Abstract:
A charging handle for the M16/M4/AR-15 family of rifles, comprising a longitudinal extension bar spacing the grip from the operating arm and from the receiver-mating recess normally found on the grip. The extension bar spaces the grip rearwardly of the receiver group, over the forward end of the stock, to provide better access and clearance to the user, especially under stress, when wearing bulky gloves, or when large optics or other accessories are located on the rear of the receiver.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS/PRIORITY BENEFIT CLAIM 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       FIELD 
       [0002]    The subject matter of the present application is in the field of charging handles for the M16/M4/AR-15 family of rifles. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The M16/M4/AR-15 style semiautomatic rifle employs a manual charging handle used to selectively operate the reciprocating bolt in the receiver. The charging handle has a long operating arm normally residing inside the receiver, and an external “T”-grip accessible to the firearm operator at the rear of the receiver. The T-grip includes a rounded relief cut or recess that provides a rounded abutment or shoulder that mates with a rounded abutment or stop at the rear end of the receiver, so that the middle of the T-grip is partly recessed into the receiver. The T-grip further includes a latch that latches the T-grip to the rear of the receiver while the bolt reciprocates during firing. The latch is configured to be disengaged when the T-grip is grasped and pulled back. 
         [0004]    The charging handle is primarily used to load a cartridge from a fresh magazine when the magazine is inserted with the bolt closed on an empty chamber—the handle is pulled back to manually retract the bolt, and then released to chamber a cartridge. The charging handle is used secondarily for manually clearing a jammed case or unfired cartridge from the chamber when the action fails to cycle—the handle is pulled back to retract the bolt and eject the case/cartridge, and then released to chamber a new cartridge. 
         [0005]    In the stress of a firefight or the hurry of a competition, when wearing gloves, or when using bulky optics which overhang the rear of the receiver, it might be more difficult for a shooter to find the T-grip by feel and/or to use the T-grip to operate the charging handle. 
         [0006]    It is known to use “extended” charging handles, where the T-grip is modified with lateral extensions to make it easier to operate. These are not always convenient, however, since the extensions might snag on clothing or interfere with access to the bolt release and forward assist features on the sides of the receiver. Also, prior extended charging handles do not effectively address the issue of bulky optics overhanging the rear of the receiver. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0007]    I have invented an extended charging handle for the M16/M4/AR-15 family of rifles (hereafter collectively “AR-15”), in which an extension bar has been added between the T-grip and the operating arm to longitudinally space the T-grip from the receiver. The extension bar comprises a body wider than the operating arm and narrower than the T-grip, with at least the forward end of the extension bar having a width equal to or greater than the width of the rounded receiver stop to support a rounded receiver-mating relief cut or “recess” portion defining a rounded stop surface. The extension bar also includes an elongated side slot for an elongated latch arm when a conventional latch arm is used. 
         [0008]    In a first form the extension bar comprises a one-piece fixed-length body. In a second form the extension bar comprises at least one removable intermediate segment for adjusting the length of the extension bar. The removable segment of the extension bar can have a dovetail cutout at one end and a dovetail tongue at the other end to mate with matching tongue and cutout portions of the extension bar. 
         [0009]    In a further form, the elongated slot for the elongated latch arm in the extension bar is only a half-slot, i.e. it comprises only a lower shelf or shoulder to support the latch arm. This discourages the accumulation of debris that could interfere with operation of the latch. 
         [0010]    These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, in light of the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a rear right-side perspective view of an AR-15 type rifle, showing a prior art charging handle in its normal forward position in solid lines, and showing it retracted in phantom lines. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a rear right-side perspective view of an AR-15 type rifle, showing a charging handle according to the present invention in its normal forward position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but shows the inventive charging handle retracted. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the prior art charging handle of  FIG. 1  next to the charging handle of  FIG. 2  according to the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a left-side rear perspective view of an AR-15 type rifle, showing an adjustable-length version of a charging handle according to the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but shows the adjustable-length charging handle in exploded assembly view. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the charging handle of  FIG. 4 , with a modified support for the elongated latch arm. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7A  shows the charging handle of  FIG. 7  from a left-side rear perspective view of the rifle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , an AR-15 type rifle is shown at  10 , with a receiver  12  having an upper rear end  14  terminating in a rounded abutment or stop  16  designed to receive a grip portion  22  of a charging handle  20 . Specifically, the rounded stop  16  is designed to mate with a rounded receiver-mating recess  22   a  defining a rounded stop surface located between the ears or ends  22   b  of the grip. This rounded configuration is believed to be designed to better distribute forces and to reduce wear on the receiver and handle when the handle slams home. It is a standard receiver configuration on this type of rifle. 
         [0020]    Charging handle  20  has an operating arm  24  located inside the receiver  12  when the charging handle is in the “home” or forward position shown in solid lines. A forward end of the operating arm (not shown) selectively operates the rifle&#39;s bolt in known manner. 
         [0021]    Charging handle  20  is often milled from a wear-resistant aluminum alloy, and except for the latch structure (including any related pivot pin and spring structure) is believed to be milled from a single piece or billet of metal. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  4 , and  5 , when the charging handle is in the home position, grip portion  22  is partly recessed into the rear end of the upper receiver  14 , with a middle portion including recess  22   a  residing in a slot  16   a  ( FIG. 3 ) under the rounded stop  16 . Charging handle includes a latch  26  ( FIG. 4 , bottom handle) whose latch-end  26   a  automatically engages a notch or similar strike  17  ( FIG. 5 ), usually on the left side of the receiver, to secure the handle in place when not operating the bolt. 
         [0023]    As seen in  FIG. 1 , grip  22  on charging handle  20  might be difficult to operate in a hurry under certain circumstances. Obstructions on the receiver such as forward assist  13  or rear-hanging optic  15  can interfere with the operator&#39;s access to the charging handle, and slow down its use, particularly under stress or when wearing thick gloves. This can be disadvantageous or even dangerous, depending on the situation. 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 through 4 , I have invented an improved charging handle  30 , with an intermediate extension bar  32  that spaces the grip  22  from the operating arm  24  and spaces the receiver-mating recess  22   a  from the grip. Extension bar  32  comprises a strong, rigid body having a width W 1  greater than the width W 2  of the operating arm  24 , and equal to or greater than the width W 3  of upper rear end  14  of the receiver (in particular rounded stop  16 ) in order to support mating recess  22   a , to increase the strength and rigidity of the handle when retracted, and to provide a support for an elongated latch arm  36 . The thickness (top to bottom) of extension bar  32  is preferably equal to or greater than that of grip  22  and operating arm  24 . Operating arm  24  remains unchanged from the prior operating arm of handle  20  in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0025]    While the length of the extension bar  32  may vary, generally being around one to three inches, it is preferred that it be long enough to space grip portion  22  to the rear of the rearmost portion of receiver  12 , for example lower rear portion  13 , which may be wider than the forward end of the stock  11  where it joins the receiver. The example of  FIG. 2  shows grip  22  overlying a portion of the forward end of stock  11 , and illustrates the relative lack of obstruction to an operator&#39;s fingers gripping the side ears  22   b  of grip portion  22 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show that charging handle  30  with extension bar  32  not only spaces grip  22  rearwardly from the receiver and its obstructions, but also provides a much greater grip area to operate the charging handle. Whereas prior handles  20  as in  FIG. 1  offer only a fingertip grip at  22 , an operator can often get a full hand grip on the grip-plus-extension bar  22 ,  32  of the improved handle. This might be helpful for people with weaker grip, or for particularly difficult jams. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows a side-by-side comparison of a prior charging handle  20  (bottom) and a new charging handle  30  (top) according to the invention. Whereas receiver-mating recess  22   a  in the middle of grip  22  of prior handle  20  is actually recessed into the grip, lying between a midline of the grip ears  22   b , receiver-mating recess  22   a  on handle  30  does not extend into the grip portion  22 —it lies well forward of the grip. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  also shows the latches  26  and  36  of their respective handles  20  and  30 . Latch  36  must extend from grip ears  22   b , where it is operated by the fingers, to the rear end of operating arm  24  so that its latch end  26   a  can engage the notch or strike  17  on the rifle. Latch arm  36  accordingly has an elongated arm portion  36   b  extending along extension bar  32  and supported in a mating slot  33  milled into the side of the extension bar. 
         [0029]    Charging handle  30  shown above is milled from a single piece of aluminum alloy, like a conventional handle  20 , and unless noted otherwise operates in the same fashion as conventional handle  20 . It will be understood that the choice of material and forming method is not limited to the illustrated example. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show a modified extension bar  32 ′, in which a portion of the extension bar includes at least one removable/replaceable adjuster segment  40  between the operating arm  24  and the grip  22  to adjust the length of the extension bar. This might be needed where the firearm has unusually large optics  15  installed, or where the firearm operator is wearing bulky gloves, in which case the extension bar can be lengthened by adding one or more segments  40 . Or, where the firearm operator shoots with a cheek weld on stock  11  unusually close to the receiver, it might be desired to shorten the extension bar  32  by removing one or more segments  40 . 
         [0031]    In the illustrated example of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , adjustment segment  40  includes a rear-facing dovetail  41  and a forward-facing dovetail cutout  43 . Dovetail  41  mates with a dovetail cutout  43  on a rear portion  32   b  of extension bar  32 ′, while dovetail cutout  43  mates with a dovetail  41  on a forward portion  32   c  of extension bar  32 ′. The dovetail configuration preferably tapers from top to bottom for a tapered locking fit when vertically mated, preferably supplemented with an axial connector such as bolt  122  extending through the extension bar  32 ′ via a mating bore in extension bar portions  32   b ,  32   c  and segment  40 . Latch arm slot  33  extends through the dovetail connections, as best shown in  FIG. 5 , and the latch arm in the slot also helps reinforce the connected segments of the charging handle. 
         [0032]    It will be understood that while a single removable adjuster segment  40  is illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , extension bar  32 ′ could include multiple removable adjuster segments. 
         [0033]    It will also be understood that while an intermediate removable dovetailed segment  40  is shown as the currently preferred structure for adjusting the length of extension bar  32 , other types of connection besides dovetail are possible, and other structures for adjusting the length of the extension bar are possible. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 7 and 7A  show a charging handle  30  according to the invention, with a modified latch support slot  33 ′ in which the upper “shelf” or shoulder of extension bar material normally overlying the latch arm has been removed. Modified slot  33 ′ is therefore essentially a lower support shelf or shoulder integral with the body of extension bar  32 . The open nature of support  33 ′ resists the accumulation of debris and dirt that could adversely affect the operation of latch  36 . Other options include making the upper and/or lower “shelf” portions of extension bar  32  discontinuous, with openings allowing dirt and debris to fall out or to be more easily cleaned out. 
         [0035]    Description of Operation 
         [0036]    In operation, the charging handle  30  with extension bar  32 , once installed on the rifle, is used in the same manner as a prior charging handle. 
         [0037]    It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments represent presently preferred examples of how to make and use the invention, but are intended to enable rather than limit the invention. Variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings may be possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It should further be understood that to the extent the term “invention” is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limiting term as to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or discoveries or the scope of any such invention or discovery, but as a term which has long been conveniently and widely used to describe new and useful improvements in science and the useful arts. The scope of the invention should accordingly be construed by what the above disclosure teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and by any claims that the above disclosure supports in this application or in any other application claiming priority to this application.