US20170167811A1 - Bolt Carrier Bearing Tube for Rifle Receiver - Google Patents
Bolt Carrier Bearing Tube for Rifle Receiver Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20170167811A1 US20170167811A1 US14/969,343 US201514969343A US2017167811A1 US 20170167811 A1 US20170167811 A1 US 20170167811A1 US 201514969343 A US201514969343 A US 201514969343A US 2017167811 A1 US2017167811 A1 US 2017167811A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- opening
- metal tube
- sidewall
- shroud
- tube
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
- F41A3/00—Breech mechanisms, e.g. locks
- F41A3/12—Bolt action, i.e. the main breech opening movement being parallel to the barrel axis
- F41A3/14—Rigid bolt locks, i.e. having locking elements rigidly mounted on the bolt or bolt handle and on the barrel or breech-housing respectively
- F41A3/16—Rigid bolt locks, i.e. having locking elements rigidly mounted on the bolt or bolt handle and on the barrel or breech-housing respectively the locking elements effecting a rotary movement about the barrel axis, e.g. rotating cylinder bolt locks
- F41A3/26—Rigid bolt locks, i.e. having locking elements rigidly mounted on the bolt or bolt handle and on the barrel or breech-housing respectively the locking elements effecting a rotary movement about the barrel axis, e.g. rotating cylinder bolt locks semi-automatically or automatically operated, e.g. having a slidable bolt-carrier and a rotatable bolt
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
- F41A15/00—Cartridge extractors, i.e. devices for pulling cartridges or cartridge cases at least partially out of the cartridge chamber; Cartridge ejectors, i.e. devices for throwing the extracted cartridges or cartridge cases free of the gun
- F41A15/12—Cartridge extractors, i.e. devices for pulling cartridges or cartridge cases at least partially out of the cartridge chamber; Cartridge ejectors, i.e. devices for throwing the extracted cartridges or cartridge cases free of the gun for bolt-action guns
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
- F41A15/00—Cartridge extractors, i.e. devices for pulling cartridges or cartridge cases at least partially out of the cartridge chamber; Cartridge ejectors, i.e. devices for throwing the extracted cartridges or cartridge cases free of the gun
- F41A15/12—Cartridge extractors, i.e. devices for pulling cartridges or cartridge cases at least partially out of the cartridge chamber; Cartridge ejectors, i.e. devices for throwing the extracted cartridges or cartridge cases free of the gun for bolt-action guns
- F41A15/16—Cartridge extractors, i.e. devices for pulling cartridges or cartridge cases at least partially out of the cartridge chamber; Cartridge ejectors, i.e. devices for throwing the extracted cartridges or cartridge cases free of the gun for bolt-action guns the ejector being mounted on the breech housing or frame
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
- F41A3/00—Breech mechanisms, e.g. locks
- F41A3/64—Mounting of breech-blocks; Accessories for breech-blocks or breech-block mountings
- F41A3/66—Breech housings or frames; Receivers
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
- F41A3/00—Breech mechanisms, e.g. locks
- F41A3/64—Mounting of breech-blocks; Accessories for breech-blocks or breech-block mountings
- F41A3/72—Operating handles or levers; Mounting thereof in breech-blocks or bolts
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
- F41A9/00—Feeding or loading of ammunition; Magazines; Guiding means for the extracting of cartridges
- F41A9/61—Magazines
- F41A9/64—Magazines for unbelted ammunition
- F41A9/65—Box magazines having a cartridge follower
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
- F41A21/00—Barrels; Gun tubes; Muzzle attachments; Barrel mounting means
- F41A21/48—Barrel mounting means, e.g. releasable mountings for replaceable barrels
- F41A21/482—Barrel mounting means, e.g. releasable mountings for replaceable barrels using continuous threads on the barrel
Definitions
- This invention relates to rifles for military and civilian sporting use.
- components such as the receiver and its associated assemblies such as the bolt carrier and barrel still account for a significant portion of the weight of a firearm, as it has not been thought feasible to substitute polymer for such parts which experience heat, pressure and wear from reciprocating motion.
- many receiver designs are machined from a solid aluminum billet, and thus represent, in addition to significant weight, a significant production cost, as the machining is complex and constrained by tight tolerance requirements.
- the invention concerns a bearing for a bolt carrier in an upper receiver of a firearm having a charging handle, a fire control mechanism and a magazine.
- the bearing comprises a tube positionable within the upper receiver.
- the tube has a sidewall defining an inner surface supporting the bolt carrier and motion thereof between an open position and a battery position.
- a first opening in the sidewall defines an ejector port.
- a second opening in the sidewall is positioned to permit engagement between the bolt carrier and the charging handle.
- a third opening in the sidewall receives the fire control mechanism or the magazine.
- a fourth opening in the sidewall receives the fire control mechanism or the magazine.
- the tube has a buffer tube radius for attaching a buffer tube to the tube.
- the second opening is positioned diametrically opposite to the third opening.
- the second opening is positioned diametrically opposite to the fourth opening.
- the first opening is positioned angularly offset from the second opening about a longitudinal axis of the tube.
- the second opening comprises a slot extending lengthwise along the tube, one end of the slot being open.
- the third and fourth openings are contiguous with one another.
- the fourth opening is wider than the third opening.
- one end of the tube comprises screw threads.
- the screw threads are positioned on the inner surface.
- the screw threads are positioned on an outer surface of the tube.
- An example embodiment further comprises an aperture in the sidewall for permitting engagement between the bolt carrier and a forward assist button.
- the invention also encompasses an upper receiver of a firearm having a bolt carrier, a charging handle, a fire control mechanism and a magazine.
- the upper receiver comprises a metal tube having a sidewall defining an inner surface supporting the bolt carrier and motion thereof between an open position and a battery position.
- a polymer shroud surrounds at least a portion of the metal tube.
- a first opening, positioned in the sidewall and a first opening, positioned in the polymer shroud overlying the first opening in the sidewall define an ejector port.
- the invention further comprises a second opening in the sidewall and a second opening in the polymer shroud overlying the second opening in the sidewall.
- the second openings are positioned to permit engagement between the bolt carrier and the charging handle.
- An example embodiment further comprises a third opening in the sidewall for receiving the fire control mechanism or the magazine.
- Another example comprises a fourth opening in the sidewall for receiving the fire control mechanism or the magazine.
- Another example embodiment comprises a rail mounted on the shroud. The rail and extends lengthwise along the tube and comprises a plurality of ribs oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of the tube.
- the shroud comprises an outwardly projecting surface positioned adjacent to the ejector port.
- Another example further comprises a housing extending from the shroud for receiving a forward assist button.
- the metal tube comprises an aperture aligned with the housing for permitting engagement between the bolt carrier and the forward assist button.
- the invention further comprises first and second lugs positioned at opposite ends of the shroud for attaching the shroud to a lower receiver.
- Another example embodiment of the invention comprises a buffer tube radius for attaching a buffer tube to the metal tube.
- the first openings are positioned angularly offset from the second openings about a longitudinal axis of the metal tube.
- the second opening in the sidewall of the metal tube comprises a slot extending lengthwise along the metal tube, one end of the slot being open.
- one end of the metal tube comprises screw threads.
- the screw threads are positioned on the inner surface of the metal tube.
- the screw threads are positioned on an outer surface of the metal tube.
- the invention also encompasses firearm having a bolt carrier, a charging handle, a fire control mechanism and a magazine.
- the firearm comprises an upper receiver comprising a metal tube having a sidewall defining an inner surface supporting the bolt carrier and motion thereof between an open position and a battery position.
- a polymer shroud surrounds at least a portion of the metal tube.
- a first opening is positioned in the sidewall and a first opening in the polymer shroud overlies the first opening in the sidewall. The first openings define an ejector port.
- a second opening in the sidewall and a second opening in the polymer shroud overlying the second opening in the sidewall are positioned to permit engagement between the bolt carrier and the charging handle.
- a third opening in the sidewall receives the fire control mechanism or the magazine.
- the invention comprises a fourth opening in the sidewall for receiving the fire control mechanism or the magazine.
- a rail is mounted on the shroud and extends lengthwise along the tube.
- the rail comprises a plurality of ribs oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of the tube.
- the shroud further comprises an outwardly projecting surface positioned adjacent to the ejector port.
- the firearm further comprises a housing extending from the shroud for receiving a forward assist button.
- the metal tube comprises an aperture aligned with the housing for permitting engagement between the bolt carrier and the forward assist button.
- first and second lugs are positioned at opposite ends of the shroud for attaching the shroud to a lower receiver.
- a particular example comprises a buffer tube radius for attaching a buffer tube to the metal tube.
- the first openings are positioned angularly offset from the second openings about a longitudinal axis of the metal tube.
- the second opening in the sidewall of the metal tube comprises a slot extending lengthwise along the metal tube, one end of the slot being open.
- one end of the metal tube comprises screw threads.
- the screw threads are positioned on the inner surface of the metal tube.
- the screw threads are positioned on an outer surface of the metal tube.
- FIG. 1 is a right side view of an example rifle according to the invention
- FIG. 1A is a longitudinal sectional view taken from within the ellipse of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 2 is a right side view of the lower receiver of the rifle shown in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is a right side view of the upper receiver of the rifle shown in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of the upper receiver of the rifle shown in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an example bearing used in an upper receiver of a rifle
- FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the bearing shown in FIG. 5 rotated 90° about its longitudinal axis in a clockwise direction;
- FIG. 7 is an isometric longitudinal sectional view of a portion of an example upper receiver according to the invention.
- FIG. 1 depicts an example embodiment of a rifle 10 according to the invention.
- Rifle 10 may be capable of automatic or semi-automatic operation and comprises a lower receiver 12 (see also FIG. 2 ) which houses a fire control mechanism 14 (see also FIG. 4 ) and has a magazine well 16 which receives an ammunition magazine 18 .
- An upper receiver 20 (see also FIG. 3 ) is attached to the lower receiver 12 .
- the upper receiver houses a charging handle 22 , a bolt carrier 24 (see also FIG. 4 ) and may also house a forward assist button 26 .
- the bolt carrier 24 (see FIG. 4 ) reciprocates within the upper receiver 20 between “battery”, a position wherein the bolt 28 on the bolt carrier 24 is engaged with the breech of barrel 30 (see FIG. 1A ), and an open position, where the bolt 28 is disengaged from the breech and the bolt carrier 24 is retracted away from the breech.
- battery a round chambered in the breech may be discharged.
- the bolt carrier 24 moves from battery to the open position, extracting and ejecting the spent cartridge and resetting the fire control mechanism 14 along the way. Motion of the bolt carrier 24 from battery to the open position also compresses a return spring (not shown) acting on the bolt carrier.
- the upper receiver 20 must support the bolt carrier 24 as it moves between battery and the open position but also allow the various components, including the fire control mechanism 14 , the magazine 18 , the charging handle 22 , and the forward assist button 26 (when present) to interact with the bolt carrier.
- the upper receiver 20 must also provide an ejection port 32 to permit ejection of the spent cartridge.
- the bolt carrier 24 is supported by a bearing 34 , shown in FIGS. 4-6 .
- Bearing 34 comprises a metal tube 36 , which may be formed from aluminum, steel or other durable metals.
- Tube 36 in this example has a round cross section defined by a sidewall 38 .
- Sidewall 38 also defines an inner surface 40 which supports the bolt carrier 24 in its reciprocal motion between battery and the open position.
- Tube 36 is sized in both length and inner diameter so that tilting of the bolt carrier 24 relative to the longitudinal axis 52 of tube 36 is mitigated to ensure smooth motion during operation for reliability.
- an ejector port 42 is provided within the sidewall 38 to permit ejection of spent cartridges from the receiver.
- An aperture 44 is also provided within the sidewall 38 to permit the forward assist button 26 to engage the bolt carrier 24 and drive it into battery when the return spring fails to do so.
- FIG. 5 illustrates yet another opening 46 in the sidewall 38 which is positioned to permit the charging handle 22 to engage the bolt carrier 24 .
- FIG. 6 illustrates additional openings 48 and 50 . Opening 48 permits at least a portion of the fire control mechanism 14 (see FIG. 4 ) to extend into the tube 36 and interact with the bolt carrier 24 . Opening 50 permits the magazine 18 to extend into the tube 36 so that rounds can be stripped and chambered as the bolt carrier 24 moves into battery.
- the opening 46 for charging handle 22 is diametrically opposite to the openings 48 and 50 for the fire control mechanism 14 and the magazine 18 .
- This configuration is dictated by the layout of the rifle 10 shown in FIG. 1 , wherein the charging handle 22 is positioned on the upper receiver 20 and substantially aligned with the fire control mechanism 14 and the magazine well 16 which receives the magazine 18 , all of which are housed in the lower receiver 12 .
- Ejector port 42 (see FIGS. 4 and 5 ) is angularly offset from the charging handle opening 46 about the longitudinal axis 52 of the tube 36 to direct the spent cartridges to the right side of the rifle 10 .
- Other arrangements of the openings in tube 36 are of course feasible to accommodate other rifle configurations.
- opening 46 in this example comprises an elongate slot to accommodate the necessary range of motion of the charging handle 22 and bolt carrier 24 along the tube 36 .
- one end 46 a of the slot formed by opening 46 is open.
- openings 48 and 50 are sized to accommodate the fire control mechanism and magazine, respectively, opening 50 being wider than opening 48 as a result.
- the openings 48 and 50 may be contiguous with one another as shown.
- the simplicity of the bearing 34 allows the various openings to be conveniently formed by laser machining techniques. Traditional machining techniques are of course also feasible.
- tube 36 may have screw threads 54 positioned at the end which interfaces with the barrel 30 (see also FIG. 1 ). Threads 54 may be on the inner surface 40 of the tube 36 (shown) or on the outer surface 56 . Additionally, as shown in FIG. 6 , a buffer tube radius 56 may also be part of tube 36 for accommodating a buffer tube (not shown), which contains the return spring (not shown).
- Shroud 58 is formed from a polymer such as fiber reinforce nylon which, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 , is injection molded around a tube 36 that has already been machined and finished. In production a machined, finished tube 36 is placed in a mold for the upper shroud, the mold is closed, and the polymer is injected into the mold in a co-molding process that joins shroud and tube. Injection molding is advantageous because it permits features having complex geometries to be incorporated into the upper receiver while avoiding costly and time consuming machining.
- the example shroud 58 includes a so-called “Picatinny” rail 60 that extends lengthwise along the tube 36 and has a plurality of transverse ribs 62 . Also shown in FIG. 3 are a housing 64 for the forward assist button 26 and an outwardly projecting surface 66 adjacent to the ejector port 42 for deflecting ejected cartridges. Lugs 68 for attaching the upper receiver 20 to the lower receiver 12 may also be injection molded as part of shroud 58 .
- Injection molding also allows openings to be formed in the shroud 58 that correspond to openings in the tube 36 .
- opening 70 in shroud 58 aligns with the ejector port opening 32 in the tube 36 ;
- opening 72 in the shroud aligns with the opening 46 for the charging handle 22 ;
- opening 74 aligns with aperture 44 for the forward assist button 26 .
- the region between the lugs 68 is substantially open to permit the fire control mechanism 14 and the magazine 18 to be received within respective openings 48 and 50 in the sidewall 38 of tube 36 when the upper receiver 20 is mounted on the lower receiver 12 and the magazine 18 is inserted into magazine well 16 .
- a rifle having a polymer upper receiver co-molded with a tube comprising a bearing for supporting and guiding a bolt carrier provides numerous advantages over traditional rifles wherein the receiver is machined from a billet. Such rifles will have reduced weight and more economical and rapid production without sacrificing reliability or robustness.
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates to rifles for military and civilian sporting use.
- Modern sporting rifles as well as military rifles and carbines must be robust for reliable operation, and lightweight to permit carry without excessive fatigue. Significant reduction in rifle weight has been previously achieved by replacing wood with polymer material for components such as the shoulder stock and fore stock. Such designs have been successful because the use of polymer material for these elements does not compromise the robustness or reliable operation of modern firearms.
- However, components such as the receiver and its associated assemblies such as the bolt carrier and barrel still account for a significant portion of the weight of a firearm, as it has not been thought feasible to substitute polymer for such parts which experience heat, pressure and wear from reciprocating motion. To meet the harsh requirements of operation many receiver designs are machined from a solid aluminum billet, and thus represent, in addition to significant weight, a significant production cost, as the machining is complex and constrained by tight tolerance requirements. There is clearly a need to further reduce rifle weight and simplify production without compromising the performance of the modern combat or sporting rifle.
- The invention concerns a bearing for a bolt carrier in an upper receiver of a firearm having a charging handle, a fire control mechanism and a magazine. In one example embodiment the bearing comprises a tube positionable within the upper receiver. The tube has a sidewall defining an inner surface supporting the bolt carrier and motion thereof between an open position and a battery position. A first opening in the sidewall defines an ejector port. A second opening in the sidewall is positioned to permit engagement between the bolt carrier and the charging handle. A third opening in the sidewall receives the fire control mechanism or the magazine.
- By way of example a fourth opening in the sidewall receives the fire control mechanism or the magazine. In an example embodiment, the tube has a buffer tube radius for attaching a buffer tube to the tube. In a specific example the second opening is positioned diametrically opposite to the third opening. In a further specific example the second opening is positioned diametrically opposite to the fourth opening. In another example the first opening is positioned angularly offset from the second opening about a longitudinal axis of the tube. In an example embodiment the second opening comprises a slot extending lengthwise along the tube, one end of the slot being open. In a further example the third and fourth openings are contiguous with one another. In another example the fourth opening is wider than the third opening.
- By way of example one end of the tube comprises screw threads. In a particular example the screw threads are positioned on the inner surface. In another example the screw threads are positioned on an outer surface of the tube. An example embodiment further comprises an aperture in the sidewall for permitting engagement between the bolt carrier and a forward assist button.
- The invention also encompasses an upper receiver of a firearm having a bolt carrier, a charging handle, a fire control mechanism and a magazine. In this example embodiment the upper receiver comprises a metal tube having a sidewall defining an inner surface supporting the bolt carrier and motion thereof between an open position and a battery position. A polymer shroud surrounds at least a portion of the metal tube. A first opening, positioned in the sidewall and a first opening, positioned in the polymer shroud overlying the first opening in the sidewall define an ejector port.
- By way of example the invention further comprises a second opening in the sidewall and a second opening in the polymer shroud overlying the second opening in the sidewall. The second openings are positioned to permit engagement between the bolt carrier and the charging handle.
- An example embodiment further comprises a third opening in the sidewall for receiving the fire control mechanism or the magazine. Another example comprises a fourth opening in the sidewall for receiving the fire control mechanism or the magazine. Another example embodiment comprises a rail mounted on the shroud. The rail and extends lengthwise along the tube and comprises a plurality of ribs oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of the tube. Further by way of example the shroud comprises an outwardly projecting surface positioned adjacent to the ejector port. Another example further comprises a housing extending from the shroud for receiving a forward assist button. In this example the metal tube comprises an aperture aligned with the housing for permitting engagement between the bolt carrier and the forward assist button.
- By way of example the invention further comprises first and second lugs positioned at opposite ends of the shroud for attaching the shroud to a lower receiver. Another example embodiment of the invention comprises a buffer tube radius for attaching a buffer tube to the metal tube.
- By way of example, the first openings are positioned angularly offset from the second openings about a longitudinal axis of the metal tube. In a further example, the second opening in the sidewall of the metal tube comprises a slot extending lengthwise along the metal tube, one end of the slot being open.
- In an example embodiment, one end of the metal tube comprises screw threads. In a specific example the screw threads are positioned on the inner surface of the metal tube. In another example embodiment, the screw threads are positioned on an outer surface of the metal tube.
- The invention also encompasses firearm having a bolt carrier, a charging handle, a fire control mechanism and a magazine. In an example embodiment the firearm comprises an upper receiver comprising a metal tube having a sidewall defining an inner surface supporting the bolt carrier and motion thereof between an open position and a battery position. A polymer shroud surrounds at least a portion of the metal tube. A first opening is positioned in the sidewall and a first opening in the polymer shroud overlies the first opening in the sidewall. The first openings define an ejector port.
- In an example embodiment a second opening in the sidewall and a second opening in the polymer shroud overlying the second opening in the sidewall are positioned to permit engagement between the bolt carrier and the charging handle.
- In another example a third opening in the sidewall receives the fire control mechanism or the magazine. In a further example the invention comprises a fourth opening in the sidewall for receiving the fire control mechanism or the magazine. In a specific example embodiment a rail is mounted on the shroud and extends lengthwise along the tube. The rail comprises a plurality of ribs oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of the tube. By way of example the shroud further comprises an outwardly projecting surface positioned adjacent to the ejector port.
- In an example embodiment the firearm further comprises a housing extending from the shroud for receiving a forward assist button. The metal tube comprises an aperture aligned with the housing for permitting engagement between the bolt carrier and the forward assist button.
- By way of further example, first and second lugs are positioned at opposite ends of the shroud for attaching the shroud to a lower receiver. A particular example comprises a buffer tube radius for attaching a buffer tube to the metal tube. In a specific example the first openings are positioned angularly offset from the second openings about a longitudinal axis of the metal tube. In another example the second opening in the sidewall of the metal tube comprises a slot extending lengthwise along the metal tube, one end of the slot being open. By way of example, one end of the metal tube comprises screw threads. In a specific example the screw threads are positioned on the inner surface of the metal tube. In another example, the screw threads are positioned on an outer surface of the metal tube.
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FIG. 1 is a right side view of an example rifle according to the invention; -
FIG. 1A is a longitudinal sectional view taken from within the ellipse ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 2 is a right side view of the lower receiver of the rifle shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a right side view of the upper receiver of the rifle shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of the upper receiver of the rifle shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an example bearing used in an upper receiver of a rifle; -
FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the bearing shown inFIG. 5 rotated 90° about its longitudinal axis in a clockwise direction; and -
FIG. 7 is an isometric longitudinal sectional view of a portion of an example upper receiver according to the invention; -
FIG. 1 depicts an example embodiment of arifle 10 according to the invention.Rifle 10 may be capable of automatic or semi-automatic operation and comprises a lower receiver 12 (see alsoFIG. 2 ) which houses a fire control mechanism 14 (see alsoFIG. 4 ) and has a magazine well 16 which receives anammunition magazine 18. An upper receiver 20 (see alsoFIG. 3 ) is attached to thelower receiver 12. The upper receiver houses a charginghandle 22, a bolt carrier 24 (see alsoFIG. 4 ) and may also house aforward assist button 26. - During operation of the
rifle 10, the bolt carrier 24 (seeFIG. 4 ) reciprocates within theupper receiver 20 between “battery”, a position wherein thebolt 28 on thebolt carrier 24 is engaged with the breech of barrel 30 (seeFIG. 1A ), and an open position, where thebolt 28 is disengaged from the breech and thebolt carrier 24 is retracted away from the breech. In battery, a round chambered in the breech may be discharged. Upon discharge, thebolt carrier 24 moves from battery to the open position, extracting and ejecting the spent cartridge and resetting thefire control mechanism 14 along the way. Motion of thebolt carrier 24 from battery to the open position also compresses a return spring (not shown) acting on the bolt carrier. As thebolt carrier 24 moves back into battery (driven by the return spring) it strips a round from themagazine 18 and chambers it in the breech ofbarrel 30 completing the cycle. Energy for moving thebolt carrier 24 through this cycle (in either automatic or semi-automatic operation) is provided by the ammunition itself using one of at least three well understood modes of operation commonly known as “recoil”, “blow-back”, and “gas” operation. A round is initially chambered and thefire control mechanism 14 is initially set by drawing and releasing the charginghandle 22, which draws thebolt carrier 24 from battery to the open position and permits the bolt carrier to move back into battery, driven by the aforementioned return spring (not shown). - Thus the
upper receiver 20 must support thebolt carrier 24 as it moves between battery and the open position but also allow the various components, including thefire control mechanism 14, themagazine 18, the charginghandle 22, and the forward assist button 26 (when present) to interact with the bolt carrier. Theupper receiver 20 must also provide anejection port 32 to permit ejection of the spent cartridge. In theupper receiver 20 according to the invention thebolt carrier 24 is supported by abearing 34, shown inFIGS. 4-6 .Bearing 34 comprises ametal tube 36, which may be formed from aluminum, steel or other durable metals.Tube 36 in this example has a round cross section defined by asidewall 38.Sidewall 38 also defines aninner surface 40 which supports thebolt carrier 24 in its reciprocal motion between battery and the open position.Tube 36 is sized in both length and inner diameter so that tilting of thebolt carrier 24 relative to thelongitudinal axis 52 oftube 36 is mitigated to ensure smooth motion during operation for reliability. - As shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5 , anejector port 42 is provided within thesidewall 38 to permit ejection of spent cartridges from the receiver. Anaperture 44 is also provided within thesidewall 38 to permit theforward assist button 26 to engage thebolt carrier 24 and drive it into battery when the return spring fails to do so.FIG. 5 illustrates yet anotheropening 46 in thesidewall 38 which is positioned to permit the charging handle 22 to engage thebolt carrier 24.FIG. 6 illustratesadditional openings Opening 48 permits at least a portion of the fire control mechanism 14 (seeFIG. 4 ) to extend into thetube 36 and interact with thebolt carrier 24.Opening 50 permits themagazine 18 to extend into thetube 36 so that rounds can be stripped and chambered as thebolt carrier 24 moves into battery. - As shown by way of example in
FIGS. 5 and 6 , theopening 46 for charginghandle 22 is diametrically opposite to theopenings fire control mechanism 14 and themagazine 18. This configuration is dictated by the layout of therifle 10 shown inFIG. 1 , wherein the charginghandle 22 is positioned on theupper receiver 20 and substantially aligned with thefire control mechanism 14 and the magazine well 16 which receives themagazine 18, all of which are housed in thelower receiver 12. Ejector port 42 (seeFIGS. 4 and 5 ) is angularly offset from the charginghandle opening 46 about thelongitudinal axis 52 of thetube 36 to direct the spent cartridges to the right side of therifle 10. Other arrangements of the openings intube 36 are of course feasible to accommodate other rifle configurations. The openings are further shaped and dimensioned commensurate with their respective functions. To this end, opening 46 in this example comprises an elongate slot to accommodate the necessary range of motion of the charginghandle 22 andbolt carrier 24 along thetube 36. In this example oneend 46 a of the slot formed by opening 46 is open. Similarly,openings openings - The simplicity of the
bearing 34 allows the various openings to be conveniently formed by laser machining techniques. Traditional machining techniques are of course also feasible. - As further shown in
FIG. 1A ,tube 36 may have screw threads 54 positioned at the end which interfaces with the barrel 30 (see alsoFIG. 1 ). Threads 54 may be on theinner surface 40 of the tube 36 (shown) or on theouter surface 56. Additionally, as shown inFIG. 6 , abuffer tube radius 56 may also be part oftube 36 for accommodating a buffer tube (not shown), which contains the return spring (not shown). - Another part of the upper receiver according to the invention is the
polymer shroud 58, an example being shown inFIG. 4 .Shroud 58 is formed from a polymer such as fiber reinforce nylon which, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 7 , is injection molded around atube 36 that has already been machined and finished. In production a machined,finished tube 36 is placed in a mold for the upper shroud, the mold is closed, and the polymer is injected into the mold in a co-molding process that joins shroud and tube. Injection molding is advantageous because it permits features having complex geometries to be incorporated into the upper receiver while avoiding costly and time consuming machining. Theexample shroud 58 includes a so-called “Picatinny”rail 60 that extends lengthwise along thetube 36 and has a plurality oftransverse ribs 62. Also shown inFIG. 3 are ahousing 64 for theforward assist button 26 and an outwardly projectingsurface 66 adjacent to theejector port 42 for deflecting ejected cartridges.Lugs 68 for attaching theupper receiver 20 to thelower receiver 12 may also be injection molded as part ofshroud 58. - Injection molding also allows openings to be formed in the
shroud 58 that correspond to openings in thetube 36. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 , opening 70 inshroud 58 aligns with theejector port opening 32 in thetube 36; opening 72 in the shroud aligns with theopening 46 for the charginghandle 22; andopening 74 aligns withaperture 44 for theforward assist button 26. In theexample shroud 58 the region between thelugs 68 is substantially open to permit thefire control mechanism 14 and themagazine 18 to be received withinrespective openings sidewall 38 oftube 36 when theupper receiver 20 is mounted on thelower receiver 12 and themagazine 18 is inserted into magazine well 16. - A rifle having a polymer upper receiver co-molded with a tube comprising a bearing for supporting and guiding a bolt carrier provides numerous advantages over traditional rifles wherein the receiver is machined from a billet. Such rifles will have reduced weight and more economical and rapid production without sacrificing reliability or robustness.
Claims (29)
Priority Applications (9)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US14/969,343 US9664465B1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2015-12-15 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
EP16876557.6A EP3390951B1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2016-12-14 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
PCT/US2016/066603 WO2017106308A1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2016-12-14 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
AU2016372030A AU2016372030B2 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2016-12-14 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
EP18198596.1A EP3454003B1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2016-12-14 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
CA3008003A CA3008003C (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2016-12-14 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
CA3075072A CA3075072A1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2016-12-14 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
US15/457,407 US9702643B1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2017-03-13 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
AU2018271301A AU2018271301B2 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2018-11-28 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US14/969,343 US9664465B1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2015-12-15 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US15/457,407 Division US9702643B1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2017-03-13 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US9664465B1 US9664465B1 (en) | 2017-05-30 |
US20170167811A1 true US20170167811A1 (en) | 2017-06-15 |
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US14/969,343 Expired - Fee Related US9664465B1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2015-12-15 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
US15/457,407 Active US9702643B1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2017-03-13 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US15/457,407 Active US9702643B1 (en) | 2015-12-15 | 2017-03-13 | Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
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US (2) | US9664465B1 (en) |
EP (2) | EP3454003B1 (en) |
AU (2) | AU2016372030B2 (en) |
CA (2) | CA3008003C (en) |
WO (1) | WO2017106308A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
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US11231248B2 (en) * | 2018-04-25 | 2022-01-25 | Sig Sauer, Inc. | Recoil assembly for a machine gun |
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AT516501B1 (en) * | 2015-04-27 | 2016-06-15 | Steyr Mannlicher Gmbh | Firearm of turret type |
US20180229092A1 (en) * | 2017-02-13 | 2018-08-16 | Cc3D Llc | Composite sporting equipment |
AT522076B1 (en) | 2019-05-23 | 2020-08-15 | Steyr Arms Gmbh | Upper case for a firearm |
US11598595B2 (en) * | 2020-10-15 | 2023-03-07 | Robin Wall | Modular bushing adapter bolt action assembly for interchanging barrels |
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- 2016-12-14 WO PCT/US2016/066603 patent/WO2017106308A1/en unknown
- 2016-12-14 AU AU2016372030A patent/AU2016372030B2/en not_active Ceased
- 2016-12-14 CA CA3075072A patent/CA3075072A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2016-12-14 EP EP18198596.1A patent/EP3454003B1/en active Active
- 2016-12-14 EP EP16876557.6A patent/EP3390951B1/en active Active
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2017
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP3390951A4 (en) | 2019-08-21 |
EP3390951B1 (en) | 2020-06-17 |
US9664465B1 (en) | 2017-05-30 |
AU2016372030A1 (en) | 2018-05-17 |
AU2018271301B2 (en) | 2019-04-18 |
CA3008003C (en) | 2020-04-28 |
EP3454003B1 (en) | 2020-03-11 |
CA3008003A1 (en) | 2017-06-22 |
US20170184357A1 (en) | 2017-06-29 |
EP3390951A1 (en) | 2018-10-24 |
WO2017106308A1 (en) | 2017-06-22 |
AU2016372030B2 (en) | 2018-12-13 |
US9702643B1 (en) | 2017-07-11 |
EP3454003A1 (en) | 2019-03-13 |
CA3075072A1 (en) | 2017-06-22 |
AU2018271301A1 (en) | 2018-12-20 |
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