Firearm charging handle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500421-B1
Application number	US-201514816390-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 3, 2015
Priority date	Jul 1, 2015
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A firearm charging handle includes a lever and an independently mobile latch partially disposed within the lever for improved usability and reliability.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A firearm charging handle comprising:
a front end;
a back end;
a body;
a central shaft extending forwardly from the body, the central shaft being configured to engage a bolt assembly;
a first lever pivotally coupled directly to the body and comprising an integrated slot therein, the slot pivoting in conjunction with the first lever; and
a latch, the latch having a relaxed position and a released position and comprising a latch arm and a hook arm extending from the latch arm, at least a portion of the latch arm being disposed within the slot of the first lever;
wherein pivoting of the first lever pivots the latch arm within the slot; and
wherein pivoting of the first lever moves the latch between the relaxed position and the released position.

2. The firearm charging handle of claim 1 , wherein the hook arm comprises a hook for removably engaging a depression in an upper receiver of the firearm.

3. The firearm charging handle of claim 2 , wherein the latch arm has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the hook arm.

4. The firearm charging handle of claim 1 , wherein the latch arm comprises a curved concave recess and the body comprises a curved convex protrusion that nests within the curved concave recess when the latch is in the released position.

5. The firearm charging handle of claim 4 further comprising a gap in the slot between the curved concave recess and the curved convex protrusion when the latch is in the relaxed position.

6. The firearm charging handle of claim 1 further comprising a second lever, the second lever being pivotally coupled to the body and coupled to the first lever.

7. The firearm charging handle of claim 1 , wherein the latch arm extends from the hook arm in a direction that is substantially away from the body.

8. The firearm charging handle of claim 1 , wherein pivoting the first lever moves the latch from the relaxed position to the released position against the bias of no more than one biasing mechanism.

9. The firearm charging handle of claim 6 , wherein pivoting the second lever moves the latch from the relaxed position to the released position against the biases of no more than two biasing mechanisms.

10. A firearm charging handle comprising:
a front end;
a back end;
a body;
a central shaft extending forwardly from the body, the central shaft being configured to engage a bolt assembly;
a first lever comprising a first pivot and a latch at least partially disposed within the first lever, the latch having a second pivot, a relaxed position and a released position, the first lever being pivotally coupled to the body about the first pivot, the latch being pivotally coupled to the body about the second pivot; and
a second lever comprising a third pivot, the second lever being pivotally coupled to the body about the third pivot;
wherein the third pivot is disposed rearward of the first pivot and of the second pivot;
wherein the second pivot is disposed nearer the central shaft than the first pivot and the third pivot; and
wherein pivoting of the first lever or the second lever moves the latch between the relaxed position and the released position.

11. The firearm charging handle of claim 10 , wherein the first lever comprises a first projection, wherein the second lever comprises a second projection, wherein the second projection is disposed rearward of the first projection, and wherein the second projection forwardly engages the first projection when the second lever is pivoted to move the latch from the relaxed position to the released position.

12. The firearm charging handle of claim 10 , wherein the latch comprises a hook for removably engaging a depression in an upper receiver of the firearm.

13. The firearm charging handle of claim 10 , wherein the first lever comprises an integrated slot therein, the slot pivoting in conjunction with the first lever; wherein the latch comprises a latch arm and a hook arm extending from the latch arm, at least a portion of the latch arm being disposed within the slot; and wherein the latch arm has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the hook arm.

14. The firearm charging handle of claim 13 , wherein the latch arm comprises a curved concave recess and the body comprises a curved convex protrusion that nests within the curved concave recess when the latch is in the released position.

15. The firearm charging handle of claim 14 further comprising a gap in the slot between the curved concave recess and the curved convex protrusion when the latch is in the relaxed position.

16. The firearm charging handle of claim 13 , wherein the latch arm extends from the hook arm in a direction that is substantially away from the body.

17. The firearm charging handle of claim 10 , wherein pivoting the first lever moves the latch from the relaxed position to the released position against the bias of no more than one biasing mechanism.

18. The firearm charging handle of claim 10 , wherein pivoting the second lever moves the latch from the relaxed position to the released position against the biases of no more than two biasing mechanisms.

19. The firearm charging handle of claim 11 , wherein the second lever further comprises a third projection that engages a biasing mechanism.

20. A firearm comprising:
an upper receiver;
a bolt assembly disposed within the upper receiver; and
a charging handle, the charging handle comprising:
a front end;
a back end;
a body;
a central shaft extending forwardly from the body, the central shaft being configured to engage the bolt assembly and being at least partially housed in the upper receiver;
a first lever comprising a first pivot and a latch, the latch having a second pivot, a latch arm, a hook arm extending from the latch arm, a relaxed position and a released position, the first lever further comprising an integrated slot therein, the first lever being pivotally coupled to the body about the first pivot, the latch being pivotally coupled to the body about the second pivot, the slot pivoting in conjunction with the first lever; and
a second lever comprising a third pivot, the second lever being pivotally coupled to the body about the third pivot;

wherein the third pivot is disposed rearward of the first pivot and of the second pivot; and
wherein pivoting of the first lever or the second lever pivots the latch arm within the slot and moves the latch between the relaxed position and the released position.

Assignees

• Whg Properties Llc

Inventors

• Geissele William H

Classifications

• F41A3/72 Primary

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