Receiver light for inspecting chamber and breech area of a firearm

Abstract

A firearm receiver apparatus comprises a receiver body and a light emitting device. The receiver body includes a bolt carrier bore and a cartridge ejection port. The bolt carrier bore extends between first and second end portions of the receiver body. The cartridge ejection port extends through a sidewall of the receiver body and intersects the bolt carrier bore. The light emitting device is attached to the sidewall in a manner for causing at least a portion of a beam of light emitted therefrom to be directed through the cartridge ejection port into the bolt carrier bore.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A firearm receiver apparatus, comprising:
 a receiver body having an interior space accessible through an opening within a sidewall of the receiver body;   a light emitting device mounting structure extending from the sidewall; and   a light emitting device mounted on the light emitting device mounting structure, wherein the light emitting device is mounted in an orientation for causing at least a portion of a beam of light emitted therefrom to be directed through the opening into the interior space.   
     
     
         2 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the interior space includes a bolt carrier bore extending between first and second end portions of the receiver body; and 
 the opening is a cartridge ejection port. 
 
     
     
         3 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the light emitting device includes a light emitting diode (LED), an electrical energy source, and a switch for enabling electrical energy to be selective provided from the electrical energy source to the LED. 
     
     
         4 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 3  wherein:
 the light emitting device is mounted within a passage extending through the light emitting device mounting structure; 
 the LED is located at a first end portion of the passage; and 
 the switch is located at a second end portion of the passage. 
 
     
     
         5 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 4  wherein:
 the interior space includes a bolt carrier bore extending between first and second end portions of the receiver body; and 
 the opening is a cartridge ejection port. 
 
     
     
         6 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the light emitting device is mounted within a passage extending through the light emitting device mounting structure; 
 a centerline axis of the passage extends through the opening within the sidewall of the receiver body; and 
 the beam of light emitted from the light emitting device is projected along the centerline axis of the passage. 
 
     
     
         7 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 6  wherein:
 the interior space includes a bolt carrier bore extending between first and second end portions of the receiver body; and 
 the opening is a cartridge ejection port. 
 
     
     
         8 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 7  wherein:
 the light emitting device includes a light emitting diode (LED), an electrical energy source, and a switch for enabling electrical energy to be selective provided from the electrical energy source to the LED; 
 the LED is located at a first end portion of the passage; and 
 the switch is located at a second end portion of the passage. 
 
     
     
         9 . A firearm receiver apparatus, comprising:
 a receiver body including a bolt carrier bore that extends between first and second end portions of the receiver body and a cartridge ejection port that extends through a sidewall of the receiver body and that intersects the bolt carrier bore; and   a light emitting device attached to the sidewall in a manner for causing at least a portion of a beam of light emitted therefrom to be directed through the cartridge ejection port into the bolt carrier bore.   
     
     
         10 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the light emitting device includes a light emitting diode (LED), an electrical energy source, and a switch for enabling electrical energy to be selective provided from the electrical energy source to the LED. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 10  wherein:
 the light emitting device is mounted within a passage in the receiver body; 
 the LED is located at a first end portion of the passage; and 
 the switch is located at a second end portion of the passage. 
 
     
     
         12 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 9  wherein:
 the light emitting device is mounted within a passage in the receiver body; 
 a centerline axis of the passage extends through the cartridge ejection port; and 
 the beam of light emitted from the light emitting device is projected along the centerline axis of the passage. 
 
     
     
         13 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 12  wherein:
 the light emitting device includes a light emitting diode (LED), an electrical energy source, and a switch for enabling electrical energy to be selective provided from the electrical energy source to the LED; 
 the LED is located at a first end portion of the passage; and 
 the switch is located at a second end portion of the passage. 
 
     
     
         14 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 12  wherein:
 the receiver body includes a light emitting device mounting structure extending from the sidewall adjacent to the cartridge ejection port; and 
 the light emitting device is mounted within a passage extending through the light emitting device mounting structure. 
 
     
     
         15 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 14  wherein:
 the light emitting device includes a light emitting diode (LED), an electrical energy source, and a switch for enabling electrical energy to be selective provided from the electrical energy source to the LED; 
 the LED is located at a first end portion of the passage; and 
 the switch is located at a second end portion of the passage 
 
     
     
         16 . The firearm receiver apparatus of  claim 15  wherein:
 a centerline axis of the passage extends through the cartridge ejection port; and 
 the beam of light emitted from the light emitting device is projected along the centerline axis of the passage. 
 
     
     
         17 . A firearm, comprising:
 a barrel having a chamber at a first end portion thereof for receiving a cartridge of a round of ammunition therein;   a receiver body attached at a first end portion thereof to the first end portion of the barrel, wherein a bolt carrier bore of the receiver body extends through the first end portion of the receiver body such that the chamber is accessibly through the bolt carrier bore and wherein a cartridge ejection port extends through the receiver body and intersects the bolt carrier bore; and   a light emitting device attached to the receiver body in an orientation for causing at least a portion of a beam of light emitted therefrom to be directed through the cartridge ejection port into a space jointly defined by the chamber and the bolt carrier bore.   
     
     
         18 . The firearm of  claim 17  wherein:
 the receiver body includes a light emitting device mounting structure extending from a sidewall thereof; 
 the cartridge ejection port extends through the sidewall; 
 the light emitting device is mounted within a passage extending through the light emitting device mounting structure; 
 a centerline axis of the passage extends through the cartridge ejection port; and 
 the beam of light emitted from the light emitting device is projected along the centerline axis of the passage. 
 
     
     
         19 . The firearm of  claim 17  wherein:
 the light emitting device includes a light emitting diode (LED), an electrical energy source, and a switch for enabling electrical energy to be selective provided from the electrical energy source to the LED; 
 the LED is located at a first end portion of the passage; and 
 the switch is located at a second end portion of the passage. 
 
     
     
         20 . The firearm of  claim 19  wherein:
 the receiver body includes a light emitting device mounting structure extending from a sidewall thereof; 
 the cartridge ejection port extends through the sidewall; 
 the light emitting device is mounted within a passage extending through the light emitting device mounting structure; 
 a centerline axis of the passage extends through the cartridge ejection port; 
 and the beam of light emitted from the light emitting device is projected along the centerline axis of the passage.