Lever-coupled device for selectively preventing a firearm from discharging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11313635-B2
Application number	US-202117239754-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2021
Priority date	Apr 4, 2019
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a bolt catch device that prevents the bolt of a bolt carrier assembly of a firearm from moving to its forward position so as to prevent the firearm from being discharged until the user manually moves the bolt catch. The bolt catch is mechanically coupled to the selector of the firearm via a linkage, so that the bolt catch can be moved by way of the selector. This feature can prevent a self-loading firearm that otherwise could function on a semi-automatic basis from operating in such a manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for selectively preventing discharge of a firearm, the firearm comprising:
a bolt carrier assembly, the bolt carrier assembly comprising a bolt configured to move a cartridge into a chamber of the firearm; a trigger mechanism mounted on the receiver and comprising a spring-biased hammer configured to strike the cartridge, and a trigger lever configured to move between a first position at which the trigger lever restrains the hammer against the spring bias on the hammer, and a second position at which the trigger lever releases the hammer; the device comprising:
a bolt catch comprising a body, wherein the bolt catch is configured to be mounted on the firearm for movement in relation to the firearm between a first position at which the bolt catch is located outside of the path of travel of the bolt carrier assembly thereby permitting the bolt to move the cartridge into the chamber, and a second position at which the body is located at least partially within a path of travel of the bolt carrier assembly of the firearm so as to prevent the bolt from moving the cartridge into the chamber;
a biasing member configured to bias the bolt catch toward the second position of the bolt catch; and
a selector configured to be mounted on the firearm and to move in relation to the firearm from a first position to a second position of the selector in response to a force applied to the selector, wherein the selector is further configured to:
move the bolt catch from the second to the first position of the bolt catch in when the selector moves from the first position to the second position of the selector;
return to the first position of the selector in response to the bias of the biasing member when the force applied to the selector is removed;
move between the first position of the selector and a third position of the selector; and
prevent movement of the trigger lever from the first to the second position of the trigger lever only when the selector is in the third position of the selector.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the device further comprises a lever mounted on the receiver for movement between a first and a second position, the lever comprising a first end coupled to the bolt catch, and a second end;
the selector is further configured to move the lever from the second to the first position of the lever when the selector moves from the first position to the second position of the selector; and
the lever is configured to move the bolt catch from the second to the first position of the bolt catch in response to movement of the lever from the second to the first position of the lever.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein: the second end of the lever is configured to contact a camming surface; and the lever is further configured to move from the second to the first position of the lever in response to movement of the camming surface in relation to the second end of the lever.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the camming surface is a surface of the selector.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the selector further comprises a first end portion adjoining the camming surface; a central portion adjoining the camming surface; and a second end portion adjoining the central portion.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the central portion of the selector is configured to prevent movement of the trigger lever from the first position to the second position of the trigger lever only when the selector is in the third position of the selector.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the body has a substantially flat major surface configured to engage a head of the bolt when the bolt catch is in the second position, and the engagement of the major surface and the bolt head prevents the bolt from moving the cartridge into the chamber of the firearm.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bolt catch is configured to release the bolt carrier assembly when the bolt catch is moved from the second position to the first position of the bolt catch.

9. A firearm, comprising:
a receiver;
a bolt carrier assembly mounted on the receiver and comprising a bolt carrier and a bolt mounted at least partially within the bolt carrier, the bolt being configured to move in relation to the receiver between a rearward position, and a forward position at which the bolt secures a cartridge in a chamber of the firearm;
a trigger mechanism mounted on the receiver and comprising a spring-biased hammer configured to strike the cartridge, and a trigger lever configured to move between a first position at which the trigger lever restrains the hammer against the spring bias on the hammer, and a second position at which the trigger lever releases the hammer;
a bolt catch comprising a body, wherein the bolt catch is configured to be mounted on the receiver for movement in relation to the receiver between a first position at which the bolt catch is located outside of the path of travel of the bolt carrier assembly thereby permitting the bolt to move the cartridge into the chamber, and a second position at which the body prevents the movement of the bolt from the rearward position to the forward position so as to prevent discharge of the firearm;
a biasing member configured to bias the bolt catch toward the second position of the bolt catch; and
a selector mounted on the receiver and configured to:
move in relation to the receiver from a first position to a second position of the selector in response to a force applied to the selector;
move the bolt catch from the second position to the first position of the bolt catch when the selector moves from the first position to the second position of the selector;
return to the first position of the selector in response to the bias of the biasing member when the force applied to the selector is removed;
move between the first position of the selector and a third position of the selector; and
prevent movement of the trigger lever from the first to the second position of the trigger lever only when the selector is in the third position of the selector.

10. The firearm of claim 9 , further comprising a linkage mounted on the receiver for movement between a first and a second position, the linkage comprising a first end coupled to the bolt catch, and a second end contacting the selector; wherein:
the selector is further configured to move the linkage from the second to the first position of the linkage in response to movement of the selector from the first position to the second position of the selector; and
the linkage is configured to move the bolt catch from the second position to the first position of the bolt catch in response to movement of the linkage from the second position to the first position of the linkage.

11. The firearm of claim 10 , wherein: the selector has a camming surface; the second end of the linkage is configured to contact the camming surface; and the camming surface is configured to move the linkage from the second to the first position of the linkage in response to the movement of the selector from the first position to the second position of the selector.

12. The firearm of claim 11 , wherein a distance between an axis of rotation of the selector and a point of contact between the second end of the linkage and the camming surface varies along a length of the camming surface.

13. The firearm of claim 12 , wherein the selector further comprises a first end portion adjoining the camming surface; a central portion adjoining the camming surface; and a second end portion adjoining the central portion.

14. The firearm of claim 13 , wherein the central portion of the selector is configured to

Assignees

• Whg Properties Llc

Inventors

• Robinson Frank E

Classifications

• F41A17/42 Primary

  Safeties for locking the breech-block or bolt in a safety position (F41A17/32, F41A17/36, F41A17/40 take precedence {; anti-rebound arrangements F41A3/70}) · CPC title