Truncheon

Abstract

A truncheon comprises an outer casing member including a smaller engagement portion on an outer end, at least two holes on engagement portion, and at least two detents movable in holes; a flexible sleeve sliding on engagement portion and including an inner peripheral limiting shoulder, an elastic member confined by sleeve and engagement portion being biased against the limiting shoulder, and a peripheral stop on outer casing member engaged with an inner end of sleeve in a storage position of truncheon; a handle extended from outer casing member; and a sliding rod in outer casing member. In use, after rod is unlocked pull rod outwardly from outer casing member until detents lock in first indented portion of rod. In storage, press sleeve laterally and inwardly until sleeve engages stop, thus permitting detents to clear from first indented portion prior to retracting rod into outer casing member until detents lock in a second indented portion or rod. This effects a smooth activation of detents. Also, detents are secured without the separation of rod and outer casing member in a use position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to truncheons and more particularly to a truncheon with improved characteristics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A conventional truncheon 6 carried by a policeman or a security person is shown in FIG. 1. Truncheon 6 comprises an outer casing member 60, a hole 601 on the outer casing member 60 near an outer end thereof, a threaded bolt secured to an inner end of outer casing member 60 served as a cap 71, a handle 70 extended from outer casing member 60 and perpendicular thereto, a rod 80 having an outer diameter conformed to an inner diameter of outer casing member 60 so that rod 80 is capable of sliding in the outer casing member 60 and extending from the outer end of outer casing member 60 by a predetermined distance, an elastic member (e.g., spring) 811 anchored on a receptacle on the inner end of rod 80, and a depressible detent 81 having the bottom biased by the spring 811. In use, pull rod 80 outwardly from outer casing member 60 until detent 81 moves into hole 601 to secure therein by the expansion of spring 811. In storage, simply press detent 81 to clear it from hole 601 prior to pushing rod 80 inwardly into the outer casing member 60 until inner end of rod 80 engages the cap 71. However, the prior art suffered from several disadvantages after use. For example, it is not smooth to press detent 811 inwardly. To the worse, since there is only one locking point (i.e., detent 811 in hole 601) detent 811 may become disengaged from hole 601 when police use the truncheon 6 to beat a person, resulting in a separation of rod 80 and outer casing member 60. Thus improvement exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a truncheon comprising an outer casing member including a smaller engagement portion on an outer end, at least two holes on engagement portion, and at least two detents movable in holes; a flexible sleeve sliding on engagement portion and including an inner peripheral limiting shoulder, an elastic member confined by sleeve and engagement portion being biased against the limiting shoulder, and a peripheral stop on outer casing member engaged with an inner end of sleeve in a storage position of truncheon; a handle extended from outer casing member and being perpendicular thereto; and a sliding rod in outer casing member. In use, after rod is unlocked pull rod outwardly from outer casing member until detents lock in first indented portion of rod. In storage, press sleeve laterally and inwardly until sleeve engages stop, thus permitting detents to clear from first indented portion prior to retracting rod into outer casing member until detents lock in a second indented portion or rod. This effects a smooth activation of detents. Also, detents are secured without the separation of rod and outer casing member in a use position.

[0004] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a truncheon according to the invention in a use position;

[0006] FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 where truncheon is in a storage position; and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a conventional truncheon in a use position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a truncheon 1 constructed in accordance with the invention comprising an outer casing member 10 including a smaller engagement portion 11 on the outer end, at least two holes 111 on the engagement portion 11, a limiting shoulder 12 on the inner surface opposite to a shoulder between engagement portion 11 and remaining part of outer casing member 10, and at least two detents 112 movable in the holes 111; a flexible sleeve 20 sliding on the outer casing member 10 near the outer end thereof and including a limiting shoulder 21 on the inner surface, a short slope 211 extended outwardly from the limiting shoulder 21 to the inner surface of the sleeve 20, an elastic member 22 confined by sleeve 20 and engagement portion 11 having one end biased against limiting shoulder 21 and the other end biased against a shoulder between engagement portion 11 and remaining part of outer casing member 10, and a peripheral stop 24 on the surface of outer casing member 10 facing the inner end of sleeve 20; a rod 30 having an outer diameter conformed to an inner diameter of outer casing member 10 so that rod 30 is capable of sliding in the outer casing member 10 and including a collar 31 at an inner end, a first indented portion 32 near the collar 31, and a second indented portion 33 near an outer end; a handle 14 extended from outer casing member 10 and perpendicular thereto; and a cap 40 on the other inner end of outer casing member 10.

[0008] The operation of the truncheon 1 will now be described in detail below. In use, after rod 30 is unlocked pull rod 30 outwardly from outer casing member 10 until detents 112 move into first indented portion 32 to lock therein by the applied force of limiting shoulder 21 on detents 112 through the guide of slope 211 as first indented portion 32 aligned with holes 111. At this position as shown in FIG. 1, collar 31 engages the limiting shoulder 12 so that rod 30 is prevented from being moved further outwardly. In view of above, it is secure in this position. In storage, simply press sleeve 20 so as to compress elastic member 22 laterally. Hence, the outer end of sleeve 20 expands slightly laterally. As such, user may push sleeve 20 inwardly to cause limiting shoulder 21 to move inwardly to compress elastic member 22 until the inner end of sleeve 20 engages the stop 24, thus permitting detents 112 to clear from first indented portion 32. Then user may push rod 30 into outer casing member 10 until collar 31 is stopped by the cap 40. Finally, user releases sleeve 20 cause detents 112 to move into second indented portion 33 to lock therein by the compression of the outer end of sleeve 20 on detents 112 as second indented portion 33 aligned with holes 111 (as shown in FIG. 2).

[0009] Preferably, for the sake of appearance a nut 50 is mounted on the outer end of outer casing member 10 while still allowing rod 30 to freely slide in outer casing member 10. Also, detent 112 is implemented as a ball.

[0010] While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A truncheon comprising:

an outer casing member including a smaller engagement portion on an outer end, at least two holes on said engagement portion, and at least two detents movable in said holes;

a flexible sleeve sliding on said engagement portion and including an inner peripheral limiting shoulder, an elastic member confined by said sleeve and said engagement portion being biased against said limiting shoulder, and a peripheral stop on said outer casing member engaged with an inner end of said sleeve in a storage position of said truncheon; and

a rod capable of sliding in said outer casing member.

2. The truncheon of claim 1, wherein said outer casing member further comprises an inner limiting shoulder and said rod further comprises a collar at an inner end being engaged with said limiting shoulder of said outer casing member so that said rod is prevented from being moved further outwardly in a use position of said truncheon.

3. The truncheon of claim 2, wherein said rod further comprises a first indented portion near said collar with said detents engaged therein in said use position of said truncheon.

4. The truncheon of claim 1, wherein said sleeve further comprises a slope extended outwardly from said limiting shoulder of said sleeve to an inner surface of said sleeve being urged against said detents in an expanded position of said elastic member of said sleeve.

5. The truncheon of claim 1, wherein said rod further comprises a second indented portion near an outer end with said detents engaged therein in said storage position of said truncheon so that said rod is prevented from being slid.

6. The truncheon of claim 1, further comprising a nut mounted on the outer end of said outer casing member for preserving an appearance of said truncheon.

7. The truncheon of claim 4, wherein each of said detents is a ball.

8. The truncheon of claim 1, further comprising a handle extended from said outer casing member and being perpendicular thereto.