RECEIVER-STOCK CONNECTOR
A receiver-stock connector (5) allows for secure attachment of various stocks to firearm receivers. The receiver (110) can be configured so that firearm components can be mounted in the receiver through an open rear end (112) of the receiver.
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/US07/019,535, filed Sep. 7, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention generally relates to firearms, and in particular to a receiver-stock connector system that facilitates assembly and disassembly of firearms.
BACKGROUNDConventional firearms typically are assembled from their component parts in relatively complex assembly processes. For example, receivers for some conventional firearms may be curved at the rear end of the receiver to create a smooth transition surface from the receiver to the stock. The curved rear end of the receiver typically has a relatively small opening area that is reduced by the inward curvature at the rear of the receiver. This small opening area at the rear of the receiver may, however, render it difficult or impossible to properly insert the bolt assembly into the receiver during assembly of the firearm. As a result, it may be necessary to mount the bolt assembly in the receiver through the open bottom of the receiver. Also, clearances in conventional receiver openings may require rotation and/or pivoting of the bolt assembly in order to mount the bolt assembly in the receiver, which increases the complexity of the assembly line hardware.
Typical receiver-stock connections may also lack flexibility, such as the ability to attach varying stock types to the receiver. For example, receiver-stock connections that involve machining of the receiver according to certain specifications may preclude the use of varying stocks with the receiver, or may require extensive adaptation to the assembly process to accommodate different stocks.
Existing receiver-stock connections also require significant time and effort to remove or change out the stock, and change out often must be done by a trained gunsmith. Such limitations discourage removal, replacement, and change out of conventional stock configurations.
SUMMARYAccording to a first aspect of the invention, a method of assembling a firearm comprises attaching a first connector to a firearm stock, passing a bolt assembly through an open rear end of a receiver, seating a second connector in the receiver, and biasing the first connector toward the second connector to connect the receiver to the stock.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a firearm comprises a barrel, a receiver, a stock, a first connector connected to the stock, and a second connector seated within the receiver. The first connector is biased toward the second connector by a receiver-stock attachment member, which in turn biases the receiver toward the stock. The first connector can have an exterior surface that provides a smooth continuous transition from the receiver to the stock. Because the first connector acts as a transition between the receiver and stock, it is not necessary to reduce the cross section of the rear of the receiver so that it conforms with a mating surface of the stock.
According to the above and various other aspects of the present invention, assembly of the firearm can be facilitated by translating the bolt assembly through the open rear end of the receiver. The bolt assembly can be mounted in the receiver by, for example, simple translations of the bolt assembly, including translation along the longitudinal axis or centerline of the receiver. Mounting of the bolt assembly can be achieved, for example, without undue or excessive rotation and/or pivoting of the bolt assembly.
Also according to the above and various aspects of the invention, the stock for the firearm can be easily removed and replaced with alternate stocks. The configuration of the first connector, which serves as the transition from receiver to stock, can also be varied to accommodate differing stock types. If the abovementioned aspects of the invention are practiced on an assembly line, the use of the first and second connectors allows the stock type to be changed with minimal retooling of manufacturing lines, etc.
The foregoing and various other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon review of the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures, which are briefly described as follows.
According to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the invention.
According to one aspect of the invention, the receiver 110 is connected to the stock 140 by a receiver-stock connector 5 comprising a first connector 10 and a second connector 60 (shown in
The firearm 100 may be, for example, a shotgun, rifle or other long gun having a receiver and a stock. Other firearms having a receiver and a stock could be adapted to incorporate a receiver-stock connector system and method according to the present invention. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the firearm 100 is an auto-loading rifle. In this specification, the terms “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” “side,” “rear,” “forward,” etc. are determined in relation to a firearm oriented in an upright firing position as shown in
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According to one aspect of the invention, the firearm 100 illustrated in
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After the second connector 60 is seated within the receiver 110, and the first connector 10 is joined to the front of the stock 140, the receiver 110 can be connected to the stock 140.
After the attachment member 156 has been tightened, the trigger assembly 170 can be mounted to the bottom of the receiver 110 using pins mounted in apertures 130 and 129 (shown in
As shown in
In the assembly steps illustrated in
The firearm 100 can be partially disassembled by disconnecting the trigger assembly 170 from the bottom of the receiver 110 and disengaging the attachment member 156 from the first connector 10. A new stock, or a stock of alternative configuration, for example, can then be attached to the receiver 110. The configuration of the first connector 10 can be varied in order to attach to differing types of stock so that the receiver need not be altered (e.g., by machining, or requiring internal fittings, etc.) to accommodate various stock types.
According to the above embodiment, internal components accommodated within the receiver, such as a bolt assembly, for example, can be inserted through the open end of the receiver before the second connector is seated within the receiver. The open area at the rear of the receiver can generally be a large as the interior cross section of the receiver so that any of the components accommodated in the receiver can be inserted through the rear of the receiver. In one exemplary method of assembly, the bolt assembly is inserted without necessarily requiring rotation of the bolt assembly. The bolt assembly also may be inserted in the receiver without necessarily requiring pivoting the assembly.
The embodiment discussed above is described as useful in shotguns, rifles, and other long guns. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the present invention further can be adapted for use in various other types of firearms as well.
Also according to the above embodiment, the receiver-stock connector 5 can be used for connecting various types, designs, or configurations of stocks for firearms, including pistol grips, folding stocks, conventional standard full length shoulder stocks, and other stock assemblies. The receiver-stock connector facilitates the attachment of differing stock types with minimal change in manufacturing facilities.
The first and second connectors 10, 60 of the receiver-stock connector 5 may be formed from rigid materials such as, for example, steel, aluminum and other metals, or other high strength materials including synthetic or plastic materials. The stock can be formed from materials such as wood, composites, and other materials used to manufacture firearm stocks as known in the art.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while the present invention has been discussed above with reference to preferred embodiments, various additions, modifications, and variations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A firearm, comprising:
- a barrel arranged a longitudinal axis of the firearm;
- a receiver operably connected to the barrel;
- a stock;
- a first connector connected to the stock;
- a second connector at least partially disposed within the receiver; and
- a receiver-stock attachment member extending through a mounting aperture in the second connector and through a receiver mounting aperture in the first connector, wherein the receiver-stock attachment member biases the second connector towards the first connector, the first connector has a body with an exterior surface extending between the stock and the receiver, the exterior surface of the first connector being adjacent to an exterior surface of the stock and adjacent to an exterior surface of the receiver, and the exterior surface of the first connector includes an upper surface that is curved along a direction of the longitudinal axis and curved along a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.
2. The firearm of claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the first connector includes a pair of sidewalls, each sidewall being adjacent to a sidewall of the receiver.
3. The firearm of claim 2, wherein the first connector includes a rear face that abuts the stock and a forward face that is adjacent to the receiver.
4. The firearm of claim 3, wherein the first connector includes a stock mounting projection received within a stock mounting cavity in the stock.
5. A firearm, comprising:
- a barrel;
- a receiver operably connected to the barrel;
- a stock;
- a first connector connected to the stock, the first connector having a body with an exterior surface extending between an exterior surface of the stock and an exterior surface of the receiver, and a stock mounting projection received within a stock mounting cavity in the stock;
- a second connector seated within an interior of the receiver; and
- a receiver-stock attachment member extending through a mounting bore in the second connector and through a receiver mounting aperture in the first connector, wherein the receiver-stock attachment member biases the second connector toward the first connector.
6. The firearm of claim 5, wherein a forward face of the second connector is adjacent to an interior volume of the receiver, and a rear face of the second connector is adjacent to the first connector.
7. The firearm of claim 6, wherein the second connector is seated within at least one slot in an interior of the receiver.
8. The firearm of claim 6, wherein the second connector includes a clearance bore located above the receiver-stock attachment member, and the first connector includes an interior volume aligned with the clearance bore along a longitudinal axis of the firearm.
9. The firearm of claim 6, wherein the receiver-stock attachment member is threaded into the first connector.
10. A firearm, comprising:
- a barrel;
- a receiver operably connected to the barrel;
- a trigger assembly operably connected to the receiver;
- a stock;
- a first connector connected to the stock;
- a second connector seated within at least one slot in an interior of the receiver, the second connector having a forward face that is adjacent to an interior volume of the receiver, and a rear face that faces the first connector; and
- a receiver-stock attachment member connecting the second connector to the first connector, the receiver-stock attachment member extending through a mounting bore in the second connector and through a receiver mounting aperture in the first connector.
11. The firearm of claim 10, wherein the receiver-stock attachment member is threaded into the first connector.
12. The firearm of claim 10, wherein the second connector includes a clearance bore located above the receiver-stock attachment member, and the first connector includes an interior volume aligned with the clearance bore along a longitudinal axis of the firearm.
13. The firearm of claim 10, wherein the second connector is disposed above and adjacent to the trigger assembly.
14. The firearm of claim 10, wherein the first connector has a body with an upper exterior surface extending between the stock and the receiver, the upper exterior being curved along a longitudinal direction and along a transverse direction.
15. A method of assembling a firearm, comprising:
- providing a receiver;
- providing a stock;
- attaching a first connector to the stock;
- seating a second connector within an interior of the receiver;
- passing a receiver-stock attachment member through a mounting bore of the second connector; and
- threading the receiver-stock attachment member into the first connector, wherein threading the receiver-stock attachment member into the first connector biases the second connector toward the first connector and also biases the receiver toward the stock.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising mounting a bolt assembly in the receiver by passing the bolt assembly through an opening at a rear end of the receiver while translating the bolt assembly along a longitudinal axis of the receiver.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein seating the second connector comprises translating the second connector along a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the receiver.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising, after threading the receiver-stock attachment member into the first connector, mounting a trigger assembly to the receiver below and adjacent to the second connector.
19. The method of claim 15, further comprising, after threading the receiver-stock attachment member into the first connector, mounting a trigger assembly to the receiver below and adjacent to the second connector.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein attaching the first connector to the stock comprises pressing a stock mounting projection into a stock mounting cavity in the stock.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein attaching the first connector to the stock further comprises securing the first connector to the stock with a threaded member.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein attaching the first connector to the stock further comprises providing an adhesive medium in the stock mounting cavity.
23. The method of claim 20, further comprising attaching a barrel to the receiver.
24. A method of assembling a firearm, comprising:
- providing a receiver;
- providing a stock;
- attaching a first connector to the stock;
- mounting a bolt assembly in the receiver;
- moving a second connector, extending along a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the receiver, into at least one slot formed within a rear portion of the receiver; and
- biasing the second connector toward the first connector with a receiver-stock attachment member.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising attaching a barrel to the receiver, wherein a longitudinal axis of the barrel is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the receiver.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein biasing the second connector toward the first connector with the receiver-stock attachment member comprises passing a tightening tool through an open lower portion of the receiver and tightening the receiver-stock attachment member with the tool.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising, after biasing the second connector toward the first connector, mounting a trigger assembly to the receiver below and adjacent to the second connector.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein attaching the first connector to the stock comprises pressing a stock mounting projection into a stock mounting cavity in the stock and securing the first connector to the stock with a threaded member.
29. A method of assembling a firearm, comprising:
- providing a receiver having an open rear end and a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the receiver;
- providing a stock;
- attaching a first connector to the stock;
- mounting a bolt assembly within the receiver, wherein mounting the bolt assembly comprises passing the bolt assembly through the open rear end of the receiver and translating the bolt assembly through an interior of the receiver toward a front of the receiver;
- after mounting the bolt assembly within the receiver, mounting a second connector to the receiver at a location behind the bolt assembly; and
- biasing the second connector toward the first connector.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the second connector is mounted in the receiver along a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the receiver.
31. The method of claim 29, further comprising attaching a barrel to the front of the receiver, wherein a longitudinal axis of the barrel is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the receiver.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein biasing the second connector toward the first connector comprises passing a tightening tool through an open lower portion of the receiver and tightening a receiver-stock attachment member with the tool.
33. The method of claim 32, further comprising, after biasing the second connector toward the first connector, mounting a trigger assembly to the receiver below and adjacent to the second connector.
34. The method of claim 29, wherein attaching the first connector to the stock comprises pressing a stock mounting projection into a stock mounting cavity in the stock and securing the first connector to the stock with a threaded member.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 5, 2010
Publication Date: Jun 24, 2010
Inventor: Jeffrey W. Stone (Elizabethtown, KY)
Application Number: 12/718,278
International Classification: F41C 23/00 (20060101);