IP Library › Granted Patent US 12680771
Granted Patent B1
US 12680771 · App. 19/253,460 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Caliber and feed-side convertible firearm

Inventor: Geoffrey A. Herring (Melbourne, FL)
Assignee: Ares Defense Systems, Inc.
F41A9/34F41A9/29F41A9/37
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12680771
App. No.
19/253,460
Filed
Jun 27, 2025
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B1
Art Unit
3641
USPC
89/9
Abstract

Disclosed herein is a firearm including a main body having attached thereto a trigger group, a belt feed mechanism, a bolt carrier group, a barrel extension group, a belt box mount, and a stock assembly. The trigger group engages a bottom face of the main body. The trigger group enables fully-automatic mode of operation or select-fire modes of operation (automatic and semi-automatic). The belt feed mechanism is user-selectively engaged with a left-side or a right-side engagement interface of the main body. A top portion (e.g., top surface) of the belt box mount may engage a mating interface at a bottom portion (e.g., bottom surface) of the main body for fixedly engaging the belt box mount to the main body in a manner that inhibits vertical separation of the belt box mount from the main body The stock assembly is engaged with a rear end portion of the main body.

Claims (41)

1 . A firearm, comprising:

a main body having opposing belt feed assembly mounting structures; and

a belt feed assembly selectively engageable with either one of the belt feed assembly mounting structures for enabling belt-fed ammunition to be supplied from the belt feed assembly when engaged with either one of the belt feed assembly mounting structures.

2 . The firearm of claim 1 , wherein:

a first one of the belt feed assembly mounting structures is located on a left side of the main body; and

a second one of the belt feed assembly mounting structures is located on a right side of the main body.

3 . The firearm of claim 1 , wherein the belt feed assembly has a symmetric construction relative to a plane that vertically bisects the belt feed assembly and that extends parallel to an ammunition feed direction of the belt feed assembly.

4 . The firearm of claim 3 , wherein:

a first one of the belt feed assembly mounting structures is located on a left side of the main body; and

a second one of the belt feed assembly mounting structures is located on a right side of the main body.

5 . The firearm of claim 4 , further comprising:

a belt box mount engaged with the main body at a fixed position of the main body, wherein the belt box mount being engaged with the main body at the fixed position enables the belt box mount to secure the belt feed assembly in engagement with both of the belt feed assembly mounting structures.

6 . The firearm of claim 1 , further comprising:

a belt box mount engaged with the main body at a fixed position of the main body, wherein the belt box mount being engaged with the main body at the fixed position secures the belt feed assembly in engagement with either of the belt feed assembly mounting structures.

7 . The firearm of claim 1 , further comprising:

a bolt carrier slidably engaged with the main body between the opposing belt feed assembly mounting structures, wherein the bolt carrier includes belt mechanism motion control surfaces on opposing sides thereof.

8 . The firearm of claim 1 , further comprising:

a barrel attached to the main body; and

a bolt carrier group operably attached to the main body between the opposing belt feed assembly mounting structures;

wherein the belt feed assembly and the bolt carrier group are jointly operable to supply ammunition to a chamber of the barrel when the belt feed assembly is engaged with either one of the belt feed assembly mounting structures.

9 . The firearm of claim 8 , wherein the bolt carrier group is engaged with the main body at a fixed position relative to the position of the belt feed assembly.

10 . The firearm of claim 8 , wherein the belt feed assembly has a symmetric construction relative to a plane that vertically bisects the belt feed assembly and that extends parallel to an ammunition feed direction of the belt feed assembly.

11 . The firearm of claim 8 , wherein:

a bolt carrier of the bolt carrier group is slidably engaged with the main body between the opposing belt feed assembly mounting structures; and

the bolt carrier includes belt mechanism motion control surfaces on opposing sides thereof.

12 . The firearm of claim 11 , wherein the bolt carrier group is engaged with the main body at a fixed position relative to the position of the belt feed assembly.

13 . The firearm of claim 12 , wherein the belt feed assembly has a symmetric construction relative to a plane that vertically bisects the belt feed assembly and that extends parallel to an ammunition feed direction of the belt feed assembly.

14 . The firearm of claim 13 , further comprising:

a belt box mount engaged with the main body at a fixed position of the main body, wherein the belt box mount being engaged with the main body at the fixed position enables the belt box mount to secure the belt feed assembly in engagement with both of the belt feed assembly mounting structures.

15 . The firearm of claim 11 , wherein the belt feed assembly has a symmetric construction relative to a plane that vertically bisects the belt feed assembly and that extends parallel to an ammunition feed direction of the belt feed assembly.

16 . The firearm of claim 8 , further comprising:

a belt box mount engaged with the main body at a fixed position of the main body, wherein the belt box mount being engaged with the main body at the fixed position enables the belt box mount to secure the belt feed assembly in engagement with both of the belt feed assembly mounting structures.

17 . The firearm of claim 1 , further comprising:

a bolt carrier slidably engaged with the main body between the opposing belt feed assembly mounting structures;

wherein the bolt carrier includes a first set of belt mechanism motion control surfaces on a first side of the bolt carrier and a second set of belt mechanism motion control surfaces on a second side of the bolt carrier opposite the first side thereof;

wherein movement control surfaces of a feed lever of the belt feed assembly engage the first set of belt mechanism motion control surfaces when the bolt feed mechanism is engaged with a first one of the belt feed assembly mounting structures; and

wherein the movement control surfaces of the feed lever engage the second set of belt mechanism motion control surfaces when the belt feed mechanism is engaged with a second one of the belt feed assembly mounting structures.

18 . The firearm of claim 17 , wherein the belt feed assembly has a symmetric construction relative to a plane that vertically bisects the belt feed assembly and that extends parallel to an ammunition feed direction of the belt feed assembly.

19 . The firearm of claim 17 , further comprising:

a belt box mount engaged with the main body at a fixed position of the main body, wherein the belt box mount being engaged with the main body at the fixed position secures the belt feed assembly in engaged with either of the belt feed assembly mounting structures.

20 . The firearm of claim 19 , wherein the belt feed assembly has a symmetric construction relative to a plane that vertically bisects the belt feed assembly and that extends parallel to an ammunition feed direction of the belt feed assembly.