U.S. patent application number 14/988084 was filed with the patent office on 2016-07-07 for feed ramp insert for a firearm.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sig Sauer, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Sig Sauer, Inc.. Invention is credited to Douglas Aubin, Bryan Charles Dustin, Harry Andrew Packard.
Application Number | 20160195350 14/988084 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56286302 |
Filed Date | 2016-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160195350 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Packard; Harry Andrew ; et
al. |
July 7, 2016 |
FEED RAMP INSERT FOR A FIREARM
Abstract
A firearm assembly includes an upper receiver assembly having a
front face and an aperture formed through the front face, and a
feed ramp insert member removably coupled to the upper receiver
assembly. The feed ramp insert member has a profile matching at
least a portion of the aperture. The feed ramp insert member
extends outwardly from the front face of the upper receiver
assembly adjacent to the aperture. The feed ramp insert member is
operative to interfere with incidental contact between a cartridge
and at least a portion of the upper receiver assembly.
Inventors: |
Packard; Harry Andrew;
(Amesbury, MA) ; Dustin; Bryan Charles;
(Strafford, NH) ; Aubin; Douglas; (Newmarket,
NH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sig Sauer, Inc. |
Newington |
NH |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Sig Sauer, Inc.
Newington
NH
|
Family ID: |
56286302 |
Appl. No.: |
14/988084 |
Filed: |
January 5, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62100241 |
Jan 6, 2015 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
42/6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A 9/55 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F41A 9/55 20060101
F41A009/55; F41A 3/66 20060101 F41A003/66 |
Claims
1. A firearm assembly comprising: an upper receiver assembly having
a front face and an aperture formed through the front face; and a
feed ramp insert member removably coupled to the upper receiver
assembly, the feed ramp insert member having a profile matching at
least a portion of the aperture, the feed ramp insert member
extending outwardly from the front face of the upper receiver
assembly adjacent to the aperture.
2. The firearm assembly of claim 1, wherein the feed ramp insert
member is operative to interfere with incidental contact between a
cartridge and at least a portion of the upper receiver assembly
during chambering of the cartridge into a cartridge chamber in a
barrel of the firearm via the aperture, thereby reducing wear on
the upper receiver assembly caused by such incidental contact.
3. The firearm assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fastener
configured to secure the feed ramp insert member to the upper
portion of the receiver.
4. The firearm assembly of claim 1, wherein the aperture opens into
a cartridge chamber in a barrel of the firearm.
5. The firearm assembly of claim 1, wherein the feed ramp insert
member is formed of hardened metal.
6. The firearm assembly of claim 1, wherein the profile of the feed
ramp insert member is semi-circular.
7. The firearm assembly of claim 1, wherein the profile of the feed
ramp insert member is tapered outwardly away from the aperture.
8. The firearm assembly of claim 1, further comprising one of a
semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic pistol.
9. A method of preventing component wear in a firearm, the method
comprising: coupling a feed ramp insert member with an upper
receiver assembly of the firearm, the upper receiver assembly
having a front face and an aperture formed through the front face;
and attaching a fastener to the feed ramp insert member and to the
upper portion of the receiver, thereby securing the feed ramp
insert member to the upper portion of the receiver, wherein the
feed ramp insert member has a profile matching at least a portion
of the aperture, the feed ramp insert member extending outwardly
from the front face of the upper receiver assembly adjacent to the
aperture and being operative to interfere with incidental contact
between a cartridge and at least a portion of the upper receiver
assembly during chambering of the cartridge into a cartridge
chamber in a barrel of the firearm via the aperture, thereby
reducing wear on the upper receiver assembly caused by such
incidental contact.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising chambering the
cartridge into a cartridge chamber in a barrel of the firearm via
the aperture and adjacent to the feed ramp insert member.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the aperture opens into a
cartridge chamber in a barrel of the firearm.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the feed ramp insert member is
formed of hardened metal.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the profile of the feed ramp
insert member is semi-circular.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the profile of the feed ramp
insert member is tapered outwardly away from the aperture.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the firearm is one of a
semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic pistol.
16. A kit comprising: an upper receiver assembly having a front
face and an aperture formed through the front face; and a feed ramp
insert member configured to be removably coupled to the upper
receiver assembly, the feed ramp insert member having a profile
matching at least a portion of the aperture, the feed ramp insert
member extending outwardly from the front face of the upper
receiver assembly adjacent to the aperture.
17. The kit of claim 16, wherein the feed ramp insert member is
operative to interfere with incidental contact between a cartridge
and at least a portion of the upper receiver assembly during
chambering of the cartridge into a cartridge chamber in a barrel of
the firearm via the aperture.
18. The kit of claim 16, further comprising a fastener configured
to secure the feed ramp insert member to the upper portion of the
receiver.
19. The kit of claim 16, wherein the profile of the feed ramp
insert member is semi-circular.
20. The kit of claim 16, further comprising one of a semi-automatic
rifle and a semi-automatic pistol.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
62/100,241, entitled "FEED RAMP INSERT FOR A FIREARM" and filed on
Jan. 6, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] This disclosure relates generally to firearms, and more
particularly, to a feed ramp insert for a firearm.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A feed ramp is a precision machined piece of metal in a
breech-loading firearm that guides a cartridge at the top of the
magazine into the firing chamber. The feed ramp can be part of the
receiver assembly of a semi-automatic rifle or semi-automatic
pistol. After the rifle or pistol is fired and the spent cartridge
is ejected, a fresh cartridge slides forwards and upwards along the
feed ramp from the magazine into firing position. In the process of
chambering the round, the cartridge incidentally contacts the upper
portions of the receiver assembly prior to contacting the barrel
extension feed ramps.
SUMMARY
[0004] According to an example embodiment, a replaceable hardened
steel insert can be mounted into a rifle upper receiver assembly.
The insert covers at least a portion of the upper receiver
assembly, allowing a cartridge to feed into the chamber without
contacting the upper receiver, thereby preventing wear on the upper
receiver caused by chambering the cartridge. Further, the insert
can be removed and replaced when worn, which extends the lifespan
of the upper receiver in contrast to existing designs.
[0005] The features and advantages described herein are not
all-inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and
advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in
view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it
should be noted that the language used in the specification has
been selected principally for readability and instructional
purposes and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject
matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to
scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical
component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by
a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be
labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a lower right rear perspective view of an example
firearm assembly, according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a lower right rear perspective view of the example
firearm assembly of FIG. 1 in an alternate configuration, according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a lower right rear cross-sectional perspective
view of a portion of the example firearm assembly of FIG. 2.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a bottom cross-sectional perspective view of a
portion of the example firearm assembly of FIG. 2.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a top cross-sectional perspective view of a
portion of the example firearm assembly of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] General Overview
[0013] As mentioned above, while chambering a round in a
semi-automatic rifle or semi-automatic pistol, the cartridge
incidentally contacts upper portions of the receiver assembly. This
contact has been discovered to cause premature wear in the receiver
assembly, which limits the useful lifespan of the component.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved mechanism that, for
example, has greater wear resistance, is easier to service, or
both.
[0014] Thus, and in accordance with a set of embodiments, a novel
feed ramp insert for a firearm is disclosed. In an embodiment, a
firearm assembly includes an upper receiver assembly having a front
face and an aperture formed through the front face, and a feed ramp
insert member removably coupled to the upper receiver assembly. The
feed ramp insert member has a profile matching at least a portion
of the aperture. The feed ramp insert member extends outwardly from
the front face of the upper receiver assembly adjacent to the
aperture. The feed ramp insert member is operative to interfere
with incidental contact between a cartridge and at least a portion
of the upper receiver assembly. Numerous configurations and
variations will be apparent in light of this disclosure.
[0015] For example, in some embodiments, the firearm assembly
includes a fastener configured to secure the feed ramp insert
member to the upper portion of the receiver. In some embodiments,
the firearm assembly includes a feed ramp disposed between the
front face of the upper receiver assembly and a magazine port of
the receiver. The feed ramp is operative to guide a transfer of the
cartridge from the magazine port into the aperture and toward a
cartridge chamber in a barrel of the firearm. In some embodiments,
the aperture opens into a cartridge chamber in a barrel of the
firearm. In some embodiments, the feed ramp insert member is formed
of hardened metal. In some embodiments, the profile of the feed
ramp insert member is semi-circular. In some embodiments, the
profile of the feed ramp insert member is tapered outwardly away
from the aperture. In some embodiments, the firearm assembly forms
part of a semi-automatic rifle or a semi-automatic pistol.
[0016] As will be appreciated in light of this disclosure, some
embodiments may realize benefits or advantages as compared to
existing approaches. For instance, in some embodiments, the
disclosed feed ramp insert can be formed by hardened metal that
allows for significantly greater wear and abuse prior to exhibiting
signs of wear than the upper portion of the receiver. This leads to
increased reliability and longevity of the upper receiver and the
life of the firearm. Further, should the disclosed feed ramp insert
demonstrate signs of wear, the component can be replaced at minimal
expense and further extend the life of the receiver, which is
significantly more costly to replace than the feed ramp insert.
Various techniques disclosed herein are in contrast to existing
approaches where, for example, the cartridge directly contacts the
receiver component, causing wear of the receiver, which then must
be replaced when the upper portion becomes excessively worn.
[0017] In some cases, and in accordance with various embodiments,
the firearm assembly can be configured, for example, as: (1) a
partially or completely assembled receiver assembly and feed ramp
insert member; a (2) feed ramp insert member with fasteners for
securing the feed ramp insert member to a receiver; and/or (3) a
kit or other collection of discrete components as variously
described herein that may be used to practice one or more of the
disclosed embodiments.
[0018] Structure and Operation
[0019] FIG. 1 is a lower right rear perspective view of an example
firearm assembly 100, according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a lower
right rear perspective view of the example firearm assembly of FIG.
1 in an alternate configuration. FIG. 3 is another lower right rear
cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of the example
firearm assembly 100 of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a bottom cross-sectional
perspective view of a portion of the example firearm assembly 100
of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a top cross-sectional perspective view of a
portion of the example firearm assembly 100 of FIG. 2. For clarity,
the firearm assembly 100 is shown upside down in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and
4, and right side up in FIG. 5. The firearm assembly 100 includes
an upper receiver assembly 102 and feed ramp insert member 104. In
FIG. 1, the feed ramp insert member 104 is shown separately from
the upper receiver assembly 102. In FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the feed
ramp insert member 104 is shown attached to the upper receiver
assembly 102. The upper receiver assembly 102 may be attached to,
for example, a rifle (not shown). The upper receiver assembly 100
includes a front face 110. The front face 110 has an aperture 112
through which a cartridge can pass during chambering. The aperture
112 may, for example, be circular or substantially circular at the
front face 110.
[0020] A feed ramp (not shown) can be disposed between the aperture
112 and a magazine port (not shown), which may, for example, be
included in a lower receiver assembly (not shown) that can be
attached to the upper receiver assembly 100. In some embodiments,
the feed ramp insert member 104 is removably attached to the upper
receiver assembly 102 using one or more fasteners 118.
[0021] The feed ramp insert member 104 can be made of hardened
steel or other high strength material that is highly heat tolerant
and wear resistant. The feed ramp insert member 104 has a profile
120 matching at least a portion of the aperture 112 in the front
face 110, such as shown in FIG. 5. In an embodiment, the profile
120 is semi-circular, with a radius the same as or substantially
the same as a radius of the aperture 112 such that the feed ramp
insert member 104 does not obstruct any portion of the aperture
112. Such a radius may, for example, be large enough to accommodate
passage of a cartridge through and along a longitudinal axis of the
aperture 112 without obstruction or resistance, while having a
small dimensional tolerance to prevent undesired or excessive
lateral movement of the cartridge within the aperture 112.
[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2-5, when attached to the upper receiver
assembly 102, the feed ramp insert member 104 extends outwardly
from the front face 110 of the upper receiver assembly 102 (e.g.,
toward the aft end of the receiver), thereby covering at least a
portion of the front face 110 of the upper receiver assembly 102.
In this manner, the feed ramp insert member 102 is operative to
interfere with, or prevent outright, incidental contact between the
front face 110 and a cartridge moving along the feed ramp, while
also guiding the cartridge into axial alignment with the aperture
112. In some embodiments, the feed ramp insert member 104 is a
sacrificial component that is designed to protect the upper
receiver assembly 102 from wear caused by chambering of the
cartridge. The feed ramp insert member 104 is easily removable from
the upper receiver assembly 100 for replacement. In an embodiment,
the profile 120 of the feed ramp insert member 104 is tapered
outwardly away from the aperture 112 along a radius of the profile,
such as can be seen in FIG. 5, to help align the cartridge with the
aperture 112 and guide the cartridge into the aperture 112.
[0023] As will be appreciated in light of this disclosure, the
firearm assembly 100 may include additional, fewer, and/or
different elements or components from those here described, and the
present disclosure is not intended to be limited to any particular
configurations or arrangements of elements such as those variously
described herein, but can be used with numerous configurations in
numerous applications. Further, while in some embodiments, the
firearm assembly 100 can be configured as shown and described with
respect to the various figures, the claimed invention is not so
limited. Other suitable geometries, arrangements and configurations
for various elements and components of the firearm assembly 100
will depend on a given application and will be apparent in light of
this disclosure.
[0024] The foregoing description of example embodiments has been
presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is
not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to
the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are
possible in light of this disclosure. It is intended that the scope
of the present disclosure be limited not by this detailed
description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. Subsequent
applications claiming priority to this application may claim the
disclosed subject matter in a different manner and generally may
include any set of one or more limitations as variously disclosed
or otherwise demonstrated herein.
* * * * *