Abstract:
A folding stock assembly for firearms such as rifles and shotguns. The stock is made of metal rod that has been bent to form laterally spaced left and right elongated arm members that have rear ends connected to the top end of a U-shaped shoulder rest portion. The front end of the respective elongated arm members are pivotally connected to the rear end of a neck portion extending rearwardly from the upper end of the handgrip. There is structure in the interior of the end cap for locking the elongated arm members in either its static storage position or its rearward functional deployed position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/704,023, filed Feb. 8, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,848, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/771,754 filed Feb. 8, 2006. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed generally to a folding stock assembly. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a folding stock assembly that can be mounted on the rearwardly extending neck portion of a handgrip for a firearm. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In various exemplary embodiments, the primary components of the folding stock assembly are the elongated stock, the structure for controlling rotation of the stock from a stored position to a deployed position, and structure for securing the stock to the rear end of the neck portion of a handgrip. The elongated stock is preferably made of metal rod that is bent to form laterally spaced elongated left and right arm members each having a front end and a rear end. The metal rod is also bent to form a U-shaped shoulder rest portion whose top ends are connected to the rear ends of the respective elongated arm members. There is sufficient springiness to the metal rod that allows the front ends of the elongated arm members to be squeezed together for a purpose to be discussed later. The elongated stock could also be made of a proper plastic material. 
     There are front end members connected to the front ends of the respective elongated arm members. Extending inwardly from the respective front end members is a left shaft and a right shaft. A left disc is secured to the left shaft and the right disc is secured to the right shaft. There are diametrically opposed secondary apertures formed in the rear end of the tubular portion at the rear end of the neck portion of the handgrip. There are diametrically opposed primary apertures in the end cap that telescopes over the tubular rear end of the neck portion. The left and right shafts are inserted into the respective primary and secondary apertures prior to the left and right discs being installed on the inner ends of the respective shafts. The respective discs are tightened onto the shafts by set screws that can be reached by an Allen wrench inserted through the open front end of tubular member on the rear end of the neck portion of the handgrip. 
     Accordingly, this invention provides a folding stock assembly having novel structure for limiting both forward and rearward rotation. 
     This invention separately provides a folding stock assembly having novel structure for locking it in its static forward stored position and also locking it in its rearward functional deployed position. 
     This invention separately provides a folding stock assembly having a novel structure for securing it to a rearwardly extending neck portion formed adjacent the top end of a handgrip. 
     This invention separately provides a folding stock assembly that is economical to manufacture and market. 
     This invention separately provides a folding stock assembly that is easily installed. 
     These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in or are apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary, non-limiting embodiments. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary firearm with the elongated stock in its rearward functional deployed position; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the elongated stock pivoted forward to its static forward stored position; 
         FIG. 3  shows a side perspective view illustrating the folding stock assembly secured to the rear end of the neck portion of a handgrip; 
         FIG. 4  shows an exploded cross sectional view of the neck portion and the end cap of a first exemplary embodiment of a folding stock assembly, according to this invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows an exploded view illustrating a first exemplary embodiment of a folding stock assembly secured to the front ends of the left and right elongated arm members of a stock, according to this invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows a schematic cross section view of the end cap, the tubular member and the structure in the end cap that captures the left and right discs on the left and right shaft members; 
         FIG. 7  shows an exploded view illustrating a second exemplary embodiment of a folding stock assembly secured to the front ends of the left and right elongated arm members of a stock, according to this invention; 
         FIG. 8A  shows a side view of the neck portion and the end cap of a second exemplary embodiment of a folding stock assembly, according to this invention; and 
         FIG. 8B  shows an exploded cross sectional view of the neck portion and the end cap of a second exemplary embodiment of a folding stock assembly, according to this invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     For simplicity and clarification, the design factors and operating principles of the folding stock according to this invention are explained with reference to various exemplary embodiments of a folding stock according to this invention. The basic explanation of the design factors and operating principles of the folding stock is applicable for the understanding, design, and operation of the folding stock of this invention. 
     It should also be appreciated that the terms “firearm”, “rifle”, and “shotgun” are used for basic explanation and understanding of the operation of the systems, methods, and apparatuses of this invention. Therefore, the terms “firearm”, “rifle”, and “shotgun” are not to be construed as limiting the systems, methods, and apparatuses of this invention. 
     Turning now to the drawing Figs.,  FIGS. 1-3  show the folding stock assembly secured to the rear end of a firearm  12 . The folding stock assembly is generally designated numeral  10 . The firearm  12  has a gun barrel  14 , a forend  15 , and a handgrip  16 . A neck portion extends rearwardly from the top end of a handgrip  16  and has a tubular member  19  formed at its rear end. A connecting member  20  secures the receiver of the firearm  12  to the top end of handgrip  16 . In  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the folding stock assembly  10  is illustrated in its rearward, functional deployed position. In  FIG. 2 , the folding stock assembly  10  is illustrated in its static, forward stored position. 
     Elongated stock  22  has laterally spaced left elongated arm member  23  and right elongated arm member  24 . A U-shaped shoulder rest portion  26  has its top end connected to the rear end of the respective right and left elongated arm members  23  and  24 . In certain exemplary embodiments, elongated stock  22  comprises a continuous portion of material that extends from the left elongated arm member  23  to the right elongated arm member  24 . Alternatively, elongated stock  22  may comprise a discrete left elongated arm member  23  and a discrete right elongated arm member  24 , secured to one another via the shoulder rest portion  26 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate the manner in which a first exemplary embodiment of the folding stock assembly is secured to the tubular portion  19  of the neck portion  18 . Tubular portion  19  has a pair of diametrically opposed secondary apertures  28  formed therein. A left front end member  30  is secured to the front end of left elongated arm member by a set screw that is screwed into threaded bore hole  32 . The left shaft member  33  extends inwardly from front end member  30  and it has a relieved surface  44  adjacent its front end. A left disc  36  is inserted on the inner end of left shaft member  33  and held securely thereto by set screw  38 . The outer surface  39  of left disc  36  has a raised boss member  40  extending across most of its width. A raised shoulder  42  extends inwardly from the inner surface  43 . A front end member  45  is secured to the front end of right elongated arm member  24  by a set screw  47  that threads into threaded bore hole  48 . A right shaft member  50  extends inwardly from right front end member  45 . Right disc  52  is secured on the inner end of right shaft  50 . Right disc  52  has an outer surface  54  having a raised boss member  55  extending across most of its width. Right disc  52  has an inner surface  57  having a raised shoulder  58  thereon. Raised shoulder has a stop  59  and a stop  60  that mates with structure in the interior of end cap  62 . 
     The structure that illustrates how left disc  36  and right disc  52  are captured in end cap  62  is best illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 6 . End cap  62  has diametrically opposed primary apertures  64 , a rear wall  65 , and a knob  66  having a sling attachment aperture. The interior of end cap  62  is cylindrical as is the interior of tubular member  19 . A left receptacle  70  and a right receptacle  72  each have a cylindrical outer surface that mates with the cylindrical interior of tubular member  19 . Left receptacle  70  has a groove  74  that matingly receives raised boss member  40  of left disc  36 . Right receptacle  72  has a groove  76  that matingly receives raised boss member  55  of right disc  52 . A centrally positioned dog member  80  extends rearwardly from the inner surface of rear wall  65  of end cap  62  in alignment with right disc  52  and left disc  36 . Dog member  80  has rotation stops  82  and  84 . 
     When left front end member  30  and right front end member  45  are squeezed together left disc  36  and right disc  52  travel inwardly. This causes raised boss member  40  and raised boss member  55  to disengage from the respective grooves  74  and  76  in receptacles  70  and  72 . At this time, elongated stock  22  can be pivoted between its static forward stored position and its rearward functional deployed position. The rotation is limited by the stops on the respective shoulders on the inner surface of discs  52  and  36  when they contact the rotation stops  82  and  84  of dog member  80 . 
       FIGS. 7-8B  illustrate the manner in which a second exemplary embodiment of the folding stock assembly is secured to the tubular portion  19  of the neck portion  18 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 7-8B , the diametrically opposed secondary apertures  28 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , are replaced by diametrically opposed locking channels  29 . The locking channels  29  are mirror images of one another and extend in a generally “L” shape from the terminating end of the tubular portion  19  of the neck portion  18  to a locking portion  27 . 
     Each of the locking channels  29  is formed so as to accept one of the left shaft member  33  or the right shaft member  50 , such that, in order to secure the folding stock assembly to the tubular portion  19  of the neck portion  18  the left shaft member  33  and the right shaft member  50  are each aligned with one of the locking channels  29 . As the folding stock assembly is urged onto the tubular portion  19  of the neck portion  18 , the left shaft member  33  and the right shaft member  50  move within the locking channels  29  such that the folding stock assembly is twisted until the left shaft member  33  and the right shaft member  50  are seated within the locking portions  27  of the locking channels  29 . 
     The frictional fit of the left shaft member  33  and the right shaft member  50  within the locking portions  27  of the locking channels  29  may be sufficient to secure the folding stock assembly to the tubular portion  19  of the neck portion  18 . 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, one or more textured areas, protrusions, or bumps may be formed in or along the locking channels  29  to provide additional frictional engagement between the left shaft member  33 , the right shaft member  50 , and the locking channels  29 . 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, a set screw  90  is provided within an aperture  87  formed in the end cap  62 . If the set screw  90  is provided, when the folding stock assembly is secured to the tubular portion  19  of the neck portion  18 , the set screw  90  can be tightened to engage the surface of the tubular portion  19  of the neck portion  18  and further secure the folding stock assembly to the neck portion  18  by providing resistance to the rotation of the end cap  62  relative to the neck portion  18 . 
     While this invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiment(s) outlined above, it is evident that this invention is not limited to particular variation(s) set forth and many alternatives, adaptations, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     It is to be understood that the phraseology of terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. 
     In addition, it is contemplated that any optional feature of the inventive variations described herein may be set forth and claimed independently, or in combination with any one or more of the features described herein. 
     Such alternatives, adaptations, modifications, and variations should and are intended to be and are comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed exemplary embodiment(s) and may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting and the fundamental design should not be considered to be necessarily so constrained. Various changes, modifications, and/or adaptations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.