Multipoint Accessory Rail for Composite-Frame Pistol
Accessory mounting rails having locating and clamping elements can be secured to the lower frame of a composite-framed pistol with uniform clamping force to prevent distortion of the lower frame and improve firearm operational reliability. Standard or custom accessory-mounting features may be provided in one or more locations above, below, and to the right and left sides of the pistol's barrel, allowing a number of accessories to be installed and operated together.
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This is an original U.S. patent application.
FIELDThe invention relates to firearm accessories. More specifically, the invention relates to adapters to mount accessories to a composite-frame semiautomatic pistol.
BACKGROUNDFirearms such as pistols and rifles are often fitted with accessories to improve their handling, accuracy, or overall ease of use. Telescopes (“scopes”) for obtaining clearer images of targets, lasers for projecting indicators onto a target, and flashlights for illuminating the area in front of the firearm, are examples of such accessories. Several standard mounting systems have been developed to permit arbitrary equipment to be securely attached to a firearm, and adapters are available to permit an accessory having one mounting to be attached to a firearm via a different mounting.
Although accessories increase the weight and size of a firearm, some are so useful or convenient that even users of smaller firearms such as pistols decide to attach them to their weapons. And consequently, pistol manufacturers have provided structural features that permit the attachment of such devices.
However, certain operational characteristics of a pistol (e.g. the reciprocating motion of the slide of a semi-automatic pistol) and certain materials used in the construction of some pistols (e.g. the composite frame of some lightweight handguns) complicate the secure attachment of accessories. Structures and techniques to improve the robustness of the accessory/firearm interface may be of value in this field.
SUMMARYAn accessory mount having a clamp structure and a cage structure may be secured to the lower frame of a pistol, including a composite-framed pistol, with a plurality of clamping elements so that the clamping force is distributed evenly along the clamp interface. Accessory mounting structures such as Picatinny or Weaver rails are provided to secure accessories adjacent, and aligned with, the barrel of the pistol. Accessory mounts according to embodiments of the invention may be made from suitably shaped aluminum extrusion.
An embodiment of the invention is a mounting accessory or adapter for a pistol or handgun. It is secured to a frame of the handgun below the barrel and ahead of the trigger mechanism, and forms a cage around the barrel, outside the reciprocating slide mechanism. Accessory mounting features are provided at least above (and aligned with) the barrel. Some embodiments provide additional mounting features below the barrel and adjacent one or both sides thereof.
In
It is appreciated that a structure having this Omega shape may be manufactured efficiently from a length of extruded material such as steel or (preferably) aluminum. The extrusion may comprise all of the shapes shown: the pinching points 420, interior surface near (but not interfering with) the reciprocating slide, the outer surface, and the dovetail or keystone shapes at top and bottom. A segment of such extrusion may be machined transverse to its length to create the overall side profile, notches in the mounting rails, openings for transverse fasteners, and skeletonization for appearance and weight reduction. Aluminum can be treated with an anodization process to imbue the surface of an embodiment with a desired color and a tough finish.
Note that the openings 510 and 520 are displaced vertically along the length of the clamping portion of the embodiment that resides under the barrel of the firearm. Thus, the element through opening 510 passes through a notch in the frame of the handgun, 585. The element, which is indicated at 515, serves a locating function, with its position in notch 585 preventing the embodiment from sliding forward or backward under the barrel of the firearm by interfering with the lower frame when such motion is attempted.
In contrast to the element through opening 510, the element through opening 520 passes completely below the frame of the handgun, as shown at 525. Thus, this element only provides a clamping function, without interfering with fore/aft motion as the locating element does.
It is appreciated that there is a limited length of the firearm frame below the barrel and ahead of the trigger mechanism. Prior-art attachment mechanisms used only a single fastener to perform both clamping and positioning functions. However, particularly for firearms with a composite (rather than metal) lower frame, a single clamping force exerted in this location can cause slight distortion of the frame, which increases the chance of misfeed or other malfunction. Positioning a plurality of fasteners along the interface between the firearm and the accessory mount, with at least one fastener providing a locating function and at least one other fastener providing only a clamping function, distributes the securing force more evenly and results in a strong, immobile joint with less overall clamping force required. This, in turn, reduces the distortion of a non-rigid (e.g. composite) frame, and improves operational reliability.
The structures and characteristics of the present invention have been described largely by reference to specific examples and in terms of particular arrangements of features. However, those of skill in the art will recognize that a firearm accessory mount can also be structured somewhat differently than herein described, while retaining the uniform clamping force, fore/aft location fixing, and reduced distortion of a non-rigid firearm frame, by structures that are visually different from those depicted here. Such variations and visually-different structures are understood to be captured according to the following claims.
Claims
1. An accessory mount for a pistol, comprising:
- a clamp structure adapted to interface with a lower frame of a pistol below a barrel of the pistol;
- a cage structure coupled to the clamp structure and configured to surround a slide of the pistol, said cage sized and shaped to permit the slide of the pistol to reciprocate without interference from the cage;
- at least one locating element extending from a left side of the clamp structure to a right side of the clamp structure, said at least one locating element functional to prevent the accessory mount from sliding forward or backward along the lower frame by interfering with a feature of the lower frame;
- a clamping fastener extending from the left side of the clamp structure to the right side of the clamp structure, said clamping fastener functional to urge the left side of the clamp structure towards the right side of the clamp structure and to pinch the lower frame without ability to prevent the accessory mount from sliding forward or backward along the lower frame by interfering with a feature of the lower frame; and
- a plurality of accessory-mounting structures coupled to the clamp structure and the cage structure, each accessory-mounting structure of said plurality of accessory-mounting structures adapted to secure at least one accessory to the pistol.
2. The accessory mount of claim 1 wherein the locating element is functional to urge the left side of the clamp structure towards the right side of the clamp structure and to pinch the lower frame, and
- wherein the locating element and the clamping fastener together distribute a total clamping force evenly along the clamp structure.
3. The accessory mount of claim 1 wherein the clamping fastener is a first clamping fastener, the accessory mount further comprising:
- a second clamping fastener extending from the left side of the clamp structure to the right side of the clamp structure, said second clamping fastener functional to urge the left side of the clamp structure toward the right side of the clamp structure and to pinch the lower frame without ability to prevent the accessory mount from sliding forward or backward along the lower frame by interfering with a feature of the lower frame,
- wherein said first clamping fastener and second clamping fastener together distribute a total clamping force evenly along the clamp structure.
4. The accessory mount of claim 1 wherein each accessory-mounting structure of the plurality of accessory-mounting structures is configured to secure accessories adapted to mount to a standard mounting rail chosen from the group consisting of a Picatinny rail and a Weaver rail.
5. The accessory mount of claim 1 wherein a first accessory-mounting structure of the plurality of accessory-mounting structures is configured to secure accessories adapted to mount to a first standard mounting rail, and
- a second accessory-mounting structure of the plurality of accessory-mounting structures is configured to secure accessories adapted to mount to the standard mounting rail.
6. The accessory mount of claim 1 wherein a first accessory-mounting structure of the plurality of accessory-mounting structures is configured to secure accessories adapted to mount to a first standard mounting rail, and
- a second accessory-mounting structure of the plurality of accessory-mounting structures is configured to secure accessories adapted to mount to a second, different standard mounting rail.
7. An accessory mount for a pistol, comprising:
- a cage structure having a shape similar to a Greek letter Omega (Q) when viewed from a front, said cage structure having an upper loop shaped to surround a slide of the pistol without interfering with a reciprocating motion of the slide of the pistol, said cage structure having a lower clamp shaped to mate securely with a lower frame of the pistol below a barrel of the pistol;
- the lower clamp having a plurality of openings to accept a corresponding plurality of fasteners traveling from a left side of the pistol to a right side of the pistol, transverse to and below a barrel of the pistol;
- a first length of a standard accessory mounting rail coupled to the cage structure and aligned with the barrel of the pistol; and
- a second length of a standard accessory mounting rail coupled to the lower clamp below the barrel of the pistol and aligned therewith.
8. The accessory mount of claim 4 wherein the plurality of openings is two openings.
9. The accessory mount of claim 8 wherein a positioning fastener passing through the first opening of the two openings passes adjacent the lower frame of the pistol at a location where the positioning fastener prevents the accessory mount from moving forward or backward on the lower frame by interfering with the lower frame.
10. The accessory mount of claim 8 wherein a clamping fastener passing through the second opening of the two openings passes adjacent the lower frame of the pistol at a location where the clamping fastener does not interfere with the lower frame as the accessory mount is moved forward or backward on the lower frame.
11. The accessory mount of claim 4 wherein the first length of the standard accessory mounting rail is a Picatinny rail.
12. The accessory mount of claim 4 wherein the second length of the standard accessory mounting rail is a Picatinny rail.
13. The accessory mount of claim 4 wherein the first length of the standard accessory mounting rail is a different shape than the second length of the standard accessory mounting rail.
14. An accessory mount for a pistol comprising:
- a segment of extruded channel having an Omega (‘Ω’) profile and a length;
- a loop of the extruded channel sized to surround a slide of a pistol and allow the slide to reciprocate without interference;
- a shape of the extruded channel between swashes of the Omega profile adapted to complement a shape of a lower frame of the pistol below the barrel and forward of a trigger assembly, said segment of extruded channel shaped transversely to its length to form a shaped structure, wherein a side profile of the shaped structure comprises
- a first opening for a locating element to pass from one side of the extruded channel to another side of the extruded channel, said locating element positioned to interfere with the lower frame of the pistol and prevent the shaped structure from sliding along the lower frame;
- a second opening for a clamping element to pass from the one side of the extruded channel to the another side of the extruded channel, said clamping element positioned not to interfere with the lower frame of the pistol when the shaped structure slides along the lower frame;
- a first length of a standard accessory mounting rail at an upper extreme of the Omega profile and aligned with the barrel; and
- a second length of a standard accessory mounting rail at a lower extreme of the Omega profile and aligned with the barrel.
15. The accessory mount of claim 14 wherein the first length of the standard accessory rail is longer than the second length of the standard accessory rail.
16. The accessory mount of claim 14 wherein a side of the shaped structure comprises a plurality of openings for attaching an accessory to the side of the shaped structure.
17. The accessory mount of claim 14 wherein a side of the shaped structure comprises a plurality of openings for attaching a length of standard accessory rail to the side of the shaped structure.
18. The accessory mount of claim 14 wherein a side of the shaped structure comprises a skeletonizing opening.
19. The accessory mount of claim 14 wherein the extruded channel is formed of aluminum.
20. The accessory mount of claim 18 wherein the extruded channel is treated with an anodized surface finish.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 3, 2022
Publication Date: Dec 7, 2023
Applicant: Timber Creek Outdoors, Inc. (Springfield, OR)
Inventors: Tyler J. TILLER (Springfield, OR), John HERNANDEZ (Eugene, OR)
Application Number: 17/832,480