Re: Mission Prior Art: Monolithic Rail Prior to 2002
Here are the patent claims themselves to give you the legal text that the prior art should be found for:
37. An M16/AR15 type firearm assembly comprising: an upper receiver including a barrel receiving portion and a longitudinal bore extending therethrough in communication with said barrel receiving portion; and a bolt carrier movably positioned in said longitudinal bore, wherein said bolt carrier includes a modified cam path that includes an increased unlock dwell time of approximately twice the unlock dwell time provided by a standard M16/AR15 type bolt carrier.
38. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 37, wherein said modified cam path is lengthened approximately 0.100 of an inch toward a forward end of said bolt carrier as compared to the standard M16/AR15 type bolt carrier.
39. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 38, further comprising a protrusion at a forward end of said bolt carrier, wherein said protrusion and said bolt carrier include a common bore that extends through both at a substantially constant diameter.
40. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 37, further comprising a protrusion at a forward end of said bolt carrier, wherein said protrusion and said bolt carrier include a common bore that extends through both as a substantially constant diameter.
41. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 40, wherein said protrusion is sized to extend forwardly approximately 0.100 of an inch.
42. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 37, further comprising a barrel assembly received in said barrel receiving portion.
43. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 42, further comprising a coupling portion integrally formed with and forward of said upper receiver portion, said coupling portion including a longitudinal slot separating said coupling portion into first and second clamping portions on respective sides of said slot, and a fastener positioned through said coupling portion transversely to said longitudinal slot, wherein said first and second clamping portions are constructed and arranged such that said fastener is operable to bring said first and second clamping portions toward one another to clamp said barrel assembly in said coupling portion.
44. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 43, wherein said fastener is positionable in a recess in an outer surface of said barrel assembly to resist forward movement of said barrel assembly.
45. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 37, wherein said bolt carrier includes a forward end portion and a rearward end portion, said forward end portion including a number of lands extending therealong and spaced thereabout for contacting said upper receiver portion in said bore, said number of lands occupying from about 1% to about 12% of a surface area of said forward end portion along which said number lands extend.
46. An M16/AR15 type firearm assembly comprising: an upper receiver including a barrel receiving portion and a longitudinal bore extending therethrough in communication with said barrel receiving portion; a barrel assembly received in said barrel receiving portion; and a contiguous upper rail extending forwardly from and integrally formed with said upper receiver, wherein said contiguous upper rail extends along a substantial portion of said barrel assembly in a floating relationship therewith, wherein said contiguous upper rail extends along a substantial portion of said upper receiver and wherein the firearm assembly is configured and arranges so that said barrel assembly is insertable and removable from said upper receiver while said contiguous upper rail is integrally formed with said upper receiver.
47. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 46, wherein said upper receiver and said contiguous upper rail are integrally unitarily constructed.
48. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 46, further comprising a guard portion integrally formed with said contiguous upper rail, wherein said guard portion extends along a portion of said barrel assembly in a floating relationship therewith.
49. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 46, further comprising a plurality of mounting rails extending along said guard portion separated by recessed portions therebetween.
50. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 46, further comprising a coupling portion integrally formed with and forward of said upper receiver portion, said coupling portion including a longitudinal slot separating said coupling portion into first and second clamping portions on respective sides of said slot, and a fastener positioned through said coupling portion transversely to said longitudinal slot, wherein said first and second clamping portions are constructed and arranged such that said fastener is operable to bring said first and second clamping portions toward one another to clamp said barrel assembly in said coupling portion.
51. The M16/AR15 type firearm assembly of claim 50, wherein said fastener is positionable in a recess in an outer surface of said barrel assembly to resist forward movement of said barrel assembly.
52. A firearm assembly comprising: an upper receiver including a barrel receiving portion and a longitudinal bore extending therethrough in communication with said barrel receiving portion; a barrel assembly received in said barrel receiving portion; a recess in an outer surface of said barrel assembly; a coupling portion integrally formed with and forward of said upper receiver portion, said coupling portion including a longitudinal slot separating said coupling portion into first and second clamping portions on respective sides of said slot; and a fastener positioned through said recess and said coupling portion transversely to said longitudinal slot, wherein said first and second clamping portions are constructed and arranged such that said fastener is operable to bring said first and second clamping portions toward one another to clamp said barrel assembly in said coupling portion and wherein said fastener resists forward movement of said barrel assembly with respect to said upper receiver.
53. The firearm assembly of claim 52, wherein said recess, said coupling portion and said fastener are constructed and arranged so that said fastener can resist any forward movement of said barrel assembly with respect to said upper receiver created by contact of said bolt carrier therewith.
54. The firearm assembly of claim 52, wherein the firearm assembly is an M16/AR15 type firearm.
REMEMBER in patent law, the "independent claims" (claims that don't make a reference to another number. 37 is independent, 54 refers to 52 and so is not) are the important ones to find the art for. You don't have to have ALL of these features to be sued under the platform. Just one is enough to take action sometimes.
