Positive capture locking and unlocking device for firearms

Abstract

A firearm with an improved locking and unlocking mechanism for a charging handle, and other appropriate moving components of a firearm, is disclosed. In general, the firearm includes a firearm body, a charging handle, a relief formed in either the firearm body or the charging handle, and a plunger coupled to the other of the firearm body or the charging handle. The charging handle is movably coupled to the firearm body between a locked position and an unlocked position. The plunger includes a ball and a spring. In use, the ball is biased by the spring such that it is received in the relief in the locked position and is disposed outside the relief in the unlocked position

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A firearm comprising:
 a stationary firearm component;   a translatable firearm component movably coupled to the stationary firearm component between a locked position and an unlocked position;   a relief formed in one of the stationary firearm component and the translatable firearm component; and   a plunger comprising a ball and a spring, the plunger being coupled to the other of the stationary firearm component and the translatable firearm component, the ball being biased by the spring and configured to be received in the relief in the locked position and to be disposed outside the relief in the unlocked position.   
     
     
         2 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the stationary firearm component is a firearm body, and the translatable firearm component is a charging handle. 
     
     
         3 . The firearm of  claim 2 , wherein the relief is formed in the firearm body, and the plunger is coupled to the charging handle. 
     
     
         4 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the plunger and the relief constitute a locking mechanism for retaining the translatable firearm component in the locked position, the plunger and the relief being the only locking mechanism provided for retaining the translatable firearm component in the locked position. 
     
     
         5 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the relief is formed in the stationary firearm component, and the plunger is coupled to the translatable firearm component. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the relief is substantially the same as a diameter of the ball. 
     
     
         7 . A firearm comprising:
 a firearm body;   a charging handle movably coupled to the firearm body between a locked position and an unlocked position;   a relief formed in one of the firearm body and the charging handle; and   a plunger comprising a ball and a spring, the plunger being coupled to the other of the firearm body and the charging handle, the ball being biased by the spring and configured to be received in the relief in the locked position and to be disposed outside the relief in the unlocked position.   
     
     
         8 . The firearm of  claim 7 , wherein the plunger and the relief constitute a locking mechanism for retaining the charging handle in the locked position, the plunger and the relief being the only locking mechanism provided for retaining the charging handle in the locked position. 
     
     
         9 . The firearm of  claim 7 , wherein the relief is formed in the firearm body, and the plunger is coupled to the charging handle. 
     
     
         10 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein the firearm body defines a channel that receives the charging handle, and the ball is slidable along a wall of the channel when the charging handle is unlocked.