MINIMUM EXPOSURE WEAPON

• US 20050115140A1
• Filed: 12/01/2003
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald B. Little
• Original Assignee: Ronald B. Little
• Inventors: Little, Ronald B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,901,691 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 42/118
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/02 Mountings without wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 23/04 Folding or telescopic stocks or stock parts articulated or collapsible guns F41A11/04
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/41 Mounting periscopic sights on smallarms

Abstract

A proven military combat-type weapon with the stock removed therefrom converted to an improved tactical weapon by addition of retrofit assemblies which include a collapsible and bilaterally pivoting stock, a front stabilization system, and a sighting system. This improved tactical weapon has the characteristics of reduced exposure to enemy fire by allowing the operator to fire while under cover, and increased weapon stability by the utilization of the front stabilizer assembly. Utilizing this invention, the operator is able to shoulder support and fire the weapon with minimal exposure to enemy fire. Furthermore, by exerting force to (leaning against) the weapon stock, the weapon is pinned between the operator and the object (i.e., wall, tree, etc.). The amount of gun movement is reduced and the stability of the weapon is increased over a weapon which is only hand held when the gun is fired.

Claims

1. A minimum exposure weapon comprising:

(a) weapon having a receiver, a buffer tube, a barrel projecting from the receiver, firing mechanisms and at least one sight mounted with respect to said barrel to establish a sighting line adjacent and substantially parallel to said barrel;

(b) a stock assembly adapter supporting a stock assembly having a rear stock selectively positional along the length of a stock extension, said stock extension also selectively positional in regards to bilateral rotation to support the positioning of said minimum exposure weapon to fire from behind a wall, said stock assembly adapter removably mounted to said buffer tube;

(c) a front stabilizer mounted to a forward hand guard to contact and maintain contact between said minimum exposure weapon and said wall prior, during, and proceeding weapon discharging; and

(d) a horizontal compact periscope utilized to align the at least one sight to provide for target acquisition.

2. The minimum exposure weapon, as set forth in claim 1, further comprises the stock assembly adaptor containing both a pivoting pin and a locking pin allowing said stock assembly to be capable of bilateral rotation and secured in desired position, said stock assembly adaptor is mounted adjacent said receiver by utilizing buffer tube and locking nut, wherein an oval projection from said stock adaptor mates with a detent in said receiver, thus establishing and maintaining the proper orientation between said stock assembly and said receiver.

3. The minimum exposure weapon recited in claim 2, further comprising said stock extension having a plurality of detent holes formed therein;

and means for securing the rear stock to a desired position on said stock extension.

4. The minimum exposure weapon as claimed in claim 3, is further comprised of said stock extension which is rectangular in shape as is also the mating receptacle of said rear stock, whereby in this combination results the means that proper attitude is established and maintained between said stock extension and said rear stock.

5. The minimum exposure weapon, as claimed in claim 4, is further comprised of said rear stock containing a slider pin and said rear stock contains a spring as the means for holding said slider pin in one of said plurality of detents in said stock extension.

6. The minimum exposure weapon, as claimed in claim 5, whereby said rear stock utilizes a lever operably engaged with said slider, releasing said slider pin from said detent in said stock extension so that when said slider pin is released, said rear stock may be moved to a different position along said stock extension.

7. The minimum exposure weapon, as claimed in claim 1, where said front stabilizer comprises a front stabilizer mount in which a military-style picatinny rail is utilized in order to attach the front stabilizer mount to the said forward hand guard.

8. The minimum exposure weapon as claimed in claim 7 further comprises said front stabilizer mount which is further comprised of a pivot pin and a locking pin whereby the said front stabilizer is locked into the neutral position in line with said barrel of said minimum exposure weapon by said locking pin which mates with a detent hole in said front stabilizer mount and, when required, is released by said locking pin, whereby said front stabilizer is allowed to rotate bilaterally, either to the right or to the left around said front stabilizer mount pivot pin.

9. The minimum exposure weapon claimed in claim 8 further comprises shock absorbing grippers screw mounted to the distal end of said front stabilizer whereas said shock absorbing grippers contact said wall or surface during target acquisition when said operator places force against said rear stock.

10. The minimum exposure weapon claimed in claim 1 is also comprised of a transverse sighting mount which provides a means for quickly attaching and releasing said horizontal compact periscope or other optical sighting systems to the receiver of said minimum exposure Weapon.

11. The minimum exposure weapon claimed in claim 1, wherein said horizontal compact periscope is mounted into a transverse sight mount, utilizing military styled rails attached to the top and to the bottom surface of said horizontal compact periscope, said horizontal compact periscope is secured into position by mating a quick release locking pin of said transverse sight mount to a detent hole in said military style rail in said horizontal compact periscope.

12. The minimum exposure system claimed in claim 1, wherein said horizontal compact periscope is mounted to said receiver enables visual alignment of the at least one sight during target acquisition.

13. The minimum exposure weapon claimed in claim 12, wherein said horizontal compact periscope comprises a rectangular tube body having a mirror adjacent an inlet aperture to direct the shooter'"'"'s view substantially horizontally through said rectangular tube to a mirror positioned by an outlet aperture where the shooter can directly see the sighting line to the target.

14. The minimum exposure weapon claimed in claim 13 wherein said horizontal compact periscope mounted either utilizing the said top military style rail or mounted utilizing the said bottom military style rail to support bilateral visual sighting support for shooting from behind a left or right corner wall or object.

15. The minimum exposure weapon claimed in claim 2, wherein said buffer tube and locking nut, attaches said stock adaptor to said receiver by means of threads on the buffer tube, sufficient to transverse the stock adaptor assembly and fully thread into the receiver.

16. The minimum exposure weapon claimed in claim 15, wherein said buffer tube is cylindrical in shape and is of such length, to transverse said stock adapter assembly and to house a buffer weight and recoil spring.

17. The minimum exposure weapon claimed in claim 7 further comprises a military styled rail mount affixed to the bottom surface of said front stabilizer and a handgrip mounted to said military styled rail.

18. (Canceled)