Quick Take-Down Firearm

Abstract

Quick take-down firearms and methods of using quick-take down firearms. The quick-take down includes an upper receiver coupling and a barrel coupling. The quick take-down can be unlocked by sliding a sliding lock collar in a translational motion to an unlocked position to release locking elements from a locked configuration. In the unlocked position, a barrel and handguard may be installed onto and removed from the upper receiver of the firearm. Releasing the sliding lock collar returns it to a locked position, securing the barrel and handguard to the upper receiver.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A quick take-down firearm, comprising:
 (a) an upper receiver, the upper receiver comprising an upper receiver coupling;   (b) a rifle barrel, the rifle barrel comprising an insertion end for insertion into the upper receiver, the rifle barrel further comprising a rifle barrel coupling, the upper receiver coupling and the rifle barrel coupling configured to secure the rifle barrel to the upper receiver, the rifle barrel further comprising a handguard connector, the rifle barrel coupling located between the insertion end and the handguard connector;   (c) a handguard connected to the handguard connector of the rifle barrel; and   (d) a sliding lock collar, the sliding lock collar slide-able towards and away from the upper receiver between a first position in which the rifle barrel can be removed from the upper receiver and a second position in which the rifle barrel cannot be removed from the upper receiver.   
     
     
         3 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 2 , wherein the sliding lock collar is biased toward the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 3 , wherein the sliding lock collar is slide-able towards and away from the hand guard when the sliding lock collar is slid between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         5 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 4 , wherein the upper receiver coupling comprises at least one locking element, wherein the rifle barrel coupling comprises at least one depression configured to receive the at least one locking element to secure the rifle barrel to the upper receiver. 
     
     
         6 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 5 , wherein, when the sliding lock collar is in the second position and the rifle barrel is secured to the upper receiver, the at least one locking element cannot be disengaged from the at least one depression. 
     
     
         7 . A quick take-down firearm, comprising:
 (a) an upper receiver, the upper receiver comprising an upper receiver coupling;   (b) a rifle barrel, the rifle barrel comprising a rifle barrel coupling, the upper receiver coupling and the rifle barrel coupling configured to secure the rifle barrel to the upper receiver;   (c) a gas tube; and   (d) a sliding lock collar, the rifle barrel and the gas tube extending through the sliding lock collar when the rifle barrel is secured to the upper receiver, the sliding lock collar slide-able towards and away from the upper receiver between a first position in which the rifle barrel can be removed from the upper receiver and a second position in which the rifle barrel cannot be removed from the upper receiver, the sliding lock collar biased toward the second position.   
     
     
         8 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 7 , further comprising a hand guard, wherein the sliding lock collar is located between the upper receiver and the hand guard when the rifle barrel is secured to the upper receiver, the sliding lock collar slide-able towards and away from the hand guard when the sliding lock collar is slid between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         9 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 8 , wherein the upper receiver coupling comprises at least one locking element, wherein the rifle barrel coupling comprises at least one depression configured to receive the at least one locking element and secure the rifle barrel to the upper receiver. 
     
     
         10 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 9 , wherein, when the sliding lock collar is in the second position and the rifle barrel is secured to the upper receiver, the at least one locking element cannot be disengaged from the at least one depression. 
     
     
         11 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 9 , wherein, when the sliding lock collar is in the second position and the rifle barrel is secured to the upper receiver, the sliding lock collar prevents the at least one locking element from moving out of the depression. 
     
     
         12 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one locking element comprises a plurality of locking elements, and wherein the at least one depression comprises a plurality of depressions positioned about the rifle barrel and configured to receive the plurality of locking elements and secure the rifle barrel to the upper receiver. 
     
     
         13 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 9 , wherein, when the sliding lock collar is in the first position, the at least one locking element can be disengaged from the at least one depression. 
     
     
         14 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 8 , wherein the handguard is connected to the barrel. 
     
     
         15 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 14 , wherein the rifle barrel coupling is located between the upper receiver and the location where the handguard is connected to the barrel. 
     
     
         16 . The quick take-down firearm of  claim 15 , wherein the rifle barrel further comprises threading for connecting the handguard to the barrel. 
     
     
         17 . A barrel for a quick take-down firearm, the barrel comprising:
 (a) an insertion end configured for insertion into an upper receiver of the quick take-down firearm;   (b) a raised reference surface on the barrel and a raised protrusion on the barrel, the reference surface and protrusion configured to align the barrel relative to the upper receiver when inserted into the upper receiver;   (c) a barrel coupling comprising at least one depression configured to receive a locking element of the upper receiver coupling to secure the barrel to the upper receiver, the reference surface and protrusion located between the insertion end and the at least one depression; and   (d) a handguard connector configured to secure a handguard of the quick take-down firearm to the barrel, the at least one depression located between the insertion end and the handguard connector.   
     
     
         18 . The barrel of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one depression comprises a plurality of depressions positioned around the barrel. 
     
     
         19 . The barrel of  claim 18 , wherein the handguard connector comprises threading extending around the barrel.