Patents Examined by Stephen M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9857155
    Abstract: The present specification discloses a new self-aligning rifle bullet. The resulting bullet offers greatly improved rifle accuracy and reduction in aerodynamic drag for better long range shooting. The resulting improvements will help shooters achieve longer ranges, higher scores, smaller group sizes, and higher probabilities of first shot hits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventor: James Allen Boatright
  • Patent number: 9829277
    Abstract: An illumination system for weapon optics includes a light source and one or more channels that direct light from the light source onto adjustment interfaces of a weapon optical device, such as windage and elevation turrets of a scope. An illumination system for weapon optics may also include an illuminated level device for positioning the weapon level in relation to the surface of the earth. An illumination system for weapon optics illuminates adjustment interfaces of a weapon optical device such that markings on the adjustment interfaces can be read in low-light and no-light conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: ZEROlight LLC
    Inventors: Derrick Ratliff, Hazer Bulkley, Fred Hunt
  • Patent number: 9829274
    Abstract: A firearm includes a forend having a forend body attached to the firearm below a barrel, and a cord removably secured to a gripping surface of the forend body. The forend body is provided with at least one groove removably receiving the cord to secure the cord to the forend body. The groove is configured to receive the cord therein such that a portion of the cord extends out of the groove so that the slip resistance of the gripping surface of the forend body is improved. The cord can be easily removed from the groove of the forend body whenever the user of the firearm desires to use the cord in any other suitable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Inventor: Matthew John Vallo
  • Patent number: 9823031
    Abstract: A modular automatic or semiautomatic rifle. The rifle has a lower receiver assembly having a fire control assembly for firing the rifle. An upper receiver assembly is provided with a frame and a bolt carrier assembly configured for firing bullets of a predetermined caliber. The lower receiver has a mating interface configured for operably joining the lower receiver assembly to the upper receiver assembly, and for operably joining the lower receiver assembly to another upper receiver assembly different from the upper receiver assembly configured for firing bullets of the predetermined caliber. The other upper receiver assembly has a different frame and different bolt carrier assembly configured for firing bullets of a different predetermined caliber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: COLT'S MANUFACTURING IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
    Inventors: Laurance Robbins, Kevin Audibert, Kevin Langevin
  • Patent number: 9821752
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hybrid inflator (10) including a burst cap (20) including a bottom (21) and a sleeve-like side wall (22), the bottom (21) and the side wall (22) delimiting an igniter compartment (23), and the burst cap (20) in the idle mode being pressurized on the outer peripheral side with compressed gas having a filling pressure (PF) which at a functional maximum temperature of the hybrid inflator (10) has a maximum filling pressure (PFmax), and wherein the burst cap (20) can be destroyed by an igniter compartment side bursting pressure in the case of operation. In accordance with the invention, a transitional portion (24) is formed from the side wall (22) of the burst cap (20) to the bottom (21) so that the igniter compartment side bursting pressure required to destroy the burst cap (20) is lower than the sum of the maximum filling pressure (PFmax) and the filling pressure (PF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Lorenz Seidl
  • Patent number: 9822617
    Abstract: An explosive charge assembly comprises a casing, a first liner, a second liner, a first explosive charge disposed between the casing and the first liner, and a second explosive charge disposed between the first liner and the second liner. The first liner and the second liner are configured to form a single jet upon detonation of the first explosive charge and the second explosive charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Dean Vernell Bird
  • Patent number: 9816201
    Abstract: Thin freestanding nitride veneers can be used for the fabrication of semiconductor devices. These veneers are typically less than 100 microns thick. The use of thin veneers also eliminates the need for subsequent wafer thinning for improved thermal performance and 3D packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Goldeneye, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott M. Zimmerman, William R. Livesay, Richard L. Ross
  • Patent number: 9816546
    Abstract: A firearm barrel nut assembly including barrel nut, generally cylindrical in shape with a threaded central bore, and an externally threaded locknut which is used in conjunction with the barrel nut to secure a barrel to a firearm upper receiver. The barrel nut has an integral bushing on its exterior constructed to support either the gas tube or piston of the host firearm's operating system. The barrel nut is configured so that it may be independently and non-rotationally held within a vice or other fixture during installation of the barrel and while the locknut is tightened to a preset torque to hold the barrel in place while the barrel nut is independent of the torque applied to the locknut to properly secure the barrel to the upper receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: LWRC International LLC
    Inventor: Jesus S. Gomez
  • Patent number: 9810496
    Abstract: A semiautomatic firearm with redundant systems for reducing misfirings. A safety trigger is provided that is passively actuated in advance of a firing trigger. The safety trigger maintains redundant safety mechanisms that prevent inadvertent or accidental actuation of the firing trigger. The firing trigger can be configured for actuation with a very low magnitude or “soft” pull without compromising safety. For the disclosed embodiments, the safety trigger assures that the firearm is discharged only upon deliberate actuation of the firing trigger. In one embodiment, a trigger pull adjustment mechanism provides adjustment of the pull of the firing trigger to a desired force required by the operator. The disclosed trigger pull adjustment mechanism reduces the number of components and complexity of the machined parts over conventional trigger pull adjustment mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Savage Arms, Inc.
    Inventors: Ivan Kolev, John Linscott
  • Patent number: 9803943
    Abstract: A firearm magazine guard unit including an attachment unit affixed to the firearm magazine guard unit, a magazine ejection unit rotatively affixed to the firearm magazine guard unit, where a portion of the magazine ejection unit is in contact with the magazine when the magazine is inserted into the firearm magazine guard unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Iron Claw Tactical LLC
    Inventors: John Schafer, Maura Schafer, Louis Papamihail
  • Patent number: 9797667
    Abstract: A self-contained magazine intended for a firearm, including a main housing configured to receive a plurality of cartridges and having an open upper end through which the cartridges are loaded and unloaded, a follower arranged relative to the main housing and able to slide in a longitudinal axial direction along the main housing, a spring urging the follower toward the upper end so as to push the cartridges toward the upper end, a secondary housing fixed and preferably removably relative to a substantially planar lower end of the main housing, and an indicator device arranged at least partially inside the secondary housing to indicate the number of cartridges contained in the main housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Techtonique SA
    Inventors: Jacques Demierre, Yvan Magnin
  • Patent number: 9797690
    Abstract: Armor systems are described. Armor systems include an armor that includes a container, in which the container includes a bottom, a top and sides and is enclosed, hollow spheres that are placed in a stack in the container, explosive that is wrapped around each of the hollow spheres in the container, in which the explosive-wrapped spheres substantially fill the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: ARMOR DYNAMICS, INC.
    Inventor: David Warren
  • Patent number: 9790801
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a pressure side wall and a suction side wall spaced apart from the pressure side wall and each extending between a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion. A plurality of cutback openings are spaced along a radial axis of the suction side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brandon W. Spangler
  • Patent number: 9791225
    Abstract: The charging handle assembly uses a magnetic latching mechanism to replace the spring loaded latch mechanism common on conventional M16/AR-15 style weapons. The magnetic latching mechanism consists of magnetically attracting plugs mounted to or within the upper receiver and the charging handle. The magnetic attraction between the adjacent plugs provides the locking force to secure the charging handle in the closed position while still allowing the user to manually pull the handle to the open position when necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Inventor: Jo Won Seuk
  • Patent number: 9784528
    Abstract: A special automatic out the front knife device transformed as a bayonet for rifles, shotguns and pistols. Particularly this knife product is related to rifle, pistol and shotgun applications where having a knife or bayonet readily available is desired. The device is to be used with a weapon such as a rifle, shotgun or pistol and is comprised of an out-the front, encased spring activated blade component and at least one manner or way for connecting the blade component to the weapon wherein the out-the front, encased spring activated blade component which can be removably secured to the rifle, shotgun or pistol for use as a bayonet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Inventor: Tracey Rockwell
  • Patent number: 9784525
    Abstract: A simple apparatus which prevents a danger that a gas cylinder with gas left in the cylinder leaps out when the gas cylinder is taken out to change a gas cylinder is provided. A toy gun 1 includes: a gas cylinder housing portion 11 which is provided in the grip portion of an air gun and houses a gas cylinder 31; a clamp 41 which opens or closes the gas cylinder housing portion 11; a clamp pivot 42 about which the clamp 41 is rotated; a roller 14 installed at the bottom portion of the gas cylinder housing portion 11; and a receptacle 21 which is installed between the upper part of the roller 14 and the bottom portion of the gas cylinder 31 and is energized toward the roller 14 and whose surface shape is matched with the bottom face shape of the gas cylinder 31.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: MARUZEN COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Tetsuo Maeda
  • Patent number: 9784516
    Abstract: A firearm handgrip with integrated safety lock system includes a handgrip having a plurality of connectors, a generally hollow interior space and an aperture, An elongated retractable plate is positioned within the aperture and is connected to a plate alignment unit located within the interior space of the handgrip. The plate transitions between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, the plate physically engages the firearm's integrated safety mechanism to maintain the same in the “safe” position. The system further includes a biometric authentication system, an electromechanical latch and an internal controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Gun Guardian, LLC
    Inventors: William Lewis Murphy, II, Robert Vail Harvey
  • Patent number: 9784526
    Abstract: A stock for a firearm is disclosed. The stock has a length of pull (LOP) adjustment mechanism. The LOP adjustment mechanism is biased towards an engaged configuration and is movable to a disengaged configuration. A locating member protrudes into a stock mounting space and a first arm is in an engagement position when the LOP adjustment mechanism is in the engaged configuration. The locating member is translated such that the locating member does not protrude into the mounting space and the first arm is pivoted into a disengagement position when the LOP adjustment mechanism is in the disengaged configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Magpul Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Eric Chow, Turner Sessions
  • Patent number: 9772171
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for modifying pre-existing ammunition projectile (10) which includes a hard metal inner core (11). The projectile is secured and a drill is applied to the tip end (17) of the projectile so as to create a bore (20) extending into the core. An insert (22) is then coupled to the projectile. The insert may include a shaft portion (23) which extends into the core channel and a tip portion (25). The insert is made of a non-hard metal or soft material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Inventor: Patrick C Henry, III
  • Patent number: 9772161
    Abstract: A KeyMod handguard quick release structure is mainly used in rifle gun, including a base body for mounting gun accessories, operation elements, first spring element fixed to each operation element, a positioning element and a second spring element installed between the positioning element and base body, where the seat body has an accommodation space and through hole, the operation elements respectively have a guide portion, and the positioning element is passed through the through-hole. When the base body is to be installed on the KeyMod handguard, an engagement member is placed in a large engagement hole, and the base body is then pressed down, the positioning element being moved upward immediately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Inventor: Chung-Tien Cheng