Buffer systems and methods for transferring momentum in a direction other than in line with an operating group recoil direction

Abstract

A firearm comprising an operating group and a buffer system. The operating group may include a recoiling structure configured to translate in a recoil direction from a forward position to a rearward position. The buffer system may include a buffer and an actuator. The buffer may be configured to be compressed in a compression direction from an extended configuration to a compressed configuration. The compression direction may be different from the recoil direction. The actuator may be configured to selectively engage the recoiling structure and the buffer and to cause the buffer to be compressed from the extended configuration to the compressed configuration when the recoiling structure translates from the forward position to the rearward position.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A firearm comprising:
 an operating group comprising:
 a recoiling structure configured to translate in a recoil direction from a forward position to a rearward position; and 
   a buffer system comprising:
 a buffer configured to be displaced in a displacement direction from a first configuration to a second configuration, wherein the displacement direction is different from the recoil direction; and 
 an actuator configured to selectively engage the recoiling structure and the buffer and to cause the buffer to be displaced from the first configuration to the second configuration when the recoiling structure translates from the forward position to the rearward position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the displacement direction comprises an expansion direction;   the first configuration comprises a contracted configuration;   the second configuration comprises an expanded configuration; and   the expansion direction of the buffer is substantially parallel to, but laterally offset from, the recoil direction of the recoiling structure.   
     
     
         3 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the displacement direction comprises a compression direction;   the first configuration comprises an extended configuration;   the second configuration comprises a compressed configuration; and   the compression direction of the buffer is substantially parallel to, but laterally offset from, the recoil direction of the recoiling structure.   
     
     
         4 . The firearm of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the compression direction is opposite to the recoil direction; and   the recoiling structure comprises one of a bolt, bolt carrier, carrier, slide, operating rod, or integral recoil mass.   
     
     
         5 . The firearm of  claim 3 , wherein the recoiling structure comprises a carrier. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm of  claim 3 , wherein the actuator is pivotally coupled to a stationary component of the firearm, the stationary component comprising a component that remains stationary relative to the recoiling structure during translation of the recoiling structure from the forward position to the rearward position. 
     
     
         7 . The firearm of  claim 3 , further comprising a receiver extending along a longitudinal axis and configured to house at least a portion of the operating group and the buffer system;
 wherein the recoiling structure is configured to translate relative to the receiver.   
     
     
         8 . The firearm of  claim 7 , wherein the actuator is pivotally coupled to the receiver. 
     
     
         9 . The firearm of  claim 7 , wherein the actuator comprises a rocker arm comprising:
 a first portion configured to engage the recoiling structure during translation from the forward position to the rearward position; and   a second portion configured to engage the buffer to compress the buffer from the extended configuration to the compressed configuration.   
     
     
         10 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein the rocker arm is pivotally coupled to the receiver at an intermediate location via an axis pin, and is configured to pivot from a first position to a second position as the recoiling structure translates from the forward position to the rearward position. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm of  claim 10 , wherein the rocker arm is further configured to pivot from the second position back to the first position as the recoiling structure translates from the rearward position to the forward position. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein the rocker arm is pivotally coupled to the receiver at an intermediate location via an axis pin, and is configured such that a first portion of the rocker arm is engaged and driven rearward by the recoiling structure as the recoiling structure translates from the forward position to the rearward position, thereby causing the rocker arm to pivot from a first position to a second position, and further causing a second portion of the rocker arm to engage and move a piston of the buffer from an extended position to a compressed position. 
     
     
         13 . The firearm of  claim 12 , wherein the rocker arm is further configured to pivot from the second position back to the first position as the recoiling structure translates from the rearward position to the forward position, thereby allowing the piston of the buffer to translate from the compressed position to the extended position. 
     
     
         14 . The firearm of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the buffer comprises a first buffer and the actuator comprises a first actuator;   the buffer system further comprises a second buffer and a second actuator; and   each actuator is configured to engage a respective buffer and the recoiling structure to compress the respective buffer during translation of the recoiling structure from the forward position to the rearward position.   
     
     
         15 . The firearm of  claim 14 , wherein the first actuator is configured to engage the recoiling structure during a first portion of the translation of the recoiling structure from the forward position to the rearward position, and the second actuator is configured to engage the recoiling structure during a second, later portion of the translation of the recoiling structure from the forward position to the rearward position. 
     
     
         16 . The firearm of  claim 3 , wherein the buffer comprises one of a hydraulic buffer, pneumatic buffer, or spring buffer; and
 wherein the buffer comprises a housing and a piston configured to translate relative to the housing.   
     
     
         17 . The firearm of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the firearm comprises an open-bolt, belt-fed configuration; and   the firearm is configured to operate in one of a fully-automatic mode or a semi-automatic mode.   
     
     
         18 . A firearm comprising:
 an operating group comprising:
 a carrier configured to translate in a recoil direction from a forward position to a rearward position; and 
   a buffer system comprising:
 a buffer configured to be compressed in a compression direction from an extended configuration to a compressed configuration, wherein the compression direction of the buffer is substantially parallel to, but laterally offset from, the recoil direction of the carrier; and 
 an actuator configured to engage the carrier as the carrier translates from the forward position to the rearward position and, as a result of the engagement with the translating carrier, to cause the buffer to be compressed from the extended configuration to the compressed configuration. 
   
     
     
         19 . The firearm of  claim 18 , further comprising a receiver extending along a longitudinal axis and configured to house at least a portion of the operating group and the buffer system;
 wherein:
 the compression direction is opposite to the recoil direction; and 
 the actuator comprises a rocker arm pivotally coupled to the receiver. 
   
     
     
         20 . The firearm of  claim 19 , wherein the rocker arm comprises:
 a first portion configured to engage the carrier during translation from the forward position to the rearward position; and   a second portion configured to engage the buffer to compress the buffer from the extended configuration to the compressed configuration.