Firearm with pivoting barrel-receiver assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10175012-B2
Application number	US-201715727025-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2017
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A firearm with tilting barrel-receiver assembly includes a frame and a barrel-receiver assembly pivotably mounted to the frame. The barrel-receiver assembly is movable between an open position and a closed position. A latching mechanism includes a latch that selectively engages the barrel-receiver assembly. The latching mechanism may be disposed in the frame in one embodiment. The latching mechanism is movable between a locked position wherein the barrel-receiver assembly is held in the closed position and an unlocked position wherein the barrel-receiver assembly is movable to the tilted open position. The latch may be spring biased into the locked position. The barrel-receiver assembly may be configured for complete removal from the pistol in some embodiments. An interlock mechanism formed by a movable safety may be provided which prevents the barrel-receiver assembly from being unlocked when the firearm is in a ready-to-fire condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A firearm with tilting barrel-receiver assembly, the firearm comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
a frame;
a barrel-receiver assembly pivotably mounted to a front end of the frame, the barrel-receiver assembly angularly movable between a tilted open position and a closed position;
a safety pivotably mounted to the frame, the safety selectively movable between safe and firing positions;
a latching mechanism disposed in the frame and including a latch having a latch hook configured and operable to selectively engage or disengage the barrel-receiver assembly, the latch slideably movable between a locked position in which the barrel-receiver assembly is retained in the closed position, and an unlocked position in which the barrel-receiver assembly is movable to the open position;
wherein when the safety is in the firing position, the latch is prevented from moving to the unlocked position by the safety.

2. The firearm according to claim 1 , wherein the safety includes a rear blocking surface which engages a front latching end of the latch when the safety is in the firing position that prevents the latch from moving forward to the unlocked position.

3. The firearm according to claim 2 , wherein when the safety is in the safe position, the rear blocking surface disengages the front latching end of the latch allowing the latch to move to the unlocked position.

4. The firearm according to claim 3 , wherein the rear blocking surface enters a pocket formed in the front latching end of the latch when the safety is in the safe position and the latch is in the unlocked position.

5. The firearm according to claim 4 , further comprising a rearwardly open slot formed in the safety which receives the front latching end of the latch when the safety is in the safe position.

6. The firearm according to claim 5 , wherein the rearwardly open slot defines a Y-shaped bifurcated rear portion of the safety that includes the rear blocking surface.

7. The firearm according to claim 2 , wherein the safety includes a front portion having a downwardly extending hook configured and operable to engage a firing mechanism component of the firearm when the safety is in the safe position to prevent discharging the firearm, and to disengage the firing mechanism component when the safety is in the firing position to allow discharging the firearm.

8. The firearm according to claim 7 , wherein the firing mechanism component is a rotatable sear operably coupled to a trigger and a cockable hammer held and released by the sear to discharge the firearm.

9. The firearm according to claim 1 , wherein the barrel-receiver assembly includes a forwardly open locking recess which engages the latch hook when the latch is in the locked position, the latch hook projecting in a rearwards direction on the latch.

10. The firearm according to claim 1 , wherein the safety comprises a generally flat plate-like body.

11. The firearm according to claim 1 , further comprising a downwardly open slot on a bottom surface of the barrel-receiver assembly that defines a hooked lug, the hooked lug detachably engaging a pivot surface disposed on the frame which is received in the slot, wherein the barrel-receiver assembly is completely removable from the frame without use of tools.

12. A firearm with tilting barrel-receiver assembly, the firearm comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
a frame;
a barrel-receiver assembly pivotably mounted to a front end of the frame, the barrel-receiver assembly angularly movable between a tilted open position and a closed position;
a latching mechanism disposed in the frame and including a latch having a hook configured and operable to selectively engage or disengage the barrel-receiver assembly, the latch slideably movable between a locked position in which the barrel-receiver assembly is retained in the closed position, and an unlocked position in which the barrel-receiver assembly is movable to the open position;
a trigger-actuated firing mechanism movably operable to discharge the firearm via a trigger pull;
a safety pivotably mounted to the frame, the safety selectively movable between safe and firing positions;
wherein when the safety is in the safe position, the safety engages the firing mechanism to prevent discharge of the firearm;
wherein when the safety is in the firing position, the safety disengages the firing mechanism to allow discharge of the firearm; and
wherein when the safety is in the firing position, the latch is prevented from moving to the unlocked position by the safety.

13. The firearm according to claim 12 , wherein the safety includes a rear blocking surface which engages a front latching end of the latch when the safety is in the firing position that prevents the latch from moving forward to the unlocked position.

14. The firearm according to claim 13 , wherein when the safety is in the safe position, the rear blocking surface disengages the front latching end of the latch allowing the latch to move to the unlocked position.

15. The firearm according to claim 14 , wherein the safety includes a rearwardly open slot which receives the front latching end of the latch when the safety is in the safe position that allows the latch to move to the unlocked position.

16. The firearm according to claim 13 , wherein the safety includes a rear portion that defines the rear blocking surface and a front portion configured to engage the firing mechanism.

17. The firearm according to claim 16 , wherein the front portion of the safety includes downwardly extending hook that engages the firing mechanism.

18. The firearm according to claim 12 , wherein the firing mechanism includes a rotatable sear cooperating with the trigger and a movable hammer or striker operable for discharging the firearm, the safety configured to selectively engage and arrest movement of the sear which prevents discharging the firearm.

19. The firearm according to claim 12 , wherein the safety includes an operating lever for moving the safety between the locked and unlocked positions.

20. The firearm according to claim 12 , wherein the barrel-receiver assembly includes a forwardly open locking recess which engages the latch hook when the latch is in the locked position, the latch hook projecting in a rearwards direction on the latch.

21. A method for operating a firearm with a tilting barrel-receiver assembly, the method comprising:
providing a firearm including a frame, a barrel-receiver assembly pivotably movable on the frame between a horizontal closed position and a tilted open position, a latch slideably movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and a movable safety selectively engageable with latch;
placing the barrel-receiver assembly in the closed position on the frame;
moving the latch to the locked position engaging and retaining the barrel-receiver assembly in the closed position;
moving the safety to a locked position blocking movement of the latch to unlocked position;
moving the safety to an unlocked position allowing movement of the latch to the unlocked position;
moving the latch to the unlocked position disengaging the barrel-receiver assembly; and
pivoting the barrel-receiver assembly to the open position.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the step of moving the safety to the unlocked position comprises inserting a portion of the latch into an open slot in the safety which allows movement of the latch to the unlocked position, and wherein the step of mo

Assignees

• Sturm Ruger & Co

Inventors

• Anderson David
• Cramer Joseph J
• Potter Dwight

Classifications

• F41A21/488

  Mountings specially adapted for pistols or revolvers · CPC title

• F41A3/58 Primary

  Breakdown breech mechanisms, e.g. for shotguns · CPC title

• F41A3/66

  Breech housings or frames; Receivers · CPC title

• F41A17/56

  Sear safeties, i.e. means for rendering ineffective an intermediate lever transmitting trigger movement to firing pin, hammer, bolt or sear (F41A17/02 - F41A17/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• F41A11/04

  Articulated or collapsible guns, i.e. with hinged or telescopic parts for transport or storage (breakdown shotguns or rifles F41C7/11; folding or telescopic stocks or stock parts F41C23/04) · CPC title