Ambidextrous charging handle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11248862-B2
Application number	US-202017108371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2020
Priority date	Dec 5, 2019
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A charging handle for a firearm includes a longitudinal body with a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion includes at least one latch lever operable between a first position and a second position, the latch lever including a blocking plate. Moving the handle from the first position to the second position moves the blocking plate from a blocking position to a non-blocking position. The charging handle can be used with a firearm that includes a protrusion extending up from the rear-end portion of the lower receiver or from the recoil assembly. In the blocking position, the blocking plate is aligned with the protrusion and prevents the charging handle from rearward movement. When the blocking plate is in the non-blocking position, the blocking plate clears the protrusion to permit the charging handle to be drawn rearward.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A charging handle assembly for a firearm, the charging handle assembly comprising:
a body extending longitudinally along a central axis, the body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
a latch lever connected to the proximal end portion of the body and operable between a first position and a second position; and
a blocking plate operably coupled to the latch lever, the blocking plate movable between a latched position and an unlatched position in response to moving the latch lever from the first position to the second position, wherein the blocking plate is on a rearward end portion of the latch lever and is configured to engage a protrusion on the firearm when the blocking plate is in the latched position.

2. The charging handle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the latch lever pivots between the first position and the second position.

3. The charging handle assembly of claim 2 , wherein when the latch lever is in the first position, the blocking plate has a first lateral position, and when the latch lever is moved to the second position the blocking plate is displaced laterally to a second lateral position.

4. The charging handle assembly of claim 3 , wherein the blocking plate extends down from a rear end of the latch lever.

5. The charging handle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the latch lever is a first latch lever, the charging handle assembly further comprising a second latch lever operatively coupled to the first latch lever such that operation of either of the first or second latch levers to the second position moves the blocking plate from the latched position to the unlatched position.

6. The charging handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a handle on the proximal end portion of the body and extending laterally from opposite sides of the body.

7. The charging handle assembly of claim 6 , wherein a bottom of the handle and the body define a longitudinal channel extending through the handle and along a portion of the body.

8. A charging handle assembly for a firearm, the charging handle assembly comprising:
a body extending longitudinally along a central axis, the body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
a latch lever connected to the proximal end portion of the body and operable between a first position and a second position;
a blocking plate operably coupled to the latch lever, the blocking plate movable between a latched position and an unlatched position in response to moving the latch lever from the first position to the second position;
a firearm lower receiver, the lower receiver oriented along the central axis and having a rear end portion and a receiver body, the rear end portion extending upward from the receiver body; and
a recoil assembly extending along the central axis above the receiver body, the recoil assembly including one or more springs with a spring receptacle on a proximal end, the spring receptacle coupled to the rear end portion of the lower receiver;
wherein the distal end portion of the body of the charging handle assembly is configured to engage the recoil assembly.

9. The charging handle assembly of claim 8 further comprising a protrusion extending up from the spring receptacle or from the rear end portion of the lower receiver, wherein when the blocking plate is in the latched position the blocking plate is axially aligned with the protrusion, and when the blocking plate is in the unlatched position the blocking plate is axially misaligned with the protrusion, thereby permitting rearward axial movement of the charging handle assembly along the central axis.

10. The charging handle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the protrusion has a proximal surface and a distal surface, the proximal surface extending transversely to the central axis and defining a proximal surface angle from 20 to 60 degrees with the central axis.

11. The charging handle assembly of claim 10 , wherein the distal surface of the protrusion defines a distal surface angle from 60 to 90 degrees with the central axis.

12. The charging handle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the blocking plate is positioned adjacent a rear portion of the charging handle assembly.

13. A firearm subassembly comprising:
a lower receiver oriented along a central axis, the lower receiver having a receiver body and a rear end portion extending upward from the receiver body;
an upper receiver assembled with the lower receiver and extending along the central axis over the receiver body;
a recoil assembly at least partially housed in the upper receiver, the recoil assembly including one or more springs extending between an operating rod and the rear end portion of the lower receiver;
a protrusion extending up above a top surface of the rear end portion of the lower receiver; a charging handle comprising:
a body extending longitudinally along the central axis, the body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion configured to engage the recoil assembly; and
a latch lever attached to the body and operable between a first position and a second position, the latch lever including a blocking plate extending down from the latch lever;

wherein, when the latch lever is in the first position, the blocking plate is axially aligned with the protrusion, and moving the latch lever to the second position moves the blocking plate laterally to a clearance position with respect to the protrusion, thereby permitting axial movement of the charging handle without contacting the protrusion.

14. The firearm subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the protrusion is part of the lower receiver and extends up from the top surface of the rear end portion of the lower receiver.

15. The firearm subassembly of claim 13 further comprising a spring receptacle between the recoil assembly and the rear end portion of the lower receiver, the protrusion on a top surface of the spring receptacle.

16. The firearm subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the protrusion has a triangular cross-sectional shape.

17. The firearm subassembly of claim 16 , wherein the protrusion has a proximal surface and a distal surface, the proximal surface extending transversely to the central axis and defining a proximal surface angle from 20 to 60 degrees with the central axis.

18. The firearm subassembly of claim 17 , wherein the distal surface extends transversely to the central axis and defines a distal surface angle from 90 to 105 degrees with the central axis.

19. The firearm subassembly of claim 18 , wherein the blocking plate extends down from a rear end portion of the latch lever.

20. The firearm subassembly of claim 19 , wherein a bottom of the charging handle defines a longitudinal channel sized to accommodate the protrusion.

Assignees

• Sig Sauer Inc

Inventors

• Frazier Kenneth Samuel
• Dustin Bryan Charles

Classifications

• F41A35/06

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

• F41A3/72 Primary

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