Semiautomatic Rifle with Downward Ejection

Abstract

A bolt assembly for a rifle is configured for recoil blowback operation and cooperation with a round of ammunition dispensed from a magazine into a firing chamber of the rifle. An extractor disposed in a lower, forward portion of the bolt assembly and an ejector disposed in an upper, forward portion of the bolt assembly further cooperate with the round of ammunition to extract a spent cartridge of the round of ammunition from the firing chamber and eject the spent cartridge downward from the firing chamber.

1 . A bolt assembly for a rifle configured for recoil blowback operation, comprising:
 a body having a first section for cooperating with a round of ammunition dispensed into a firing chamber of said rifle from a magazine;   an extractor disposed in a lower, forward portion of said first section; and   an ejector disposed in an upper, forward portion of said first section.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said extractor and said ejector cooperate with said round of ammunition to extract a spent cartridge of said round of ammunition from said firing chamber and eject said spent cartridge downward from said firing chamber.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said body includes a second section attached to said first section at an end opposite said forward portion of said first section.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 said first and second portions of said body of said bolt assembly include first and second guide rail tracks formed along respective first and second sides of said bolt assembly.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 said first and second guide rail tracks of said bolt assembly slide along corresponding guide rails disposed on each internal side of a recoil bore aligned with a barrel of said rifle.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said extractor comprises:
 a pivoting lever urged by a first spring to grasp a rim of said cartridge when said bolt assembly is in a forward-most position within said rifle.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said ejector comprises:
 a piston urged by a second spring to force said cartridge downward when said cartridge is fully extracted from a barrel of said rifle.   
     
     
         8 . A bolt assembly for an upper receiver of an AR-15 type rifle configured for ejecting spent cartridges downward through a magazine well of said rifle, comprising:
 a bolt assembly having first and second guide rail tracks formed along respective first and second sides of said bolt assembly;   an extractor disposed at least partially within a lower, forward end of said bolt assembly; and   an ejector disposed at least partially within an upper, forward end of said bolt assembly and operative in cooperation with said extractor to eject said spent cartridge downward through said magazine well of said AR-15 type rifle when said rifle is fired.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said bolt assembly comprises:
 a bolt assembly configured for recoil blowback operation.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , said bolt assembly further comprising:
 a forward section and a second section, coupled together and including first and second guide rail tracks formed along respective first and second sides of said bolt assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 said first and second guide rail tracks slide along corresponding first and second guide rails disposed on each internal side of a recoil bore aligned with a barrel of said rifle.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said extractor comprises:
 a pivoting lever urged by a first spring to grasp a rim of said cartridge when said bolt assembly is in a forward-most position within said rifle.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said ejector comprises:
 a piston urged by a second spring to force said cartridge downward when said cartridge is fully extracted from a barrel of said rifle.   
     
     
         14 . A semiautomatic rifle, comprising:
 a lower receiver assembly for a standard AR-15—type rifle having a magazine well disposed in its underside;   an upper receiver assembly adapted for attaching to said lower receiver assembly and configured for ejection of spent cartridges downward through said magazine well of said lower receiver assembly; and   an ammunition magazine detachably mounted upon said upper receiver assembly and configured to dispense cartridges into a firing chamber of said upper receiver.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , said upper receiver comprising:
 a bolt assembly installed in said upper receiver assembly and configured for straight/recoil blowback operation and having an ejector for ejecting said spent cartridge downward through said magazine well.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , said bolt assembly further comprising:
 an extractor for extracting a spent cartridge to a position to be ejected from said upper receiver assembly by said ejector as said bolt assembly moves rearward during recoil.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , said upper receiver comprising:
 a rifle barrel installed in said upper receiver assembly;   wherein said rifle barrel and said bolt assembly are aligned along a common longitudinal axis of said upper receiver assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein:
 said ammunition magazine is mounted on top of said upper receiver assembly for dispensing said cartridges into said firing chamber.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein further:
 said upper receiver includes no bolt carrier, no charging handle, and no gas tube.