Interchangeable weapon receiver for alternate ammunition

Details Interchangeable weapon receiver for alternate ammunition Interchangeable weapon receiver for alternate ammunition

1999-08-27

2001-09-25

Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3641)

Firearms

Stock or barrel connectors

C042S075020, C042S075040, C042S077000, C089S128000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06293040

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to hand-held weapons. More particularly, the present invention is an interchangeable unitary receiver for use with an existing hand-held weapon in order to permit the discharge of an alternate type of ammunition.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As depicted in
FIG. 6
, the prior art rifle weapon
20
has a lower receiver assembly
22
. In the usual configuration of weapon
20
, an upper receiver assembly
24
is mated to the lower receiver assembly
22
.
The lower receiver assembly
22
of the weapon
20
has three major subcomponents: lower receiver
26
, butt stock
28
, and pistol grip
30
. In assembly, the butt stock
28
is slid over the buffer tube
32
and secured to the lower receiver
26
. Preferably, the buffer tube
32
has a buffer spring (not shown) and a buffer body assembly (not shown) disposed therein. The butt stock buffer spring and the buffer body assembly cooperate to minimize the recoil felt by the operator of the weapon
20
during discharge of ammunition therefrom when in the rifle mode of operation with the original upper receiver assembly
24
installed.
The pistol grip
30
is secured to the underside of the lower receiver
26
preferably by a screw (not shown) threaded into a threaded bore (not shown) disposed in the underside of the lower receiver
26
.
A magazine receiver
34
is positioned in the forward portion of the lower receiver
26
. The magazine receiver
34
has an aperture
36
defined therein. The aperture
36
is open at both the top and the bottom. The top opening
38
of the aperture
36
is designed to admit cartridges into the upper receiver assembly
24
for discharge therefrom.
The lower opening
40
of the aperture
36
is designed to receive a magazine inserted therein. The magazine (not shown) is held within the magazine receiver
34
by the magazine catch
42
.
A trigger assembly
44
, including a trigger
46
, is positioned within the lower receiver
26
and held in position by pin
48
. A hammer assembly
50
is also disposed within the lower receiver
26
and held in position by pin
52
. The trigger assembly
44
and the hammer assembly
50
are disposed in a cooperative relationship such that when the hammer assembly
50
is in a cocked condition, actuation of the trigger
46
of the trigger assembly
44
acts to release the hammer assembly
50
to strike the primer of a cartridge, thereby discharging a cartridge loaded in the chamber
53
of the upper receiver assembly
24
.
The upper receiver assembly
24
of the prior art weapon
20
typically includes two major subcomponents: upper receiver
60
and barrel assembly
62
. The barrel assembly
62
has a barrel
64
. The barrel
64
may have a compensator
66
at the muzzle end
68
thereof that is held in threaded engagement with the threads
70
of the barrel
64
. A front sight
72
may be mounted on the forward portion of the barrel
64
. A gas tube
74
may extend rearward from proximate the front sight
72
mounted on the barrel
64
. The gas tube
74
supplies gas under pressure to the upper receiver
60
to assist in ejection of a spent cartridge (not shown) and the loading of a live cartridge (not shown) from the magazine. A pair of hand guards
76
are positioned around a portion of the barrel
64
.
The rear portion of the barrel
64
has a barrel nut
78
designed to threadedly engage the barrel assembly
62
with the threads
79
of the upper receiver
60
. A hand guard retainer
77
slides over the barrel nut
78
and fixes the hand guards
76
to the barrel
64
.
The upper receiver
60
has an integral carrying handle
80
. An aperture
82
defined in the side of the upper receiver
60
permits actuation of a bolt disposed within the upper receiver
60
.
In the lower front portion of the upper receiver
60
is a downward directed forward locking lug
84
. In the rear portion of the upper receiver
60
is a downward directed rear locking lug
86
. The forward locking lug
84
and the rear locking lug
86
each have a single lug bore
88
defined therein. The lug bores carry through the respective locking lug
84
,
86
from side to side. When the upper receiver assembly
24
is mated to the lower receiver assembly
22
of the weapon
20
, the lug bore
88
of the forward locking lug
84
is positioned in registry with a receiver bore
90
defined in the side of the lower receiver
26
. The lug bore
88
of the rear locking lug
86
is positioned in registry with the rear receiver bores
92
. Locking pins
94
are then inserted through the receiver bore
90
and the lug bore
88
of the forward locking lug
84
and through the rear receiver bore
92
and the lug bore
88
of the rear locking lug
86
to removably secure the upper receiver assembly
24
to the lower receiver assembly
22
of the weapon
20
. It should be understood that it is contemplated in the design of the weapon
20
that the locking pins
94
may be readily disengaged in order to permit the upper receiver assembly
24
to be detached from the lower receiver assembly
22
.
Most weapons of the type described above are designed to discharge a primary type of ammunition. Typically such ammunition propels a relatively small caliber projectile at very high velocity. In order to balance the fire power of a force comprised of a number of individuals, there is a need to discharge alternate ammunition. Such ammunition may comprise a relatively large caliber grenade or flare, or a shotgun type shell. Also a chemical dispensing cartridge may be used such as a tear gas cartridge. Further, rifle and pistol cartridges of different size and caliber than the primary ammunition may be desired to be discharged.
In the past, an add on tube was designed to be mounted on an existing hand held weapon. Such add on tube is evidenced in the M203 grenade launcher adaptable to the M-16A1 rifle produced by J. C. Manufacturing, Inc. An alternative approach to providing the versatility in fire power was to design a weapon dedicated to discharging only the alternate type ammunition.
There are certain disadvantages attendant to the foregoing means for providing an alternative ammunition capability. With respect to the add on tube, the sight system on the hand held weapon that are set up for the ballistics of the primary ammunition are not readily adaptable to provide the user accurate information regarding the deployment of the alternative ammunition. Additionally, the add on tube adds complexity and weight to the existing hand held weapon. With respect to the weapon dedicated to the discharge of alternate ammunition, the member of the armed force carrying such dedicated weapon is denied the ability to use the primary ammunition when the situation calls for such use, unless an additional hand held weapon is carried by that member. Further, there is a need to have all the members of a force carry the same type of weapon. By arming some of such members with a weapon dedicated to the discharge of alternate ammunition, such commonality is not maintained.
Accordingly, the need to be able to discharge a variety of different types of ammunition remains. Such discharge should be affected with a single hand held weapon that is capable of being configured to discharge the primary ammunition as well as the alternate ammunition as desired. The breech block and barrel assembly of the receiver should be integrally formed to ensure that the receiver is capable of repeatably discharging in rapid succession the most intense ammunition available. Additionally, when configured to discharge alternate ammunition, a suitable sighting system for such ammunition should be provided. Such a device should minimize the complexity and weight added to an existing hand held weapon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention substantially meets the aforementioned needs of the industry. The interchangeable receiver of the present invention is readily interchanged with an existing receiver of the hand held weapon in order to convert the weapon from the capability of discharging a primary ammunition to the a

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