Abstract:
A novel firearm constructed and arranged to selectively position into a firing configuration or one of two storage and carry configurations selected from either a rectangular or an in-line carry configuration.

Description:
INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional of and claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/291,490 filed Feb. 4, 2016 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Foldable firearms assist users in the conceal carry of their firearms. However, a problem exists in that not everyone likes of is able to carry the firearm folded in the conventional manner whereby the handle is folded underneath the barrel. There exists a need for a firearm with multiple foldable configurations. The present invention addresses this need. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In one embodiment, the present invention is a firearm where the grip (used by the hand that pulls the trigger) contains the magazine (which contains the ammunition for the firearm), where that grip can be folded in a manner to conceal, carry, or store the firearm. There is a simpler version of the invention configured to detach the magazine and store it underneath the barrel of the firearm to also make it easier to conceal, carry, or store the firearm. This invention also has one added benefit of changing the imprint of the firearm when concealed under clothing. 
         [0004]    In one embodiment, the present invention includes a firearm with a shorter magazine so that a user can still have the firearm loaded, while storing the larger magazine underneath the barrel, which make it easier to conceal, carry, or store the firearm. In another embodiment, the trigger folds up and the magazine protrudes into the pistol grip. 
         [0005]    Traditionally, firearms that feed ammunition into the barrel from the magazine located in the grip are called ‘Pistols’. Pistols are typically in an L-shape form (with the grip protruding downward from the slide/barrel of the firearm), which makes it the most comfortable way to shoot but also makes it difficult to conceal under clothing or makes it bulky/uncomfortable to carry around in a holster. When it comes to conceal carrying the pistol on the body, due to the traditional L-shape of a pistol, the imprint under clothing can easily be identified that an individual is carrying a pistol. The current market solutions for concealed carry pistols (to reduce the ‘gun’ imprint) is to limit the size of the magazines (that contain the bullets). The larger the magazine, the harder it is to conceal. When the magazines are short, it reduces the amount of bullets (ammunition) that the magazine can contain. Also, the standard ‘L-shape’ of pistol limits the options to conceal or carry on the body. For example, a standard magazine on a full size pistol is around 16 rounds, but it would be very hard for an average person to practically carry that pistol in an ankle holster. Even trying to conceal that 16 round full size pistol under the arm-pit would reveal a bump protruding from the body. 
         [0006]    This invention addresses, inter alia these issues:
       1. Changes the imprint of traditional concealed carry pistols from the traditional ‘L-Shape’ to a rectangle or ruler. So when you conceal it under clothes, it has the imprint of a cell phone.   2. Increase the methods a person can practically conceal or carry a firearm. For example, this makes it practical to conceal, carry, or store the pistol along the side of your leg, while concealed under your pants. You can carry the pistol under a long sleeve dress shirt, concealed along your forearm.   3. Increases the capacity of ammunition capacity, while reducing the imprint that discloses to the average individual that someone is carrying a pistol. For the same imprint of a square or rectangle that a comparable traditional pistol with a high capacity magazine of 16+ rounds would be a bigger imprint of the invention with the same amount of ammunition.   4. Increase the comfort of carrying or concealing the pistol.   5. Increase storage options due to the different shapes that the firearm can be configured in.       
 
         [0012]    In various embodiments, the present invention is a novel improvement over currently known foldable firearms, at least: 
         [0013]    1. Providing a multi-fold pistol configuration that can be folded, with or without a loaded magazine in the grip, under the upper slide that will give the gun the footprint of a rectangle. The grip can fold upwards and in-line with the slide which will give the gun the footprint of a candy bar or ruler, e.g. an in-line configuration. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment, the present invention is a firearm comprising:
       a firearm barrel:   a pistol grip housing dependent on said firearm barrel;   an ammunition housing constructed and arranged to connect to said pistol grip housing;   a lower receiving frame affixed to a lower edge of said firearm barrel;   a rail slot formed within said lower receiving frame, whereby said real slot is configured with a proximal end formed in a teardrop configuration;
 
a pivot pin dependent on said magazine housing, whereby said pivot pin is constructed and arranged to slidably move within said rail slot, and selectively position said magazine housing and said ammunition housing into a firing configuration as in  FIG. 1  or into one of a rectangle stored configuration as in  FIG. 5  or an in-line stored configuration as in  FIG. 6 .
       
 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, the present invention is a firearm consisting essentially of:
       a firearm barrel:   a pistol grip housing dependent on said firearm barrel;   an ammunition housing constructed and arranged to connect to said pistol grip housing;   a lower receiving frame affixed to a lower edge of said firearm barrel;   a rail slot formed within said lower receiving frame, whereby said real slot is configured with a proximal end formed in a teardrop configuration;
 
a pivot pin dependent on said magazine housing, whereby said pivot pin is constructed and arranged to slidably move within said rail slot, and selectively position said magazine housing and said ammunition housing into a firing configuration as in  FIG. 1  or into one of a rectangle stored configuration as in  FIG. 5  or an in-line stored configuration as in  FIG. 6 .
       
 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, the teardrop configuration is constructed and arranged to assist with the alignment of the pistol grip housing to line up during the assembly of a ‘ready to fire’ position. 
         [0027]    In one embodiment, a tension spring urges the firearm to a self-assemble, ready to fire configuration. 
         [0028]    In one embodiment, the tension spring is configured to disengage and provide for manual assembly. 
         [0029]    The present invention also includes a method for changing firearm configuration, said method comprising the steps of: 
         [0000]    providing a firearm according to any of the embodiments disclosed herein;
 
positioning said pistol grip and ammunition housing in a discharge configuration whereby said pistol grip and ammunition housing are locked into said discharge position;
 
unlocking said pistol grip and ammunition housing from said discharge configuration;
 
rotating said pistol grip and ammunition housing into one carry configuration selected from rectangular configuration or in line configuration.
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention being held by a user. 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention in a folded configuration being held by a user. 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  is a side partial cross-section view demonstrating the movable handle according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  is a side partial cross-section view demonstrating movement of the movable handle according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 5  is a side partial cross-section view of one folded configuration according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  is a side partial cross-section view of one configuration demonstrating movement of the handle according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0036]      FIG. 7  is a side partial cross-section view demonstrating placement of bullets in an ammunition magazine according to one embodiment of the present invention, whereby the bullets are in a detachable magazine that has been inserted into the movable handle. 
           [0037]      FIG. 8  is a side sectional view of the magazine housing and housing pivot pin according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0038]      FIG. 9  is a side partial cross-section view of the lower receiver frame and rail slot including a teardrop configuration along one end of the rail slot according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0039]      FIG. 10  is a side partial cross-sectional view demonstrating a recessing or retractable trigger member into the lower receiver frame according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0040]    The present invention provides a novel firearm configuration whereby the user selects from one of two possible foldable configurations. The first foldable configuration as demonstrated in  FIG. 5  will be referred to as the rectangle configuration. In this configuration magazine housing  12  holds ammunition magazine  14  and is positioned underneath firearm barrel  13 . In the second foldable configuration as demonstrated in  FIG. 6 , which will refer to as the candy bar or in-line marinated configuration, ammunition magazine  14  is extended rearward from the barrel of a firearm barrel  13  and is essentially collinear with firearm barrel  13 . 
         [0041]    As generally understood, firearm  10  includes an ammunition magazine  14  pivotably attached to a firearm barrel  13 . Firearm  10  further includes a trigger  20  extending downward and outward from lower receiver frame  30 . In one embodiment, trigger  20  is a foldable trigger A lock mechanism  32  is incorporated with magazine housing  12  and a magazine secure and release latch mechanism  26  is also incorporated with magazine housing  12 . In one embodiment, the lock mechanism  32  is on the back of the housing that locks onto the teardrop. Either configuration is contemplated for locking the movable handle to the lower receiver. A magazine to frames securing clip  34  is incorporated with lower receiver frame  30 . In one embodiment, firearm  10  has an optional securing clip  34  is constructed and arranged to lock ammunition magazine  14  into a closed position when utilizing the rectangular configuration  38  as demonstrated in  FIG. 5 . In one embodiment, the firearm  10  is configured using a tension spring that pulls the housing forward, so if the firearm  10  is folded, that tension with the shape of the teardrop will cause the housing to rotate and snap forward to self-assemble the firearm. For demonstrative and directional purposes, the discharge end of firearm barrel  13  will be referred to as a distal end and the end closest to the user will be referred to as a proximal end. Rail slot  29  is formed on lower receiver frame  30  and is constructed and arranged such that the distal end of Rail slot  29  has a teardrop configured terminal end  25 . The present invention has discovered that only by use of the teardrop configure terminal and  25  can pivot pin  18  be configured to allow for a user selecting either the rectangular or candy bar configurations according to the present invention. Pivot pin  18  is constructed and arranged to position within rail slot  29  and slidably move within rail slot  29  as desired by the user to configure firearm  10  into candy bar configuration as demonstrated in figure having candy bar profile  37 , a user Will rotate ammunition magazine  14  in the proximal direction as shown by directional arrow in  FIG. 4 . The present invention, after exploring a great number of geometric shapes, configurations and combinations, has discovered that the teardrop shape is the only geometric shape completely functional because if any force pushes the housing grip towards the distal end, the housing grip will be guided to align properly with the rail. Once the housing grip has reached the end of the distal end of the rail, it will lock into place and the pistol will be ready to fire. 
         [0042]    The teardrop configuration, or teardrop like shape, at the end of the rail is important because of the slants (basically a teardrop is a half-circle and two slants) that will automatically rotate the housing pin to align the lower housing correctly with the upper receiver. 
         [0043]    As generally understood, pivot pin  18  will have a width approximately equal to dimension b, and dimension b will equal the inner distance across Rail slot  29 . 
         [0044]    When a user desires the fault firearm  10  into the rectangular configuration of  FIG. 5  thus imparting imprint  38  magazine housing  12  and ammunition magazine  14  firearm barrel  13  is rotated in the distal direction until it is locked into position by engaging magazine to frame secure clip  34  and forming the configuration of  FIG. 5 . As demonstrated in  FIG. 7 , ammunition  16  is positioned within ammunition magazine  14  in an angular configuration equal to angle C such that the angled magazine housing  12  and ammunition magazine  14  provides ammunition  16  two firearm barrel  13  to minimize the possibility of ammunition  16  not being loaded in a co-linear manner two firearm barrel  13 . 
         [0045]    While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.