with the bolt latch 254. Once the bolt moves away from contact, the spring 252 returns the bolt latch 254 to a blocking state.
In some embodiments, an apparatus can include a firearm 104 and a bolt latch mechanism or manual bolt action latch mechanism 240 coupled to the firearm 104. The bolt latch mechanism may be configured to capture a bolt of the firearm 104 after each discharge. The bolt latch mechanism can include a latch release button 140 accessible by a user to release the bolt to chamber a next round. In some embodiments, the bolt latch mechanism 240 can include a spring 252 configured to engage a spring interface portion (element 404 in
The bolt latch mechanism may include a first side (chamber side 342) having a slope defining an obtuse angle relative to a path traveled by the bolt of the firearm 104 after each discharge. The slope of the first side (chamber side 342) may translate a force applied to the first side by the bolt into a downward force on the bolt latch 254 to cause the bolt latch 254 to retract.
The bolt latch mechanism can include the second side (stop side 344) extending in a direction that is substantially normal relative to the path traveled by the bolt of the firearm 104 after each discharge. The second side can be configured to engage and secure the bolt in a disengaged state.
At 604, the method 600 may include biasing the bolt latch into a bolt catch position when the button is released. As discussed above, a spring within the housing 202 and in contact with the spring interface 404 to bias the bolt latch 254 into position. The latch stop 402 may prevent the bolt latch 254 from extending too far above the surface on which the bolt latch 254 travels.
At 606, the method 600 can include catching and securing the bolt in a disengaged state to prevent automatic chambering of a next round after discharge. As previously discussed, the discharge may cause the bolt to slide toward the stock and into the buffer tube that includes a spring and the bolt latch may catch the bolt against the stop surface to prevent the bolt from sliding forward to chamber the next round.
At 608, the method 600 can include retracting the bolt latch to release the bolt in response to a bolt latch button press. In some embodiments, pressing the bolt latch release button 140 may cause the bolt latch to retract into the housing to allow the spring in the buffer tube to push the bolt forward to chamber the next round. The method 600 may then return to 604 to bias the bolt latch into a bolt catch position when the button is released.
In certain embodiments, the bolt latch operates to catch the bolt after each firearm discharge, thereby preventing the firearm from chambering a next round automatically. The user may then interact with the bolt latch release button to manually release the bolt to chamber the next round.
In conjunction with the embodiments shown in
In some embodiments, a Hall affect sensor or another sensor may be configured to detect a position of the bolt latch release button or of the bolt latch itself. A control circuit of the trigger assembly may be configured to prevent discharge of the firearm if the bolt latch fails to capture the bolt between shots. Other embodiments are also possible.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the invention.
