Firearm with pivoting barrel-receiver assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016298916-A1
Application number	US-201615093966-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2016
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

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 as a unit between a tilted open position and a closed position; and a latching mechanism disposed in the frame, the latching mechanism including a latch comprising a latch hook configured and operable to selectively engage or disengage the barrel-receiver assembly, and an rear actuating end projecting rearwards from the frame to actuate the latch; the latch slideably movable in an axial direction in the frame 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.

2 . 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.

3 . The firearm according to claim 2 , wherein the locking recess is formed on a bottom rear end of the barrel-receiver assembly.

4 . The firearm according to claim 3 , wherein the latch hook is formed on an upwardly extending top protrusion on the latch.

5 . The firearm according to claim 2 , wherein the latch is mounted on a rear end of the frame below the barrel-receiver assembly.

6 . The firearm according to claim 5 , wherein the latch is slideably mounted to the frame by opposing pairs of laterally spaced apart longitudinal mounting rails and mating grooves formed on the latch and frame respectively.

7 . The firearm according to claim 6 , wherein the grooves are formed on a main spring housing mounted in the frame.

8 . The firearm according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of longitudinally extending slots formed on the latch that slideably receive mating laterally extending flanges formed near a main spring housing mounted in the frame.

9 . The firearm according to claim 1 , wherein the barrel-receiver assembly is pivotably connected to the frame by a transversely oriented pivot pin received in a downwardly open elongated slot formed in the barrel-receiver assembly, the barrel-receiver assembly being completely removable from the frame without removing the pivot pin from the frame.

10 . The firearm according to claim 1 , wherein the frame includes an arcuate pivot surface which is insertably received in a downwardly open elongated slot formed in the barrel-receiver assembly to pivotably mount the barrel-receiver assembly to the frame.

11 . The firearm according to claim 10 , wherein the frame includes an upwardly extending pivot protuberance that defines the pivot surface, the pivot protuberance and slot being obliquely angled to the longitudinal axis of the firearm.

12 . The firearm according to claim 11 , wherein the pivot protuberance is formed on a detachable pivot insert mounted in the frame.

13 . The firearm according to claim 10 , wherein the barrel-receiver assembly includes a downwardly extending mounting protrusion formed adjacent to the slot, the mounting protrusion defining a hooked lug which engages the pivot surface.

14 . The firearm according to claim 13 , wherein the mounting protrusion is received in an upwardly open receptacle in the frame.

15 . The firearm according to claim 14 , wherein the mounting protrusion includes a rear facing thrust surface which is positionable to engage a mating front facing thrust formed in the receptacle by the frame when the barrel-receiver assembly is moved from the open to closed position.

16 . The firearm according to claim 13 , further comprising a resilient bumper disposed in the frame, the bumper being compressed by the mounting protrusion of the barrel-receiver assembly when the barrel-receiver assembly is moved from the open position to the closed position.

17 . The firearm according to claim 1 , wherein the latch is biased towards the rearward locked position by a spring disposed in the frame.

18 . 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 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.

19 . The firearm according to claim 18 , 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.

20 . The firearm according to claim 19 , 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.

21 . The firearm according to claim 20 , 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.

22 . The firearm according to claim 18 , 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.

23 . A method for dismounting a barrel-receiver assembly from a firearm, the method comprising:
providing a firearm having a longitudinal axis and a frame supporting a barrel-receiver assembly, the frame including a transversely elongated arcuate pivot surface engaging a downwardly open mounting slot in the barrel-receiver assembly that pivotably mounts the barrel-receiver assembly to the frame, the barrel-receiver assembly being pivotable between horizontal closed and tilted open positions with respect to the frame; pivoting the barrel-receiver assembly in a first rotational direction from the horizontal closed position to the tilted open position; and disengaging the slot of the barrel-receiver assembly from the pivot surface by vertically lifting the barrel-receiver assembly off the frame while the barrel-receiver assembly is in the tilted open position.

24 . The method according to claim 23 , wherein the mounting slot is obliquely angled to the longitudinal axis.

25 . The method according to claim 24 , wherein the disengaging step includes disengaging the pivot surface in the frame from a downwardly projecting hooked lug formed adjacent to the mounting slot on the barrel-receiver assembly.

26 . The method according to claim 23 , further comprising inserting a downward

Assignees

• Sturm Ruger & Co

Inventors

• Anderson David
• Cramer Joseph J
• Potter Dwight

Classifications

• 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

• F41A3/58 Primary

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

• F41A3/66

  Breech housings or frames; Receivers · 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

• F41A21/488

  Mountings specially adapted for pistols or revolvers · CPC title