Integrated Barrel Assembly for Firearm

Abstract

An integrated barrel assembly, configured to cooperate with a firearm receiver assembly firearm, comprises a barrel having a breech end and a muzzle end and a connector for securing and aligning it with the receiver assembly. The design eliminates the need for a separate barrel and barrel extension and improves the structural integrity and performance of the firearm. The barrel defines a bolt head cavity, a chamber, and a bore all in fluid communication and serially extending from its breech end to muzzle end, and an internal breech face is created where the bolt head cavity meets the chamber. The bolt head cavity comprises bolt-locking lugs and angled feed ramps, and the chamber and bore are configured to cooperate with a particular cartridge case and projectile. The barrel preferably comprises steel or a steel alloy and a coating applied to the barrel's outer surface, inner surface, ends, and gas port.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An integrated barrel assembly for cooperating with a receiver assembly of a firearm comprising:
 a. a barrel comprising a muzzle end, a breech end, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a barrel wall, wherein the barrel inner surfaces defines a barrel cavity extending from its breech end to its barrel end and wherein the barrel wall is disposed between the barrel inner surface and the barrel outer surface; and   b. a connector configured to cooperate with the receiver assembly of the firearm such that the barrel assembly can be directly aligned with or attached to the receiver assembly without a barrel extension;   c. wherein the barrel cavity defined by the barrel inner surface comprises:
 i. a bolt head cavity in fluid communication with the breech end of the barrel and configured to cooperate with a bolt of the firearm receiver assembly; 
 ii. a chamber in fluid communication with the bolt head cavity and configured to cooperate with a cartridge case and projectile; and 
 iii. a bore in fluid communication with the chamber and the muzzle end of the barrel and configured to direct a projectile out of the muzzle end of the barrel after the projectile has been fired. 
   
     
     
         2 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the connector comprises an indexing pin, wherein the barrel assembly comprises a pin receptacle disposed in the barrel out surface and defined by the barrel wall; and wherein the index pin is secured in the pin receptacle with a press fit. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bolt head cavity comprises one or more lugs defined by the barrel and disposed at its circumference at the breech end of the barrel wherein the legs are configured to cooperate with lugs on the bolt of the receiver assembly; 
     
     
         4 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 3  wherein the bolt head cavity further comprises one or more feed ramps defined by the barrel and disposed at its circumference at the breech end of the barrel. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the general diameter of the chamber is smaller in size than the general diameter of the bolt head cavity, and wherein an inner breech surface is disposed in the barrel cavity at the transition between the bolt head cavity and the chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a gas port defined by the barrel wall, extending from the barrel outer surface to the barrel inner surface, and positioned to be in fluid communication with the bore. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 2  further comprising a gas port defined by the barrel wall, extending from the barrel outer surface to the barrel inner surface, and positioned to be in fluid communication and such that it is substantially aligned with the indexing pin so that when the indexing pin is positioned at a first circumferential position on the barrel, the gas port is likewise positioned at a first circumferential position on the barrel. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the barrel comprises a rigid material capable of resisting high temperatures and high pressure exerted in the barrel cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 8  wherein the barrel further comprises a coating substantially evenly disposed over the outer barrel surface and the inner barrel surface. 
     
     
         10 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 7  wherein the barrel comprises a rigid material capable of resisting high temperatures and high pressure exerted in the barrel cavity and a coating substantially evenly disposed over the outer barrel surface, the inner barrel surface, and the surface of the gas port. 
     
     
         11 . An integrated barrel assembly for cooperating with a receiver assembly of a firearm consisting of:
 a. a barrel comprising a muzzle end, a breech end, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a barrel wall, wherein the barrel inner surfaces defines a barrel cavity extending from its breech end to its barrel end and wherein the barrel wall is disposed between the barrel inner surface and the barrel outer surface; and   b. a connector configured to cooperate with the receiver assembly of the firearm such that the barrel assembly can be directly attached to or aligned with the receiver assembly without a barrel extension;   c. wherein the barrel cavity defined by the barrel inner surface comprises:
 i. a bolt head cavity in fluid communication with the breech end of the barrel and configured to cooperate with a bolt of the firearm receiver assembly; 
 ii. a chamber in fluid communication with the bolt head cavity and configured to cooperate with a cartridge case and projectile; and 
 iii. a bore in fluid communication with the chamber and the muzzle end of the barrel and configured to direct a projectile out of the muzzle end of the barrel after the projectile has been fired. 
   
     
     
         12 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the connector comprises an indexing pin, wherein the barrel assembly comprises a pin receptacle disposed in the barrel out surface and defined by the barrel wall; and wherein the index pin is secured in the pin receptacle with a press fit. 
     
     
         13 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bolt head cavity comprises one or more lugs defined by the barrel and disposed at its circumference at the breech end of the barrel wherein the legs are configured to cooperate with lugs on the bolt of the receiver assembly; 
     
     
         14 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 3  wherein the bolt head cavity further comprises one or more feed ramps defined by the barrel and disposed at its circumference at the breech end of the barrel. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the general diameter of the chamber is smaller in size than the general diameter of the bolt head cavity, and wherein an inner breech surface is disposed in the barrel cavity at the transition between the bolt head cavity and the chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a gas port defined by the barrel wall, extending from the barrel outer surface to the barrel inner surface, and positioned to be in fluid communication with the bore. 
     
     
         17 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 2  further comprising a gas port defined by the barrel wall, extending from the barrel outer surface to the barrel inner surface, and positioned to be in fluid communication and such that it is substantially aligned with the indexing pin so that when the indexing pin is positioned at a first circumferential position on the barrel, the gas port is likewise positioned at a first circumferential position on the barrel. 
     
     
         18 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the barrel comprises a rigid material capable of resisting high temperatures and high pressure exerted in the barrel cavity and a coating substantially evenly disposed over the outer barrel surface and the inner barrel surface. 
     
     
         19 . The integrated barrel assembly of  claim 7  wherein the barrel comprises a rigid material capable of resisting high temperatures and high pressure exerted in the barrel cavity and a coating substantially evenly disposed over the outer barrel surface, the inner barrel surface, and the surface of the gas port. 
     
     
         20 . An integrated barrel assembly for cooperating with a receiver assembly of a firearm comprising:
 a. a barrel, formed from a single piece of rigid material capable of withstanding high temperature and high pressure, comprising:
 i. a muzzle end and a breech end; 
 ii. an inner surface, an outer surface; and a barrel wall; wherein the barrel inner surface defines a barrel cavity extending from its breech end to its barrel end and wherein the barrel wall is disposed between the barrel inner surface and the barrel outer surface; 
 iii. a pin receptacle defined by the barrel wall and disposed on the barrel outer surface; 
 iv. a flange integral with the barrel wall and disposed around the outer surface of the barrel; 
 v. a gas port defined by the barrel wall, extending from the barrel outer surface to the barrel inner surface, and positioned to be in fluid communication with the barrel cavity and positioned such that it is substantially aligned with the pin receptacle so that when the pin receptacle is positioned at a first circumferential position on the barrel, the gas port is likewise positioned at a first circumferential position on the barrel; and 
 vi. a coating substantially evenly disposed over the outer barrel surface, the inner barrel surface, and the surface of the gas port; and 
   b. an indexing pin secured in the pin receptacle with a press fit and configured to cooperate with the receiver assembly of the firearm such that the indexing pin and flange facilitate attaching the barrel assembly to and aligning the barrel assembly with the receiver assembly without a barrel extension;   c. wherein the barrel cavity defined by the barrel inner surface comprises:
 i. a bolt head cavity in fluid communication with the breech end of the barrel and configured to cooperate with a bolt of the firearm receiver assembly; wherein the bolt head cavity comprises one or more lugs integral with the barrel wall and disposed at the bolt head cavity circumference at the breech end of the barrel wherein the legs are configured to cooperate with lugs on the bolt of the receiver assembly and wherein the bolt head cavity further comprises one or more feed ramps defined by the barrel and disposed at its circumference at the breech end of the barrel; 
 ii. a chamber in fluid communication with the bolt head cavity comprising two or more chamber sections of varying diameters, wherein the chamber sections are configured to with a cartridge case and projectile; and 
 iii. a bore in fluid communication with the chamber and the muzzle end of the barrel and configured to direct a projectile out of the muzzle end of the barrel after the projectile has been fired; where in the bore comprises one or more grooves formed along the barrel inner surface.