Gas Piston System Actuator Assembly for Rifle Automatic Ejection and Reload

Abstract

An actuator assembly includes a piston chamber assembly having a piston chamber and a pin receiving tube extending from the piston chamber. A gas transfer pin has a first end inserted in the pin receiving tube and a second end received in a rifle sight alignment bore. The gas transfer pin has a longitudinal bore in communication with the piston chamber. A piston member is slidably received in the piston chamber and includes a piston body with a piston member extension tube. The piston body includes a raised piston portion having piston rings, and a ring divider slot positioned between the piston rings. A rod assembly has a rod engagement end received in a piston member extension tube receiving bore. A piston clip has an arm extending through both the rod engagement end and the piston member extension tube connecting the rod assembly and piston member and a spiral end.

1 . An actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system, comprising:
 a piston chamber assembly having a piston chamber and a pin receiving tube integrally extending from an end of the piston chamber; and   a piston member slidably received in the piston chamber, the piston member including:
 a piston body having a raised piston portion including at least two piston rings; and 
 a piston member extension tube extending axially away from the piston body. 
   
     
     
         2 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 1 , further including an operating rod assembly having a rod engagement end slidably received in an engagement end receiving bore of the piston member extension tube. 
     
     
         3 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 2 , further including a piston clip having a clip arm extending through both the rod engagement end and the piston member extension tube to releasably connect the operating rod assembly to the piston member. 
     
     
         4 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 3 , wherein the piston clip further includes a clip spiral end having a bend leg defining a continuous bend with respect to a longitudinal axis of the piston clip. 
     
     
         5 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 1 , further including a ring divider slot positioned directly between the at least two piston rings. 
     
     
         6 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 1 , further including a gas transfer pin having a first end slidably inserted in the pin receiving tube and a second end slidably received in a pin alignment bore of a rifle sight, the gas transfer pin having a pin longitudinal bore in communication with the piston chamber, wherein a backpressure from an expanding gas in the piston chamber during an initial use of the actuator assembly drives the piston chamber assembly forward with respect to the initially frictionally seated gas transfer pin until the pin receiving tube self seats against a flat plate portion of a hand guard cap. 
     
     
         7 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 1 , wherein the raised piston portion is located at a free end of the piston body. 
     
     
         8 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two piston rings of the piston member include first, second and third piston rings having first and second ring divider slots between successive ones of the piston rings. 
     
     
         9 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 1 , wherein the piston member further includes a transition portion changing an elevation of the piston member extension tube with respect to a lower face of the piston body. 
     
     
         10 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 1 , wherein the raised piston portion is in sliding contact between an upper inner wall and a lower inner wall of the piston chamber assembly, thereby creating an upper and a lower clearance space between the piston body and the upper and lower inner walls, the upper and lower clearance spaces providing a throttled gas discharge path to atmosphere from the piston chamber past the raised piston portion during sliding motion of the piston member. 
     
     
         11 . An actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system, comprising:
 a piston chamber assembly having a piston chamber and a pin receiving tube homogenously extending from an end of the piston chamber;   a piston member slidably received in the piston chamber, the piston member including a piston body and a piston member extension tube extending axially away from the piston body, the piston body having:
 a raised piston portion having at least two piston rings; 
 a ring divider slot positioned directly between the at least two piston rings; 
 a lower face; and 
 a transition portion changing an elevation of the piston member extension tube with respect to the lower face; and 
   an operating rod assembly having a rod engagement end slidably received in an engagement end receiving bore of the piston member extension tube.   
     
     
         12 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 11 , further including a gas transfer pin having a first end slidably inserted in the pin receiving tube during installation of the actuator assembly and a second end slidably received in a pin alignment bore of a rifle sight. 
     
     
         13 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 12 , wherein the gas transfer pin includes a pin longitudinal bore in communication with the piston chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 12 , wherein backpressure from expanding gas in the piston chamber initially drives the piston chamber assembly forward with respect to the initially frictionally seated gas transfer pin until the pin receiving tube self seats against a flat plate portion of a hand guard cap, thereafter providing longitudinal and latitudinal support and stability at a connection of the gas transfer pin receiving tube and the gas transfer pin. 
     
     
         15 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 14 , wherein an axial gap of approximately 0.051 to 0.089 cm (0.020 to 0.035 in) is originally present between the hand guard cap and an end of the gas transfer pin receiving tube. 
     
     
         16 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 11 , further including a piston clip having a clip arm extending through both the rod engagement end and the piston member extension tube to releasably connect the operating rod assembly to the piston member. 
     
     
         17 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 16 , wherein the piston clip further includes a clip spiral end having a bend leg including at least one bend bending at least 120 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of piston clip. 
     
     
         18 . An actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system, comprising:
 a piston chamber assembly having a piston chamber and a pin receiving tube homogenously extending from an end of the piston chamber;   a piston member slidably received in the piston chamber, the piston member including a piston body and a piston member extension tube extending axially away from the piston body, the piston body having:
 a raised piston portion having at least two piston rings; and 
 a ring divider slot positioned directly between the at least two piston rings; 
   an operating rod assembly having a rod engagement end slidably received in an engagement end receiving bore of the piston member extension tube; and   a piston clip having a clip arm extending through both the rod engagement end and the piston member extension tube to releasably connect the operating rod assembly to the piston member and a clip spiral end having a bend leg defining a continuous bend of at least 120 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the piston clip.   
     
     
         19 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 18 , further including gas flow passage providing for gas communication between the piston chamber and a receiving tube bore separated by an end wall. 
     
     
         20 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 19 , wherein a passage diameter of the gas flow passage is smaller than an opening of the piston chamber and a diameter of the receiving tube bore. 
     
     
         21 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 18 , further including an actuator assembly releasably pinned using the piston clip to the piston member, the actuator assembly having:
 a bushing with a bushing bore;   the bushing bore sized to be slidingly received about an outer diameter of a solid first rod member; and   a second rod member having the first rod member releasably connected to the second rod member using a rod connecting member.   
     
     
         22 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 21 , wherein a piston chamber inner length is predetermined based on a total axial throw required for the actuator assembly and thereby based on a maximum sliding displacement of the piston member. 
     
     
         23 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 22 , wherein the piston chamber inner length is approximately 3.15 cm (1.24 in). 
     
     
         24 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 18 , further including a gas transfer pin having a first end slidably received in the pin receiving tube and a second end slidably received in a pin alignment bore of a rifle sight, the gas transfer pin having a pin longitudinal bore in communication with the piston chamber. 
     
     
         25 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 24 , wherein an installed position of the actuator assembly with respect to a front sight and a barrel of a rifle is defined by:
 a sliding contact between the first rod member and an outer surface of a barrel nut; and   a transition portion upper face of the piston member being positioned at a spacing dimension with respect to a barrel longitudinal axis of the barrel.   
     
     
         26 . The actuator assembly for a rifle gas piston ejection and reload system of  claim 24 , further including:
 a first end of the gas transfer pin being slidably received in a gas transfer pin receiving tube of the piston chamber assembly; and   a second end of the gas transfer pin being slidably received in a pin alignment bore extending partially through the front sight and axis parallel with the barrel longitudinal axis;   the gas transfer pin being further axially restrained within the pin alignment bore by extension of a retention pin through a retention pin mating bore opening into the pin alignment bore.