Patent Publication Number: US-2022228824-A1

Title: Unfinished firearm frame and jig

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/808,115 filed on Mar. 3, 2020, entitled “UNFINISHED FIREARM FRAME AND JIG,” which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/616,537 filed on Jun. 7, 2017, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,612,870, entitled “UNFINISHED FIREARM FRAME AND JIG,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/346,600 filed on Jun. 7, 2016, entitled “Process to Create an Unfinished Pistol Receiver,” which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all that is taught and disclosed therein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to unfinished firearm frames. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The assembly of firearms from parts instead of purchasing a complete firearm has become popular with the purchasers of firearms. It has become a hobby that allows the firearm to be customized with the desired features by the purchaser. When a purchaser buys a completed firearm from the dealer, that purchaser usually ends up spending more money on customizing the firearm, while discarding parts that originally were part of the firearm. Popular changes to completed firearms are trigger replacement, barrel replacement, sight replacement and weight reduction modifications. 
     One of the parts of the firearm is always engraved with a serial number and registered with various government agencies. The registered part is generally considered as the firearm for registration purposes and is usually the receiver or frame of the firearm. The purchaser can purchase only the registered part and build a firearm by purchasing the other required parts to complete the firearm. Under the law in most jurisdictions, a purchaser can machine a firearm without registration of that part that is normally registered. The unregistered machined part usually has restrictions from sale to others and must remain with the person who machined the unregistered part. If a transfer of the unregistered part takes place, the normal federal firearms regulations which include serialization, registration and background checks are required to be performed on the recipient of the firearm. An issue with machining the firearm from scratch is that most purchasers do not have a machine shop or the skills to machine such parts. 
     Machine shops and polymer manufacturers can manufacture firearms receivers up to a point of incompletion, that allows them to sell the unfinished frame to customers, who then proceed to finish the frame for their personal use. Under the federal law, if the part is only completed eighty percent or less of the effort to provide a completed part that requires registration, the part is considered not being a firearm. It should be noted that the “80%” description is not recognized by the ATF as an official technical term, but is understood as a classification or description of the type of component that is being produced within the firearms industry. The part being classified as a non-firearm allows the part to be sold by manufacturers without violating the law. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an unfinished firearm frame that can be completed by a purchaser. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An unfinished firearm frame including areas adapted to install firearm parts to finish the unfinished firearm frame. The frame having a top adapted to receive a slide. Where there is at least one rear restriction protrusion extending from the top of the frame near a rear of the frame which restricts addition of the slide to the frame and at least one front restriction protrusion extending from the top of the frame and forward of the at least one rear restriction protrusion which restricts addition of the slide to the frame. Where there is a recoil assembly block adapted to prevent a recoil assembly from being assembled into the frame. A jig having a right side and a left side to receive and clamp the frame. The jig including three pin hole guides, a removal guide edge for each of the at least one rear restriction protrusion and the at least one front restriction protrusion and a recoil assembly cutout to allow a tool to pass to the recoil assembly block. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an unfinished frame according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an unfinished frame according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a jig according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of a jig according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a jig according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an unfinished frame with parts according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of an unfinished frame with parts according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an unfinished frame with parts according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a side cross sectional view of a finished frame with parts according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a front cross sectional view of a finished frame according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a rear cross sectional view of a finished frame according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an unfinished frame according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a jig according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a jig according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a jig according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a finished rail according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiments of an unfinished firearm frame for building a firearm are disclosed.  FIGS. 1-10  show a first embodiment of an unfinished frame and the method of finishing the unfinished frame, so it may be used as part of a complete firearm.  FIGS. 1-2  show an unfinished frame  10  molded from polymer material. The unfinished frame  10  shown is used with GLOCK firearm parts to assemble a pistol. The unfinished frame  10  includes various open areas and holes to receive firearm parts to complete the unfinished frame  10  into an assembled firearm. The unfinished frame  10  of  FIGS. 1-2  is a pistol frame workpiece for modification. The workpiece after modification becomes a pistol frame adapted to receive a slide. The workpiece includes a body  11  having a grip  13 , a trigger guard  15 , and a forward frame portion  17  extending forward of the grip  13 . The body  11  defines an upper plane surface  94  adapted to define a limited gap  96  (shown in  FIGS. 10 &amp; 11 ) with a lower surface of a slide. The body  11  defines a receptacle  98  adapted to receive a rail component (locking block rail insert  48 ) having upper rail elements (front rails  60  at the top of each side  56 ) adapted to engage a slide. The body  11  has a block element protruding above the upper plane surface adjacent the receptacle and adapted to prevent full insertion of a rail component by obstructing the receptacle. The forward frame portion has opposed elongated upper edges in part defining the upper plane surface and spaced apart to define an elongated channel  200  adapted to receive an elongated pistol operating component  202 . A web  204  is positioned at an intermediate position along the length of the channel. The web spans between the opposed elongated upper edges to divide the channel into a forward portion and a rear portion, and is adapted to prevent the insertion of the elongated pistol operating component. 
     The unfinished frame  10  does not include three of the required pin holes for assembly the unfinished frame  10  into a firearm. The unfinished frame  10  includes four restriction protrusions that prevent a slide of the pistol to be attached to the unfinished frame  10 .  FIG. 2  shows the unfinished frame  10  with two front restriction protrusions  12  and two rear restriction protrusions  14 .  FIG. 2  shows the unfinished frame  10  including a recoil assembly block  16  which prevents a recoil assembly from being installed. The recoil assembly block  16  includes a cutting guide edge  18  formed as part of the unfinished frame  10 .  FIGS. 3-5  show a jig  20  to be used as a clamping block about the unfinished frame  10 .  FIG. 3  shows the jig  20  split into a right half  22  and a left half  24 .  FIG. 4  shows the unfinished frame  10  placed in the right half  22  of the jig  20 .  FIG. 5  shows the left half  24  of the jig  20  assembled to the right half  22  of the jig  20 , thereby enclosing the unfinished frame  20 .  FIG. 3  shows locating pins  26  on the inside of the left half  24  and  FIG. 4  shows locating pin holes  28  for proper assembly of the jig  20 .  FIG. 3  shows a locking tab  30  on the right half  22  and a locking clip  32  on the left half  24  of the jig  20 . The locking clip  32  engages the locking tab  30  when the right half  22  and the left half  24  are assembled, thereby locking the right half  22  and the left half  24  of the jig  20  together. The jig  20  can be clamped into a vise to finish the unfinished frame  10 . 
     The jig  20  includes a first pin hole guide  34 , a second pin hole guide  36  and a third pin hole guide  38  on each of the right half  22  and left half  22  of the jig  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . Each pin hole guide  34 ,  36 ,  38  is marked with the corresponding drill bit size to be used. The first pin hole guide  36  is associated with a trigger pin. The second pin hole guide  36  is associated with a locking block pin. The third pin hole guide  38  is associated with a trigger housing pin. Each of the right half  22  and left half  24  of the jig  20  includes open guides at the positions of the front restriction protrusions  12  and the rear restriction protrusions  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 3-5 . The open guides each include a front stop  40 , rear stop  42  and removal guide surface  44 . Each open guide includes an indicator for what is to be removed from the unfinished frame  10 , as shown by the arrow and the word REMOVE. The jig  20  includes recoil assembly cutout  46  formed by the right half  22  and left half  24  to allow an end mill to enter the jig  20  and remove the recoil assembly block  16 . 
     The unfinished frame  10  is finished by inserting the unfinished frame  10  in the jig  20  and clamping the jig  20  in a vise. The first pin hole, second pin hole and third pin hole are all drilled by the correct corresponding drill bit using the pin hole guides  34 ,  36 ,  38 . Each hole is drilled from each the right half  22  and the left half  24  of the jig  20  into the unfinished frame  10 , instead of drilling one time from one side of the jig  20  and through the unfinished frame  10  onto the other side of the jig  20 . The front restriction protrusions  12  and the rear restriction protrusions  14  are removed using the removal guide surface  44 . Typically, a milling machine tool is used for removal of the front restriction protrusions  12  and the rear restriction protrusions  14 . The removal guide surface is used to prevent too much material from being removed. Finally, the recoil assembly block  16  is removed by inserting an end mill against the recoil assembly block  16  from the direction of the recoil assembly cutout  46  and using the cutting guide edge  18 . The cutting guide edge  16  is used to prevent too much material from being removed. 
     A pistol frame includes slide rails on the top of the frame to receive and locate the slide of the firearm onto the frame. The slide rails are milled or formed as part of the pistol frame by pistol manufacturers. Polymer pistol frames typically have two front rails and two rear rails. The first embodiment includes the use of a locking block rail insert  48  and a rear rail insert  50 , as shown in  FIGS. 6-7 .  FIG. 8  shows the slide  52  and pins used, along with other firearm parts. The locking block rail insert  48  and the rear rail insert  50  are installed in the unfinished frame  10  after modifying the unfinished frame  10  in the jig  20  to provide the front and rear rails required to install the slide  52 . The locking block rail insert  48  is a frame with two sides  56  and a cross member  58 . The locking block rail insert  48  includes a front rail  60  at the top of each side  56 . The sides  56  each include a front hole  62  at the front of the locking block rail insert  48  which aligns with a pin hole  64  preformed in the unfinished frame  10 . The front hole  62  is for a front locking block pin  66  to pass through the unfinished frame  10  and aid in holding the locking block rail insert  48  in position. The sides  56  each include a rear hole  68  at the rear of the locking block rail insert  48  which aligns with the first pin hole  70  on the unfinished frame  10 , so that a trigger pin  72  may pass and aid in holding the locking block rail insert  48  in position. Thus, the first pin hole  70  serves as an aperture defined by the body  11  at the receptacle  98  adapted to receive a pin engaging the rail component (locking block rail insert  48 ). The sides  56  each include a semi-circle cut out  74  above the rear hole  68  which aligns with the second pin hole  76  on the unfinished frame  10 , so that a locking block pin  78  may pass and aid in holding the locking block rail insert  56  in position. The unfinished frame  10  includes surfaces within the unfinished frame  10  that interact with edges of the sides  56  to provide support for the locking block rail insert  48  and lock the locking block rail insert  48  in position. The rear rail insert  50  is a frame with two sides  80  and a cross member  82 . The rear rail insert  50  includes a rear rail  84  at the top of each side  80 . The sides  80  include a lower hole  86  which aligns with the third pin hole  88  on the unfinished frame  10 , so that a trigger housing pin  90  may pass and aid in holding the rear rail insert  50  in position. The unfinished frame  10  includes surfaces within the unfinished frame  10  that interact with edges of the sides  80  to provide support for the rear rail insert  50  and lock the rear rail insert  50  in position.  FIG. 9  shows a side cross section of an assembled firearm using unfinished frame  10 . Lines  92  in  FIG. 9  denote where the recoil assembly block  16  was removed.  FIG. 10  shows a front cross section of the slide  52  and rail area of the assembled firearm of  FIG. 9  that includes the locking block rail insert  48 .  FIG. 11  shows a rear cross section of the slide  52  and rail area of the assembled firearm of  FIG. 9  that includes the rear rail insert  50 . 
       FIGS. 12-16  show a second embodiment.  FIG. 12  shows an unfinished frame  100  with front restriction protrusions  102 , rear restriction protrusions  104  and recoil assembly block  106 .  FIGS. 13-14  shows a jig  108  with a right half  110  and left half  112 . The jig  108  includes three pin hole guides  114  labeled with the corresponding drill bit size to be used for drilling. Each of the right half  110  and left half  112  of the jig  108  includes a removal guide surface  116  for removing the front restriction protrusions  102 . Each of the right half  110  and left half  112  of the jig  108  together form a recoil assembly cutout  118  to allow an end mill to enter the jig  108  and remove the recoil assembly block  106 . Each of the right half  110  and left half  112  of the jig  108  includes a rail slot  120  near the rear of the jig  108 .  FIG. 15  shows a close up the rail slot  120  where a milling tool can be inserted to remove material from the rear restriction protrusions  104  to form a rear rail  122 .  FIG. 16  shows a close up of the area  124  where the material was removed to form the rear rail  122  by using the rail slot  120  of the jig  108 . 
     While different embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to the embodiments could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements are illustrative only and are not limiting as to the scope of the invention that is to be given the full breadth of any and all equivalents thereof.