Patents by Inventor Thomas W. Saur

Thomas W. Saur has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8984794
    Abstract: This trigger guard roll pin tool makes it possible to safely and quickly install or remove the trigger guard roll pin on a conventional M16/M4 family weapon. In the disassembly or reassembly of the trigger guard on such weapons the handling of the trigger guard roll pin element is often a manually challenging and painstaking activity that can result in damage to the weapon if done incorrectly. This disclosed tool handily is an assist in such activities. The trigger guard roll pin tool makes it possible to remove and install the trigger guard roll pin without risking breakage of the roll pin flanges on the lower receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: 8572884
    Abstract: This surrogate lower receiver tool makes it possible to retract the slip ring element on a conventional M16/M4 family weapon when the hand guards must be removed or reinserted. As will be appreciated by those in the gun repair trade, in the disassembly or reassembly of such weapons the handling of the slip ring element is often a manually challenging and painstaking activity. This disclosed tool handily is an assist in such activities. The surrogate lower receiver tool makes it possible to remove and install hand guards without a lower receiver being installed on the firearm, thus avoiding the risk of damage to or loss of the lower receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: 8141286
    Abstract: There is shown in this invention a face cheek rest for a firearm that cushions a shooter (to generally aim then shoot) against uncomfortable interaction with harsh surfaces on a firearm buttstock or body. The cheek rest provides a secure, easy to clamp on and use interface, which is very comfortable and cushioning. The device is made to be light weight as well as low cost and aesthetically pleasing. This cheek rest can be used equally well on a weapon employing a folding metal butt stock assembly, other type collapsible firearm butt stock, or most any other standard type firearm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: 8069606
    Abstract: This tool makes it possible to more conveniently handle the “selector” element on a conventional M16/M4 family weapon when the selector must be removed or reinserted. As will be appreciated by those in the gun repair trade, in the disassembly or reassembly of such weapons the handling of the selector element is a tricky and painstaking activity. This disclosed tool handily is an assist in such activities. The tool is inserted in the opening in the receiver of the selector element and rotated. An offset circular cam means on the tool when rotated will handily depress the detent element (which necessarily must be done and it also has a spring beneath it). A bumper end cap at the distal end of the tool will carefully engage the selector element to gently push on it if needed (or in the reverse operation for the tool to be gently backed away there from as the selector is repositioned into the weapon).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: 8025003
    Abstract: A firearm barrel having barrel flutes on the outer surface of the barrel where the barrel flutes are undercut relative to an outward radial vector from the center of the barrel at an arcuate radial distance that exceeds the arcuate radial distance of an undercut produced by a straight walled flute cutter such that the barrel flutes are hyper-undercut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Publication number: 20090151215
    Abstract: A catcher, in combination with a firearm having an ejection port, for receiving and retaining expended magnetically attracted shell casings through the ejection port as the firearm is discharged. The catcher includes a hollow housing having a plurality of rigid walls, and retainers. One of the walls has an opening in communication with the ejection port when the catcher is mounted to the firearm for receiving the shell casings. A seal is attached to the housing at the opening and surrounding the opening and provides controlled release of pressurized ejection port gas from inside the housing as the firearm is discharged such that noise and flash as a result of escape of the pressurized ejection port gas is reduced or eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: 7536821
    Abstract: A catcher, in combination with a firearm having an ejection port, for receiving and retaining expended magnetically attracted shell casings through the ejection port as the firearm is discharged. The catcher includes a hollow housing having a plurality of rigid walls, and retainers. One of the walls has an opening in communication with the ejection port when the catcher is mounted to the firearm for receiving the shell casings. A seal is attached to the housing at the opening and surrounding the opening and provides controlled release of pressurized ejection port gas from inside the housing as the firearm is discharged such that noise and flash as a result of escape of the pressurized ejection port gas is reduced or eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: 7134233
    Abstract: A catcher, in combination with a firearm having an ejection port, for receiving and retaining expended magnetically attracted shell casings through the ejection port as the firearm is discharged. The catcher includes a hollow housing having a plurality of rigid walls, and retainers. One of the walls has an opening in communication with the ejection port when the catcher is mounted to the firearm for receiving the shell casings. At least one of the other walls includes a plurality of deflectors and each of the deflectors has a front face that is slanted away from the opening such that the deflectors are capable of deflecting the shell casings away from the opening and a rear face that is perpendicular to the planar surface of the housing or slanted away from the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: 7043863
    Abstract: A catcher in combination with a firearm having an ejection port for receiving and retaining expended magnetically attracted shell casings through the ejection port as the firearm is discharged. The catcher includes a hollow housing having a plurality of rigid walls. One of the walls has an opening in communication with the ejection port when the catcher is mounted to the firearm for receiving the shell casings, and at least one of the other walls includes a plurality of deflectors. Each of the deflectors has a front face that is slanted away from the opening such that the deflectors are capable of deflecting the shell casings away from the opening and a rear face that is perpendicular to the planar surface of the housing or slanted away from the opening. Retainers at the rear face of the deflectors are capable of retaining the shell casings when the catcher is in any position. The retainers include a permanent magnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: 6836991
    Abstract: A catcher for receiving expended shell casings from a firearm having an ejection port as the firearm is discharged, the catcher includes a hollow housing and a lining. The hollow housing having a plurality of rigid walls, wherein one of the walls has an opening in communication with the ejection port when the catcher is mounted to the firearm for receiving the shell casings. The lining is fixed inside the rigid walls, wherein the lining includes an acoustic foam having a plurality of wedges and the wedges are configured to deflect the shell casings into the catcher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: D551313
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventors: James H. Saur, Michael J. Saur, Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: D620067
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur
  • Patent number: D623717
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Thomas W. Saur