Foldable firearm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12359889-B2
Application number	US-202418653250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2024
Priority date	Dec 27, 2017
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

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 longitudinal movement of either charging handle causes longitudinal movement of the other charging handle; and
a slide racking assembly coupled to the first and second charging handles and providing first and second pivot axes for the first and second charging handles, wherein the slide racking assembly is configured to move in concert with the first and second charging handles,
the slide racking assembly including one or more detents shaped to engage a slide of the foldable firearm and retract the slide during rearward longitudinal movement of the first or second charging handle.

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 and wherein the first pivot nub interfaces with a top portion of the slide racking assembly at a first pivot nub aperture.

5. 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.

6. The second pivot nub of claim 5 , 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 pivot axis for the second charging handle.

7. 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.

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 rear coupling protrusions of the bottom portion interfacing with a set of rear coupling recessions of the top portion.

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

10. The ambidextrous charging handle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the foldable firearm is converted from a folded to an unfolded configuration by rearward movement of either the first or second charging handles.

11. The slide racking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first charging handle is oriented in a perpendicular orientation about a 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.

12. The slide racking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second charging handle is oriented in a perpendicular orientation about a 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.

13. 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.

14. The ambidextrous charging handle assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a slide racking assembly coupled to the first and second charging handles and providing a first pivot axis for the first charging handle and a second 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.

15. The ambidextrous charging handle assembly of claim 13 , wherein the slide racking assembly includes one or more detents shaped to engage a slide of the foldable firearm and force the slide to move toward a rear of the foldable firearm when at least one of the charging handles are moved toward a rear of the foldable firearm.

16. The ambidextrous charging handle assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first and second charging handles are biased towards a closed position but are configured for slide racking in either the closed position or in an open position.

17. The ambidextrous charging handle assembly of claim 13 , wherein rearward movement of the charging handles rearward is configured to first release the foldable firearm from a folded state and then to rack a slide of the foldable firearm.

18. A method of deploying a foldable firearm comprising:
sliding one of two charging handles rearward, the two charging handles arranged on opposing sides of an ambidextrous charging handle assembly;
causing the other charging handle to correspondingly slide rearward via a rotatable coupling between the two charging handles; and
causing a slide of the foldable firearm to slide rearward via an engagement between the charging handles and the slide.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the engagement comprises a slide racking assembly.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the engagement is not fixed.

Assignees

• Magpul Ind Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• 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

• F41C9/02

  Concealed pistols, e.g. in pencils · CPC title

• F41A3/66

  Breech housings or frames; Receivers · CPC title

• F41C23/12

  Auxiliary stocks for stabilising, or for transforming pistols, e.g. revolvers, into shoulder-fired guns · CPC title