Firearm attachment assembly for ambidextrous use

Abstract

A firearm attachment assembly includes an attachment block removably attached to a firearm receiver, and a hinge block rotatably engaged to the attachment block. The attachment block includes a transverse engagement channel with hinge pin holes defined at either end. The hinge block rotatably engages the attachment block in the transverse engagement channel. A latching mechanism retained in the hinge block engages a portion of the attachment block. When deployed, the latching mechanism hooks the hinge block to the attachment block and, when folded, a curved end of the latching mechanism engages a portion of the transverse engagement channel to generate resistance force sufficient to secure the assembly in the folded position. The hinge block is designed to engage to the attachment block to allow a gun stock to be folded along either the left or right side of a firearm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ambidextrous folding gun stock, comprising:
 an attachment block having a distal side and a proximal side, the distal side having a means for removably engaging a firearm receiver and the proximal side defining an engagement interface having a transverse engagement channel and a pair of hinge pin holes defined at both ends of the transverse engagement channel;   a hinge block removably attached to the attachment block, the hinge block having a stock receiving side and a latching side, the stock receiving side having a means for removably engaging a buttstock and the latching side defining a latching interface having a transverse latching channel and a first pair of pin holes and a second pair of pin holes formed at opposite ends of the transverse latching channel;   a latching mechanism extending through the transverse latching channel and attached at one end of the transverse latching channel by a set pin extending through the first pair of the pin holes and through the latching mechanism; and   a removable hinge pin extending through either pair of hinge pin holes and the second pair of pin holes to rotatably attach the hinge block to the attachment block.   
     
     
         2 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein each pair of hinge pin holes defines an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the transverse engagement channel. 
     
     
         3 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement interface is bilaterally symmetrical. 
     
     
         4 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the second pair of pin holes defines an axis of rotation about which the latching interface is bilaterally symmetrical. 
     
     
         5 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement interface comprises a first angled surface and a second angled surface disposed between a planar surface. 
     
     
         6 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 5 , wherein the first angled surface is disposed between a first pair of the hinge pin holes and the second angled surface is disposed between a second pair of the hinge pin holes. 
     
     
         7 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 6 , wherein the attachment block further comprises a first hook catch formed between the first angled surface and the distal side, and a second hook catch formed between the second angled surface and the distal side. 
     
     
         8 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 7 , wherein a first end of the latching mechanism is configured to engage one of the first hook catch or the second hook catch when the hinge block is in a deployed position. 
     
     
         9 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 8 , wherein a second, opposite end of the latching mechanism is configured to rotationally engage one of the first angled surface or the second angled surface when the hinge block is in a folded position. 
     
     
         10 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 1 , wherein the latching mechanism comprises an elongated body extending between two slotted apertures defined through opposing terminal ends of the elongated body. 
     
     
         11 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 10 , wherein the elongated body has a length greater than a horizonal length of the transverse latching channel. 
     
     
         12 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 11 , wherein a length of the two slotted apertures defines a maximum horizontal distance the latching mechanism is transversely movable across the attachment block. 
     
     
         13 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 12 , wherein a first end of the elongated body comprises a hook configured to removably engage one side of the attachment block and wherein a second end of the elongated body comprises a curved end configured to rotatably engage a portion of transverse engagement channel. 
     
     
         14 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 13 , wherein movement of the latching mechanism in a first direction detaches the hook from the attachment block, allowing the hinge block to rotate around the removable hinge pin in a direction opposite the first direction until achieving a folded position. 
     
     
         15 . The ambidextrous folding gun stock of  claim 14 , wherein, in the folded position, the curved end engages a portion of the transverse engagement channel to generate a resistance force to secure the hinge block in the folded position. 
     
     
         16 . A hinge block assembly for an ambidextrous folding gun stock, comprising:
 a hinge block; and   a latching mechanism attached to the hinge block;   the hinge block having a stock receiving side and a latching side opposite the stock receiving end, the latching side defining a transverse channel at least partially enclosing the latching mechanism and defining a first pair of pin holes at one end of the transverse channel and a second pair of pin holes at an opposite end of the transverse channel.   
     
     
         17 . The hinge block assembly of  claim 16 , wherein one of the first pair of pin holes or the second pair of pin holes defines an axis of rotation about which the latching side is bilaterally symmetrical. 
     
     
         18 . A firearm accessory attachment block, comprising:
 a attachment block having a proximal side and a distal side;   a means for removably attaching the attachment block to a firearm receiver formed on the distal side; and   a mounting interface formed on the proximal side, the mounting interface having a transverse engagement channel and a pair of pin holes defined at both ends of the transverse engagement channel.   
     
     
         19 . The attachment block of  claim 18 , wherein the mounting interface is bilaterally symmetrical about a central vertical axis. 
     
     
         20 . The attachment block of  claim 18 , wherein the transverse engagement channel comprises a first angled surface and a second angled surface disposed between a planar surface.