CHARGING HANDLE
First Claim
1. A charging handle for use with a gas operated rifle, the rifle comprising an upper receiver and a bolt slidingly disposed therein, the upper receiver comprising an upper receiver wall having inner surfaces defining a channel and outer surfaces defining a depression, the charging handle comprising:
- a body having a handle portion, a bolt engaging portion, a strut portion, and a shaft portion, the shaft portion extending forwardly from the handle portion to the bolt engaging portion, the shaft portion being dimensioned to extend into the channel defined by the inner surfaces of the upper receiver, the bolt engaging portion comprising a projection configured and dimensioned to engage the bolt of the rifle for pulling the bolt in the rearward direction as the charging handle is pulled rearward from a fully inserted position to a more rearward position;
the handle portion having a starboard arm extending away from the shaft portion in a starboard direction and a port arm extending away from the shaft portion in a portward direction;
the strut portion extending away from the handle portion in the forward direction, the strut portion being offset from the shaft portion by an offset distance so that a slot is defined between a starboard surface of the strut portion and a port facing surface of the shaft portion, the offset distance being selected so that a portion of the upper receiver wall is received in the slot when the charging handle is in the fully inserted position, the strut portion defining an aperture communicating with the slot;
a latch member comprising a leaf spring, a rearward portion of the latch member being fixed to the body of the charging handle and a forward portion of the latch member being disposed in the aperture defined by the strut portion, the latch member including a foot portion receivable in the depression defined by the upper receiver wall when the charging handle is in the fully inserted position and the leaf spring configured to deflect allowing the foot portion to exit the depression when the charging handle is pulled rearward from the fully inserted position to a more rearward position.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An example charging handle comprises a body having a handle portion, a bolt engaging portion and a shaft portion extending forwardly from the handle portion to the bolt engaging portion. The handle portion of the body may have a starboard arm extending away from the shaft portion in a starboard direction and a port arm extending away from the shaft portion in a portward direction. The charging handle may comprise a grip member disposed about the handle portion of the body so that the grip member encapsulates the handle portion and the handle portion is disposed inside the grip member. The grip member may comprise a thermoplastic material overmolded on the handle portion of the body.
10 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A charging handle for use with a gas operated rifle, the rifle comprising an upper receiver and a bolt slidingly disposed therein, the upper receiver comprising an upper receiver wall having inner surfaces defining a channel and outer surfaces defining a depression, the charging handle comprising:
-
a body having a handle portion, a bolt engaging portion, a strut portion, and a shaft portion, the shaft portion extending forwardly from the handle portion to the bolt engaging portion, the shaft portion being dimensioned to extend into the channel defined by the inner surfaces of the upper receiver, the bolt engaging portion comprising a projection configured and dimensioned to engage the bolt of the rifle for pulling the bolt in the rearward direction as the charging handle is pulled rearward from a fully inserted position to a more rearward position; the handle portion having a starboard arm extending away from the shaft portion in a starboard direction and a port arm extending away from the shaft portion in a portward direction; the strut portion extending away from the handle portion in the forward direction, the strut portion being offset from the shaft portion by an offset distance so that a slot is defined between a starboard surface of the strut portion and a port facing surface of the shaft portion, the offset distance being selected so that a portion of the upper receiver wall is received in the slot when the charging handle is in the fully inserted position, the strut portion defining an aperture communicating with the slot; a latch member comprising a leaf spring, a rearward portion of the latch member being fixed to the body of the charging handle and a forward portion of the latch member being disposed in the aperture defined by the strut portion, the latch member including a foot portion receivable in the depression defined by the upper receiver wall when the charging handle is in the fully inserted position and the leaf spring configured to deflect allowing the foot portion to exit the depression when the charging handle is pulled rearward from the fully inserted position to a more rearward position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A charging handle for use with a gas operated rifle, the rifle comprising an upper receiver and a bolt slidingly disposed therein, the upper receiver defining an inner channel and a latch member catch portion, the charging handle comprising a body, a grip portion, and a latch member, the body having a handle portion, a bolt engaging portion, and a shaft portion, the shaft portion extending in a forward direction from the handle portion to the bolt engaging portion and in a rearward direction from the bolt engaging portion to the handle portion, the shaft portion being configured and dimensioned to extend into the channel defined by the inner surfaces of the upper receiver, the bolt engaging portion comprising a projection configured and dimensioned to engage the bolt of the rifle for pulling the bolt in the rearward direction, the projection extending in a downward direction beyond a lower surface of the shaft portion;
-
the handle portion having a starboard arm extending away from the shaft portion in a starboard direction and a port arm extending away from the shaft portion in a portward direction, the handle portion defining a first hole and a second hole, the first hole and the second hole both being positioned between the starboard arm and the port arm; a strut portion extending away from the handle portion in the forward direction, the strut portion defining an aperture, the aperture having a first opening extending through a starboard facing surface of the strut portion and a second opening extending through a port facing surface of the strut portion, the strut portion being offset from the shaft portion by an offset distance so that a slot is defined between the starboard surface of the strut portion and a port facing surface of the shaft portion, the slot having a width corresponding to the offset distance, the slot being dimensioned to receive a portion of the upper receiver wall which extends into the slot when the charging handle is in a fully inserted position, the slot fluidly communicating with the aperture; the grip member disposed about the handle portion of the body so that the grip member encapsulates the handle portion and the handle portion is disposed inside the grip member, the grip member comprising a first bridging portion extending in the upward and downward directions through the first hole and a second bridging portion extending in the upward direction through the second hole to mechanically interlock the grip member and the handle portion to one another; and the grip member comprising a plurality of grooves and a plurality of ribs, each groove having a groove base surface extending between a pair of ribs, each rib extending forwardly beyond one or more adjacent groove base surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of manufacturing a charging handle for use with gas operated a rifle, the rifle comprising an upper receiver and a bolt slidingly disposed therein, the upper receiver comprising an upper receiver wall having inner surfaces defining a channel and outer surfaces defining a depression, the method comprising:
-
providing a body having a handle portion, a bolt engaging portion, a strut portion, and a shaft portion, the shaft portion extending forwardly from the handle portion to the bolt engaging portion, the shaft portion being dimensioned to extend into the channel defined by the inner surfaces of the upper receiver, the bolt engaging portion comprising a projection configured and dimensioned to engage the bolt of the rifle for pulling the bolt in the rearward direction as the charging handle is pulled rearward from a fully inserted position to a more rearward position;
the handle portion having a starboard arm extending away from the shaft portion in a starboard direction and a port arm extending away from the shaft portion in a portward direction;placing at least the handle portion of the body within a cavity defined by a mold; injecting molten thermoplastic material into the cavity defined by the mold; allowing the thermoplastic material to cool, forming a grip portion encasing at least part of the handle portion of the body; removing the grip portion and the handle portion from the cavity defined by the mold.
-
Specification