U.S. patent application number 11/202468 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-13 for caps for accessory receiving rail of a firearm and methods of operating the same.
Invention is credited to Thomas Romer.
Application Number | 20060075672 11/202468 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7980025 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060075672 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Romer; Thomas |
April 13, 2006 |
Caps for accessory receiving rail of a firearm and methods of
operating the same
Abstract
A cap for a receiving rail of a firearm and methods of operating
the same are disclosed. An illustrated cap includes a resiliently
deformable plate. The example cap also includes engaging members on
the opposite sides of the center of the plate where the plate is
curved such that the engaging members approach each other when the
cap is unloaded.
Inventors: |
Romer; Thomas; (Schramberg,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HANLEY, FLIGHT & ZIMMERMAN, LLC
20 N. WACKER DRIVE
SUITE 4220
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Family ID: |
7980025 |
Appl. No.: |
11/202468 |
Filed: |
August 12, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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PCT/EP04/01329 |
Feb 12, 2004 |
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11202468 |
Aug 12, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
42/10 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41G 11/003 20130101;
F41A 35/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
042/010 |
International
Class: |
F41C 7/00 20060101
F41C007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 13, 2003 |
DE |
20302344.7 |
Claims
1. A cap for a receiving rail of a firearm, comprising: a
resiliently deformable plate; and engaging members on the opposite
sides of the center of the plate, the plate being curved such that
the engaging members approach each other when the cap is
unloaded.
2. A cap as defined in claim 1, where a projection is constructed
adjacent one of the engaging members.
3. A cap as defined in claim 2, where the projection is a
protuberance sized to engage a slot in the receiving rail.
4. A cap as defined in claim 2, wherein the projection is sized to
engage a slot of the receiving rail to secure the cap against
longitudinal movement along the rail.
5. A cap as defined in claim 1 where corners of the cap are
rounded.
6. A cap as defined in claim 1 where the plate and engagement
member are formed from a single piece plastic.
7. A cap as defined in claim 1, wherein the engaging member
comprises engagement rails.
8. A cap as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the
engagement members comprise a series of projections.
9. A cap as defined in claim 1, wherein the cap includes ribs to
enhance its rigidity.
10. A cap as defined in claim 1, wherein the cap includes marking
to facilitate cutting of the plate.
11. A kit, comprising: a plurality of resiliently flexible caps to
secure to a receiving rail of a firearm, each of the caps being
structure to resiliently grip an upper surface of the receiving
rail.
12. A kit as defined in claim 11, wherein at least one of the caps
is curved in the unstressed state and the at least one cap is
flexed against its curvature to mount to the receiving rail.
13. A method of mounting a cap to a receiving rail of a firearm
comprising: engaging a first engagement member beneath a first
longitudinal edge of the receiving rail; stretching the cap to
reach over a top of the receiving member; and engaging a second
engagement member beneath a second longitudinal edge of the
receiving member.
14. A method as defined in claim 13 further comprising engaging a
projection into a slot of the receiving rail to secure the cap
against longitudinal movement relative to the rail.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This patent is a continuation of International Patent
Application Serial No. PCT/EP2004/001329, which was filed on Feb.
12, 2004, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] This disclosure relates generally to firearms, and, more
particularly to caps for receiving rails of firearms, wherein
opposite sides of the caps have elongated engaging rails.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Conventional small firearms, e.g. handguns, are equipped
with one or more receiving rails, upon which accessories (e.g.
telescopic sights, laser target devices, floodlights, night target
devices, etc.) can be mounted. Some receiving rails are diamond
shaped in cross-section such that an accessory with depending arms
may dovetail around and grip the rail. In many case, the
accessories must be readjusted each time they are mounted.
Generally, these known receiving rails and their rear parts (which
may also have transverse slots) are uncovered, which can make
handling of the weapon difficult or awkward for the marksmen.
[0004] Conventional weapons have tried to avoid the difficulty and
awkwardness of handling such firearms by implementing covers or
caps for the corresponding receiving rail. These known caps slide
onto the receiving rail from the front, and are locked by spring
mechanisms. The caps cover the unused portion of the receiving
rail. These known caps are constructed as flat covering caps with
engaging rails constructed on both sides. These engaging rails of
the cap can be slipped under the borders of the dovetail
construction of a receiving rail to secure the cap in place.
[0005] The use of such a cap solves the handling problems noted
above, but other disadvantages with these conventional caps remain.
For example, any accessory that is mounted on the front part of a
receiving rail must be removed before such a prior art cap can be
slipped onto the rear part of the receiving rail.
[0006] An example of a conventional cap that slides onto the
receiving rail is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,363. However, this
known cap is very complex and rigid and cannot be deformed in a
resilient manner.
[0007] A sight cap made of sheet metal is already known from German
patent DE 299 535. This sight cap snaps into two longitudinal slots
of the receiving rail on opposite sides of the sight. However, this
cap does not sit tightly on the sight under tension, but rather
must be removed by lifting the sight bracket up. Therefore, this
cap is poorly suited as a cover for a receiving rail.
[0008] A cover is also known from German patent document DE 90 02
289.4 U1. This known cover can be placed over the telescopic sight,
breech and trigger and held in place by Velcro.RTM. strips. This
cover is not at all suitable for a receiving rail.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example firearm with an
example cap on an example receiving rail.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the example cap of FIG.
1 mounted on the example receiving rail.
[0011] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the example
cap of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Throughout this patent, position designations such as
"above," "below," "top" "forward," "rear," etc. are referenced to a
firearm held in a normal firing position (i.e., pointed away from
the shooter in a generally horizontal direction).
[0013] FIG. 1 shows an example firearm 1 with an example rail 3 on
which an example cap 11 is mounted. Though the firearm 1 shown in
FIG. 1 is a rifle, the cap 11 may be used with any type of firearm
and with any type of receiving rail 3. The cap 11 comprises a
plastic plate 13, which is slightly curved in an unloaded or
unstressed state. The plate 13 has an inner surface 17 and an outer
surface 19. The median axis 23 of the curvature is vertical on the
drawing plane of FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0014] The inner surface 17 of the plate 13 has engaging rails 15.
The rails 15 are on opposite side of an equidistant from the median
axis 23. The rails 15 run longitudinally into and/or out of the
drawing page and are parallel to one another. Each of the engaging
rails 15 has a protruding strip 21 on its free end located at a
distance from the inner surface 17 of the plate 13. The protruding
strips 21 of the engaging rails 15 face one another. They are
arranged and constructed in such a way that they can engage
opposite lateral edges of a receiving rail (not shown), which is
mounted to a weapon (not shown). The lateral edges grip the
receiving rail in a dovetailed manner. That is, the protruding
strips 21 and the engaging rails 15 interlock with corresponding
edges of the receiving rail so that a dovetail joint is formed
between the cap 11 and the receiving rail.
[0015] A projection 25 is constructed adjacent one of the engaging
rails 15, the length of this projection 25 corresponds to the width
of a lateral slot (not shown) in the receiving rail. The projection
25 is used to guide the cap 11 into the correct position to be
connected properly with the receiving rail. The mechanics of this
mounting process are discussed in greater detail below.
[0016] The example cap 11 is mounted to a receiving rail in the
following manner. First one of the two engaging rails 15 is hooked
laterally over a lateral edge of a receiving rail. It is
advantageous to use the engaging rail 15 adjacent to the projection
25 as the first to be hooked over the edge of the receiving rail
because the projection 25 is guided into a lateral slot of the
receiving rail. This ensures the cap 11 will make a proper and
secure connection with the receiving rail. The entire length of the
protruding strip 21 engages the protruding lateral edge of the
receiving rail.
[0017] Next, the cap 11 is bent around the median axis 23 over the
even construction of the plate 13 in the direction of the arrows so
that the plate 13 is curved in a manner opposite that shown in the
drawing. The plate 13 is flexible and can resiliently curve in this
manner without damage and with the ability to reassume its former
shape. The bending causes the distance between the protruding
strips 21 to enlarge and slightly exceed the distance between the
lateral edges of the receiving rail. With the enlarged length, the
cap 11 is stretched so that the other engaging rail 15 (e.g., the
one without the projection 25) and corresponding protruding strip
21 can clear the associated lateral edge of the receiving rail.
[0018] As the plate 13 is released, it bends back slightly against
the direction of the arrows, until the protruding strips 21 fully
engage respective ones of the two opposite lateral edges of the
receiving rail and thereby bring the plate 13 up against the
surface of the receiving rail. The plate 13 is resilient and tries
to maintain its shape. Therefore, the plate 13 provides a contact
pressure against and under the receiving rail to maintain the
connection of the protruding strips 21 and engaging rails 15 with
the corresponding lateral edges of the receiving rail. Also,
because the projection 25 engages in a transverse slot of the
receiving rail, it prevents the cap 11 from slipping in the
longitudinal direction of the receiving rail. As a result of the
continuous tension caused by the resilient cap, the cap 11 sits
firmly on the receiving rail, without shaking or rattling.
[0019] The removal of the cap 111 occurs in the reverse order of
the previously described actions, namely, by bending the plate 13
first in the direction of the arrow and then simply removing it
from the receiving rail in a peeling off type of action.
[0020] A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that
the outer surface 19 of the plate 13 can have ribs 30 and/or other
constructions to increase the rigidity of the cap 11. When used,
these structures should be constructed to not hamper the resilient
bending of the cap 11 in the direction of the arrow.
[0021] A person of ordinary skill in the art will further
appreciate that the illustrated example cap 11 is made from plastic
that is not too hard, and remains resilient. As a result, the
plastic cap 11 does not scratch or damage the receiving rail, but
rather protects it from damages.
[0022] The example construction shown in the drawing is only an
example. Other constructions are also possible. For example, the
plate 13 can be laterally shortened by the part(s) exceeding the
engaging rails 15.
[0023] A person of ordinary skill in the art will further
appreciate that the example cap 11 illustrated herein is an
improvement over conventional caps because it is a simpler device
that avoids the aforementioned problems of the prior art. The
illustrated example cap 11 is deformable in a resilient manner.
Thus, the cap 11 does not have to be slipped onto the receiving
rail from the front (or from the rear), as required by the prior
art, but, rather, can be simply clipped or snapped onto the
receiving rail at a right angle. Also, the two engaging rails 15
approach each other in the unloaded or unstressed state because the
plate 13 strives to maintain its shape as shown in the figure. By
maintaining its shape, the plate 13 and the engaging rails 15 fit
tightly over the receiving rail.
[0024] A person of ordinary skill in the art will further
appreciate that, if the example cap 11 is used with a receiving
rail, upon whose front part a targeting mechanism or other
accessory is mounted, then the accessory does not have to be
removed to add the cap 11 to the receiving rail. Rather the cap 11
can simply be pressed onto the available free part of the receiving
rail and will, thus, be reliably seated there. Also, the cap 11 can
be removed from the receiving rail without removing the accessory.
To this end, the engaging rail 15 is bent outward, and the cap 11
is then released and removed from the receiving rail and can be
removed.
[0025] One advantage of the illustrated example is the inclusion of
a projection 25 on the inner surface 17 of the plate 13. The
projection 25 is designed for engagement in a counter construction
in or on the receiving rail. When the cap 11 is snapped onto the
receiving rail, the projection 25 engages the counter construction
and prevents the cap 11 from slipping in a longitudinal direction
along the receiving rail, even when there is no targeting mechanism
or other accessory attached to block such movement.
[0026] In the illustrated example, the projection 25 is constructed
as a protuberance of an engaging rail 15. This improvement is
designed for receiving rails which have transverse slots for the
attachment of accessories, as most receiving rails now do.
[0027] The cap 11 may have a simple, square surface. However, it is
preferable that its corners be rounded off. Rounding the corners
reduces the danger of the marksman accidentally removing the cap 11
from the receiving rail by, for example, catching his sleeve on the
cap 11 and pulling it off of the receiving rail.
[0028] In a preferred example, the cap 11 is formed from a single
piece of plastic. There are many benefits to the illustrated
example plastic cap 11. For instance, it can be manufactured
economically and easily. It is light. It does not oxidize, and it
does not damage the surface of the receiving rail. Moreover, the
plastic cap 11 has the advantage that it can, if necessary, be
easily shortened by, for example, cutting the cap with a sharp
instrument such scissors. Markings can be made on the cap 11 to
facilitate such shortening. Such markings can be positioned to not
be visible when the cap 11 is fitted to the rail.
[0029] The cap 11 of the illustrated example can also be
manufactured in variable lengths to adapt to the different
accessories that can be mounted onto the receiving rail.
Alternatively, or additionally, short, uniform caps 11 can be
manufactured, which can then be snapped onto the sections of the
receiving rail to be covered. The short caps 11 are placed in
whatever position and amount are necessary to cover the receiving
rail.
[0030] A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that
the engaging rails 15 do not have to be continuous. It is
sufficient if individual projections are provided in place of a
continuous rail. Such individual projections will ensure the secure
seat of the cap 11 on the receiving rail.
[0031] Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of
manufacture have been described herein, this patent covers all
methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling
within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under
the doctrine of equivalents.
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