Firearm having an indirect gas operating system

• US 20060065112A1
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colt's Manufacturing IP Holding Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Colt Defense LLC (Colt Defense Holding LLC)
• Inventors: Kuczynko, Grzegorz, Dorsey, Josh
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 89/193
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 5/28 Adjustable systems

Abstract

An M4 type automatic or semi-automatic firearm having an indirect gas operating system. A bolt assembly has a striking surface. The bolt assembly is enclosed within an M4 type receiver assembly. A barrel assembly having a bore is coupled to the receiver assembly. A gas block having a cylinder is fitted to the barrel assembly with the cylinder in communication with the bore. A piston and rod assembly has a piston and a striking rod, with the piston fitted to the cylinder. Gas discharged from a fired cartridge displaces the piston and causes the striking rod to strike the striking surface displacing the bolt assembly.

Claims

1. An M4 type automatic or semi-automatic firearm having an indirect gas operating system comprising:

a bolt assembly having a striking surface, the bolt assembly enclosed within an M4 type receiver assembly;

a barrel assembly having a bore, the barrel assembly coupled to the receiver assembly;

a gas block having a cylinder, the gas block fitted to the barrel assembly, the cylinder in communication with the bore; and

a piston and rod assembly having a piston and a striking rod, the piston fitted to the cylinder;

wherein, gas discharged from a fired cartridge displaces the piston and causes the striking rod to strike the striking surface displacing the bolt assembly.

2. The M4 type automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 1 further comprising an exhaust port in communication with the bore and the piston.

3. The M4 type automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 2, wherein the exhaust port is selectable between two positions corresponding to two firing rates.

4. The M4 type automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 1, wherein the piston and the bore are in communication via an intermediate regulator having two selectable positions corresponding to two selectable firing rates.

5. The M4 type automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 4, wherein the intermediate regulator may be switched between the two selectable positions by an operator without the use of tools.

6. The M4 type automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 1, wherein the piston is spring biased toward the cylinder.

7. The M4 type automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 1, wherein the piston and the striking rod are separable.

8. An automatic or semi-automatic firearm having an indirect gas operating system comprising:

a bolt assembly enclosed within a receiver;

a barrel assembly having a bore and coupled to the receiver;

a cylinder fitted to barrel assembly, the cylinder in communication with the bore via an intermediate regulator; and

a piston assembly having a piston end and a striking end, the piston end fitted to the cylinder;

wherein, gas discharged from a fired cartridge displaces the piston and causes the striking end to displace the bolt assembly, and wherein the intermediate regulator regulates the flow of the gas from the bore to the piston.

9. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 8, wherein the intermediate regulator has two selectable positions corresponding to two selectable firing rates.

10. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 9, wherein the intermediate regulator may be switched between the two selectable positions by an operator without the use of tools.

11. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 8, wherein the intermediate regulator has a first orifice with the cylinder in communication with the bore via the first orifice when the intermediate regulator is in a first selectable position, and wherein the intermediate regulator has a second orifice with the cylinder in communication with the bore via the second orifice when the intermediate regulator is in a second selectable position, and wherein the first and second selectable positions correspond to first and second firing rates, and wherein the first and second orifices are of different size.

12. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 8, wherein the cylinder is housed within a block, and wherein the block is mounted to the barrel, and wherein the intermediate regulator is rotationally housed within the block.

13. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 12, wherein the intermediate regulator has an orifice, and wherein the block has a first port in communication with the barrel and the orifice, and wherein the block has a second port in communication with the orifice and the cylinder.

14. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 8, wherein the bolt assembly has a removable striking surface, and wherein the piston assembly comprises a separable piston and striking rod, and wherein the piston is spring loaded into the cylinder via a spring force exerted by the striking rod.

15. An automatic or semi-automatic firearm having an indirect gas operating system comprising:

a bolt assembly enclosed within a receiver;

a barrel assembly having a bore and coupled to the receiver;

a cylinder fitted to the barrel assembly, the cylinder in communication with the bore via an intermediate regulator;

a piston assembly having a piston end and a striking end, the piston end fitted to the cylinder; and

the intermediate regulator having two selectable positions corresponding to two selectable firing rates;

wherein, gas discharged from a fired cartridge displaces the piston and causes the striking end to displace the bolt assembly, and wherein the intermediate regulator regulates the flow of the gas from the bore to the piston, and wherein the intermediate regulator may be switched between the two selectable positions by an operator without the use of tools.

16. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 15, wherein the intermediate regulator is rotationally selectable between the two selectable positions.

17. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 15, wherein the intermediate regulator is slidably selectable between the two selectable positions.

18. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 15, wherein the piston assembly is spring loaded toward the cylinder.

19. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 15, wherein the barrel assembly has a port in communication with the bore and an orifice of the intermediate regulator, and wherein the orifice is in communication with the cylinder.

20. The automatic or semi-automatic firearm of claim 15, wherein the cylinder is housed within a block, and wherein the block is mounted to the barrel, and wherein the intermediate regulator is rotationally housed within the block, and wherein the intermediate regulator has an orifice, and wherein the block has a first port in communication with the barrel and the orifice, and wherein the block has a second port in communication with the orifice and the cylinder, and wherein the bolt assembly has a removable striking surface, and wherein the piston assembly comprises a separable piston and striking rod, and wherein the piston is spring loaded into the cylinder via a spring force exerted by the striking rod.