Firearm Bolt Catch Reinforced Pivot Pin Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing bolt catch designs in firearms are prone to breakage due to stress-induced failures, particularly around the pivot pin area, and can be snagged by clothing or equipment, leading to reliability and functionality issues.
Innovation Solution
The enhanced bolt catch design adds additional material around the pivot pin aperture and includes a chamfered button edge and enlarged retaining lugs, with a modified receiver configuration to accommodate the extra material, reducing the likelihood of snagging and increasing strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If additional material is added around the pivot pin aperture to strengthen the bolt catch, then the strength and reliability improve, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bolt catch is divided into separate components including the bolt catch body, retaining lugs, and button portions. The retaining lugs are specifically designed as separate elements that can be selectively reinforced with additional material around the pivot pin aperture, allowing strength enhancement without complicating the entire bolt catch structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Additional material is added specifically around the pivot pin aperture area where stress concentration occurs, rather than uniformly throughout the entire bolt catch. This localized reinforcement strengthens the critical pivot region while maintaining the overall simplicity of the bolt catch design.
2Ease of manufacture
If the bolt catch design is simplified for ease of manufacture, then manufacturing precision and cost improve, but reliability under stress deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bolt catch is designed as segmented components that can be manufactured using standard investment casting processes for 8620 steel, maintaining ease of manufacture. The retaining lugs and button portions are separate elements that can be selectively strengthened without requiring complex manufacturing processes for the entire assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The material parameters are optimized by using case-hardened 8620 steel, which provides a hard outer layer for wear resistance and strength while maintaining a softer inner core for toughness. This parameter change allows the bolt catch to be manufactured using conventional processes while achieving enhanced reliability under stress.
3Weight of moving object
If the bolt catch is designed with thin wall structure to reduce weight, then the weight decreases, but the strength and resistance to stress-induced breakage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bolt catch maintains thin wall structures in non-critical areas to minimize weight, while selectively adding material and reinforcing the pivot pin aperture region where stress concentration occurs. This localized reinforcement provides the necessary strength without significantly increasing the overall weight of the bolt catch.
Solution Approach 2:
The bolt catch uses composite construction with case-hardened 8620 steel, creating a layered material structure with a hard outer shell for strength and wear resistance, and a softer inner core for toughness and weight reduction. This composite approach provides high strength-to-weight ratio suitable for dynamic kinetic situations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The enhanced bolt catch provides improved reliability and reduced weight by strengthening the pivot pin area and preventing snagging, ensuring consistent operation under stress conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A magazine release spring typically provides spring biasing to the magazine release lever, when installed in the firearm.
Implementation Method 2
The bolt catch is typically spring biased to the bolt disengagement position.
Data Source
AI summary
A bolt catch to be utilized in conjunction with an upper receiver and the lower receiver of a firearm, including at least some of a bolt catch having a bolt catch upper button portion and a bolt catch lower button portion, wherein the bolt catch is pivotally attached or coupled within at least a portion of a lower bolt catch recess of a lower receiver, wherein at least a portion of a bolt catch upper button portion recess extends above a planar surface formed by the lower receiver proximate the lower bolt catch recess; and an upper bolt catch recess formed in at least a portion of the upper receiver, wherein at least a portion of the bolt catch upper button portion recess is received at least partially within the upper bolt catch recess if the upper receiver is operably attached or coupled to the lower receiver.