Foldable firearm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10900741-B2
Application number	US-202016799962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2020
Priority date	Dec 27, 2017
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a foldable firearm that collapses into a folded state under spring pressure. The foldable firearm may include a foldable grip assembly. The foldable grip assembly may include a foldable pistol grip, a foldable trigger assembly, a folding bar, and a foldable hand stop. The foldable grip assembly may fold into the top shell of the foldable firearm. The foldable firearm may also include an ambidextrous charging handle assembly that may include a bottom portion, a top portion, a guide bar, and two opposing charging handles. The charging handles may be pulled to unfold the foldable firearm, and/or butterflied such that pivoting one charging handle causes the other charging handle to pivot. The first-pivoted charging handle may then be pulled rearwards to unfold the firearm. The first-pivoted charging handle may then be pulled further rearwards to rack the slide of the foldable firearm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ambidextrous charging handle assembly for a foldable firearm, the ambidextrous charging handle assembly comprising:
first and second charging handles arranged on opposing sides of the ambidextrous charging handle assembly, wherein the first and second charging handles are rotatably coupled such that rotation of one charging handle causes rotation of the other charging handle, and wherein movement of either charging handle parallel to a longitudinal axis of the foldable firearm causes the other charging handle to correspondingly move parallel to the longitudinal axis of the foldable firearm; and
a slide racking assembly coupled to the first and second charging handles and providing a first vertical pivot axis for the first charging handle and a second vertical pivot axis for the second charging handle, wherein the slide racking assembly is configured to move parallel to the longitudinal axis of the foldable firearm in concert with the first and second charging handles,
the slide racking assembly including one or more slide racking detents shaped to engage a slide of the foldable firearm and force the slide to move backward toward a racked position when the first or second charging handle is moved toward a rear of the ambidextrous charging handle assembly.

2. The first and second charging handles of claim 1 , wherein
the first charging handle comprises a large detent on an upper interface level and a small detent on a lower interface level,
the second charging handle comprises a small detent on an upper interface level and a large detent on a lower interface level,
wherein:
the large detent of the first charging handle and the small detent of the second charging handle interface when the first charging handle is rotated, thereby causing the second charging handle to rotate to a lesser degree than the first charging handle, or
the large detent of the second charging handle and the small detent of the first charging handle interface when the second charging handle is rotated, thereby causing the first charging handle to rotate to a lesser degree than the second charging handle.

3. The first and second charging handles of claim 1 , wherein
the first charging handle comprises a large detent on an upper interface level and a small detent on a lower interface level,
the second charging handle comprises a small detent on an upper interface level and a large detent on a lower interface level,
wherein the large detent of the first charging handle and the small detent of the second charging handle interface when either of the charging handles is moved rearward such that both charging handles move rearward in concert, and
wherein the large detent of the second charging handle and the small detent of the first charging handle interface when either of the charging handles is moved rearward such that both charging handles move rearward in concert.

4. The slide racking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first charging handle is coupled to a bottom portion of the slide racking assembly by a first pivot nub.

5. The first pivot nub of claim 4 , wherein the first pivot nub interfaces with a top portion of the slide racking assembly at a first pivot nub aperture, the interface providing the first vertical pivot axis for the first charging handle.

6. The slide racking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second charging handle is coupled to the bottom portion of the slide racking assembly by a second pivot nub.

7. The second pivot nub of claim 6 , wherein the second pivot nub interfaces with the top portion of the slide racking assembly at a second pivot nub aperture, the interface providing the second vertical pivot axis for the second charging handle.

8. The slide racking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion of the slide racking assembly is coupled to the top portion of the slide racking assembly by a set of forward coupling protrusions of the bottom portion interfacing with a set of forward coupling recessions of the top portion.

9. The slide racking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion of the slide racking assembly is coupled to the top portion of the slide racking assembly by a set of rear coupling protrusions of the bottom portion interfacing with a set of rear coupling recessions of the top portion.

10. The slide racking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the slide racking assembly is constrained to move parallel to the longitudinal axis of the firearm by a guide rail.

11. The guide rail of claim 10 , wherein the guide rail is coupled to the firearm, and positioned within a guide rail aperture of the top portion of the slide racking assembly.

12. The ambidextrous charging handle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the foldable firearm is converted from a folded to an unfolded configuration by pivoting either the first or second charging handles towards the rear end of the foldable firearm.

13. The ambidextrous charging handle assembly of claim 12 , wherein the pivoting of the first charging handle comprises pivoting the first charging handle from a forward-facing orientation to a non-forward-facing orientation less than, or equal to, a perpendicular orientation about the longitudinal axis of the firearm.

14. The ambidextrous charging handle assembly of claim 12 , wherein the pivoting of the second charging handle comprises pivoting the second charging handle from a forward-facing orientation to a non-forward-facing orientation less than, or equal to, a perpendicular orientation about the longitudinal axis of the firearm.

15. The slide racking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first charging handle is oriented in a perpendicular orientation about the longitudinal axis of the firearm and the first charging handle is moved towards the rear of the firearm causing the slide to move backwards towards a racked position.

16. The slide racking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second charging handle is oriented in a perpendicular orientation about the longitudinal axis of the firearm and the second charging handle is moved towards the rear of the firearm causing the slide to move backwards towards a racked position.

17. An ambidextrous charging handle assembly for a foldable firearm, the ambidextrous charging handle assembly comprising:
first and second charging handles arranged on opposing sides of the ambidextrous charging handle assembly, wherein the first and second charging handles are rotatably coupled such that rotation of one charging handle causes rotation of the other charging handle, and wherein movement of either charging handle parallel to a longitudinal axis of the foldable firearm causes the other charging handle to correspondingly move parallel to the longitudinal axis of the foldable firearm; and
a slide racking assembly for engaging a slide of the foldable firearm, wherein the slide racking assembly is coupled to the first and second charging handles.

18. The ambidextrous charging handle assembly of claim 17 , wherein the slide racking assembly provides a first vertical pivot axis for the first charging handle and a second vertical pivot axis for the second charging handle, wherein the slide racking assembly is configured to move parallel to the longitudinal axis of the foldable firearm in concert with the first and second charging handles.

19. The ambidextrous charging handle assembly of claim 17 , wherein the slide racking assembly includes one or more slide racking detents shaped to engage the slide of the foldable firearm and force the slide to move backward toward a racked position when the first or

Assignees

• Magpul Ind Corp

Inventors

• Kielsmeier Nicholas
• Nakayama Brian L
• Fiester Jeremy M
• Mayberry Michael T

Classifications

• F41A35/06

  Adaptation of guns to both right and left hand use · CPC title

• F41A3/72

  Operating handles or levers; Mounting thereof in breech-blocks or bolts {(F41C7/02, F41C7/06 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F41A11/04 Primary

  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

• F41C33/08

  Handles for carrying smallarms · CPC title

• F41A3/66

  Breech housings or frames; Receivers · CPC title