Auto-loading firearm mechanisms and methods

• US 7,137,217 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Knight'S Armament Co.
• Original Assignee: Knight'S Armament Co.
• Inventors: Olson, Douglas D., Knight, C. Reed Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Clement, Michelle
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knox, Stewart
• Application Number:
  US10/855,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20050262750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 42/15, 42/395, 89/330.3, 891/61, 891/62, 891/55
• US Class Current: 42/15
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/27 the percussion or firing pin being movable relative to the breech-block
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 5/02 recoil-operated
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/23 mounted within a smallarm

Abstract

Automatic and semi-automatic firearms of remarkably reduced mass yet capable of long-range accuracy because of unique recoil reduction are characterized by (A) a temporary combination of a barrel, an integral breech and a separable chamber that in operation of the firearm is moved by a compressed spring distally before and while a chambered cartridge is fired, (B) run-out of such temporary operative combination diminishes firearm recoil, (C) recoil of the temporary operative combination recompresses the spring and (D) the separable chamber is loaded with a round while spatially separated from the breech and barrel.

Claims

1. A firearm mechanism of reduced mass yet capable of long range accuracy comprising in combination,

a) a barrel defined by a proximal end, a dislal end and a bore,

b) a cartridge storage means for containing and dispensing cartridges,

c) a chamber structured to receive cartridges dispensed from said cartridge storage means,

d) a breech attached to said proximal end forming a permanent operative combination of said barrel and said breech,

e) said breech being structured to operatively receive said chamber to thereby provide an temporary operative combination of said barrel, said breech and said chamber,

f) a receiver mounting said permanent operative combination for movement along a longitudinal axis between a proximal extremity and a distal extremity,

g) transport means carried by said receiver to move said chamber into said breech while said permanent operative combination moves along said longitudinal axis toward said distal extremity thereby creating said temporary operative combination and to move said chamber out of said breech while said temporary operative combination is in motion along said longitudinal axis toward said proximal extremity,

h) spring means structured to bias said permanent operative combination distally along said longitudinal axis and to be compressed by proximal movement of said permanent operative combination and

i) trigger means to cause discharge of chambered cartridges with a predetermined delay after movement of said temporary operative combination toward said distal extremity has commenced.

2. The firearm mechanism of claim 1 wherein said cartridge storage means is a magazine.

3. The firearm mechanism of claim 1 wherein said transport means comprises a cam.

4. The firearm mechanism of claim 1 that comprises a striker.

5. The firearm mechanism of claim 1 that comprises a scar and a breech sear.

6. The firearm mechanism of claim 1 that comprises a cartridge case ejector.

7. A firearm mechanism comprising in combination, a barrel defined by a proximal end, a distal end and a bore,

a breech attached to said proximal end forming an operative combination of said barrel and said breech,

a receiver mounting said operative combination for movement along a longitudinal axis between a proximal extremity and a distal extremity,

a chamber structured to chamber cartridges, and

transport means carried by said receiver to move said chamber into said breech while said operative combination is in transit from said proximal extremity to said distal extremity and to move said chamber out of said breech while said operative combination is in transit from said distal extremity to said proximal extremity.

8. A method of firing an automatic or semi-automatic firearm comprising a cartridge storage means containing cartridges, a spring means, a chamber, a barrel, a breech attached to said barrel and structured to operatively receive and release said chamber, said method comprising the following combination of steps,

a. separating said chamber from said breech,

b. emptying said chamber of a cartridge case,

c. loading a cartridge from said storage means into said empted chamber,

d. moving said cartridge loaded chamber into said breech forming a temporary combination of said barrel, said breech and said chamber,

e. causing said spring means to move said temporary combination distally along a longitudinal axis,

f. firing said cartridge while said distal movement of said temporary combination is in progress,

g. compressing said spring means via proximal movement of said temporary combination resulting from said firing of said cartridge, and

h. discharging an empty cartridge case from said chamber after said separation of said chamber from said breech.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said chamber moves laterally of said breech and said breech moves distally of said chamber during said separation of said chamber from said breech.