Flexible Wire Fasteners for Rifle Action Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional firearms experience accuracy issues due to misalignment and recoil forces causing undesirable forces and moments at the action/stock interface, leading to bullet dispersion problems, as rigid fasteners fail to maintain proper alignment under recoil.
Innovation Solution
Flexible fasteners with shanks that can flex in response to recoil and misalignment forces, allowing the action to seat properly without binding, and absorbing recoil forces within a slot in the stock, ensuring the firearm remains aligned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid fasteners are used to join the action to the stock, then the fasteners provide strong mechanical connection, but the fasteners cannot accommodate misalignment and recoil forces, causing accuracy problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using a flexible fastener with a flexible shank that can bend and flex. The shank is constructed with multiple wire strands that allow controlled flexibility while maintaining strength, enabling the fastener to accommodate misalignment and recoil forces without breaking the mechanical connection between the action and stock.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies this principle by changing the physical parameter of the fastener from rigid to flexible. The flexible shank allows the fastener to change its shape and orientation in response to recoil forces and misalignment, transforming the fastener from a rigid constraint into an adaptive connector that maintains connection while accommodating movement.
2Manufacturing precision
If the action is seated perfectly during manufacturing, then rigid fasteners can maintain alignment, but any misalignment creates undesirable forces and moments that cause accuracy problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by designing the flexible fastener to anticipate and cushion against the forces that will occur during firing. The flexible shank is pre-configured to absorb and accommodate recoil forces before they occur, preventing the development of undesirable forces and moments that would otherwise compromise accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies this principle by transitioning from a static, rigid fastener to a dynamic, flexible fastener. The flexible shank can change its configuration in response to applied forces, allowing the fastener to adapt to misalignment and recoil dynamically rather than imposing rigid constraints that create harmful forces.
3Strength
If solid metallic fasteners are used, then the fasteners have high strength, but their rigidity causes binding and cocking under recoil forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by replacing the solid metallic fastener with a flexible fastener constructed from multiple wire strands. This flexible construction maintains the necessary strength to join the action to the stock while eliminating the rigidity that causes binding and cocking during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies this principle by using a composite construction for the fastener shank, combining multiple wire strands in a flexible arrangement. This composite structure provides the necessary strength while introducing flexibility that prevents binding and cocking, achieving both strength and smooth operation.
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 flexible fasteners maintain the action/stock alignment during recoil, preventing shifts and maintaining the firearm's zeroed condition, thus improving accuracy by absorbing recoil forces and accommodating initial seating and temperature-related expansions.
Implementation Method 1
The shank can flex in a direction that is substantially parallel to the direction of recoil forces
Implementation Method 2
Recoil forces act in a direction perpendicular and usually above the shafts of the screws
Data Source
AI summary
A rifle construction includes an action and barrel that seat within a stock. The action is fastened to the stock with flexible fasteners that allow the action to seat properly and maintain alignment in the presence of recoil forces or other forces acting on the fasteners. The fasteners can thus compensate for forces created by misalignment during assembly, temperature changes and/or recoil without adversely affecting the zero of the firearm.