US 8,615,917 B2 · Protective cover for firearm lower receiver

Abstract

A protective cover for a firearm lower receiver attaches directly and securely to the lower receiver, protecting it from any impact or debris, yet it may still be used with existing firearm protective cases and bags. Forward and rearward assembly pin holes allow securing of the protective cover to the lower receiver with assembly pins. An extrusion on a lower surface of the protective cover is capable of depressing a magazine door of a magazine installed in the lower receiver and may be transparent to allow a user to view contents of the magazine while keeping the contents protected from debris.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims10

Dependent claims

A cover for a firearm lower receiver, said cover comprising:

an elongated member with front and rear ends, two side surfaces and upper and lower surfaces;
on said lower surface near said front and rear ends, two engagement members project away from said lower surface and are configured to align with assembly pin holes of the firearm lower receiver to facilitate securement of the cover to the firearm lower receiver;
a cavity formed in said lower surface between said two engagement members, said cavity also having an elongated shape and including a cavity upper surface parallel with the upper and lower surfaces of said elongated member;
wherein said cavity has an extrusion portion near the front end and a channel portion near said rear end;
wherein a width of said cavity between said two side surfaces is greater within the extrusion portion and lesser in the channel portion;
a first extrusion in said extrusion portion of said cavity projecting from said cavity upper surface toward the lower surface of said elongated member and configured to engage an ammunition magazine installed in said firearm lower receiver;
a circular extension at said rear end protruding upward from said upper surface and having a distal surface configured to engage a lower receiver stock bracket buttress of a firearm to protect internal edges of said stock bracket buttress.

4 more elements

A cover for a firearm lower receiver, said cover comprising:

an elongated member with front and rear ends, two side surfaces and upper and lower surfaces;
on said lower surface near said front and rear ends, two engagement members project away from said lower surface;
said engagement members including pin holes formed through said two engagement members in a direction from one of said two side surfaces to the other of said two side surfaces, said pin holes capable of receiving firearm lower receiver assembly pins to secure said cover to a lower receiver of a firearm with said lower surface contacting upper surfaces of said lower receiver to protect the same and prevent debris from entering a trigger mechanism cavity of said lower receiver;
a cavity formed in said lower surface between said two engagement members, said cavity also having an elongated shape and including a cavity upper surface parallel with the upper and lower surfaces of said elongated member;
wherein said cavity has an extrusion portion near the front end and a channel portion near said rear end and wherein said channel portion of said cavity expands into a circular or ovular shape near the rear end;
wherein a hammer of a lower receiver may be received by said channel portion and be restricted from movement in a forward direction by engagement with said cavity upper surface;
wherein a width of said cavity between said two side surfaces is greater within the extrusion portion and lesser in the channel portion;
an extrusion in said extrusion portion of said cavity projecting from said cavity upper surface toward the lower surface of said elongated member;
wherein when said cover is engaged with a lower receiver of a firearm, said extrusion is capable of engaging a magazine door of an ammunition magazine installed in said lower receiver in order to depress the magazine door to prevent the magazine door from pressuring magazine feed lips of said magazine;
a circular extension at said rear end protruding upward from said upper surface and having a distal surface capable of engaging a lower receiver stock bracket buttress of a firearm to protect internal edges of said stock bracket buttress;
wherein said circular extension has a circular edge in a plane generally perpendicular to each of said upper, lower and two side surfaces.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description1,279 words

Summary436 words

#This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/580,030, filed on Dec. 23, 2011 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

#The AR-15/M16 firearms are designed with two takedown assembly pins which join the upper receiver to the lower receiver. The lower receiver houses the trigger mechanism, hammer, bolt catch & release mechanism, safety mechanism, magazine release mechanism, magazine well, and recoil buffer assembly. All of these components are critical for the safe and reliable operation of the firearm.

#When the takedown assembly pins are disengaged, the upper and receiver can be separated for storage, transport, inspection, or cleaning. While the upper and lower receivers are separated, the components and internal cavities within the lower receiver are exposed and subject to damage debris. Unprohibited movement of the hammer is also possible in this separated state and can lead to hammer over-travel. This hammer over-travel can damage the lower receiver housing, bolt catch & release mechanism and hammer.

Brief description of the drawings8 figures

#FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the invention 10 shown use.

#FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the invention 10.

#FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the invention 10.

Detailed description759 words

#As illustrated by FIGS. 1-8 the firearm lower receiver protective cover 10 is a device designed to attach to the lower receiver 12 of an AR-15/M16 style firearm for the purpose of protecting the mating surface 14 and internal components of the lower receiver 12. Upper receiver (not shown) is separated from lower receiver 12 by removal of front 52 and rear 53 assembly pins from holes 22 and 24.

#After removal of the upper receiver, firearm lower receiver protective cover 10 is assembled to the lower receiver 12 by placing the lower mating surface 40 of the firearm lower receiver protective cover 10 against upper mating surface 14 of lower receiver 12 with hammer 54 of lower receiver 12 locked back to the rearward position. Trigger assembly channel 44 should be positioned over cavity 16 such that hammer arrester surface 38 may compress and retain the hammer 54 when lower receiver protective cover 10 is mated to lower receiver 12. Firearm lower receiver protective cover 10 is secured to lower receiver 12 by re-inserting front 52 and rear 53 assembly pins through front 22 and rear 24 assembly pin holes and further through front 30 and rear 32 assembly pin holes formed in front 31 and rear 33 engagement members of firearm lower receiver protective cover 10 as shown in FIG. 2.

#Lower mating surface 40 of firearm lower receiver protective cover 10 preferably matches upper mating surface 14 such that the edge of surface of lower receiver 12 is fully covered such that no gaps or spaces exist. Thus, foreign material or objects, such as dirt and debris, may be prevented from entering cavity 16 of firearm lower receiver 12 while firearm lower receiver protective cover 10 is properly installed.

Facts

Application

13/403,016Filed 23 Feb 2012 · us provisional application

Priority

23 Dec 2011

Published

US 2013/0160343 A127 Jun 2013

Granted

31 Dec 2013

Term ends

13 Apr 2032

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 50 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification2 codes

F41A 35/02
Accessories or details not otherwise provided for: dust- or weather-protection caps or covers
F41A
Functional features or details common to both smallarms and ordnance

Protective cover for firearm lower receiver

Life of this patent

Protective cover for firearm lower receiver

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims10

Description1,279 words

Drawings

Classification2 codes

Life of this patent

Description1,279 words