Gas Regulator System

• US 20130269510A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArmWest, LLC
• Original Assignee: ArmWest, LLC
• Inventors: Sullivan, Leroy James
• Granted Patent: US 8,973,483 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 89/193
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 11/00 Assembly or disassembly features; Modular concepts; Articulated or collapsible guns F41A3/64, F41A19/10 - F41A19/15, F41A21/48, F41A25/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 11/04 Articulated or collapsible guns, i.e. with hinged or telescopic parts for transport or storage breakdown shotguns or rifles F41C7/11; folding or telescopic stocks or stock parts F41C23/04
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 15/14 the ejector being mounted on or within the bolt; Extractors per se
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/00 Safety arrangements, e.g. safeties
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/30 Multiple safeties, i.e. one safety element acting on at least one element of the firing mechanism and at least one other element of the gun, e.g. the moving barrel
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/64 Firing-pin safeties, i.e. means for preventing movement of slidably- mounted strikers F41A17/02 - F41A17/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/10 Triggers; Trigger mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/13 Percussion or firing pins, i.e. fixed or slidably-mounted striker elements; Mountings therefor F41A19/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/42 having at least one hammer
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/43 in bolt-action guns
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/46 Arrangements for the selection of automatic or semi-automatic fire
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 21/48 Barrel mounting means, e.g. releasable mountings for replaceable barrels
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 21/484 using interlocking means, e.g. by sliding pins
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/26 semi-automatically or automatically operated, e.g. having a slidable bolt-carrier and a rotatable bolt
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/64 Mounting of breech-blocks; Accessories for breech-blocks or breech-block mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/66 Breech housings or frames; Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/70 Anti-rebound arrangements, i.e. preventing rebound of the bolt out of the firing position safeties for locking the breech-block or bolt in a safety position F41A17/42
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/72 Operating handles or levers; Mounting thereof in breech-blocks or bolts F41C7/02, F41C7/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/84 mounted within the gun stock
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 35/02 Dust- or weather-protection caps or covers protecting-caps for trigger guards F41A17/54
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 5/18 : gas-operated
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 5/24 : by direct action of gas pressure on bolt or locking elements
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 5/26 : Arrangements or systems for bleeding the gas from the barrel F41A5/20 - F41A5/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 5/28 : Adjustable systems
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 23/04 : Folding or telescopic stocks or stock parts articulated or collapsible guns F41A11/04
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 23/20 : Butts; Butt plates; Mountings therefor F41C23/08, F41C23/10, F41C23/14 take precedence

Abstract

A gas regulator block can be configured to mount to a barrel of a firearm. A gas regulator can be disposed substantially within the gas regulator block and can be configured to adjustably vary an amount of gas flow through the gas regulator block. A cover configured to cover a portion of the gas regulator block to inhibit inadvertent adjustment of the amount of gas flow and configured to uncover the portion of the gas regulator block to facilitate intentional adjustment of the amount of gas flow. A gas passage can be formed in the gas regulator block in a forward location and the gas port can be configured to communicate gas from the barrel to the gas regulator.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a gas regulator block configured to mount to a barrel of a firearm;

a gas regulator disposed substantially within the gas regulator block and configured to adjustably vary an amount of gas flow through the gas regulator block;

a cover configured to cover a portion of the gas regulator block to inhibit inadvertent adjustment of the amount of gas flow and configured to uncover the portion of the gas regulator block to facilitate intentional adjustment of the amount of gas flow; and

a gas passage formed in the gas regulator block, the gas passage being configured to communicate gas from a gas port in the barrel to the gas regulator.

2. The device as recited by claim 1, wherein the gas regulator comprises an adjustment screw that at least partially defines a needle valve for varying gas flow through the gas regulator block.

3. The device as recited by claim 1, wherein the gas regulator comprises an adjustment screw having troughs formed in a threaded portion thereof and further comprising a plunger and a spring for biasing the plunger to index the troughs.

4. The device as recited by claim 3, wherein the plunger and the spring are disposed outside of the gas regulator block to mitigate heat transfer from the gas regulator block to the plunger and the spring.

5. The device as recited by claim 1, wherein the beginning of the gas passage and barrel gas port are positioned in the forward ring of a two ring gas regulator block.

6. The device as recited by claim 1, wherein forward positioning of the barrel gas port allows a central positioning of the gas regulator screw, surrounding it, and the gas passageway between the gas port and the gas regulator screw with an increased amount of material that is the gas regulator block and the increased amount of material acts as a heat sink, absorbing heat that might otherwise damage the device.

7. The device as recited by claim 1, wherein the gas passage is formed to be non-perpendicular with respect to the barrel when the gas regulator block is attached to the barrel.

8. The device as recited by claim 1, wherein the gas passage is configured to cause gas to flow rearwardly from the barrel to the gas regulator.

9. The device as recited by claim 1, wherein the gas passage is angled rearwardly from the barrel to the gas regulator.

10. The device as recited by claim 1, further comprising:

a tube configured to extend from the gas regulator block to a bolt carrier assembly of the firearm; and

a plug disposed in the gas regulator block and configured to divert gas into the tube.

11. The device as recited by claim 9, wherein the gas regulator comprises an adjustment screw that intersects the tube.

12. The device as recited by claim 9, wherein the tube is a thin walled tube.

13. The device as recited by claim 9, wherein the plug is permanently mounted in the tube.

14. The device as recited by claim 9, wherein the plug has a surface that is configured to enhance rearward gas flow.

15. The device as recited by claim 9, further comprising a cross pin that extends through the gas regulator block, the tube, and the plug to hold the gas regulator block, the tube, and the plug together.

16. The device as recited by claim 2, wherein the cover can be moved from a position that allows limited adjustment of the screw to a position that allows removal of the adjustment screw.

17. The device as recited by claim 2, wherein the cover is configured to limit outward movement of the adjustment screw.

18. The device as recited by claim 2, wherein a rear of the cover is held to a post of the gas regulator block via a snap ring and a front of the cover is held to the gas regulator block via an interlocking hook and a cross pin such that the cover is releasable from the hook by moving the cross pin and the cover is rotatable about the post to provide access to the adjustment screw.

19. The device as recited by claim 2, wherein the adjustment screw comprises:

a stem;

threads; and

at least one cutting groove formed at an inward end of the threads where the threads join the stem, such that the cutting groove(s) are configured to remove carbon deposits accumulated in at least one of a cavity and a tube configured to extend from the gas regulator block to a bolt carrier assembly of the firearm, the cavity being formed between an end of the threads and a stem hole in the gas regulator block and the cutting occurring when the screw is adjusted for removal.

20. A system comprising:

a firearm having a barrel with a gas port formed therein;

a gas regulator block mounted to the barrel;

a gas regulator disposed substantially within the gas regulator block and configured to vary an amount of gas flow through the gas regulator block;

a cover configured to limit how far a gas regulating screw can be unscrewed from a gas regulating block; and

a gas passage formed in the gas regulator block, the gas passage being configured to communicate gas from the gas port in the barrel to the gas regulator.

21. A method comprising:

rotating a cover attached to a gas regulator block of a firearm to substantially expose an adjustment screw;

turning the adjustment screw to vary an amount of gas used to cycle the firearm;

thereby the speed at which a firearm operates, and

wherein a spring urges a plunger into troughs of the adjustment screw to index the adjustment screw as the adjustment screw is turned.