Firearm fire control selector
View Patent ↗An automatic firearm capable of automatic or semiautomatic fire. The firearm has a receiver having a moveable hammer. A selector is rotatably mounted in the receiver. A first sear is rotatably mounted in the receiver to engage the hammer where the first sear contacts a first camming surface of the selector. A second sear is rotatably mounted in the receiver to engage the hammer where the second sear contacts a second camming surface of the selector. A disconnect is rotatably mounted in the receiver where the disconnect contacts a third camming surface of the selector. The selector has a number of selectable positions disposed so that rotation of the selector between a first and last selectable position of the number of selectable positions is less than 180 degrees.
1. An automatic firearm capable of automatic or semiautomatic fire comprising:
a receiver having a moveable hammer located therein;
a selector rotatably mounted in the receiver, the selector having at least one camming surface arranged for camming engagement with
a automatic sear, the automatic sear contacting the at least one camming surface and rotatably mounted in the receiver to engage the hammer,
a second sear, rotatably mounted in the receiver to engage the hammer, and
a disconnect rotatably mounted in the receiver,
wherein, the selector has a number of selectable positions, at least one selectable position of which corresponds to the at least one camming surface being in camming engagement with the automatic sear, the at least one camming surface being arranged for camming engagement with the second sear and disconnect and disposed relative to the automatic sear, second sear and disconnect so that rotation of the selector between a first and last selectable position of the number of selectable positions is less than 180 degrees.
2. The automatic firearm of claim 1 , wherein the second sear is formed on the trigger.
3. The automatic firearm of claim 1 , wherein the selectable positions are fire control positions.
4. The automatic firearm of claim 3 , wherein the fire control positions includes at least safe, semiautomatic and automatic positions.
5. The automatic firearm of claim 1 , wherein the selectable positions are disposed so that rotation of the selector between at least two adjacent ones of the selectable positions is 45 degrees.
6. The automatic firearm of claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the selector between the first and last selectable positions is 90 degrees.
7. The automatic firearm of claim 1 , wherein the selector further comprises a first switch handle protruding from a first side of the receiver and a second switch handle protruding from an opposite second side of the receiver.
8. The automatic firearm of claim 2 , wherein the at least one camming surface has a land contacting the second sear when the selector is in a semiautomatic position, and wherein the at least one camming surface further has a step projecting radially from the land, the step contacting the second sear when the selector is in a safe position.
9. The automatic firearm of claim 8 , wherein the land and the step form a notch in the selector.
10. The automatic firearm of claim 1 , wherein the at least one camming surface has a notch and wherein a leg of the automatic sear is accepted in the notch when the selector is in a fully automatic position.
11. The automatic firearm of claim 10 , wherein the at least one camming surface has first and second engagement surfaces and wherein the leg of the automatic sear contacts the first engagement surface when the selector is in a semiautomatic position and wherein the leg of the automatic sear contacts the second engagement surface when the selector is in a safe position.
12. The automatic firearm of claim 1 wherein:
the selector has an ambidextrous selector assembly adapted to be rotatably mounted in the receiver, the receiver having first and second opposing sides, the ambidextrous selector assembly comprising:
a first fire control selector, with the at least one camming surface therein, and having a switch handle, and a coupling feature and at least one recess adapted to be engaged by a moveable plunger of the firearm for holding the first fire control selector in a selectable position; and
a second fire control selector having a switch handle, a mating feature and a slot;
wherein, the mating feature in the second fire control selector engages the coupling feature of the first fire control selector, wherein, when mounted to the receiver, the first fire control selector protrudes from the first side of the receiver and the second fire control selector protrudes from the second side of the receiver, and wherein the plunger engages the at least one recess through the slot.
13. The automatic firearm of claim 12 , wherein the coupling feature has a torque transfer feature.
14. The automatic firearm of claim 12 , wherein the selector assembly is capable of rotation between a safe position, a semiautomatic position and a fully automatic position, and wherein rotation between the safe position and the fully automatic position is less than 180 degrees.
15. The automatic firearm of claim 12 , wherein the selector assembly is capable of rotation between a safe position, a semiautomatic position and a fully automatic position, and wherein rotation between the safe position and the fully automatic position is about 90 degrees.
16. The automatic firearm of claim 12 , wherein the at least one camming surface comprises a trigger camming surface having a land contacting a trigger when the selector assembly is in a semiautomatic position, and wherein the trigger camming surface further has a step projecting from the land, the step contacting the trigger when the fire control selector is in a safe position, and wherein the land and the step form a notch in the camming surface.
17. The automatic firearm of claim 12 wherein the at least one camming surface comprises a sear camming surface having a notch and wherein a leg of an automatic sear is accepted in the notch when the selector assembly is in a fully automatic position, and wherein the sear camming surface has first and second engagement surfaces, and wherein the leg of the automatic sear contacts the first engagement surface when the selector assembly is in a semiautomatic position, and wherein the leg of the automatic sear contacts the second engagement surface when the selector assembly is in a safe position.
18. The automatic firearm of claim 12 , wherein the moveable plunger locks the first fire control selector and the second fire control selector together.
19. The automatic firearm of claim 12 , wherein the coupling feature transfers torque between the first fire control selector and the second fire control selector.