Wear Surface Pin for Firearm Receiver Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Firearm receivers experience wear and friction issues due to the interaction between the charging handle latch and the upper receiver, leading to potential latch failure and costly replacements when the latch is made of a more durable material than the receiver.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a wear surface pin made of a more durable material than the upper receiver, positioned within a wear surface cavity to absorb friction and wear from the charging handle latch, preventing contact between the latch and the receiver and allowing for easy replacement of the pin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the charging handle latch is made of a more durable material than the upper receiver, then the latch strength and reliability are improved, but the upper receiver experiences accelerated wear and friction leading to potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
A wear surface pin made of durable material is introduced as an intermediary component between the charging handle latch and the upper receiver. The pin is positioned within a wear surface cavity on the receiver's outer surface, allowing the latch to engage with the pin rather than directly with the receiver. This mediator absorbs the friction and wear from repeated latch operations, protecting the upper receiver while maintaining the strength benefits of the durable latch material.
2Device complexity
If the upper receiver is designed to directly engage with the charging handle latch, then the device complexity is reduced, but the receiver experiences wear and friction that requires costly replacements
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement surface of the upper receiver is segmented into two functional zones: a wear surface cavity that houses the replaceable wear pin, and the main receiver body that remains protected from direct contact. This segmentation allows the wear-prone interface to be isolated in a specific cavity, enabling replacement of only the pin component rather than the entire receiver, thus maintaining simplicity while extending reliability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the wear surface pin is made of a different material than the upper receiver, then the pin's wear resistance is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The wear surface pin is designed as a consumable component made from durable, wear-resistant material that can be easily replaced when worn. Rather than manufacturing the entire receiver from expensive, wear-resistant material, a smaller, cheaper pin is used that absorbs the wear and can be swapped out independently. This approach reduces overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining the necessary wear resistance at the critical interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A firearm receiver wear surface is disclosed. When inserted within a corresponding wear surface cavity in a firearm receiver, a wear surface pin contacts and engages with the hook of a charging handle latch. In one example, a wear surface cavity for receiving a wear surface pin may be machined within the upper receiver of a modular rifle. The positioning of the wear surface cavity and wear surface pin can prevent the charging handle latch from contacting and causing unwanted wear on the upper receiver. In some embodiments, the wear surface pin may be a replaceable pin-shaped object made from a more durable material than the material of the upper receiver. For example, the wear surface pin may be a steel coiled spring pin that is pressure-fit into a wear surface cavity in an aluminum alloy upper receiver.