Firearm Locking Wing Tab Mechanism for Compact Frame

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Solution Overview

Problem

The firearms industry faces a challenge in creating reliable, compact firearms that do not sacrifice size, power, or the ability to interchange types of rounds, as existing methods for unlocking the slide from the barrel often require larger frame and slide widths or compromise on reliability.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves positioning a locking tab of a locking wing into or out of a locking recess on a slide as it moves relative to a barrel, using a cam block to transition the locking wing between extended and retracted positions, and a telescopically biased bumper to eject shells from the magazine, along with a linear trigger mechanism to disengage the sear lever and allow the striker to move to a firing position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional locking methods (tilting or rotating barrel) are used, then the slide can be unlocked from the barrel, but the frame and slide require larger width which increases firearm size

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking mechanism operationVSAvoidframe width

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of the barrel moving relative to the slide to unlock (conventional method), the locking tab on the locking wing moves relative to the locking recess in the slide. The locking wing is mounted to the barrel and carries the locking tab, which engages with the locking recess in the slide. This inverted approach allows unlocking without requiring the barrel to tilt or rotate, maintaining compact frame dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking mechanism is segmented into distinct components: a locking wing mounted to the barrel, a locking tab on the locking wing, and a locking recess in the slide. This segmentation allows the locking tab to be independently positioned and retracted relative to the locking recess, enabling compact unlocking operation without requiring the entire barrel or slide to change configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Area of stationary object

If compact size is achieved, then firearm dimensions are reduced, but reliability of locking mechanism is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirearm sizeVSAvoidlocking mechanism reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The locking reliability is maintained by inverting the conventional approach: instead of relying on barrel movement (tilting or rotating) to unlock, the system uses a locking tab mounted to the locking wing that can be positioned into or retracted from the locking recess. This allows compact firearm dimensions while maintaining positive locking engagement through the tab-recess interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking tab acts as an intermediary element between the locking wing (mounted to the barrel) and the locking recess in the slide. This intermediary component enables reliable locking and unlocking engagement in a compact configuration, as the tab can be precisely positioned into or retracted from the recess without requiring large movements of the barrel or slide.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If conventional locking methods are used, then the slide can lock to the barrel, but the mechanism requires larger frame and slide width reducing compactness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking engagementVSAvoidslide width

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The locking mechanism is divided into separate functional elements: the locking wing mounted to the barrel, the locking tab on the locking wing, and the locking recess in the slide. This segmentation allows the locking tab to engage with the locking recess in a compact arrangement, reducing the required slide width compared to conventional tilting or rotating barrel mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of the barrel changing orientation (tilting or rotating) to unlock, the system uses a locking tab that can be positioned into or retracted from the locking recess. This inverted approach maintains reliable locking engagement while reducing the slide width requirement, as the tab-recess interface can be implemented in a compact linear arrangement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS10371471B2Methods of firearm operations

Publication Date: 2019.08.06 D A WIESE & CO

AI summary

A firearm includes a frame to which a barrel and slide are slideably mounted and in which a magazine is slideably received. A bumper telescoped on a push rod slideable with the slide pushes a shell in the magazine onto a pivotal carrier. Locking wings pivotally mounted to the barrel are cammed in troughs of a cam block as the barrel and the slide parallel to the longitudinal axis of the barrel relative to the cam block, so that lock tabs are removably received in locking recesses in the slide to removably lock the barrel and slide together. A trigger is slideably mounted to the frame for movement parallel to the longitudinal axis of the barrel for pivoting a sear lever engagable with a biased striker and moving a safety from an interfering position relative to the striker.