No shear gas key and carrier system

Abstract

A shear resistant bolt carrier and gas key are provided having a mating recoil lug and recoil lug slot that transfer shear forces between the gas key and bolt carrier to reduce and eliminate shear forces on the screw attachment points and eliminate a point of failure in the bolt carrier group (“BGC”).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bolt carrier group for a firearm comprising:
 a gas key including a first and second screw holes, a gas passage and at least a first shear absorption component on the gas key; and   a bolt carrier having a gas hole, a first and second screw holes arranged to align with the first and second screw holes of the gas key and adapted for receiving a screw in each screw hole for securing the gas key to the bolt carrier, and at least a second shear absorption component on the bolt carrier arranged to engage the first shear absorption component of the gas key.   
     
     
         2 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first shear absorption component and the second shear absorption component comprise a recoil lug and a recoil lug slot. 
     
     
         3 . The bolt carrier group as recited in  claim 2  wherein the recoil lug is a protrusion having a cross-section shape in the form of a rounded rectangle, and the recoil lug slot is one of a detent or hole having side walls in the form of a rounded rectangle sized to receive the recoil lug. 
     
     
         4 . The bolt carrier group as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first shear absorption component is a recoil lug slot and the second shear absorption component is a recoil lug. 
     
     
         5 . The bolt carrier group as recited in  claim 3  wherein the recoil lug is a protrusion having a cross-section shape in the form of one of a square, rectangle, circle, or T and the recoil lug slot is one of a detent or hole having side walls in the form of one of a square, rectangle, circle or T selected and sized to receive the recoil lug. 
     
     
         6 . The bolt carrier group as recited in  claim 1  wherein the bolt carrier includes a plurality of shear absorption components adapted to engagement a plurality of shear absorption components on the gas key. 
     
     
         7 . The bolt carrier group as recited in  claim 1  wherein the bolt carrier extends from a first end to a second end to define a first longitudinal axis, and wherein the gas key extends from a first end to a second end to form a second longitudinal axis, wherein when the gas key is fixed to the bolt carrier second so that the second longitudinal axis is parallel to and in space relation with the first longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         8 . The bolt carrier group as recited in  claim 7  wherein the first shear absorption component and second shear absorption component are arranged to engage and transfer force in a direction parallel to the first longitudinal axis and second longitudinal axis during operation of the bolt carrier group. 
     
     
         9 . The bolt carrier group as recited in  claim 7  wherein the first shear absorption component and second shear absorption component do not prevent the gas key from moving in a direction perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis or second longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . The bolt carrier group as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first and second shear absorption components do not fixedly secure the gas key to the bolt carrier. 
     
     
         11 . The bolt carrier group as recited in  claim 2  wherein the recoil lug is integrally molded in one of the gas key or the bolt carrier. 
     
     
         12 . The bolt carrier group as recited in  claim 2  wherein the recoil lug is a removable pin protruding from one of the gas key or the bolt carrier. 
     
     
         13 . A bolt carrier group for a firearm comprising:
 a gas key having a first and second screw holes and a recoil lug arranged along a bottom surface, and a gas passage extending from a forward facing inlet portion at a front portion of the gas key to a downward facing outlet portion on the bottom surface adjacent one of the first or second screw holes, wherein the recoil lug is integrally formed with the gas key, disposed between the first and second screw holes, extends downwardly from the bottom of the gas key and has a cross-sectional shape in the form of a rounded rectangle; and   a bolt carrier having a first and second screw holes, a recoil lug slot and a gas hole arranged along an upper surface of the bolt carrier, wherein the first and second screw holes are arranged to align with the first and second screw holes of the gas key and are adapted for receiving a screw in each screw hole for securing the gas key to the bolt carrier, and wherein the recoil lug slot is integrally formed in the bolt carrier upper surface, shaped in the form of a rounded rectangle and sized and arranged to receive and engage the recoil lug of the gas key, and wherein the gas hole of the bolt carrier is arranged to align with the outlet of the gas passage on the bottom surface of the gas key.