Two piece upper receiver for firearms

• US 8,230,634 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Stanowski, Patriot Ordnance Factory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Robert B Davies, Robert Lynch Hogan
• Inventors: Davies, Robert Bruce, Hogan, Robert Lynch
• Primary Examiner(s): HAYES, BRET C
• Application Number:
  US13/105,893
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 42/750.1, 42/750.2, 42/710.1, 42/85, 89/141
• US Class Current: 42/75.02
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/66 Breech housings or frames; Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 23/16 Forestocks; Handgrips; Hand guards pump-action guns F41C7/02
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"

Abstract

A two piece upper receiver for a firearm including a first piece having a front end, a rear end, a top, and a bottom, the first piece constructed to operatively carry a bolt carrier and bolt, and to have a barrel coupled to the front end. The bottom is constructed to have a lower receiver coupled thereto. The first piece includes a backbone extending along the top between the front end and the rear end, the back bone having upwardly directed indexing surfaces. A second piece overlies the backbone and includes mating surfaces engaging the indexing surfaces, aligning the second piece with the first piece. A receiving structure is opposite the mating surfaces for receiving accessory devices mounted thereon. Fasteners fixedly attach the second piece to the first piece to form a complete upper receiver.

Claims

1. An upper receiver comprising:

a first piece;

a backbone, where the backbone is operatively attached to the first piece, where the backbone has a first indexing surface and a second indexing surface, where the backbone has an aperture;

a second piece, where the second piece has a first mating surface and a second mating surface;

a fastener;

a barrel nut having an outer surface, a barrel nut coupling a smooth breech end of a barrel to a front end of the first piece; and

an insert, where the insert fits into the aperture, where the insert is configured to receive the fastener, where the second piece is configured to be secured to the first piece by insertion of the fastener through a portion of the second piece and into the insert, where the first indexing surface is configured to contact the first mating surface when the second piece is secured to the first piece, where the second indexing surface is configured to contact the second mating surface when the second piece is secured to the first piece.

2. The upper receiver according to claim 1, where the aperture is threaded, where the insert configured to fit into the aperture by screwing into the threads of the aperture.

3. The upper receiver according to claim 1, where the insert is made from a material different than the first piece.

4. The upper receiver according to claim 1, where the first piece and the second piece contact surfaces only where the first indexing surface contacts the first mating surface and where the second indexing surface contacts the second mating surface.

5. The upper receiver according to claim 1, where the first indexing surface is angularly opposed to the second indexing surface by an angle between about 45 degrees and about 135 degrees.

6. The upper receiver according to claim 1, where the second piece further includes:

a receiving structure, where the receiving structure is configured to receive attachments, where the receiving structure includes a counter sunk aperture configured to accept the fastener.

7. The upper receiver according to claim 6, where the receiving structure is a Picatinny rail.

8. The upper receiver according to claim 7, where the receiving structure is also part of a handguard.

9. The upper receiver according to claim 8, further comprising:

a wedge block, the wedge block lying between a portion of the second piece and the barrel nut; and

a tensioning system, the tensioning system forcing the wedge block against the barrel nut.

10. The upper receiver according to claim 9, where the tensioning system includes:

a threaded insert received within an aperture extending through the second piece;

a screw threaded through the threaded insert and engaging an upper surface of the wedge block, where the tensioning system is configured to force the wedge block against the barrel nut when the screw is tightened.