Manually operated firearm system

Abstract

A bolt control device for causing the bolt of a firearm to be held in a retained position after each round is fired, the bolt control device capable of being manipulated by the user to also release and return the bolt to a firing position so that the firearm may be used to fire an additional round.

Claims

1. A firearm comprising: a receiver, trigger, trigger guard, bolt carrier group, a barrel, and bolt catch; the bolt carrier group positionable in a retained position; the bolt carrier group positionable in a firing position; the bolt catch having a paddle with a backside and connected to the receiver; and a bolt control device including a spring element between the backside of the paddle of the bolt catch and the receiver, the spring element maintaining outward pressure on the backside of the paddle of the bolt catch; wherein the bolt control device retains the bolt carrier group after each time the firearm is fired.

2. The firearm of claim 1 where in the spring element of claim 1 is affixed to the back side of the paddle of the bolt catch.

3. The firearm of claim 1 wherein the spring element of claim 1 is in contact with the backside of the paddle of the bolt catch and the receiver of the firearm.

4. A firearm comprising: a receiver, trigger, trigger guard, bolt carrier group, and reverse trigger bolt control device; the bolt carrier group being in either a retained position or a firing position and having a notch for engaging the reverse trigger bolt control device; and the receiver having a first hole to receive the trigger within the trigger guard and the receiver having a second hold for receiving the reverse trigger bolt control device within the trigger guard.

5. The firearm of claim 4 wherein the reverse trigger bolt control device is within the trigger guard and oriented opposite to the trigger.

6. The firearm of claim 4 wherein the reverse trigger bolt control device is operable to engage the notch on the bolt carrier group and disengage the notch on the bolt carrier group.

7. A firearm comprising: a receiver, trigger, trigger guard, bolt carrier group, bolt catch; and bolt control device; the bolt carrier group positionable in a retained position; the bolt carrier group positionable in a firing position; the bolt control device comprising part of the trigger guard and in communication with the bolt catch of the firearm; wherein the bolt catch retains the bolt carrier group after each time the firearm is fired and downward pressure on the bolt control device comprising part of the trigger guard allows the bolt carrier group to move into a firing position.

8. The firearm of claim 7 where the bolt control device comprising part of the trigger guard comprises levers for ambidextrous manipulation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a sideview illustration of various locations for a bolt control device for a firearm.

(2) FIG. 2 is an illustration of an optional embodiment of the lower receiver for the firearm system with the bolt control device having a shape of a reverse trigger.

(3) FIG. 3 is an illustration of an optional embodiment of the bolt carrier group including a notch.

(4) FIG. 4 is an illustration of an optional embodiment of the bolt carrier group including a notch.

(5) FIG. 5 is an illustration of an optional embodiment of the bolt control device as a small lever located to control the position of the bolt or bolt carrier group via a user's firing hand thumb.

(6) FIG. 6 is an illustration of an optional embodiment of the bolt control device located to control the position of the bolt or bolt carrier group via a user's firing hand thumb.

(7) FIG. 7 is an illustration of an optional embodiment of the bolt control device incorporating the trigger guard to be operated by the user.

(8) FIG. 8 is an illustration of an optional embodiment of the bolt control device incorporating the trigger guard to be operated by the user.

(9) FIG. 9 is an illustration of an optional embodiment of a spring element positioned between the back side of the paddle of the bolt catch and the firearm.

(10) Reference will now be made in detail to optional embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawing and in the description referring to the same or like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) To facilitate the understanding of the embodiments described herein, a number of terms are defined below. The terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as a, an, and the are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as set forth in the claims.

(12) Generally, as used herein, a bolt control device is understood to be the hardware that can selectively control the position of a bolt carrier group of a firearm.

(13) FIG. 1. is an illustration of an optional embodiment of the firearm system 10 of the present invention detailing various locations in which a bolt control device 12 may be located. In some embodiments, the bolt control device 12 may generally embody a design having an appearance of a reverse trigger 14 forward of the normal trigger 16 used to operate the firearm 10. In such an arrangement, a user may fire the weapon with a pull of the trigger 16 with the bolt control device 12 retaining the bolt carrier group after each shot thereby requiring the user to press against the trigger-shape bolt control device 12 to release the bolt carrier group forward so that another shot may be fired. As such, the operation of the firearm system 10 in this manner would not constitute semi-automatic fire, instead being a manually operated single shot arrangement as the bolt would not automatically reload and return to a firing position after the round had been fired. By positioning the bolt control device 12 in such location forward of the trigger, a user may be able to initiate the reloading process by release the bolt to the firing position so that the weapon may be fired again.

(14) In optional embodiments, the lower receiver 18 for the firearm system 10 may include an additional opening with the bolt control device 12 having a shape of a reverse trigger 14. Such optional embodiments is illustrated in FIG. 2. As such the parts may integrate within the lower receiver 18 and coordinate with the existing hardware to maintain the position of the bolt carrier group. The bolt control device 12 having a reverse trigger type shape may be in communication with the bolt catch as the bolt catch is already utilized to maintain the bolt character group in a retained position after a magazine is emptied. Here, the bolt catch in optional embodiments could operate so as to retain the bolt carrier group in the retained position after every shot and not just after the magazine is emptied.

(15) In yet further optional embodiments, a bolt control device 12 in position within the trigger guard 20 of a firearm may communicate with the bolt or bolt carrier group 22 separate from the bolt catch for the firearm. As such, the bolt catch as exists on a variety of different AR15-type firearms would be separate from the mechanical elements to maintain the firearm in a single shot system. In yet further optional embodiments, the bolt carrier group 22 for a firearm may include a notch or catch location point whereby the bolt carrier group 22 is modified so as to respond and communicate with the bolt control device 12 in its various forms. Such optional embodiment is indicated with FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. As such this optional embodiment may include a reverse trigger style bolt control device 12 communicating directly with a bolt carrier group 22 engaging a notch or catch point 26 on the bolt carrier group 22 to maintain it in a retained position after a shot has been fired.

(16) In yet further optional embodiments, the bolt control device 12 may be located on various locations on the body of the receiver of the firearm 10. Generally, such optional embodiments may include the bolt control device 12 as a lever or button 28 so that a user may be able to quickly access the bolt control device 12 and be able to put the weapon in a condition to allow for a subsequent round to be fired. As the previous optional embodiment described the bolt control device 12 as being operated by the same hand that pulls the trigger 16 to fire the firearm 10 there may also be other locations on the receiver 18 that may also be manipulated by the firing hand of the user. For example, with an AR15-style firearm, a bolt control device 12 could optionally be located in front of the magazine release as such location would allow for a user to use their trigger finger to release the bolt carrier group from a retained position as well.

(17) In further optional embodiments, especially embodiments where the bolt control device 12 is not in direct communication with the bolt catch for an AR15-style firearm, the bolt control device could be located closer to the rear of the receiver 18 in a location where a user may use the thumb of their firing hand to release the bolt forward. While the safety 30 of most AR15-style firearms is located in a position to be operated by the thumb of the firing hand of a user, there still exists the possibility that a button or small lever 28 could be located in a similar position so as to control the position of the bolt or bolt carrier group via the user's firing hand thumb. Such optional embodiments are illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. Obviously in some optional embodiments this would require a different style of receiver to allow for the openings, buttons, and/or levers to be positioned so as to allow the mechanics of the bolt control device 12 to function. In such optional embodiments, the bolt control device 12 may also utilize spring tension to correlate with a catch or notch on the bolt carrier group to maintain the bolt carrier group not in a firing position.

(18) Yet furthermore in optional embodiments, a bolt control device 12 may be utilized so that a user may use their support hand to activate the bolt control device 12 and thus push the bolt carrier group back into a firing position. In some optional embodiments, a bolt control device 12 may be located on the handguard of the firearm to be operated by the user's support hand. In such optional embodiments, a user may manipulate a button, lever, or other type of bolt control device 12 design on the handguard which thereby could release the bolt to a firing position. In some optional embodiments of the handguard style bolt control device, the bolt control device may communicate with the bolt catch as presently exists on a variety of different AR platforms. In other optional embodiments, the bolt control device may function independently of the bolt catch and thus retain the bolt carrier group out of a firing position independent of the bolt catch.

(19) In some optional embodiments, the bolt control device 12 may be on the top portion of the handguard so a user could use their thumb, with such design being considered ambidextrous so that a user could use their left hand or right hand depending on how they fire the firearm. Furthermore, there may be optional embodiments whereby the bolt control device may be convertible between a position on the left side of the firearm or the right side of the firearm at the handguard so as to allow a user to set up the firearm preferable for their style of shooting.

(20) In yet further optional embodiments, the bolt control device 12 may be part of or located at the bottom portion of the trigger guard 20. Somewhat similar to how certain handguns provide a magazine release located in this general area, a lever 32 could be positioned here at the lower portion of the trigger guard 20 for control of the bolt carrier group. In further optional embodiments, such design may be of an ambidextrous nature and provide levers 32 that work on both sides of the lower portion of the trigger guard 20 so that a left-handed or right-handed user could operate the firearm in a single shot manner. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate this optional embodiment of the bolt control device.

(21) While the disclosure has described a firing position and a retained position with regard to the bolt carrier group, one can understand the firing position to be a position whereby the bolt is positioned so that a trigger pull would allow for a round to be fired. The retained position or retention position generally refers to the bolt carrier group and bolt held in the rearward position as is generally done with the standard bolt catch though in optional embodiments retained position or retention position may be understood as being more broad. For purposes of this disclosure retained position or retention position means any position in which the bolt is kept out of a firing position whereby a user would have to use the bolt control device to push the bolt and bolt carrier group into a firing position. For example, optional embodiments of the invention could include a firearm system where after a shot is fired the bolt carrier group cycles and is maintained only slightly out of the firing position with another round at least partially chambered. In looking through an injection port of this optional embodiment of the firearm system one would see the bolt in a fairly forward position though not all the way in a firing position. In this position, the firearm would not yet fire as the bolt and bolt carrier group are not in a firing position, though is not held in the most rearward position as is understood in the prior art. As such, the bolt control device could be used to provide a relatively slight push, somewhat similar to the action of the forward assist as found on most AR15-style firearms. Thus, these optional embodiments of the firearm system would include the bolt control device 12 functioning to provide forward pressure on the bolt or bolt carrier group to a firing position. This may also be understood as not being semi-automatic as a separate action would be required by the user prior to being able to fire another round. Regardless, one can understand retained position or retention position as any position of the bolt or bolt carrier, at least slightly rearward, and not in a position to allow for firing.

(22) Optional embodiments of the bolt control device may be utilized with firearm systems specifically designed for integration of the bolt control device. Otherwise stated, in some optional embodiments the receiver may be designed to have an opening, indentation, or space specifically provided for the bolt control device 12. In some optional embodiments, a firearm system 10 may come from the factory with the bolt control device integrated into the firearm. In some of the optional embodiments discussed, such as the reverse trigger style, one would understand that additional openings or modifications are necessary to the receiver so as to allow for such mechanical components to be part of the firearm.

(23) In yet further optional embodiments, the bolt control device may be a component that attaches to the bolt catch and exists generally on the exterior of the receiver. While there do exist devices currently that connect the bolt catch and allow a user to manipulate the bolt catch with a right handed user's trigger finger, the existing devices do not allow or provide for the retention of the bolt carrier group or bolt after every shot is fired. Optional embodiments of the bolt control device for the firearm system advantageously provide a spring element that is incorporated with a lever that engages the bolt catch of a firearm. Generally speaking, in this embodiment of the bolt control device 12, the bolt control device 12 affixes to the paddle of the bolt catch on the AR15-style firearm and extends a lever through the trigger guard to be operated by the user. Additionally, a spring element 34 may be positioned between the back side of the paddle 36 of the bolt catch 24 and the firearm 10 so as to maintain outward pressure on the paddle 36 of the bolt catch 24. Such spring element 34 is illustrated in FIG. 9. By doing so, the firearm will lock in a retained position after each shot is fired due to the outward pressure on the paddle 36 of the bolt catch 24. The user then would be able to release the bolt carrier group and allow it to return to a firing position.

(24) In optional embodiments, the bolt control device 12 may affix to both sides of the paddle 36 of a standard bolt catch 24 for an AR15-style firearm with a spring element 34 positioned on the back side of the paddle 36 of the bolt catch 24 that remains at least in partial compression against the receiver of firearm 10.

(25) Such design can be considered a retrofit style kit as it may work with an existing AR15-type firearm. In yet further optional embodiments, a similar type of device may be utilized that can entirely replace the bolt catch of an existing AR-type firearm. In such arrangement, the bolt control device may be integrated with the bolt catch and likely include a spring element or the like so as to provide tension and thus maintain the bolt carrier group in the retained position after a round has been fired.

(26) Additionally, while the bolt control device has been described most particularly with respect to an AR15-type firearm, it could be incorporated with virtually any semi-automatic firearm to preclude semi-automatic fire while allowing single-shot, manual operation. This includes the use of a bolt control device with, but not limited to, virtually any assault rifle, battle rifle, semi-automatic pistol, machinegun, sub-machinegun, semi-automatic rifle, and semiautomatic shotgun. Some examples include, but are in no way limited to the following firearms and their variants: AK; AMD-65; SCAR; M1; M14; FN FAL; G3; G36; galil; bullpups including both Steyr and Tavor; various Barrett rifles; HK submachineguns; Uzis; shotguns include Remington 1100s and VersaMaxes, Benellis, FN SLPs, Mossberg 930s, Winchesters, and CZs; and 22 LR firearms include the Ruger 10/22, S&W M&P15-22, Mossberg 702 and as well as various AR conversions.

(27) In yet further optional embodiments, the bolt control device could be used with various semiautomatic handguns. Obviously, in most of these optional embodiments, there would not be options for the bolt control device to be present on a handguard. However, the bolt control device in these embodiments could be positioned differently so as to allow for activation by the user's strong hand, weak hand, or both. For example, this could allow for a lever or button on the forward side of the frame's left side so that a right-handed individual could activate the bolt control device with their weak thumb. In some optional embodiments, the bolt control device when used on a handgun, could be positioned so as to be ambidextrous. This can include, but is not limited to the use of the bolt control device on handguns manufactured by Sig Sauer; Glock; Smith & Wesson; Springfield; Ruger; Browning; C-Z; FN; Walther; Taurus; various 1911s; and HK.

(28) Furthermore, sizes of various structural parts and materials used to make the above mentioned components are illustrative and exemplary only, and persons of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that these sizes and materials can be changed as necessary to produce different results or different desired characteristics.

(29) It would become apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure and methodology of the present invention. Thus, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the specification. Rather, the present invention is intended to cover modifications and variations.