Ambidextrous charging handle for a firearm

• US 7,832,322 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas Trail Hoel
• Original Assignee: Thomas Trail Hoel
• Inventors: Hoel, Thomas Trail
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Klein; Gabriel J
• Application Number:
  US12/772,660
• Time in Patent Office: 197 Days
• Field of Search: 89/14, 891/79, 891/910.1, 891/910.2, 891/92, 42/16, 42/690.1, 42/690.2, 124/35.02
• US Class Current: 89/1.4
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/20 Straight-pull operated bolt locks, i.e. the operating hand effecting only a straight movement parallel to the barrel axis
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 35/06 Adaptation of guns to both right and left hand use

Abstract

An ambidextrous charging handle for a firearm consists of two separate assemblies, these being an oblong handle that contains a latch mechanism and a central shaft member. The parts are joined together by a combination of the latch mechanism and alignment grooves in the central shaft member interacting with a locating flange on the handle, and a pair of retaining and pivoting connectors that secure the latch to the handle and the central shaft member. The latch mechanism includes cam activation via a retention relief cut acting against a fixed retention and pivot connector. The second point of retention for the assembly is via a second retaining connector that transmits the retraction force applied to the handle on one end of the latch and to the central shaft member through the interconnection of the second combination retention and pivot connector on the proximal end of the latch body.

Claims

1. An ambidextrous charging handle for a firearm, comprising:

an oblong handle having a crossbar section;

a cavity formed in the oblong handle, the cavity further including a cavity sidewall;

a longitudinal central shaft extending generally perpendicularly from the crossbar section of the oblong handle, the central shaft terminating in a bolt hook at a distal end;

a pivotable latch in the cavity, the pivotable latch further including a latch cam portion within the cavity and a latch hook extending from the cavity proximate the central shaft;

a first biasing element to bias the latch hook toward the central shaft;

a first pivotable lever in the cavity, the first lever further including a first lever cam portion proximate the latch cam portion; and

a second pivotable lever in the cavity, the second lever further including a second lever cam portion proximate the latch cam portion,

wherein pivoting of at least one of the first lever and the second lever against the bias of the first biasing element urges the first lever cam portion or the second lever cam portion, respectively, against the latch cam portion, thereby pivoting the latch and urging the latch hook away from the central shaft, and further wherein the pivotable latch, the first pivotable lever, and the second pivotable lever each pivot about respective discrete pivot points.

2. The ambidextrous charging handle of claim 1, further comprising a second biasing element extending between the cavity sidewall and the first lever, urging the first lever cam portion away from the latch cam portion.

3. The ambidextrous charging handle of claim 1, further comprising a third biasing element extending between the cavity sidewall and the second lever, urging the second lever cam portion away from the latch cam portion.

4. The ambidextrous charging handle of claim 1 wherein the first lever further includes a first lever actuator portion extending from the cavity.

5. The ambidextrous charging handle of claim 1 wherein the second lever further includes a second lever actuator portion extending from the cavity.

6. The ambidextrous charging handle of claim 1 wherein the first lever further includes a first lever stop portion configured to contact the cavity sidewall to limit the pivotable travel of the first lever cam portion away from the latch cam portion.

7. The ambidextrous charging handle of claim 1 wherein the second lever further includes a second lever stop portion configured to contact the cavity sidewall to limit the pivotable travel of the second lever cam portion away from the latch cam portion.