Bolt Catch

Abstract

A bolt catch includes an outer member and a body member. The body member includes a void where a biasing member is positioned therein. The body member is normally biased upward and thus blocks the bolt from moving forward and engaging a cartridge from a magazine. The user is required to engage the bolt catch in order to move the bolt forward and load the chamber with a round or cartridge. Thus, the bolt catch converts a semi-automatic firearm into a bolt action firearm.

1 . A bolt catch for a firearm having a bolt and a slot with a floor, the bolt catch comprising:
 a body member dimensioned to be disposed within the slot, the body member having:
 a pair of opposing planar walls and a top planar wall, with the planar walls forming a parallelepiped-shaped void in the body member; and 
 a pivot portion, wherein the body member is biased to rotate within the slot about the pivot portion, thereby blocking the bolt from moving in a predetermined direction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The bolt catch of  claim 1 , wherein the pivot portion includes a hole for receiving a pivot pin. 
     
     
         3 . The bolt catch of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an outer member extending perpendicular to a longitudinal length of the body member, the outer member including a finger pad.   
     
     
         4 . The bolt catch of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a biasing member disposed in the void;   wherein the body member is biased by the biasing member.   
     
     
         5 . The bolt catch of  claim 4 , wherein the biasing member has a pair of ends, with one end engaging the floor of the slot, and the other end engaging the body member. 
     
     
         6 . The bolt catch of  claim 4 , wherein the void includes a plurality of voids; and
 wherein the biasing member includes a plurality of biasing members, with each biasing member disposed in a respective void.   
     
     
         7 . The bolt catch of  claim 4 , wherein the void has a rounded edge to prevent the biasing member from binding to the body member. 
     
     
         8 . The bolt catch of  claim 4 , wherein the biasing member is selected from a compression spring, a torsion spring, and a magnet. 
     
     
         9 . A bolt catch for a firearm having a bolt, a slot with a floor, and a magazine for holding a cartridge, the bolt catch comprising:
 a body member dimensioned to be disposed within the slot, the body member having:
 a pair of opposing planar walls and a top planar wall, with the planar walls forming a parallelepiped-shaped void in the body member; and 
 a pivot portion, wherein the body member is biased to rotate in a first rotational direction within the slot about the pivot portion, thereby blocking the bolt from moving forward; and 
   an outer member extending perpendicular to a longitudinal length of the body member, the outer member including a finger pad for a user to press for rotating the body member in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction and for countering the restorative force of the resilient member, thereby moving the bolt forward to engage the cartridge.   
     
     
         10 . The bolt catch of  claim 9 , wherein the pivot portion includes a hole for receiving a pivot pin. 
     
     
         11 . The bolt catch of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a biasing member disposed in the void;   wherein the body member is biased by the biasing member.   
     
     
         12 . The bolt catch of  claim 11 , wherein the biasing member has a pair of ends, with one end engaging the floor of the slot, and the other end engaging the body member. 
     
     
         13 . The bolt catch of  claim 11 , wherein the void includes a plurality of voids; and
 wherein the biasing member includes a plurality of biasing members, with each biasing member disposed in a respective void.   
     
     
         14 . The bolt catch of  claim 11 , wherein the void has a rounded edge to prevent the biasing member from binding to the body member. 
     
     
         15 . The bolt catch of  claim 11 , wherein the biasing member is selected from a compression spring, a torsion spring, and a magnet. 
     
     
         16 . A method for converting a semi-automatic firearm into a bolt action firearm, the semi-automatic firearm having a bolt, a slot with a floor, and a magazine for holding a cartridge, the method comprising:
 providing a bolt catch having a body member and an outer member extending perpendicular to a longitudinal length of the body member, the outer member including a finger pad, the body member dimensioned to be disposed within the slot, the body member having:
 a pair of opposing planar walls and a top planar wall, with the planar walls forming a parallelepiped-shaped void in the body member; and 
 a pivot portion; 
   positioning the body member within the slot;   biasing the body member to rotate in a first rotational direction within the slot about the pivot portion, thereby blocking the bolt from moving forward; and   pressing the finger pad to rotate the body member in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction for countering the restorative force of the resilient member, thereby moving the bolt forward to engage the cartridge.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the bolt catch further comprises:
 a biasing member disposed in the void;   wherein the body member is biased by the biasing member.   
     
     
         18 . The bolt catch of  claim 17 , wherein the biasing member has a pair of ends, with one end engaging the floor of the slot, and the other end engaging the body member. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the void includes a plurality of voids; and
 wherein the biasing member includes a plurality of biasing members, with each biasing member disposed in a respective void.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the biasing member is selected from a compression spring, a torsion spring, and a magnet. 
     
     
         21 . A firearm comprising:
 a lower receiver including a slot with a floor, wherein the floor has an aperture therein;   a bolt catch disposed in the slot; and   a biasing member including:
 a first end disposed in the aperture; and 
 a second end engaging the bolt catch. 
   
     
     
         22 . The firearm of  claim 21 , wherein the biasing member is selected from a compression spring, a torsion spring, and a magnet. 
     
     
         23 . The firearm of  claim 21 , wherein the bolt catch has a lower surface facing the floor; and
 wherein the second end of the biasing member engages the lower surface of the bolt catch.