U.S. patent application number 09/208937 was filed with the patent office on 2001-05-31 for safety tips for police batons.
This patent application is currently assigned to STARROTT. Invention is credited to SMITH, TERRY E., STARRETT, PAUL D..
Application Number | 20010002368 09/208937 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22776662 |
Filed Date | 2001-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010002368 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
STARRETT, PAUL D. ; et
al. |
May 31, 2001 |
SAFETY TIPS FOR POLICE BATONS
Abstract
The present invention is directed to two forms of safety tips
for friction lock, expandable batons; namely the Safety Tip.TM. and
the Power Safety Tip.TM.. Both safety tips of invention have a
threaded end that is used to connect the tip to the small end of
the baton. A step section with the same diameter as the small end
diameter is advantageously used in the basic tip design to allow
the shaft to be seated far enough into the handle to have full
retention spring contact. The steel flange in the basic tip design
also protects the softer peripheral tip cover material from being
sheared off by the middle baton section when the baton is closed
with a hard material in place on the steel section. In the power
safety tip, the step section is the same diameter as the middle
shaft of the baton, and this allows full contact with the retention
spring. In both of the tip designs, the very end of the tip is
rounded steel, the sides of which blend into the peripheral soft
rubber-like material. The diameter of the rounded steel end is
large enough so the baton may be struck on a hard surface, even at
a slight angle, and the steel section will still come in contact
with the hard surface, absorbing the energy and allowing the baton
to collapse. If desired, the steel end can be coated with another
material, but such coatings could wear off during repeated closures
of the baton.
Inventors: |
STARRETT, PAUL D.; (JAFFREY,
NH) ; SMITH, TERRY E.; (KEENE, NH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ERNEST V LINEK
BANNER & WITCOFF LTD
28 STATE STREET
28TH FLOOR
BOSTON
MA
02109
|
Assignee: |
STARROTT
|
Family ID: |
22776662 |
Appl. No.: |
09/208937 |
Filed: |
December 10, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/47.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B 15/027 20130101;
F41B 15/022 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/47.7 |
International
Class: |
F41B 015/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A safety tip for expandable friction lock police batons
comprising a hard core material surrounded over at least 50% of its
periphery, by a compressible material.
2. The baton tip of claim 1, wherein at least 70% of the periphery
of the tip is surrounded by the compressible material.
3. The baton tip of claim 1, wherein at least 80% of the periphery
of the tip is surrounded by the compressible material.
4. The baton tip of claim 1, wherein at least 90% of the periphery
of the tip is surrounded by the compressible material.
5. The baton tip of claim 1, wherein the periphery of the tip is
completely surrounded by the compressible material.
6. The baton tip of claim 1, wherein the hard core material is
steel, with a rounded, exposed section at the end thereof.
7. The baton tip of claim 6, further comprising a threaded shaft at
the end opposite the rounded steel section end.
8. The baton tip of claim 7, further comprising a flange at the
thread-end of the compressible material.
9. The baton tip of claim 1, wherein the compressible material is a
rubber-like substance.
10. The baton tip of claim 9, wherein the rubber-like substance is
neoprene.
11. The baton tip of claim 9, wherein the rubber-like substance is
vinyl.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] There have been a number of different types of steel
friction lock police batons manufactured since about 1967. Typical
friction locking batons include three telescoping shafts with an
end cap at the handle end and a steel tip at the other end. Such
batons a usually carried in the collapsed form (held by an internal
retaining spring) and when flicked open (extended) the baton is
locked open by matching tapers, which lock together by friction. A
typical taper used is a standard Morse Taper similar to that used
on tools such as drill press bits and lathe tail stocks. When the
baton sections are locked together, the tapers must be separated
with a sharp blow on a hard surface, such as forcing it briskly on
a hard surface such as concrete or tile.
[0002] Because a sharp blow is required to close friction lock
batons, the tip of the baton must also be hard, in order to fully
transfer the sharp shock of the blow back to the tapers. This is
why all baton tips have been hardened steel balls (or like shapes),
which are threaded into the small telescoping shaft. Hardened steel
balls may do more damage to the subject it is used on. There is
more likelihood of cutting or puncturing an individual's skin. A
tip on the baton made of a softer material, which would not cause
the same amount of damage, would not allow the tapers to separate
since the softer material would absorb the sharp blow.
[0003] Friction locking police batons with replaceable tips have
been described in at least one prior art patent. See for example,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,197, the disclosure of which is hereby
incorporated herein by reference. In the '197 patent, an "o-ring"
is sometimes used on the outer periphery of the tips (see, FIG. 4)
to prevent rattling of the baton pieces when closed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] One embodiment of this invention is a "safety tip" for
police batons. This tip has been designed for use on steel friction
lock batons, replacing the commonly used solid steel tips, with a
solid steel core material, either substantially, or completely
surrounded by a softer, safer, compressible and/or flexible
material. As used herein, the terms "substantially surrounded" mean
that at least 50%, preferably at least 70%, more preferably at
least 80%, and most preferably about 90% of the periphery of the
baton tip is covered with the compressible material.
[0005] The combination design of the safety tip (steel core and
outer soft material) still allows the tapers of such batons to be
unlocked by transferring the energy of the sharp downward blow
through the core of the tip, to the tapers.
[0006] Another embodiment of the present invention is another
safety tip for police batons. This tip is longer than the basic
safety tip, and it has been designated as the "power safety tip."
The power safety tip has advantages over the basic safety tip as
follows:
[0007] By their nature, steel friction lock batons are weighted
more in the handle section of the baton than the small striking
end. This is due to the construction of three steel tubes, the
handle the largest and the small extended end the smallest. There
are special requirements for closing the baton as stated above.
[0008] The use of a longer power safety tip moves the center of
gravity of the baton toward the tip end by forming the tip with the
same steel core/resilient outer cover design as described above,
except that in the power safety tip, both the length and diameter
of the tip are increased. This feature adds weight to the tip end,
thereby moving the center of gravity toward the tip to give great
impact on the striking end. Also it extends the baton several
inches longer for greater reach.
[0009] By employing the same basic design as used for the basic
safety tip, a baton employing the power safety tip will close
properly and be safer than a standard friction lock baton against
cutting etc. due to the rubber-like material used to cover the
steel tip. The larger steel tip will give more weight, but must not
be a greater diameter than the handle diameter so that it will fit
into the standard baton holders.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates the preferred basic "safety tip" of the
present invention in cross-section. All dimensions shown are in
inches or fractions thereof.
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates the preferred "power safety tip" of the
present invention in partial cross-section. All dimensions shown
are in inches or fractions thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] As described above, the present invention is directed to two
forms of safety tips for friction lock, expandable batons; namely
the Safety Tip.TM. and the Power Safety Tip.TM..
[0013] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the basic "safety tip" of the
present invention has the following parts; a baton small end
section (10), a threaded end (20), a steel shaft (30), which
advantageously is the same diameter as the baton small end section
(10), a larger steel flange (40) having a sufficient diameter to
protect the rubber-like material from impact with the remainder of
the baton. As illustrated, the tip utilizes a steel core section
(50), which is smaller in diameter, and which is substantially
completely surrounded in its periphery, by a compressible material
(70). In the preferred embodiment, the forward end of the tip (60)
is provided with a rounded, exposed steel end. This allows the
closing impact of the baton to be directed from the hard surface
through steel, directly to the remaining components of the baton.
If a soft or compressible material is used at this point, some of
the closing energy could be absorbed. The peripheral compressible
material used is advantageously a rubber-like material, vinyl and
neoprene are useful materials.
[0014] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the "power safety tip" of the
present invention has the following parts; a baton small end
section (10), a threaded end (20), and a steel shaft (30), which
advantageously is the same diameter as the baton middle section
(thereby eliminating the need for the flange). As illustrated, the
tip utilizes a steel core section (50), which may optionally
include a raised knurl (45) on its periphery to assist in retaining
the outer peripheral material (70). In the preferred embodiment,
the forward end of the tip (60) is provided with a rounded, exposed
steel end. This allows the closing impact of the baton to be
directed from the hard surface through steel, directly to the
remaining components of the baton. Is a soft or compressible
material is used at this point, some of the closing energy could be
absorbed. The peripheral compressible material used is
advantageously a rubber-like material, vinyl and neoprene are
useful materials.
[0015] Both safety tips of the present invention have a threaded
end that is used to connect the tip to the small end of the baton.
A step section with the same diameter as the small end diameter is
advantageously used in the basic safety tip design to allow the
shaft to be seated far enough into the handle to have full
retention spring contact. The steel flange also protects the softer
peripheral tip cover material from being sheared off by the middle
baton section when the baton is closed with a hard material in
place on the steel section. This feature could likewise be employed
with the power safety tip. However, the step section in the power
safety tip design is the same diameter as the middle section of the
baton, and this allows the tip to go into the handle sufficiently
to engage the retaining spring.
[0016] In both of the preferred embodiments, the very end of the
tip is rounded steel, the sides of which blend into the peripheral
soft rubber-like material. The diameter of the rounded steel end is
large enough so the baton may be struck on a hard surface, even at
a slight angle, and the steel section will still come in contact
with the hard surface, absorbing the energy and allowing the baton
to collapse. If desired, the steel end can be coated with another
material, but such coatings could wear off during repeated closures
of the baton.
[0017] In both tip designs, sections 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 are all
made of steel and either one piece or fabricated together so that
all of the above steel parts are rigid from the round tip (60) to
the threaded end (20). This will allow the shock to be transferred
to the baton tapers and at the same time have a striking area made
from a softer rubber-like material.
[0018] The present invention has been described in detail,
including the preferred embodiments thereof. However, it will be
appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon consideration of
the present disclosure, may make modifications and/or improvements
on this invention and still be within the scope and spirit of this
invention as set forth in the following claims.
* * * * *