MODULAR FIREARM STOCK SYSTEM

• US 20100307042A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RA Brands LLC (RA Factors, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RA Brands LLC (RA Factors, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jarboe, Michael Brent, Baradat, Gregory Phillip, Dennison, Gregory A.
• Application Number:
  US12/640,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20100307042A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 42/6
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 11/02 Modular concepts, e.g. weapon-family concepts
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 21/48 Barrel mounting means, e.g. releasable mountings for replaceable barrels
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/18 hand-operated
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/71 Arrangements thereon for varying capacity; Adapters or inserts for changing cartridge size or type
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 23/04 Folding or telescopic stocks or stock parts articulated or collapsible guns F41A11/04
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 23/16 Forestocks; Handgrips; Hand guards pump-action guns F41C7/02

Abstract

A modular firearm is disclosed. The firearm that can be configured to operate using ammunition of different calibers via interchangeability of only a few parts. The firearm includes a foldable butt stock assembly for quickly and easily converting the firearm from an extended operating configuration to a compact transport configuration, and vice-versa. Additionally, the firearm includes a modular hand guard assembly having multiple mounting platforms for accommodating a variety of different accessories.

Claims

1. A stock system comprising:

a butt stock assembly pivotable between an extended position and a folded position and including a pivoting stock frame and a latch mechanism operable to selectively lock the butt stock assembly in the extended position and the folded position;

the latch mechanism comprising a latch arm having a detent member connected thereto and configured to lock the butt stock assembly in the folded position;

a locking feature disposed along a firearm chassis to which the butt stock assembly is attached in a position for engagement by the latching mechanism, and wherein the locking feature is engaged by at least a portion of the latch arm when the butt stock assembly is in the folded position to lock the butt stock assembly in the folded position;

wherein the latch arm is operable to remove the detent member from locking engagement, thereby enabling the butt stock assembly to be pivoted between its extended position and its folded position; and

wherein the detent member is configured to engage a locking opening to lock the butt stock assembly in the extended position, and wherein the latch arm is operable to remove the detent member from engagement with the locking pocket to enable the butt stock assembly to be unlocked and pivoted from the extended position.

2. The stock system of claim 1, wherein the detent member is biased into engagement with the locking pocket by a biasing member when the butt stock is in the extended position.

3. A firearm comprising:

a chassis;

a receiver located along the chassis;

a barrel assembly mounted to the receiver and defining a chamber of the firearm adjacent the receiver;

a bolt assembly having a bolt handle, the bolt assembly operable within the receiver for chambering and ejecting ammunition cartridges; and

a butt stock assembly comprising a bolt handle opening positioned and configured to substantially enclose the bolt handle when the butt stock assembly is in the folded position, thereby securing and limiting movement of the bolt assembly when the butt stock assembly is in the folded position.

4. The firearm of claim 3 and wherein the bolt assembly comprises:

an interchangeable bolt assembly having a bolt body slidably received within the receiver and defining an axial bore extending therethrough from a distal end to a proximal end; and

wherein the barrel assembly comprises an interchangeable barrel assembly releasably mounted to the receiver.

5. The firearm of claim 4 and wherein the bolt assembly further comprises an interchangeable bolt head received within the axial bore at the proximal end of the bolt body;

and

wherein the firearm can be reconfigured to be operable with ammunition cartridges of multiple different calibers by interchanging the barrel and bolt head to adapt the firearm to fire different caliber ammunition.

6. The firearm of claim 4 and wherein the interchangeable barrel assembly comprises at least one substantially unitary barrel mounted to the receiver.

7. The firearm of claim 3 and further comprising a magazine well defined within the chassis and in communication with the chamber for feeding ammunition to the chamber;

and

a magazine receivable in the magazine well for holding ammunition.

8. A firearm comprising:

a receiver;

a chassis;

a barrel connected to the receiver and defining a chamber adapted to receive an ammunition cartridge therein;

a fire control including a trigger for initiating firing of the ammunition cartridge; and

a foldable butt stock assembly connected to the chassis, the butt stock assembly having a butt stock pivotable between an extended position extending longitudinally with respect to the chassis, and a folded position wherein the butt stock assembly is located adjacent the chassis; and

a latch mechanism comprising a latch arm and a detent member connected to the latch arm and configured to engage a portion of the chassis to selectively lock the butt stock in its extended position and its folded position;

a magazine received in the chassis in communication with the receiver for supplying ammunition to the chamber;

a hand guard assembly mountable along the chassis; and

a wire management system along the chassis and including at least one wire channel adapted to receive a wire for connection of an accessory to the firearm.

9. The firearm of claim 8, wherein the magazine comprises a magazine box and a spacer configured to be selectively inserted in the magazine box, wherein the magazine is configured to accommodate ammunition cartridges of a first length when the spacer is inserted in the magazine box, and wherein the magazine is configured to accommodate ammunition cartridges of a second length different from the first length when the spacer is not inserted in the magazine box.

10. The firearm of claim 8, wherein the detent member is configured to engage a locking opening in the chassis to lock the butt stock in the extended position, and wherein the latch arm is operable to remove the detent member from engagement with the locking opening to enable the butt stock to be unlocked and pivoted from the extended position.

11. The firearm of claim 10, wherein the detent member is biased into engagement with the locking opening by a biasing member when the butt stock is in the extended position.

12. The firearm of claim 11, wherein the detent member and the biasing member are disposed in a transverse channel defined in the butt stock.

13. The firearm of claim 8, and further comprising a locking feature disposed along the chassis in a position for engagement by the latching mechanism, and wherein the locking feature is engaged by a portion of the latch arm when the butt stock is in the folded position to lock the butt stock in the folded position.

14. The firearm of claim 8 and wherein the hand guard assembly comprises a plurality of platforms and at least one accessory rail mounted to at least one of the plurality of platforms and extending therealong in a position bridging the hand guard assembly and the receiver of the firearm.

15. The firearm of claim 8, and further comprising:

an interchangeable bolt assembly operable within a receiver of the firearm for chambering and ejecting ammunition cartridges in the firearm, the bolt assembly comprising a bolt body having a bolt handle, bolt head having an extractor for engaging ammunition cartridges within the chamber, and a firing pin operable by the fire control for engaging and firing an ammunition cartridge within the chamber.

16. The firearm of claim 8 and wherein the butt stock assembly further comprises an opening positioned and configured to engage a bolt handle of a bolt assembly of the firearm when the butt stock is in the folded position, thereby substantially securing and limiting movement of the bolt assembly when the butt stock is in the folded position.

17. The firearm of claim 8 and wherein the wire management system comprises:

at least one wire channel formed integrally with an outer wall of the chassis for receiving a wire for an electronic firearm accessory; and

at least one clip configured to be secured within the at least one channel and adapted to receive the wire and secure the wire in the at least one wire channel.

18. The firearm of claim 17, wherein the at least one clip comprises:

a top;

a pair of deformable arms extending from the top; and

a passage defined between the pair of deformable arms and configured to receive the wire.

19. The firearm of claim 8 and further comprising at least one accessory mounting rail comprising:

a top surface for interfacing with an accessory;

a bottom surface interfacing with the firearm; and

at least one pair of lugs extending from the bottom surface and engaging an opening in the firearm, the at least one pair of lugs being formed integrally with the bottom surface and configured to transfer recoil forces generated during operation to the chassis.

20. The firearm of claim 8 and further comprising a caliber conversion assembly, comprising:

a first barrel assembly having a barrel defining a chamber configured to receive ammunition of a first caliber, and configured to be interchanged with at least one second barrel assembly mountable on the firearm and having a second barrel defining a chamber configured to receive ammunition of a second caliber;

a first bolt head configured to be interchanged with at least one second bolt head operable in the firearm, wherein the first and second bolt heads are removably securable to a bolt body operable within a receiver of the firearm; and

at least one ammunition magazine for supplying ammunition cartridges of a desired caliber to the chamber of the firearm;

wherein interchanging of the first barrel assembly and the first bolt head with the at least one second barrel assembly and the at least one second bolt head respectively, enables the firearm to reconfigured to be operable with ammunition cartridges of different calibers without other modifications to the firearm.

21. The firearm of claim 20 and wherein the magazine comprises a plurality of ammunition magazines each configured for supplying ammunition of a desired different caliber.

22. The firearm of claim 8 and further comprising a magazine conversion block received within the chassis and adapted to receive a different size magazine therein to enable use of different ammunition magazines by the firearm.

23. A firearm comprising:

a chassis;

a receiver mounted within the chassis;

a barrel assembly mountable to the receiver in operative engagement therewith and defining a chamber of the firearm for receiving ammunition therein;

a bolt assembly operable within the receiver for chambering and ejecting ammunition cartridges, the bolt assembly comprising a bolt body adapted to be moveable along the receiver to chamber and eject ammunition cartridges; and

a butt stock assembly connected to the chassis and comprising a butt stock having an opening, the butt stock being pivotable between an extended position and a folded position adjacent the chassis;

wherein the opening of the butt stock is configured to receive and enclose a portion of the bolt assembly therein when the butt stock assembly is in its folded position, thereby substantially limiting movement of the bolt assembly when the butt stock assembly is in the folded position.

24. The firearm of claim 23, further comprising:

a hand guard assembly at least partially located along the chassis and barrel assembly, the hand guard assembly substantially surrounding the barrel assembly and comprising a plurality of platforms including at least a top platform and a bottom platform; and

a top accessory mounting rail mounted on the top platform and connected to a top portion of the receiver so as to substantially bridge the receiver and barrel assembly.

25. The firearm of claim 24, wherein the plurality of platforms comprises at least eight platforms, and wherein each platform defines a separate accessory mounting plane.

26. The firearm of claim 24, and further comprising:

at least one additional accessory mounting rail mountable on the bottom platform or a side platform; and

at least one recoil lug integrally formed with the at least one additional accessory mounting rail and receivable in at least one opening in the hand guard assembly, wherein the at least one lug is adapted to transfer recoil forces generated during operation to the chassis.

27. A folding stock assembly for a firearm, comprising:

a pivoting butt stock moveable between an extended position extending longitudinally and a folded position;

a latch mechanism operable to selectively lock the butt stock in its extended and folded positions, the latch mechanism comprising a latch arm, a locking opening and a detent member configured to engage the locking opening in locking engagement therewith for securing the butt stock in its extended position, the latch arm being moveable for disengaging the detent member from the locking pocket; and

a locking mechanism located along the firearm in a position to be engaged by the latch arm when the butt stock is moved to its folded position for securing the butt stock in its folded position.

28. The folding stock assembly of claim 27 and further comprising an opening formed in the butt stock and configured to substantially enclose a portion of a bolt assembly of the firearm when the butt stock is in its folded position, thereby substantially limiting movement of a bolt assembly of the firearm when the butt stock is in its folded position.

29. The folding stock assembly of claim 27 and further comprising a biasing member for urging and substantially maintaining the detent member and locking opening in locking engagement.

30. The folding stock assembly of claim 27 and further comprising a hand guard assembly adapted to connect to a portion of the stock assembly and comprising a plurality of platforms each defining a separate accessory mounting plane, and at least one accessory rail mounted along at least one platform.

31. The folding stock assembly of claim 30 and further comprising at least one recoil lug for mounting the at least one accessory rail to its at least one platform of the hand guard assembly and adapted to transfer recoil forces to the hand guard assembly during operation.

32. The folding stock assembly of claim 27 and further comprising a hinge member pivotally connected to a hinge bracket mounted to the butt stock and to a chassis of the firearm, the hinge member being adjustable with respect to the hinge bracket to adjust the location of the locking opening with respect to the detent member.

33. A foldable butt stock assembly for a firearm, comprising:

a stock body pivotable between an extended position extending longitudinally with respect to the firearm, and a folded position wherein a portion of the stock body is folded and located adjacent a remaining portion of the stock body;

a latch mechanism comprising a latch arm and a detent member connected to the latch arm and configured to selectively lock the stock body in its extended position and its folded position;

wherein the stock body further comprises an opening formed therein at a location configured to receive and substantially retain a portion of a bolt assembly of the firearm; and

whereby when the stock body is in its extended position, the latch arm is operable to remove the detent member from an engaged, locked position, thereby enabling the stock body to be pivoted between its extended and folded positions.

34. The foldable butt stock assembly of claim 33, wherein the detent member is configured to engage a locking opening for locking the stock body in its extended position, and wherein the latch arm is operable to remove the detent member from engagement with the locking opening to enable the stock body to be unlocked and pivoted from its extended position to its folded position.

35. The foldable butt stock assembly of claim 34, wherein the detent member is biased into engagement with the locking opening by a biasing member when the stock body is in its extended position.

36. The foldable butt stock assembly of claim 34, and further comprising a hinge member pivotally connected to a hinge bracket mounted to the stock body and to a chassis of the firearm, the hinge member being adjustable with respect to the hinge bracket to adjust the location of the locking opening with respect to the detent member.

37. The foldable butt stock assembly of claim 33, and further comprising a hand guard assembly adapted to connect to a portion of the butt stock assembly and comprising a plurality of platforms each defining a separate accessory mounting plane, and at least one accessory rail mounted along at least one platform.