Self-cleaning gas operating system for a firearm

• US 7,461,581 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LWRC International LLC
• Original Assignee: Lwrcinternational LLC
• Inventors: Leitner-Wise, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Stephen M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Troy, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US11/491,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 891/79, 891/910.1, 891/910.2, 891/93, 891/94, 891/92
• US Class Current: 89/191.01
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/12 Bolt action, i.e. the main breech opening movement being parallel to the barrel axis
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 5/18 gas-operated

Abstract

A self-cleaning gas operating system for a firearm having a conventional bolt carrier assembly is disclosed comprising: a nozzle assembly having a nozzle in direct communication with a port on the muzzle; said nozzle assembly nested within a piston cup having a vent, a connecting rod operationally linking the piston cup to a spring loaded operating rod which is substantially co-axial to a bolt carrier key having a striking portion, said striking portion having a concave strike face in contact with said operating rod, wherein gas discharged from a fired cartridge displaces the piston cup and causes the operating rod to strike the strike face displacing the bolt assembly.

Claims

1. A gas operating system for an autoloading firearm having a bolt carrier assembly comprising;

a nozzle assembly having a nozzle in direct communication with a port on the muzzle;

said nozzle assembly nested within a piston cup having a vent, a connecting rod operationally linking the piston cup to a spring loaded operation rod which is substantially co-axial to a bolt carrier key having a base portion and a striking portion, said striking portion having a external, concave strike face which is transverse to the longitudinal path of the bolt carrier key and is in operational contact with said operating rod.

2. The gas operating system of claim 1, wherein the piston cup has at least three circular vent holes equidistant from each other along the same radial line.

3. The gas operating system of claim 1, wherein the nozzle assembly having knurls about its exterior scrapes burnt propellant residue off the internal walls of the piston cup upon the reciprocal displacement of the piston cup.

4. The gas operating system of claim 1, wherein the nozzle of the nozzle assembly is angularly disposed within the nozzle assembly.

5. The gas operating system of claim 1, wherein the connecting rod comprises two similar ends integrally joined by a solid cylindrical midsection such that the diameter of the midsection is greater than the diameter of the ends, each end defining a solid cylindrical portion integrally capped off by a semi-hemispherical tip, each sized and configured for mating engagement with a connecting rod receiving bore on the piston cup and on the operating rod respectively.

6. The gas operating system of claim 4, wherein the midsection of the connecting rod is knurled.

7. The gas operating system of claim 1, wherein the spring loaded operating rod comprises a spring retained by a spring cup.

8. The gas operating system of claim 7, further comprising a bushing disposed on said operating rod adjacent to the spring cup.

9. The gas operating system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of the striking portion of the carrier key is angularly offset from being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base portion of the carrier key.

10. The gas operating system of claim 9, wherein the angle of offset is in the range from about −

0.27′

to about −

0.31′

.

11. The gas operating system of claim 1, wherein the base portion of the carrier key dovetails into a corresponding interlacing portion on the bolt carrier assembly.

12. A gas operating system for an autoloading firearm comprising:

a bolt, a bolt carrier assembly configured to receive said bolt, a bolt carrier key having a striking portion and a base portion attached to said bolt carrier assembly;

a nozzle assembly having a nozzle in direct communication with a port on the muzzle;

said nozzle assembly nested within a piston cup having a vent;

a connecting rod operationally linking the piston cup to a spring loaded operating rod which is substantially co-axial to the bolt carrier key, said striking portion of the bolt carrier key having a concave strike face in operational contact with said operating rod, wherein gas discharged from a fired cartridge displaces the piston cup and causes the operating rod to strike the strike face of the bolt carrier key displacing the bolt.

13. The gas operating system of claim 12, wherein the piston cup has Fee at least three circular vent holes equidistant from each other along the same radial line.

14. The gas operating system of claim 12, wherein the nozzle assembly having knurls about its exterior scrapes burnt propellant residue off the internal walls of the piston cup upon the reciprocal displacement of the piston cup.

15. The gas operating system of claim 12, wherein the nozzle of the nozzle assembly is angularly disposed within the nozzle assembly.

16. The gas operating system of claim 12, wherein the connecting rod comprises two similar ends integrally joined by a solid cylindrical midsection such that the diameter of the midsection is greater than the diameter of the ends, each end defining a solid cylindrical portion integrally capped off by a semi-hemispherical tip, each end sized and configured for mating engagement with a connecting rod receiving bore on the piston cup and on the operating rod respectively.

17. The gas operating system of claim 12, wherein the midsection of the connecting rod is knurled.

18. The gas operating system of claim 12, wherein the spring loaded operating rod comprises a spring retained by a spring cup.

19. The gas operating system of claim 12, further comprising a bushing disposed on said operating rod adjacent to the spring cup.

20. The gas operating system of claim 12, wherein the longitudinal axis of the striking portion of the carrier key is angularly offset from being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base portion of the carrier key.

21. The gas operating system of claim 20, wherein the angle of offset is in the range from about −

0.27 O to about −

0.31 O.

22. The gas operating system of claim 12, wherein the base portion of the carrier key dovetails into a corresponding interlacing portion on the bolt carrier assembly.

23. An autoloading firearm comprising the gas operating system of claim 12.

24. The gas operating system of claim 23, wherein the piston cup has fee at least three circular vent holes equidistant from each other along the same radial line.

25. The gas operating system of claim 23, wherein the nozzle assembly having knurls about its exterior scrapes burnt propellant residue off the internal walls of the piston cup upon the reciprocal displacement of the piston cup.

26. The autoloading firearm of claim 23, wherein the base portion of the carrier key dovetails into a corresponding interlacing portion on the bolt carrier assembly.

27. The autoloading firearm of claim 23, wherein the longitudinal axis of the striking portion of the carrier key is angularly offset from being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base portion of the carrier key.

28. The autoloading firearm of claim 27, wherein the angle of offset is in the range from about −

0.27 O to about −

0.31 O.