IL171261A - Adaptor for attaching accessories to firearms - Google Patents

Description

171261 p-n | 453579 mx ptr>a ITS? rc m»xn DND?3 ADAPTOR FOR ATTACHING ACCESSORIES TO FIREARMS FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to adaptors for attaching accessories to firearms, and particularly to an adaptor for application to a mounting rail of a firearm barrel to enable the mounting rail to receive a selected firearm accessory.

Firearms used in combat frequently include various types of accessories, such as sniper scopes, night sights, and the like. For this purpose, firearms, especially rifles, are frequently equipped with a mounting rail to facilitate the attachment of such an accessory as and when required. An example of such a mounting rail, frequently called Picatinny Rail, is described in US Patent 5,590,484, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other examples of various arrangements for attaching accessories to firearms are described in U.S. Patents 5,826,363, 6,792,71 1, 6,775,942, 6,665,069, 6,854,206 and 6,822,791.

Generally, the attachment of an accessory to such a mounting rail requires the use of both hands. This is not always convenient under combat conditions.

OBJECTS AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a device which enables a selected accessory to be attached to a mounting rail of a firearm in a simple and convenient manner and by the use of only a single hand.

According to a broad aspect of the present invention, there is a provided an adaptor for application to a mounting rail of a firearm barrel to enable the mounting rail to receive a selected firearm accessory, comprising: a base member attachable to the mounting rail and including a mounting for a selected firearm accessory; a spring-biased clamping element carried by the base member and engageable with a clamping surface of the mounting rail with a snap-action for clamping the base member to the mounting rail; and a locking member carried by the base member and manually movable to locking and unlocking positions for selectively locking and unlocking the base member with respect to the mounting rail; wherein the mounting rail includes a pair of opposed ribs extending longitudinally of the mounting rail; and wherein the base member includes a slot formation on its under surface configured to receive the ribs; the spring-biased clamping element being located in the slot formation of the base member to engage and underlie one of the opposed ribs with a snap-action.

According to a further feature in the described preferred embodiment, the slot formation of the of the base member includes an inwardly projecting surface adapted to engage and underlie the other of the opposed ribs of the mounting rail to facilitate the attachment of the base member to the mounting rail with one hand.

According to still further features in the described preferred embodiment, the coupling element is a spring-biased clamping rod extending longitudinally of the base member. In addition, the clamping is spring-biased by a leaf spring carried by the base member. The leaf spring is coupled to the clamping rod by a connector rod having one end engaging the leaf spring and the opposite end engaging the clamping rod.

According to still further features in the described preferred embodiment, the locking member includes a knob rotatably mounted on the base member and manually movable to locking and unlocking positions with respect to the clamping rod. The locking member further includes a pin coupled to the knob, the pin extending perpendicularly to and in alignment with the clamping rod; the pin being formed with a recess facing towards the clamping rod when the knob is in its unlocking position, and away from the clamping rod when the knob is in its locking position.

According to a still further feature in the described preferred embodiment, the mounting rail is a Picatinny Rail having a plurality of transversely-extending slots on its upper surface; and the base member includes a transversely-extending pin receivable in a selected transversely-extending slot of the mounting rail for locating the adaptor with respect thereto.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a firearm including a mounting rail and an adaptor constructed as defined above.

As will be apparent from the description below, such an adaptor enables any selected accessory to be conveniently mounted, with use of but one hand, to any selected location on the mounting rail of the firearm.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one form of adaptor constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a line drawing illustrating the adaptor of Fig. 1 being applied to a mounting rail on a firearm; Fig. 3 is a schematical illustration of what is shown in Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5 are schematical illustrations, corresponding to that of Fig. 3, but showing the adaptor at different positions during its application to the mounting rail of the firearm; Fig. 6 is a top plan view illustrating the adaptor in position as shown in Fig. 5, but before the locking member is manually rotated to lock the adaptor in place; Fig. 7 is a view similar to that of Fig. 6, but showing the locking member after having been moved to its locking position; Figs. 8 and 8a are fragmentary views illustrating the locking member in its unlocking position; Figs. 9 and 9a are corresponding views illustrating the locking member in its locking position; Fig. 10 schematically illustrates a firearm having a sniper scope mounted thereon by the use of the adaptor of Figs. 1-9; and Fig. 11 more particularly illustrates the sniper scope and adaptor of Fig. 10. It is to be understood that the foregoing drawings, and the description below, are provided primarily for purposes of facilitating understanding the conceptual aspects of the invention and possible embodiments thereof, including what is presently considered to be a preferred embodiment. In the interest of clarity and brevity, no attempt is made to provide more details than necessary to enable one skilled in the art, using routine skill and design, to understand and practice the described invention. It is to be further understood that the embodiments described are for purposes of example only, and that the invention is capable of being embodied in other forms and applications than described herein.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Fig. 1 illustrates one form of adaptor constructed in accordance with the present invention for application to a mounting rail of a firearm barrel to enable the mounting rail to receive a selected firearm accessory, such as a sniper scope, night sight, or similar device useful in combat. Firearm barrels, particularly rifle barrels, are frequently provided with such mounting rails for this purpose.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate the construction of the upper section of such a mounting rail, therein generally designated 10. Such a mounting rail includes a pair of opposed ribs 1 1, 12, extending longitudinally of the mounting rail for applying the accessory thereto, and a plurality of transversely-extending slots, shown at 13 in Fig. 2, for locating the accessory at any desired location longitudinally of the rail.

As briefly described earlier, applying a selected accessory to such a mounting rail is somewhat cumbersome and generally requires the use of both hands, which is not always convenient or possible particularly under combat conditions.

The present invention provides an adaptor to facilitate the application of any selected accessory in a more convenient manner. Such an adaptor is shown particularly in Fig. 1 and therein generally designated 20.

As seen in Fig. 1 , such an adaptor includes a base member, generally designated 30, attachable to the mounting rail 10; an accessory holder, generally designated 40, for holding the accessory to be attached, e.g. a sniper scope as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 ; a spring-biased clamping means, generally designated 50, carried via base member 30 and engageable with a clamping surface of the mounting rail 10 with a snap-action for clamping the base member to the mounting rail; and a locking means, generally designated 60, also carried by the base member and manually movable to locking and unlocking positions for selectively locking and unlocking the base member with respect to the mounting rail.

Base member 30 includes a slot formation on its under surface generally complementary to the upper section of the mounting rail 10. Thus, the slot formation formed on the under surface of base member 30 includes opposed outwardly inclined 31a, 32a generally complementary to surfaces 11a, 12a, and inwardly inclined surfaces 31b, 32b, generally complementary to surfaces l ib, 12b, of the rib formations in the mounting rail 10. With respect to the opposed surfaces of rib 11a, 12a, slot surface 31a is complementary to rib surface 11a, but slot surface 32b is not complementary to rib surface l ib. Rather, slot surface 32b is formed with a longitudinally-extending recess 33 for receiving the clamping means 50 as will be described more particularly below, in order to clamp base member 30 to the mounting rail 10.

In addition, base member 30 is formed with a transversely-extending bore 34 carrying a transversely-extending pin 35 (Figs. 1 and 2). Pin 35 is receivable in a selected one of the transversely-extending slots 13 of mounting rail 10 in order to select the mounting position of base member 30 on the mounting rail.

The spring-biased clamping means 50 includes a clamping element in the form of a rod 51 receivable within recess 33 of base member 30. Clamping means 50 further includes a leaf spring 52 (Fig. 2) having a free lower end engageable with a connector rod 53 interposed between the leaf spring and clamping rod 51. Thus, as seen in Fig. 2, one end of connector rod 53 engages the free end of leaf spring 52, and the opposite end engages clamping rod 51 , such that the leaf spring continuously biases clamping rod in the inward direction, i.e. towards the mounting rail 10.

Locking means 60 includes a knob 61 rotatably mounted on base member 30 along a vertical axis 62 (Figs. 6, 7) to either an unlocking position shown in Fig. 6, or to a locking position shown in Fig. 7. As particularly seen in Figs. 8 and 9, knob 61 is fixed at its upper end to a pin 63 such that rotation of the knob also rotates the pin. As shown particularly in Figs. 8, 8a and 9, 9a, pin 63 extends vertically within base member 30 perpendicularly to and in alignment with the clamping rod 51. Pin 63 is formed on one face with a recess 64 adapted to accommodate clamping rod 51 when pin 63 is rotated to position the recess to receive the clamping rod. Thus, Figs 8 and 8a illustrate the unlocking position of knob 61 and pin 63, wherein it will be seen that recess 64 faces towards clamping rod 51 , and therefore permits the lateral displacement of the rod into the recess. Figs. 9 and 9a illustrate the locking position of knob 61 and pin 63, wherein it will be seen that recess 64 faces away from the clamping rod 51 , and thereby prevents any lateral displacement of the clamping rod.

The manner of using the adaptor illustrated in the drawings will be apparent from the above description. Thus, whenever it is desired to apply the adaptor to the mounting rail 10, knob 61 would be rotated to its unlocking position as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8. In this unlocking position, recess 64 of pin 63 coupled to knob 61 faces clamping rod 51 , and thereby permits the outward lateral displacement of the clamping rod.

With knob 61 in its unlocking position, the user, with one hand, grasps the accessory holder 40, manipulates base member 30 so that its under surface 32b at one side of its slot engages the under surface 12b of rib 12 of the mounting rail 10 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and then pivots the opposite side of the base member downwardly whereupon clamping rod 51 rides over the upper surface 11 a of rib 11 of the mounting rail till the clamping rod engages, with a snap-action, the under surface 1 lb of rib 11 of the mounting rail. The foregoing actions are seen at Figs. 4 and 5, respectively. As described above, the outward lateral displacement of clamping rod 51 is permitted during this application of the adaptor because knob 61 of locking means 60 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein recess 64 faces towards the clamping rod 51 , and thereby accommodates the outward lateral displacement of the clamping rod.

As soon as the adaptor has thus been snapped into position over mounting rail 10, knob 61 is rotated to the position illustrated in Figs. 9a and 9b, whereupon its pin 63 is also rotated, to the position illustrated in Fig. 9, wherein the recess 64 faces away from clamping rod 51. Accordingly, pin 63 prevents any outward lateral displacement of clamping rod 51 , and thereby firmly locks the adaptor in position over the mounting rail.

Whenever it is desired to remove the adaptor, including the accessory carried by it, knob 61 is rotated to the unlocking position illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein recess 64 of its pin 63 faces towards clamping rod 51, and thereby permits the outward lateral displacement of the clamping rod when removing the adaptor from the mounting rail.

Fig. 10 schematically illustrates the adaptor bearing an accessory in the form of a sniper scope 42, mounted on the mounting rail of a rifle barrel, and Fig. 11 illustrates only the adaptor and its sniper scope.

While the invention has been described with respect to one preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that this is set forth merely for purposes of example, and that many other variations and applications of the invention may be made. For example, the illustrated adaptor could be applied to mounting rails of other constructions, for example including ribs of other configurations. In addition, the adaptor could be used for mounting other types of accessories, e.g. night sights, infrared and night vision scopes, laser spotters, grenade launchers, and the like.

Many other variations, modifications and applications of the invention will be apparent.

Claims (10)

9 171261/3 What is claimed is:

1. An adaptor for application to a mounting rail of a firearm barrel to enable the mounting rail to receive a selected firearm accessory, comprising: a base member attachable to said mounting rail and including a mounting for a selected firearm accessory; a spring-biased clamping element carried by said base member and engageable with a clamping surface of said mounting rail with a snap-action for clamping the base member to the mounting rail; and a locking member carried by said base member and manually movable to locking and unlocking positions for selectively locking and unlocking said base member with respect to said mounting rail; wherein said mounting rail includes a pair of opposed ribs extending longitudinally of the mounting rail; and wherein said base member includes a slot formation on its under surface configured to receive said ribs; said spring-biased clamping element being located in said slot formation of the base member to engage and underlie one of said opposed ribs with a snap-action.

2. The adaptor according to Claim 1, wherein said slot formation of the base member includes an inwardly projecting surface adapted to engage and underlie the other of said opposed ribs of the mounting rail to facilitate the attachment of the base member to the mounting rail with one hand.

3. The adaptor according to Claim 2, wherein opposed ribs of the mounting rail are of V-configuration and wherein said slot formation of the base member is complementarily configured to receive said opposed ribs of V-configuration.

4. The adaptor according to Claim 1, wherein said spring-biased clamping element is a spring-biased clamping rod extending longitudinally of said base member. 10 171261/3

5. The adaptor according to Claim 4, wherein said clamping rod is spring-biased by a leaf spring carried by said base member.

6. The adaptor according to Claim 5, wherein said leaf spring is coupled to said clamping rod by a connector rod having one end engaging said leaf spring and the opposite end engaging said clamping rod.

7. The adaptor according to Claim 4, wherein said locking member includes a knob rotatably mounted on said base member and manually movable to locking and unlocking positions with respect to said clamping rod.

8. The adaptor according to Claim 7, wherein said locking member further includes a pin coupled to said knob, said pin extending perpendicularly to and in alignment with said clamping rod; said pin being formed with a recess facing towards said clamping rod when the knob is in its unlocking position, and away from said clamping rod when the knob is in its locking position.

9. The adaptor according to Claim 1, wherein said mounting rail includes a plurality of transversely-extending slots on its upper face; and wherein said base member includes a transversely-extending pin receivable in a selected transversely-extending slot of the mounting rail for locating the adaptor at a selective location with respect to the mounting rail.

10. An adaptor according to any one of Claims 1-9 substantially as described with respect to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. t 52 521 Ramat Gan