Receiver latch for a firearm
AssigneeSmith & Wesson Corp.
InventorZachary Kusnierz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A firearm having a fixed magazine uses a latch to secure upper and lower receivers to one another in a closed position. The upper and lower receivers can be pivoted relatively to one another into an open position providing access to the magazine for loading by rotating the latch to release the upper and lower receivers from one another. The latch includes a hook spring biasing a hook contact surface of the latch to engage a hook receiving surface of a receiver when the receivers are moved from the open position to the closed position.
Claims20
A firearm comprising:
- an upper receiver;
- a barrel mounted on said upper receiver, said barrel having a bore defining a firing axis coaxially arranged therewith;
- a lower receiver attached to said upper receiver, said lower and upper receivers pivotable relative to one another about a pivot axis oriented transversely to said firing axis between a closed position and an open position;
- a latch mounted on one of said upper or lower receivers in spaced relation away from said pivot axis, said latch comprising:
- a hook having a body defining a contact surface;
- an axle defining a longitudinal axis oriented transversely to said firing axis, said axle being rotatable about said longitudinal axis, said hook being mounted on said axle;
- a lever attached to said axle for manual rotation of said axle;
- a hook receiving surface positioned on one of said upper or lower receivers adjacent to said hook such that, when said upper and lower receivers are in said closed position, said contact surface is engageable with and disengageable from said hook receiving surface upon rotation of said axle;
- and
- a hook spring mounted to said axle and in contact with said body, said hook spring biasing said contact surface towards said hook receiving surface.
A firearm comprising:
- an upper receiver;
- a lower receiver attached to said upper receiver, said lower and upper receivers being pivotable relative to one another about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position;
- a latch mounted on one of said upper or lower receivers in spaced relation away from said pivot axis, said latch comprising:
- a hook having a body defining a contact surface and a cam follower;
- an axle defining a longitudinal axis, said axle being rotatable about said longitudinal axis, said hook being mounted on said axle;
- a lever attached to said axle for manual rotation of said axle;
- a hook receiving surface positioned on one of said upper or lower receivers adjacent to said hook such that when said upper and lower receivers are in said closed position, said contact surface engageable and disengageable from said hook receiving surface upon rotation of said axle;
- a cam positioned on one of said upper or lower receivers, said cam positioned opposite said hook receiving surface and angled away from said hook receiving surface;
- and
- a hook spring mounted to said axle and in contact with said body, said hook spring biasing said contact surface towards said hook receiving surface;
- wherein said cam engages said cam follower and rotates said hook against said hook spring bias until said contact surface is clear to engage said hook receiving surface when said upper and lower receivers are pivoted from said open position to said closed position.
A method of selectively locking and unlocking a firearm comprised of a upper receiver and a lower receiver pivotable relative to each other about a pivot bearing between a closed position and an open position, the method comprising:
- positioning a latch within one of said upper receiver or said lower receiver, said latch comprising a lever attached to an axle and a hook having a body defining a contact surface and a cam follower, said body affixed to said axle;
- positioning a cam and a hook receiving surface on one of said upper or lower receivers, said cam positioned opposite said hook receiving surface and angled away from said hook receiving surface;
- biasing said contact surface towards said hook receiving surface utilizing a hook spring;
- wherein said cam engages said cam follower and rotates said hook against said hook spring bias until said contact surface is clear to engage said hook receiving surface when said upper and lower receivers are pivoted from said open position to said closed position;
- and
- wherein said contact surface is engageable with and disengageable from said hook receiving surface upon rotation of said lever.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.