Bolt carrier bearing tube for rifle receiver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9702643-B1
Application number	US-201715457407-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2017
Priority date	Dec 15, 2015
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A metal tube provides a bearing for a bolt carrier in a rifle. The tube is machined to provide openings and co-molded with a polymer outer shroud to form a lightweight composite upper receiver. The tube has an inner surface that supports the bolt carrier in its reciprocal motion during cycling of the rifle action during firing. The length and diameter of the tube are designed to prevent tilt of the bolt carrier during operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bearing configured to support a bolt carrier in an upper receiver of a firearm having a charging handle, a fire control mechanism and a magazine, said bearing comprising:
a tube positionable within said upper receiver, said tube having a sidewall defining an inner surface configured to support said bolt carrier and motion thereof between an open position and a battery position;
a first opening in said sidewall defining an ejector port;
a second opening in said sidewall positioned to permit engagement between said bolt carrier and said charging handle;
a third opening in said sidewall for receiving said fire control mechanism or said magazine.

2. The bearing according to claim 1 , further comprising a fourth opening in said sidewall configured to receive said fire control mechanism or said magazine.

3. The bearing according to claim 2 , wherein said second opening is positioned diametrically opposite to said fourth opening.

4. The bearing according to claim 2 , wherein said third and fourth openings are contiguous with one another.

5. The bearing according to claim 2 , wherein said fourth opening is wider than said third opening.

6. The bearing according to claim 1 , further comprising a buffer tube radius configured to permit attachment of a buffer tube to said tube.

7. The bearing according to claim 1 , wherein said second opening is positioned diametrically opposite to said third opening.

8. The bearing according to claim 1 , wherein said first opening is positioned angularly offset from said second opening about a longitudinal axis of said tube.

9. The bearing according to claim 1 , wherein said second opening comprises a slot extending lengthwise along said tube, one end of said slot being open.

10. The bearing according to claim 1 , wherein one end of said tube comprises screw threads.

11. The bearing according to claim 10 , wherein said screw threads are positioned on said inner surface.

12. The bearing according to claim 10 , wherein said screw threads are positioned on an outer surface of said tube.

13. The bearing according to claim 1 , further comprising an aperture in said sidewall configured to permit engagement between said bolt carrier and a forward assist button.

Assignees

• Smith & Wesson Corp

Inventors

• Viviano Matteo

Classifications

• F41A3/26 Primary

  semi-automatically or automatically operated, e.g. having a slidable bolt-carrier and a rotatable bolt · CPC title

• F41A15/16

  the ejector being mounted on the breech housing or frame · CPC title

• F41A3/72

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

• F41A21/482

  using continuous threads on the barrel · CPC title

• F41A3/66 Primary

  Breech housings or frames; Receivers · CPC title