Side handle firearm actuation system

• US 8,333,137 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2010
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Spirit Arms Corp.
• Original Assignee: Joseph P. Sirochman
• Inventors: Sirochman, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): CLEMENT, MICHELLE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US12/843,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20110083551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 89/14, 891/910.1, 891/79, 42/16
• US Class Current: 89/1.4
• 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 5/18 gas-operated
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 7/00 Auxiliary mechanisms for bringing the breech-block or bolt or the barrel to the starting position before automatic firing; Drives for externally-powered guns; Remote-controlled gun chargers
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/38 Loading arrangements, i.e. for bringing the ammunition into the firing position

Abstract

In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, a firearm actuation system is provided. The firearm actuation system, comprising a housing, a guide, a contoured actuation handle, and a bolt. The system provides an actuation mechanism for an AR-15 which is engagable by a shooter where the AR-15 is in a shouldered firing position. The contoured actuation handle may be retained in the retaining slot to provide an action-open-position. The housing may also comprise a mounting rail with a plurality of grooves, where each groove may be configured with a unique indicator.

Claims

1. A firearm actuation system, comprising:

a housing defining an internal cavity;

a mounting rail coupled to said housing, said mounting rail configured with a plurality of grooves;

a first unique indicator inscribed in a first groove of the plurality of grooves;

a second unique indicator inscribed in a second groove of the plurality of grooves;

a guide defining a guide slot, said guide is retainably installed within said housing such that said slot provides access to said internal cavity;

a positionable actuation handle assembly comprising a handle movably coupled to a bolt engagement, said bolt engagement slidably installed within said guide slot, wherein said handle is movable between an active position and a storage position;

a bolt installed within said housing and engagable by said bolt engagement, wherein said bolt comprises a notch and said bolt engagement comprises a tab corresponding, to said notch, such that said bolt engagement engages the bolt when actuated by said handle when said handle is in said active position and the bolt is capable of cycling when said handle is in said storage position;

a first feed ramp; and

a second feed ramp, said first feed ramp and said second feed ramp formed in said housing, wherein said bolt is configured to engage and advance a plurality of alternatively arranged rounds of ammunition such that said plurality of alternatively arranged rounds of ammunition are advanced by said bolt along said first feed ramp and said second feed ramp.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said contoured handle is engagable by a shooter from a shouldered firing position.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said contoured actuation handle is coated with a corrosion resistant coating.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises a retaining slot.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said contoured actuation handle is retained in said retaining slot to provide an action-open-position.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said housing is at least a portion of an upper receiver.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a barrel assembly coupled to said housing.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said firearm actuation system is configured to couple to a lower receiver.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said housing is provided without a forward assist mechanism.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said mounting rail is a picatinny rail.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said picatinny rail conforms to a military specification.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first unique indicator is an alpha-numeric indicator.

12. A gas operated semi-automatic firearm, comprising;

an upper assembly comprising;

a first housing defining an internal cavity;

a guide defining a guide slot and a retaining slot, said guide is retainably installed within said first housing such that said slot provides access to said internal cavity;

a rotatable contoured actuation handle rotatable between an active position and a storage position slidably installed within said guide slot, wherein said contoured actuation handle protrudes from a side of said first housing;

a bolt installed within said first housing and engagable by said contoured actuation handle when said contoured handle is in said active position, said bolt being retainable in an action open position in response to said rotatable handle be rotated into said retaining slot;

a mounting rail operatively coupled to said first housing and is configured to receive an accessory, said mounting rail configured with a plurality of grooves;

a first feed ramp formed in said first housing;

a second feed ramp formed in said first housing;

a first unique indicator inscribed in a first groove of the plurality of grooves;

a second unique indicator inscribed in a second groove of the plurality of grooves;

a barrel assembly coupled to said first housing;

a lower assembly, comprising;

a second housing defining a magazine well, said magazine well;

a trigger mechanism installed within said second housing;

said first housing operatively coupled to said second housing, wherein said first feed ramp and said second feed ramp of said first housing are adjacent to said magazine well, and wherein said bolt is configured to engage and advance a plurality of alternatively arranged rounds of ammunition provided in a magazine removably installed at said magazine will such that said plurality of alternatively arranged rounds of ammunition are advanced by said bolt from said magazine along said first feed ramp and said second feed ramp.

13. The firearm of claim 12, wherein said contoured handle is engagable by a shooter from a shouldered firing position.

14. The firearm of claim 12, wherein said mounting rail comprises a plurality of grooves, and wherein each of said plurality of grooves comprises a unique indicator.

15. The firearm of claim 12, wherein said first housing further comprises a retaining slot.

16. The firearm of claim 15, wherein said contoured actuation handle is retained in said retaining slot to provide an action-open-position.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first unique indicator is an alpha-numeric indicator.