Rotating Latch Mechanism for Secure Adjustable Firearm Stock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjustable firearm stock designs often compromise between ease of use, adjustment security, and compactness, with inadequate mechanisms for secure latching and intuitive adjustment.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable stock assembly featuring a latch and release mechanism with a rotatable latch, a key with profiled cuts, and a cam slot, allowing for secure latching, intuitive adjustment, and easy disassembly, utilizing a latch spring and cam pin to control the latch's movement between latched, unlatched, and disassembly positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple latch mechanism is used, then ease of operation is improved, but adjustment security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism is segmented into distinct functional elements: a latch member with engagement surface, a release member with actuation surface, and a key with limiting surface. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall simplicity and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The key acts as an intermediary element between the user and the latch mechanism. It provides controlled access to the release member, ensuring intentional activation while preventing accidental unlatching. The key's limiting surface serves as an intermediary that restricts the latch's rotational movement to precise angular positions
2Reliability
If a secure latching mechanism is used, then adjustment security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The release member combines multiple functions into a single component: it actuates the latch member, engages with the key's limiting surface, and provides the mechanical interface for secure latching. This merging reduces the total number of parts while maintaining security
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex multi-step locking sequence, the mechanism uses a simple rotational latch that is held in position by the key's limiting surface. The security is achieved by inverting the approach: rather than locking through multiple engagement points, the system uses a single engagement point controlled by the key's angular positioning
3Ease of operation
If the latch allows easy release, then ease of operation is improved, but risk of accidental unlatching increases
Solution Approach 1:
The key's limiting surface is positioned to preemptively prevent unintended rotation of the latch member. Before any accidental unlatching can occur, the limiting surface physically blocks the latch from rotating beyond its engagement position, providing preliminary protection against harmful accidental release
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism provides tactile feedback through the key's limiting surface that clearly indicates when the latch is in its secure engaged position. This feedback mechanism helps users confirm proper latching while preventing unintended release through the physical constraint imposed by the limiting surface
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 mechanism provides a compact, ergonomic, and secure adjustable stock assembly with an intuitive trigger mechanism, enhanced durability through reduced stress path, and easy attachment of a receiver, while minimizing the risk of accidental unlatching.
Implementation Method 1
a latch spring configured to urge the latch toward the latched position and urge the key to an extended position
Implementation Method 2
a cam slot formed in the latch, the cam slot being non-parallel to the longitudinal axis; a latch cam pin coupled to the release and disposed within the cam slot of the latch
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable stock assembly includes a housing, a stock rail, a release, a key movable with respect to the release, a latch rotatable about a latch pivot between a latched position, an unlatched position and a disassembly position, and a latch cam pin coupled to the release. The housing is extendable and retractable with respect to the stock rail. The stock rail has a slot and one or more recesses adjacent to the slot that can engage the latch, thereby preventing disassembly of the rail from the housing and further securing the rail in a particular configuration. When partially depressed along with the key, the release disengages the latch from the stock rail recesses, allowing the housing to extend and retract within its adjustment range. The housing can be disassembled from the stock rail when the key and release are fully depressed.