Quick-Change Firearm Barrel Multi-Orient Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing detachable barrels for firearms often have limited mounting orientations or require complex locking mechanisms, making them difficult to change and prone to misalignment or damage.
Innovation Solution
A quick-change barrel design with at least two selectively interacting barrel-mounting features and barrel-receipt features, allowing for easy mounting in multiple orientations without the need for push buttons, levers, or locking mechanisms, using barrel slots and alignment studs with radial locking flanges and tactile features for correct orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a detachable barrel design is used for firearms, then barrel replacement speed is improved, but mounting orientation flexibility deteriorates (limited to single orientation)
Solution Approach 1:
The barrel mounting interface is designed with multiple identical mounting features (at least two) distributed around the barrel circumference, allowing the same mounting structure to accommodate multiple orientations. This universal interface design enables the barrel to be mounted in various orientations without requiring different mounting mechanisms for each orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting interface is segmented into multiple discrete mounting features rather than a single continuous interface. This segmentation allows selective engagement of different features to achieve different orientations while maintaining the same quick-change mechanism, thus providing orientation flexibility without compromising replacement speed.
2Reliability
If locking or retaining mechanisms are added to ensure secure mounting, then mounting reliability is improved, but operational complexity deteriorates (requiring manipulation of mechanisms)
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting features are designed to self-align and self-engage through their geometric configuration. The features work together to automatically ensure proper orientation and secure mounting without requiring the operator to manipulate separate locking mechanisms or retainers. The system serves itself to achieve both security and simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment and locking functions are merged into a single integrated mounting feature design. Rather than having separate alignment mechanisms and locking mechanisms, the mounting features combine both functions in one element, eliminating the need for sequential manipulation of multiple components and simplifying the operation while maintaining reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple mounting orientations are enabled, then adaptability is improved, but risk of misalignment or damage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
While multiple mounting features are provided, each feature has an asymmetric geometric configuration that allows engagement in only one correct orientation. This asymmetric design within each feature ensures that even though multiple orientations are possible, each orientation has a single correct alignment, preventing misalignment and damage through the inherent geometry of the mounting interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A firearm includes a quick-change barrel including: (a) at least two barrel-mounting features, each configured to selectively interact with a barrel-receipt feature of the firearm during mounting of the quick-change barrel to a mounting structure of the firearm, or (b) at least one barrel-mounting feature configured to selectively interact with at least two barrel-receipt features of the firearm during mounting of the quick-change barrel to a mounting structure of the firearm. The barrel is selectively mountable to the firearm in at least two orientations depending, per (a), upon which of the at least two barrel-mounting features interact with the barrel-receipt feature or, per (b), upon which of the at least two barrel-receipt fixtures interact with the barrel-mounting fixture.