WO2013010516A1

WO2013010516A1 - Arrangement to exchange and lock the barrel of a long gun

Info

Publication number: WO2013010516A1
Application number: PCT/CZ2012/000063
Authority: WO
Inventors: Václav GARDIAN
Original assignee: Proarms Armory, S.R.O.
Priority date: 2011-07-21
Filing date: 2012-07-11
Publication date: 2013-01-24
Also published as: CZ303454B6; CZ2011445A3

Abstract

The arrangement to exchange and lock the barrel of a long gun contains a barrel (17), which is fitted with a barrel nut (15) and with a barrel extension (28), whereas the gun further contains especially a rail lower handguard (1), a case (7) of the bolt assembly carrier and a door pin (12). The barrel nut (15) has two cross holes at least (24) for a swivel mounting of the barrel lever (16) and fixing grooves (25) of the barrel lever (16), which are arranged axially on the outer surface of the barrel nut (15) and assigned to cross holes (24), whereas the cross holes (24) and fixing grooves (25) are arranged mirror-reciprocally symmetrically to the axis of the barrel nut (15).

Description

Arrangement to exchange and lock

the barrel of a long gun

Technical field

The submitted solution concerns the barrel exchange of long guns due to a repair or a barrel exchange for another gauge, namely without using any tools. The arrangement to exchange and lock the barrel of a long gun contains a barrel, which is fitted with a barrel nut and with a barrel extension, whereas the gun further contains especially a rail lower handguard, a case of the bolt assembly carrier and a door pin.

Prior art

In the state of the art the barrel exchange of long guns is solved while using special tools, jigs, various keys and screwdrivers. This work must be carried out by a specially trained person in many cases, i.e. by a gunsmith, namely even in a workshop.

Subject matter of the invention

Disadvantages of the existing state of the art are solved by the arrangement to exchange and lock the barrel of a long gun, which contains a barrel, which is fitted with a barrel nut and with a barrel extension, whereas the gun further contains especially the rail lower handguard, the case of the bolt assembly carrier and the door pin. The solution is characterized with the fact, that the barrel nut has two cross holes at least for a swivel mounting of the barrel lever and fixing grooves of the barrel lever, which are arranged axially on the outer surface of the barrel nut and assigned to cross holes, whereas the cross holes and fixing grooves arranged mirror-reciprocally symmetrically to the axis of the barrel nut.

The advantageous solution consists in the fact that the cross holes and fixing grooves are modified equally distributed on the whole perimeter of the barrel nut.

Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the barrel lever is created in a both-handed modification; advantageously it is two-armed, whereas both arms snap while turning in the mutually opposite cross holes.

Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the barrel lever is pre-loaded to snap automatically in the fixing grooves to fix the barrel lever in its normal position in the parallel way with the barrel.

Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the barrel lever is laid in the cross holes with the possibility of turning by 90° downwards from the normal position in the parallel way with the barrel, i.e. upwards to the barrel axis.

Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the first locking mechanism is assigned to the barrel nut against its unwished release, which has grooved barrel nuts, which are arranged on the rear front of the barrel nut, further it has a door pin, which is pre-loaded by means of a pressure spring in the direction of its longitudinal axis to the rear front of the barrel nut and which is fitted with safety catch at the front end, modified to the cutout of grooving of the barrel nut.

Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the pressure spring of the door pin is in the pusher body on the case of the bolt assembly carrier.

Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the safety catch has a pawl at its end, which is modified to co-operate with the grooving on the rear front of the barrel nut .

Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the safety catch of the barrel nut is locked by means of the" safety pin on the door pin.

Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the safety pin is laid in the turned-"L"-form groove in a shifting way, which is created in the case of the bolt assembly carrier.

Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the second locking mechanism is assigned to the barrel nut against its unwished release, which contains a barrel lever and inner side grooves of the rail lower handguard, which are mutually modified for the barrel lever to snap in side grooves when the rail lower handguard is on. Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the locking mechanism is assigned to the barrel nut against its unwished release, which is created with a clamp arrangement of the rail lower handguard on the barrel nut.

Another advantageous solution consists in the fact that the barrel nut diameter is of 34mm.

The proposed solution enables to exchange the barrel and to lock it by anybody who is competent to hold, carry and use the gun, wherever he/she is just now without any tools needed.

In addition to it the diameter reduction of the barrel nut to 34mm, compared to the 40mm mostly used in the state of the art, together with the arrangement to fasten the rail lower handguard on the gun and its profile contributes to the fact that the solution proposed is by more than 10mm narrower than that one of the current guns.

The pusher slope reduction leads to an overall slimness and compactness of the gun.

So the overall slim appearance and compactness of the gun are further advantages leading also to a lower weight of the gun.

These solutions contribute to a comfortable usage of the gun substantially in this way, i.e. to easy using and handling also under heavier conditions.

Brief description of the drawings The invention is more explained by means of concrete examples of versions illustrated on drawings, where it introduces

Fig. 1 the rail lower handguard in itself and arrangement to fasten it,

Fig. 2 the arrangement of the barrel nut with the lever of the barrel nut,

Fig. 3 the lock of the barrel nut against a self- release, and

Fig. 4 the modification of the gunlock pusher slope.

Description of preferred embodiments

Although the submitted solution is described in further text in terms of certain preferential versions of individual parts and their assembly groups, this description is not intended to limit its scope only to these described versions. On the contrary, the intent of this description is to include and cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents of such versions falling in the substance and pretended scope of the submitted solution so as it would be understood and eventually applied by an expert in the given technical field.

Then the above mentioned as well as further described characters according to the submitted solution can be also used separately in themselves or in arbitrary mutual combinations. Illustrated and described versions cannot be taken for a finished enumeration but they are rather more examples to understand the solution proposed.

The purpose of the rail lower handguard 1, represented on the Fig. 1, is to keep the long gun in a front hand, namely in the left hand as well as in the right one, in dependence on the fact if the shooting person is a right- handed person or a left-handed person. The rail lower handguard 1 does not lean against the barrel 17, but it is modified towards it with a play. It means that the rail lower handguard 1 does not lean against the barrel 17 and assures its free vibrations while shooting and so it assures a better concourse of shots or equability of the gun shot. This modification is called a "floating barrel".

As it is known by itself from the state of the art this rail lower handguard 1 can be fitted as necessary e.g. with a bipod, a supplementary handle, a laser gun sight or a tactical light.

The rail lower handguard 1 is created by a one-part hollow longitudinal profile shaped as a hollow cross in the cross-section. In each of the profile arms there is a groove 18, 27 created inside. To be specific it is the upper groove 27 of a half-round cross-section, two side grooves 18 of an angular cross-section and a lower groove of an angular cross-section. All four grooves 18, 27 are joined in one hollow through a round opening. The diameter of this opening is sized so that the rail lower handguard 1 can be put on over the barrel nut 15 described below. From outside of the rail lower handguard 1 the relevant outer surfaces of the cross arms for fastening the additional accessories are fitted with standard profiles. Between these standard profiles there are advantageously oval cutouts laid out between these standard profiles, to make the gun lighter and to improve its cooling. In the rear part of the rail lower handguard 1 there is a longitudinal through cutout 29 created in the rear part of the rail lower handguard in the lower wall of the profile cross arm aiming downwards. Furthermore there is always one by one hole in the rear part of the rail lower handguard 1 approximately over the middle of the through cutout 29 in both side walls of the lower profile arm. From the side view these holes are created coaxially one by one adversely to the longitudinal axis of the rail lower handguard 1.

It is further obvious from the Fig.l, that a pin 3 of the locking element is assigned to the rail lower handguard 1, and its diameter comes up to the diameter of the holes mentioned above. The pin 3 of the locking element is fitted with a pin 3 thread 9 of the locking element at one end. At the other end the pin 3 of the locking element is fitted with a lever 2 pin 4_ of the locking element. By means of the nut 6 of the locking element, that is modified by means of its thread at the thread end of the pin 3 of the locking element, and by means of the lever 2 of the locking element, that is fastened by means of the lever 2 pin 4 of the locking element at the other end of the pin 3 of the locking element, the pin 3 of the locking element is fastened on the rail lower handguard 1. To prevent turning the nut 6 of the locking element inside is shaped complementarily to the outer cutout of the wall of the lower cross profile arm. In this way the nut is ensured against turning. Similarly also the washer 5 of the locking element, that is, put on the pin 3 of the locking element, inserted outside between the other wall of the lower cross profile arm and the lever 2 of the locking element to enable it turning in its outside flat surface .

The pin 3 of the locking element has a radius cutout 10 in its middle part, the shape and dimensions of which correspond to the diameter of the recess 19 in the barrel nut 15. The radius cutout 10 enables in the position shown on the Fig.l to slip the rail lower handguard 1 over the barrel nut 15. The diameter of the pin 3 of the locking element matches the recess 19 in the barrel nut 15, that will be described below.

As obvious from the Fig.2, the piston rod case 8 is pressed in the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier in its upper part. The piston rod case 8 is adapted to the upper groove 27 of the rail lower handguard 1 in shape and dimensions to assure an accurate mating with this upper groove 27. After putting the rail lower handguard 1 on the barrel nut 15 up to the end stop to the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier the piston rod case 8 co-operates with its shape joint with the upper groove 27 and so it disables the rail lower handguard 1 to turn, i.e. to make a radial motion of the rail lower handguard 1 on the barrel nut 15.

On the Fig.2 shown barrel nut 15 is generally used to fasten the barrel 17 to the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier by means of screwing the barrel 17. In addition to it the barrel nut 15 is fitted with an internal thread 23 and a barrel extension 2_8 in the known way. On the barrel nut 15 the outer ring recess 19 is modified, the dimensions and shape of which match the pin 3 of the locking element. The outer recess 19 is used to fasten the rail lower handguard 1 on the barrel nut 15 and on the gun in this way.

After putting the rail lower handguard 1 on the barrel nut 15 up to the end stop to the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier the rail lower handguard 1 is fastened on the barrel nut 15, and so on the gun, by means of turning the lever 2 of the locking element along with the pin 3 of the locking element. The pin 3 of the locking element, after turning the lever 2 of the locking element by 180° from the position on the Fig.l in the position towards to the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier 7, snaps in the recess 19 of the barrel nut 15. Namely after turning the lever 2 of the locking element by 180°, i.e. from the released position of the lever 2 of the locking element forwards to the locking position of the lever 2 of the locking element backwards, i.e. to the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier, the pin 3 of the locking element snaps in the recess 19 on the barrel nut 15 with its middle part that is without a radius cutout 10. The rail lower handguard 1 is locked with the rest of the gun in this way. According to the solution proposed the barrel nut 15 is also used to fasten the rail lower handguard 1 on the rest of the gun.

However while turning the lever 2 of the locking element as described above by means of the longitudinal through cutout 29, which is arranged axially in the lower wall of the rail lower handguard 1 and modified to be able to clamp the sides of the rail lower handguard 1 around the barrel nut 15, the pin 3 of the locking element is being tightened while its turning. The thread of the pin 3 of the locking element is pulled in the thread of the nut 6 and so the rail lower handguard 1 is clamped firmly on the barrel nut 15. The rail lower handguard is fastened on the barrel nut 15 both by locking and by clamping in this way. The firm clamping of the rail lower handguard 1 on the barrel nut 15 together with co-operation of the piston rod case 8 with the upper groove 27 as described above locks also the barrel nut

15 against its unwished release.

As further obvious from the Fig.2, the barrel nut 15 is fitted with two cross holes 2_4 at least for the barrel lever 16. Further the barrel nut 15 has outer axial fixing grooves 25 of the barrel lever 16, which are assigned to the cross holes 24. These cross holes 24 and fixing grooves 25 are arranged mirror-reciprocally symmetrically to the axis of the barrel nut 15. These cross holes 24 and fixing grooves 25 are modified advantageously, equally distributed on the whole perimeter of the barrel nut 15. The barrel lever 16 is also created in this both-handed modification in this advantageous version, i.e. it is two-armed, whereas each of the arm snaps while turning in one cross hole 24. Fixing grooves 25 are used to fix the barrel lever 16 in its normal position in a parallel way with the barrel 1/7. The barrel lever 16 snaps in fixing grooves 25 after tilting in this position by means of a flexible pre-loading. By means of the swivel mounting of the barrel lever 16 in the cross holes 2_4 with the possibility to swivel it by 90° downwards from the position in a parallel way with the barrel 1/7, i.e. with the bend handle in the position at barrel 17 (see Fig. 3), it is possible to deduce the torque after turning the barrel lever

16 by 90°, i.e. upright to the axis of the barrel 17, through the handle of the barrel lever 16 on the barrel nut 15. The barrel lever 16 is used to tighten or release the barrel nut 15_ in this way, or from the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier. The barrel lever 1_6 snaps automatically in the fixing grooves 25 after the subsequent turning back in the parallel position with the barrel 17. These fixing grooves 25 prevent the barrel lever 16 to be tilted spontaneously in this way. After putting the rail lower handguard 1 on the barrel lever 16 the arms of the barrel lever 16 snap in side grooves liJ of the rail lower handguard 1 and stay fixed in their positions there. Both these side grooves 18 are used to make the gun lighter, to cool the barrel, to cover the barrel lever 16 and to fix it further and so to disable the unwished or spontaneous handling the barrel lever 16, i.e. also the barrel nut 15, i.e. they are used to further locking against any unwanted release.

This arrangement solves the barrel 17 exchange due to a repair or conversion to another gauge simply and without any tools.

The arrangement the door pin 12 and pressure spring 11, as shown on the Fig.3 is used as further locking element of the barrel nut 15 against its unwanted release, i.e. as locking the barrel nut 15. The pressure spring 11 of the door pin 12 is in the pusher body 2_6 on the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier and presses the door pin 12 in the direction of its longitudinal axis forwards, i.e. to the barrel nut 15. There is a safety catch 13 of the barrel nut 15 on the door pin 12. The safety catch 13 of the barrel nut 15 is assured on the door pin 12 by means of the safety pin 14 of the safety catch 13. The safety catch 13 has a pawl 22 at its end, which is modified to co-operate with the grooving 20 on the front of the barrel nut 15. The safety pin 14 of the safety catch 13 is laid in the turned-"L"-form groove 2JL, which is created in the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier. After putting the pin 14 in the turned- "L"-form groove 21, which disables the pin 14 to fall out spontaneously, the safety pin 14 is moving, which prevents the safety catch 13_^ to slip in the position enabling the pawl 22 of the safety catch 13 of the barrel nut 15 to snap in the grooving 20 on the front of the barrel nut 15.

The barrel nut 15 is further assured against releasing totally safely in this way. So these arrangements guarantee a totally perfect locking both of the barrel nut 15, and also of the rail lower handguard 1 against their release while shooting.

This way of fastening the rail lower handguard 1 can be applied after a light modification also for other guns with the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier or another blocking the radial motion of the rail lower handguard 1.

The pusher body 26 on the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier is shown on the Fig.4b, when the pusher slope is modified under the angle of 19.5° regarding to the axis of the barrel 17. Also this change, i.e. the pusher slope reduction contributes further to a total slimness and compactness of the gun.

The ergonomic shape of the case 7 of the bolt assembly carrier and of the rail lower handguard 1, especially their slim line following especially from the above mentioned solutions of the arrangement to fasten the rail lower handguard 1 on the gun and arrangement to lock the barrel nut 15, lead to a very user-friendly, ergonomic, non- interchangeable and unique general arrangement of the gun.

References stated in the dependent claims refer to further performance of the subject to the main claim by means of features of the relevant dependent claim. Nevertheless this does not mean a resignation to achieve a separate, subject protection for the features of these dependent claims.

List of reference characters Rail lower handguard

Lever of the locking element

Pin of the locking element

Lever pin of the locking element Washer of the locking element

Nut of the locking element

Case of the bolt assembly carrier Piston rod case

Pin thread of the locking element Radius cutout

Pressure spring

Door pin

Safety catch

Safety pin

Barrel nut

Barrel lever

Barrel

Side groove

Recess

Grooving

Turned-"L"-form groove

Pawl

Thread of the barrel nut

Cross hole

Fixing groove

Pusher body

Upper groove

Barrel extension

Through cutout

Claims

C LA I MS

1. The arrangement to exchange and lock the barrel of a long gun, containing a barrel (17) , which is fitted with a barrel nut (15) and with a barrel extension (28) , whereas the gun further contains especially a rail lower handguard (1), a case (7) of the bolt assembly carrier and a door pin (12), characterized in that the barrel nut (15) has two cross holes (24) at least for a swivel mounting of the barrel lever (16) and fixing grooves (25) of the barrel lever (16), which are arranged axially on the outer surface of the barrel nut (15) and assigned to cross holes (24) , whereas the cross holes (24) and fixing grooves (25) are arranged mirror-reciprocally symmetrically to the axis of the barrel nut (15) .

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cross holes (24) and fixing grooves (25) are modified equally distributed on the whole perimeter of the barrel nut (15) .

3. The arrangement of claim 1 or 2, wherein the barrel lever (16) is created in a both-handed modification, advantageously it is two-armed, whereas both arms snap while turning in the mutually opposite cross hole (24) .

4. The arrangement of any of claims 1 - 3, wherein the barrel lever (16) is pre-loaded to snap automatically in the fixing grooves (25) to fix the barrel lever (16) in its normal position in a parallel way with the barrel (17) .

5. The arrangement of any of claims 1 - 4, wherein the barrel lever (16) is laid in the cross holes (24) with the possibility to swivel it by 90° downwards from the normal position in a parallel way with the barrel (17) , i.e. upwards to the barrel axis (17) .

6. The arrangement of any of claims 1 - 5, wherein the first locking mechanism is assigned to the barrel nut (15) against its unwished release, which has grooving (20) of the barrel nut (15) , which is arranged on the rear front of the barrel nut (15) , further a door pin (12), which is pre-loaded by means of the pressure spring (11) in the direction of its longitudinal axis to the rear front of the barrel nut (15) and which is fitted with safety catch at the front end (13) , modified to the cutout of grooving (20) of the barrel nut (15) .

7. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the pressure spring (11) of the door pin (12) is in the pusher body (26) on the case (7) of the bolt assembly carrier.

8. The arrangement of claim 6 or 7, wherein the safety catch (13) has a pawl at its end (22) , which is modified to co-operate with the grooving (20) on the rear front of the barrel nut (15) .

9. The arrangement of any of claims 6 - 8, wherein the safety catch (13) of the barrel nut (15) is locked on the door pin (12) by means of the safety pin (14) of the safety catch (13) .

10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the safety pin

(14) of the safety catch (13) is laid in the turned- "L"-form groove (21) in a shifting way, which is created in the case (7) of the bolt assembly carrier.

11. The arrangement of any of claims 1 - 10, wherein the second locking mechanism is assigned to the barrel nut

(15) against its unwished release, which contains a barrel lever (16) and inner side grooves (18) of the rail lower handguard (1) , which are mutually modified for the barrel lever to snap (16) in side grooves (18) when the rail lower handguard (1) is on.

12. The arrangement of any of claims 1 - 11, wherein the third locking mechanism is assigned to the barrel nut (15) against its unwished release, which is created with a clamp arrangement of the rail lower handguard (1) on the barrel nut (15) .

13. The arrangement of any of claims 1 - 12, wherein the barrel nut (15) diameter is of 34mm.