US-12624911-B1 - Firearm receiver assembly with ammunition belt feeding capability and firearm comprising same

US12624911B1US 12624911 B1US12624911 B1US 12624911B1US-12624911-B1

Abstract

A firearm receiver assembly comprises a receiver body, a top cover, and an ammunition advancing mechanism mounted on the top cover. The top cover is pivotably attached at a mounting portion thereof to a mounting portion of a receiver body for enabling the top cover to be pivotable about a top cover pivot axis between an open position and a closed position with respect to the receiver body. The top cover pivot axis extends parallel to a bore axis of the receiver body.

Inventors

Geoffrey A. Herring

Assignees

ARES DEFENSE SYSTEMS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20251104

Claims (20)

1 . A firearm receiver assembly, comprising: a receiver body; an ammunition advancing mechanism operable to advance an ammunition feed belt along an ammunition feeding direction, wherein the ammunition advancing mechanism is a shuttle feed ammunition advancing mechanism; a top cover including at least one mounting body and having the ammunition advancing mechanism mounted thereon, wherein the at least one mounting body enables the top cover to be pivotably attached to a mating interface portion of the receiver body, wherein the at least one mounting body defines a top cover pivot axis, wherein the top cover is pivotable about the top cover pivot axis, and wherein the top cover pivot axis extends perpendicularly to the ammunition feeding direction; a feed lever; and a feed pawl yoke, wherein the feed pawl yoke is pivotably mounted on the top cover, wherein the feed lever is movably engaged with the feed pawl yoke whereby pivotal movement of the feed lever about a pivot axis thereof causes a corresponding pivotal movement of the feed pawl yoke about a pivot axis thereof and wherein the feed pawl yoke is movably engaged with the ammunition advancing mechanism whereby said corresponding pivotal movement of the feed lever about the pivot axis thereof causes a corresponding linear movement of feed pawl bodies of the ammunition advancing mechanism.
2 . A firearm receiver assembly, comprising: a receiver body; an ammunition advancing mechanism operable to advance an ammunition feed belt along an ammunition feeding direction, wherein the ammunition advancing mechanism is a shuttle feed ammunition advancing mechanism; a top cover including at least one mounting body and having the ammunition advancing mechanism mounted thereon, wherein the at least one mounting body enables the top cover to be pivotably attached to a mating interface portion of the receiver body, wherein the at least one mounting body defines a top cover pivot axis, wherein the top cover is pivotable about the top cover pivot axis, and wherein the top cover pivot axis extends perpendicularly to the ammunition feeding direction; a feed pawl yoke pivotably mounted on the top cover to pivot about a feed pawl yoke pivot axis extending perpendicular to an ammunition advancing mechanism mounting surface of the top cover; and a feed lever pivotable about a feed lever pivot axis extending in a fixed direction relative to the top cover pivot axis whereby the feed lever pivot axis remains in a fixed orientation relative to the top cover pivot axis as the top cover is pivoted about the top cover pivot axis.
3 . A firearm receiver assembly, comprising: a receiver body; an ammunition advancing mechanism operable to advance an ammunition feed belt along an ammunition feeding direction, wherein the ammunition advancing mechanism is a shuttle feed ammunition advancing mechanism; a top cover including at least one mounting body and having the ammunition advancing mechanism mounted thereon, wherein the at least one mounting body enables the top cover to be pivotably attached to a mating interface portion of the receiver body, wherein the at least one mounting body defines a top cover pivot axis, wherein the top cover is pivotable about the top cover pivot axis, and wherein the top cover pivot axis extends perpendicularly to the ammunition feeding direction; a feed lever pivotably mounted on the top cover; and a feed pawl yoke pivotably mounted on the top cover.
4 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 3 , wherein: the feed pawl yoke is engaged with feed pawl bodies of the ammunition advancing mechanism; and the feed lever is pivotably engaged at a second end portion thereof to a first end portion to the feed pawl yoke whereby rotation of the feed lever about the feed lever pivot axis causes a corresponding movement of the feed pawl bodies each along a respective linear translation axis thereof extending parallel to the ammunition feeding direction.
5 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 3 , wherein: the feed lever is pivotably attached at a first end portion thereof to the top cover to pivot about a feed lever pivot axis; the feed pawl yoke is pivotably attached at a central portion thereof to the top cover to pivot about a feed pawl yoke pivot axis; and the ammunition advancing mechanism includes a feed pawl assembly slidably attached to the top cover to enable feed pawl bodies thereof to each move along a respective linear translation axis thereof extending parallel to the ammunition feeding direction.
6 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 5 , wherein: the feed pawl yoke is engaged with the feed pawl bodies; and the feed lever is pivotably engaged at a second end portion thereof to a first end portion to the feed pawl yoke whereby rotation of the feed lever about the feed lever pivot axis causes a corresponding movement of the feed pawl bodies each along a respective linear translation axis thereof extending parallel to the ammunition feeding direction.
7 . A firearm receiver assembly, comprising: a receiver body; an ammunition advancing mechanism operable to advance an ammunition feed belt along an ammunition feeding direction, wherein the ammunition advancing mechanism is a shuttle feed ammunition advancing mechanism; and a top cover including at least one mounting body and having the ammunition advancing mechanism mounted thereon, wherein the at least one mounting body enables the top cover to be pivotably attached to a mating interface portion of the receiver body, wherein the at least one mounting body defines a top cover pivot axis, wherein the top cover is pivotable about the top cover pivot axis, and wherein the top cover pivot axis extends perpendicularly to the ammunition feeding direction; wherein the ammunition advancing mechanism includes a feed lever pivotably attached at a first end portion thereof to the top cover to pivot about a feed lever pivot axis; and wherein the feed lever includes a feed stud depressing portion at a second end portion thereof.
8 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 7 , further comprising: a feed lever pivotably mounted on the top cover; and a feed pawl yoke pivotably mounted on the top cover.
9 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 8 , wherein: the feed pawl yoke is engaged with feed pawl bodies of the ammunition advancing mechanism; and the feed lever is pivotably engaged at a second end portion thereof to a first end portion to the feed pawl yoke whereby rotation of the feed lever about the feed lever pivot axis causes a corresponding movement of the feed pawl bodies each along a respective linear translation axis thereof extending parallel to the ammunition feeding direction.
10 . A firearm receiver assembly, comprising: a receiver body; an ammunition advancing mechanism operable to advance an ammunition feed belt along an ammunition feeding direction, wherein the ammunition advancing mechanism is a shuttle feed ammunition advancing mechanism; a top cover including at least one mounting body and having the ammunition advancing mechanism mounted thereon, wherein the at least one mounting body enables the top cover to be pivotably attached to a mating interface portion of the receiver body, wherein the at least one mounting body defines a top cover pivot axis, wherein the top cover is pivotable about the top cover pivot axis, and wherein the top cover pivot axis extends perpendicularly to the ammunition feeding direction; and a feed stud assembly including a feed stud housing and a feed stud at an upper surface of the feed stud housing; wherein the ammunition advancing mechanism includes a feed lever pivotably attached to the top cover to pivot about a feed lever pivot axis; wherein the feed stud housing is fixedly engageable with a bolt carrier slidably mounted within the receiver body for enabling the feed stud assembly to move in concert with the bolt carrier between a battery-enabling position and a recoil position; wherein the feed stud is spring-biased to move between an extended position relative to the upper surface and a depressed position relative to the upper surface; wherein the feed stud resides in a feed lever channel of the feed lever when the feed stud is in the extended position during movement of the bolt carrier between a battery-enabling position and a recoil position with the top cover in a closed position with respect to the receiver body; wherein the feed lever is spring-biased to a reset position with the top cover in an open position with respect to the receiver body; and wherein the feed stud is retained in the depressed position by a feed stud depressing portion of the feed lever when the feed lever is in the reset position and the top cover in the closed position.
11 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 10 , wherein: the ammunition advancing mechanism includes a feed pawl yoke pivotably attached to the top cover and feed pawl bodies engaged with the feed pawl yoke; and the feed lever is pivotably engaged at a second end portion thereof to a first end portion to the feed pawl yoke whereby rotation of the feed lever about the feed lever pivot axis causes a corresponding movement of the feed pawl bodies each along a respective linear translation axis thereof extending parallel to the ammunition feeding direction.
12 . A firearm receiver assembly, comprising: a receiver body, wherein the receiver body is an upper receiver body of a split receiver system; and an ammunition belt feeding apparatus including a top cover, an ammunition advancing mechanism, a feed pawl yoke pivotably mounted on the top cover and engaged with the ammunition advancing mechanism, and a feed lever pivotably mounted on the top cover and engaged with the feed pawl yoke, wherein the ammunition advancing mechanism is a shuttle feed ammunition advancing mechanism, wherein the top cover includes at least one mounting body and having the ammunition advancing mechanism mounted thereon, wherein the top cover is pivotably attached at a mounting portion thereof to a mounting portion of the receiver body for enabling the top cover to be pivotable about a top cover pivot axis extending parallel to a bore axis of the receiver body between an open position and a closed position with respect to the receiver body, wherein the at least one mounting body defines the top cover pivot axis, wherein the top cover is pivotable about the top cover pivot axis, and wherein the top cover pivot axis extends perpendicularly to an ammunition feeding direction of the ammunition advancing mechanism.
13 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 12 , wherein the receiver body is an AR15 upper receiver body.
14 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 12 , wherein: the mounting portion of the receiver body is a unitarily-formed structure of the receiver body; and the top cover pivot axis extends through the mounting portion of the receiver body.
15 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 12 , wherein: the feed lever is movably engaged with the feed pawl yoke whereby pivotal movement of the feed lever about a pivot axis thereof causes a corresponding pivotal movement of the feed pawl yoke about a pivot axis thereof; and the feed pawl yoke is movably engaged with the ammunition advancing mechanism whereby said corresponding pivotal movement of the feed lever about the pivot axis thereof causes a corresponding linear movement of feed pawl bodies of the ammunition advancing mechanism.
16 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 12 , wherein: the feed pawl yoke is pivotably mounted on the top cover to pivot about a feed pawl yoke pivot axis extending perpendicular to an ammunition advancing mechanism mounting surface of the top cover; and the feed lever is pivotably mounted on the receiver body to pivot about a feed lever pivot axis extending in a fixed direction relative to the top cover pivot axis whereby the feed lever pivot axis remains in a fixed orientation relative to the top cover pivot axis as the top cover is pivoted about the top cover pivot axis.
17 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 12 , wherein: the feed lever is pivotably attached at a first end portion thereof to the top cover to pivot about a feed lever pivot axis; and the feed lever includes a feed stud depressing portion at a second end portion thereof.
18 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 17 , wherein: the feed pawl yoke is pivotably engaged with feed pawl bodies of the ammunition advancing mechanism; and the feed lever is pivotably engaged at a second end portion thereof to a first end portion to the feed pawl yoke whereby rotation of the feed lever about the feed lever pivot axis causes a corresponding movement of the feed pawl bodies each along a respective linear translation axis thereof extending parallel to the ammunition feeding direction.
19 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 12 , further comprising: a bolt carrier within a bolt carrier receiving bore of the receiver body for enabling the bolt carrier to move between a battery-enabling position and a rearwardly displaced position; and a feed stud assembly including a feed stud housing and a feed stud at an upper surface of the feed stud housing, wherein the feed stud housing is fixedly attached to the bolt carrier for enabling the feed stud assembly to move in concert with the bolt carrier between the battery-enabling position and the rearwardly displaced position; wherein the ammunition advancing mechanism includes a feed lever pivotably attached to the top cover; wherein the feed stud is spring-biased to move between an extended position relative to the upper surface and a depressed position relative to the upper surface; wherein the feed stud resides in a feed lever channel of the feed lever when the feed stud is in the extended position during movement of the bolt carrier between a battery-enabling position and a recoil position with the top cover in a closed position with respect to the receiver body; wherein the feed lever is spring-biased to a reset position with the top cover in an open position with respect to the receiver body; and wherein the feed stud is retained in the depressed position by a feed stud depressing portion of the feed lever when the feed lever is in the reset position and the top cover in the closed position.
20 . The firearm receiver assembly of claim 19 , wherein: the ammunition advancing mechanism includes a feed pawl yoke pivotably attached to the top cover and feed pawl bodies engaged with the feed pawl yoke; and the feed lever is pivotably engaged at a second end portion thereof to a first end portion to the feed pawl yoke whereby rotation of the feed lever about the feed lever pivot axis causes a corresponding movement of the feed pawl bodies each along a respective linear translation axis thereof extending parallel to the ammunition feeding direction.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosures herein relate generally to firearms, and more particularly to firearm receivers with belt-feed capability. BACKGROUND Many firearms commonly used by law enforcement and/or military personnel are designed by their manufacturers for receiving ammunition exclusively from an ammunition magazine. The AR15 family of firearms, including the M16 and M4 type firearms, illustrate examples of rifles and carbines that are designed by their manufacturers to receive ammunition exclusively from an ammunition magazine. M16 and M4 type firearms are a military version of the AR15 family of firearms capable of operating in a fully automatic or select-fire mode. M16 and M4 type firearms have been manufactured by companies including, but not limited to Colt Defense, FN Manufacturing, LMT Defense, Heckler & Koch and others. AR rifles, which are operable only in semi-automatic mode, are commercially-available from numerous manufacturers in civilian markets. Some magazine-fed firearms, such as M16 and M4 type firearms, are operable in a fully automatic mode. When being operated in the fully automatic mode, firing of a round of ammunition automatically facilitates ejection of each spent round from the firing chamber and chambering of a new round into the firing chamber. As long as the trigger of such a firearm is depressed, the firearm will continue to fire until all available ammunition in an ammunition magazine is depleted. Due to the attainable firing rate of firearms operated in a fully automatic mode and the limited ammunition capacity of standard ammunition magazines, the use of ammunition magazines with such firearms results in a significant amount of down-time of the firearm for allowing a depleted magazine to be replaced with a full ammunition magazine. Most automatic firearms are capable of firing ammunition at a rate of 150 rounds or more per minute. At a firing rate of 150 rounds per minute, a 30-round ammunition magazine can be depleted of ammunition in as little as about 12 seconds of continuous firing. In many situations, such as in military combat, a high-capacity ammunition delivery system such as a belt-feed system is preferred over an ammunition magazine. A typical ammunition belt for a belt-feed system holds 200 or more rounds of ammunition. At a firing rate of 150 rounds per minute, a 200 round ammunition belt can be depleted in as little as about 80 seconds. Accordingly, for a given firearm design, the minimum time to depletion of a 200 round ammunition belt is as much as about 7 times greater than that of a 30-round ammunition magazine. As a result of the increased time to depletion, belt-feed ammunition systems are preferred in many military situations. It is known in the art that some magazine-fed firearms that have been modified to accept belt-feed ammunition, including the AR15, M16 and M4 firearms discussed above, do not require modification of the lower receiver assembly for facilitating belt-feed operation, and have in fact retained magazine feed capability in the process. Advantageously, such “dual-feed” firearms are operable with both magazine feed ammunition and belt-feed ammunition, without modification of the firearm lower receiver. An example of such a dual-feed” firearm is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,274, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Notably, the lower receiver assembly of many firearms, such as AR15, M16, and M4 type firearms, is the registerable portion of the firearm that carries a serial number for enabling compliance with registration requirements of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. As a result of the lower receiver assembly being the portion of the firearm that is registerable, for commercial purposes it can only be modified legally by a licensed firearm manufacturer. It is also known in the art that various types of optics devices may be beneficially utilized on firearms, such as AR15, M16, and M4 type firearms, to boost the effective capability of the firearms by permitting more effective engagement of targets during the day or night and at increased ranges. Examples of these optics devices include, but are not limited to, magnified optical sights and night vision (e.g., thermal) equipment. Regardless of the specific type of optics devices, it is common for two different optics (i.e., accessory) devices to be serially positioned on a firearm such as via MIL-STD-1913 “Picatinny” rails that are unitarily-formed with or attached to a handguard or receiver of the firearm. In the case of a belt-fed firearm having a belt-feed cover, it is desirable for a first optics device to be mounted on the belt-feed cover and a second optics device to be mounted forward of the belt-feed cover on a handguard or receiver of the firearm. For example, the first optics device may be a primary “day” optics device and the second optics device may be a thermal imager or night vision device, thereby allowing the prim