BRACE ATTACHMENT FOR A FIREARM

Abstract

A brace attachment for use with a single hand operable firearm, including a member pivotally mounted to a bracket which is in turn adapted to mounting to either of an underside located rail of the firearm or to a rear located rail secured to a butt plate of the firearm. The underside or rear located rails each can further include a MIL-STD-1913 rail integration system. The pivotally mounted member further includes an elongated ergonomic or curved shape pivotable between at least first and second positions, and typically between a stowed position and left or right handed deployed positions in order to accommodate left or right-handed shooters. When deployed, the brace is adapted to rest upon an upper forearm of the user in order to provide balanced support to the firearm when it is being fired.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the priority of USSN 63/752,933 filed February 3, 2025.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to brace attachments for firearms. More specifically, the present invention teaches a brace attachment for use with a single hand operable firearm not limited to a bullpup or AR style pistol.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art is documented with examples of brace attachments for supporting a one-hand operated firearm such as a pistol. A first example of this is the handgun stabilizing brace depicted in US 10,690,442 to Reavis, III which includes a body adapted to be detachably engaged to a firearm support structure such as a receiver extension extending rearwardly from a rear end of the firearm. A first arm extends generally downwardly from the body and a second arm is pivotally connected to the first arm. The second arm is selectively moveable between a stowed position wherein an end of the second arm is received against a side of the body. In a deployed position, the first and second arms form a downwardly rigid forearm support structure under the body. The forearm support structure includes a continuous support surface upon which the user’s forearm is removably receivable to stabilize the handgun when the body is engaged with the support structure of the handgun.

Also disclosed is the detachable folding stock of US 10,054,393 of Kedairy, which includes folding body sections and a folding butt and assumes its operational orientation in either of the extended or folded positions of the stock. The detachable folding stock is removably mountable to a pistol by means of a locking pistol frame stock rim to a pistol grip lock well.

Bullpup style firearms are also known in the art which exhibit a firing grip and trigger located forwardly of the breech or action which allows for a weapon of shorter overall length for a given barrel length, such as in order to preserve muzzle velocity, range and ballistic effectiveness. As is also known, bullpup rifles have unfamiliar ergonomics and handling compared to traditional rifles. The placement of the action and magazine behind the trigger can result in a different feel when shouldering the firearm, which can require a longer learning curve for shooters who are accustomed to traditional rifle designs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a support brace attachment for use with a single hand operable firearm, not limited to a bullpup or AR style pistol, for providing better ergonomic support and balance. The brace attachment exhibits an ergonomically formed and curved member which is pivotally mounted to a base, which is in turn adapted to being mounted to either or both of an underside located rail of the firearm (including either forward of or behind the magazine well), as well as to a rear located rail such as which can be mounted over the end or butt plate. The base can include such as a MIL-STD-1913 rail integration system or Picatinny style support rail which can further be integrally formed with an “L” shaped or bracket configuration secured to the firearm.

The pivotal support member can be pivoted in either of opposite perpendicular directions relative to an axial centerline of the firearm in order to accommodate either of left or right-handed shooters and in which the deployed curved member rests upon the upper forearm of the user in order to provide balanced support to the firearm when it is being fired. In either variant, a mounting bolt with a coil spring is supported within a cavity formed in an end portion of the pivotally supported member at its rotational interface with the base such that, upon depressing the head of the mounting bolt and displacing a locking piece attached to the bolt which is displaced out of contact with a flattened end of an engagement portion, the elongated brace member can be rotated toward either of stowed or ninety degree right/left side deployed positions for maintaining the support member in the desired position.

In a further attachment variant, a circular embossment is configured within the upper surface of the curved member concentric with the mounting aperture extending through the curved member and opposing curved bottom of the supporting end plate. A key portion extends from the embossment, with the opposing underside of the end plate having three key position recesses for seating the curved member in each of non-deployed, left-handed deployed and right-handed deployed positions.

A redesigned coil spring and mounting screw provides a simplified and robust design in which the user pulls downwardly on the curved arm against the spring tension and in order to unseat the locking key from the recess prior to rotating the arm to the desired position. Without limitation, the key and recess configuration can be reversed with the key extending from the underside of the end plate and the three position key recesses configured into the upper surface of the curved member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a firearm not limited to a bullpup style firearm, with the brace attachment mounted to an underside of the firearm rearward of the magazine well according to a first non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 1 and depicting the brace attachment rotated to a ninety-degree right-handed use position;

FIGS. 3-4 present a pair of enlarged partial plan views of a pistol brace assembly as shown in FIG. 1, such as secured to a single hand operable firearm, with FIG. 3 depicting the brace attached to the associated brace support and including a mounting interface or folding hinge, and FIG. 4 depicting the mounting interface or folding hinge removed;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the brace attachment of FIG. 1 and depicting the construction of the base for engaging to an underside mounting rail associated with the receiver extension of the bullpup style firearm, along with the bolt and spring components for pivotally influencing the curved ergonomic support member in either of the stowed or right/left deployed positions;

FIG. 5A presents a partially transparent assembled underside partial view of the biased brace attachment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 presents a corresponding exploded view of a further variant of a brace attachment secured to a mounting rail incorporated into a butt plate of the bullpup pistol as shown and according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a rear rotated perspective of a bullpup style firearm depicting the brace attachment of FIG. 6 secured to the butt plate and rotated to a ninety-degree right-handed use position;

FIG. 8 is a further rotated perspective of FIG. 7 and depicting a dual arrangement of brace attachments secured to both the butt plate and curved underside behind the magazine well of the firearm according to a non-limiting variant of the present invention;

FIG. 9 presents a further non-limiting variant of a brace attachment secured to a mounting rail incorporated into a butt plate of the bullpup pistol as shown and according to a further embodiment of the present invention by which a circular embossment is configured within the upper surface of the curved member concentric with the mounting aperture extending through the curved member and opposing curved bottom of the supporting end plate, with a key portion extending from the embossment, with the opposing underside of the end plate having three key position recesses for seating the curved member in each of non-deployed, left-handed deployed and right-handed deployed positions;

FIG. 10 presents an enlarged and rotated upper side view of the upper circular embossment and key portion of curved support member which is hidden from view in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 presents a reverse arrangement to that shown in FIG. 9 and by which the key extends from the underside of the end plate, with the three position key recesses being configured into the upper surface of the curved support member; and

FIG. 12 is a corresponding view to FIG. 10 by which the rotated upper side view of the upper circular embossment depicts the three position key recesses according to FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the attached illustrations, the present invention discloses a brace attachment, such as for use with a single hand operable firearm. As will be further described in each of the succeeding embodiments, the brace attachment of the present invention can be used with any single hand operable firearm not limited to a bullpup or AR style pistol, however which can be further be applied for use with a normally dual hand usable firearm which is fired using a single hand.

As will be further described, in each application the support brace attachment includes an ergonomically curved member pivotally supported relative to a base in turn secured to a butt end or underside location of the firearm, and which is rotatable between at least first and second positions (and typically from between a stowed/non-deployed position and left or right side deployed positions) in order to provide balanced support upon a user’s forearm.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a brace attachment associated with a bullpup style firearm having a forward receiver 1 incorporating a barrel 2, along with an attachable or rear receiver 3. As further shown, the forward receiver 1 incorporates both of a grip 4 with trigger 5, with the rear receiver 3 including a breech or action 6 located rearwardly of the grip 4. A magazine 7 attaches into a magazine well 8 configured into the rear receiver 3 located below the action 6. Other features of the firearm include either of a rear underside or curved bottom 9 or a rear end located plate 10, such as a MIL-STD-1913 rail integration system or commercially known Picatinny style 1913 support rail which is depicted as an “L” shaped bracket secured to the butt end of the firearm.

The brace attachment is depicted generally at 12 and, in a first non-limiting embodiment, is mounted to an underside of the firearm along rear underside (curved) location 9 and, as shown, is located rearward of the magazine well 8. Without limitation, the brace attachment can be located at any underside location of the firearm not limited to forward or rearward the magazine well.

FIG. 2 presents a perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 1 and depicting the brace attachment 12 rotated to a ninety-degree right-handed use position, with the brace including an elongated, typically arcuate, and pivotally supported member 14 being rotatable to either of right or left-handed use positions.

FIGS. 3-4 present a pair of one hundred and eighty degree rotated and enlarged partial plan views of the brace attachment 12 which can be used on an AR style pistol which is capable of being fired with a single hand. FIG. 3 depicts the brace 12 attached to an associated brace support 11 and including a mounting interface or folding hinge, which is representatively depicted at 13. FIG. 4 further depicts the mounting interface or folding hinge of FIG. 3 removed to expose a rear threaded end location 15 of the barrel 2.

Proceeding to FIG. 5, an exploded view is shown of the brace attachment of FIG. 1, which includes each of an elongated arcuate member 14 pivotally supported upon an associated base, further depicted as an angled or bracket shaped member with a lower side corresponding to the curved surface location 9 and a connected upward angled side corresponding to a rear rail section 10.

As further shown in FIG. 5, the arcuate rotatable arm or member 14 includes an end portion 16, through which is formed a first aperture 18 (formed through a vertical axis 20 in this embodiment), with a screw 22 seating through the aperture 18 and engaging with an opposing support portion 24 in turn seated within an aperture location 26 of the base located proximate a rear end of the curved bottom 9 in order to pivotally associate the curved member 14 to the rear underside location 9 of the base.

A further aperture 28 is formed in a crosswise extending axis 30 (see FIG. 5) of the end portion 16 (relative to the axis 20) at its rotational interface with the base. A coil spring 32 (FIG. 5) seats upon a shaft portion 34 of a mounting bolt, which is inserted within the crosswise extending aperture 28, such that the spring is captured between an enlarged head 35 of the mounting bolt, with an opposing locking piece 36 which threads onto the end of the threaded screw shaft 34.

As further shown in the partially transparent and partial assembled underside view of the biased brace attachment of FIG. 5A, the spring 32 is depicted pushing against an internal surface of the aperture 28. Rotation of the brace arm or member 14 occurs upon the enlarged head 35 of the screw being depressed, which presses the locking piece 36 out of alignment with the flat edge profile of the support portion 24, in order to permit rotation of the member 14 to the desired position, upon which the enlarge head 35 is released and the locking piece 36 reverse displaces into reengagement with the flat edge of the support portion 24. In this manner, the bias exerted influences the member 14 toward either of its stowed (FIG. 1) or either of opposite ninety degree rotated (FIG. 2) right/left side deployed positions for maintaining the member in either of the stowed or right/left deployed positions.

As is further shown in FIG. 5, an inside extending rail slot 38 is configured (such including a female dovetail profile) is depicted which allows the base underside 9 to be installed to a bottom facing rail 40 configured upon the rear receiver extension 3 behind the magazine well 8 in order to secure the base to the firearm (this can further include separate fasteners securing the upright integrated rail portion 10 to the rear surface of the firearm receiver extension 3 in order to secure the base component in place). As again previously stated, it is also understood that the rear rail 10 is capable of being redesigned as a separate component for installing to the rear of the firearm receiver extension 3.

Proceeding to FIG. 6, a corresponding exploded view is shown of a further variant of a brace attachment (see also at 12’ in FIGS. 7-8) which is secured to the rear surface rail 10 of the base according to a further embodiment of the present invention. Similar to as shown in FIG. 5, an arcuate rotatable support member 42 (compare to at 14 in FIG. 5) includes an end portion 44 which is pivotally secured relative to a main Picatinny rail engagement portion 46 via an aperture (not shown) extending along an axis 48 via a Picatinny threaded engagement fastener 50.

A further aperture 52 is formed in a crosswise extending axis 54 of the support member end portion 44. A coil spring 56 seats upon a shaft portion of a mounting bolt 58, which is inserted within the crosswise extending aperture 52, such that the spring is captured between an enlarged head 59 of the mounting bolt 58 and a support portion 60 attached to the threaded end of the screw 58. As with the embodiment of FIG. 5, the spring 56 pushing against an internal surface of the aperture 52, with rotation of the brace arm or member 42 occurring upon the enlarged head 59 of the screw being depressed, which presses the locking piece 60 out of alignment with a flat edge profile 61 of the engagement portion 46, in order to permit rotation of the member to the desired position, upon which the enlarge head 59 is released and the locking piece 60 reverse displaces into reengagement with the flat edge of the support portion 24.

Additional to the main Picatinny rail engagement portion 46, a secondary attachment portion 62 is provided, both exhibiting a female dovetail (or wedge shaped) profile which is adapted to seat around opposite edges of the male dovetail configuration of the rear rail 10. An aperture 64 is configured in the secondary rail engagement portion 62 and aligns with an aperture 66 configured in the main Picatinny rail engagement portion 46 for receiving the modified threaded rail engagement fastener 67. A rotary nut 68 exhibiting internal threads 70 engages a projecting threaded end 72 of the fastener 67 for affixing the secondary configuration of the attachment brace 12’ to the rear rail surface of the firearm.

FIG. 7 is a rear rotated perspective of a bullpup style firearm depicting the brace attachment of FIG. 6 rotated to a ninety degree right-handed use position, with FIG. 8 providing a further rotated perspective of FIG. 7 and depicting a combination/dual arrangement of both rear 12’ and underside 12 located brace attachments according to a non-limiting variant of the present invention. Without limitation, and as previously stated, the present invention can operate with either or both versions of the brace attachment as shown and described.

FIGS. 9-10 present a further non-limiting variant of a brace attachment, see as generally shown at 100 and including an arcuate/ergonomically configured support arm or member 102 integrally formed with and extending from a rotatably supported end portion 104, and which is secured to a modified mounting rail having a curved bottom 106 (located behind the magazine well 8 shown in FIG. 5) and a rear located Picatinny style end plate 108, such as secured or incorporated into a butt plate of the bullpup pistol as shown according to a further embodiment of the present invention. A circular embossment 110 is configured within am upper surface of the pivotally supporting end portion of the ergonomic support member, this concentric with the mounting aperture 112 extending through the support member and opposing the curved bottom of the supporting end plate 106 which exhibits a further aligning underside aperture 114.

An embossed or raised key portion 116 (see FIG. 10) extends from the circular embossment 110, with the opposing underside of the end plate 106 having three key position recesses formed therein for seating the curved member, at 102’, in each of non-deployed (at 118), left-handed deployed (at 120) and right-handed deployed (at 122) positions. A redesigned coil spring 124 seats upon a threaded shaft 126 of a mounting screw 126 having an enlarged head 128. The screw 126 with supported spring 124 inserts from an underside fashion as shown through the aperture 112 and into the aligning aperture 114 of the end plate 106 in which it is threadably engaged so as to secure the elongated support arm or member 100 to provide a simplified and robust design in which the user pulls downwardly on the curved arm against the spring tension, thereby downwardly displacing the arm a limited distance necessary to unseat the locking key 116 from the selected recess, and prior to rotating the elongated arm or member 100 to the desired position left/right handed shooter position.

With further reference to FIGS. 11-12, presented is a reverse arrangement, generally at 100’, to that shown in FIGS. 9-10 (in which similar components are repetitively referenced), and by which the key (now depicted at 116’) extends instead from the underside location of modified end plate 106’, with a plurality of the three position defining key recesses (118’, 120’ and 122’) further being configured into the upper surface of the curved support end portion proximate to the circular embossment (now at 110’). Rotational adjustment of the elongated support arm or member is otherwise identical to that described previously for FIGS. 9-10.

Without limitation, the brace attachment options 100 and 100’ depicted in FIGS. 9-10 and FIGS. 11-12 respectively can be optionally secured to either or both of the bottom 106 or interconnected end plate 108 of the “L” shaped bracket, such as previously shown in FIG. 8. Also, any of the envisioned embodiments of the present invention can be redesigned to include two or more individual rotated brace positions (and in addition to the three shown) and including any of stowed, deployed or in-between rotated positions beyond those depicted.

Having described my invention, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims. The detailed description and drawings are further understood to be supportive of the disclosure, the scope of which being defined by the claims. While some of the best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the claimed teachings have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments exist for practicing the disclosure defined in the appended claims.

The foregoing disclosure is further understood as not intended to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. As such, it is contemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modifications to the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or implied herein, are possible in light of the disclosure. Having thus described embodiments of the present disclosure, a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is limited only by the claims.

In the foregoing specification, the disclosure has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, as one skilled in the art will appreciate, various embodiments disclosed herein can be modified or otherwise implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, this description is to be considered as illustrative and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the manner of making and using various embodiments of the disclosure. It is to be understood that the forms of disclosure herein shown and described are to be taken as representative embodiments. Equivalent elements, materials, processes or steps may be substituted for those representatively illustrated and described herein. Moreover, certain features of the disclosure may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the disclosure. Expressions such as “including”, “comprising”, “incorporating”, “consisting of”, “have”, “is” used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural.

Further, various embodiments disclosed herein are to be taken in the illustrative and explanatory sense, and should in no way be construed as limiting of the present disclosure. All joinder references (e.g., attached, affixed, coupled, connected, and the like) are only used to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and may not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the systems and/or methods disclosed herein. Therefore, joinder references, if any, are to be construed broadly. Moreover, such joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected to each other.

Additionally, all numerical terms, such as, but not limited to, “first”, “second”, “third”, “primary”, “secondary”, “main” or any other ordinary and/or numerical terms, should also be taken only as identifiers, to assist the reader's understanding of the various elements, embodiments, variations and/or modifications of the present disclosure, and may not create any limitations, particularly as to the order, or preference, of any element, embodiment, variation and/or modification relative to, or over, another element, embodiment, variation and/or modification.

It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. Additionally, any signal hatches in the drawings/figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically specified.

Claims

1. A brace attachment for use with a single hand operable firearm, comprising an elongated support member pivotally secured to a base which is adapted to being mounted to either of an underside the firearm or to a rear butt plate, said member being repositionable between at least first and second rotated positions for supporting the firearm upon a forearm associated with the hand of a user in order to provide balanced support to the firearm when it is being fired.

2. The brace according to claim 1, further comprising either of underside or rear located rails incorporated into the firearm.

3. The brace according to claim 2, said rails further comprising a MIL-STD-1913 rail integration system.

4. The brace according to claim 3, said base further comprising an “L’ shaped bracket integrating said rear located rail and adapted to mounting to said underside located rail affixed to the firearm.

5. The brace according to claim 4, said base further comprising an inside extending rail slot configured along a bottom extending side for installation of said base to said underside rail configured upon a rear receiver extension of the firearm in order to secure said base to the firearm.

6. The brace according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting bolt with coil spring supported within a cavity formed in an end portion of said pivotally mounted member at its rotational interface with said base such that, upon depressing a head of said mounting bolt against the spring, a locking piece attached to an end of the bolt is displaced out of aligning with a flattened surface of a support portion.

7. The brace according to claim 6, further comprising said end portion of said pivotally mounted member being secured to a main rail engagement portion via an aperture receiving a threaded engagement fastener, a secondary attachment portion adapted to seat around an opposite edge of the rear rail, an aperture configured in the secondary rail engagement portion aligning with the aperture configured in the main rail engagement portion for receiving the threaded rail engagement fastener, a rotary internally threaded nut engaging a projecting threaded end of the fastener for securing the rail engagement portions to the rear located rail.

8. The brace according to claim 1, said elongated support member further comprising an end portion, a circular embossment configured within an upper surface of said end portion concentric with a mounting aperture extending through said end portion and opposing a bottom of a supporting end plate which exhibits a further aligning underside aperture for receiving a coil spring seated upon a threaded shaft of a mounting screw having an enlarged head, said threaded shaft with supported spring inserting through said end portion of said support elongated and threadably secured within said end plate so that, upon the user pulling downwardly on the member arm against the spring tension, said member displacing downwardly a limited distance necessary to unseat said unseat and rotate said member between said first and second positions.

9. The brace according to claim 8, further comprising a raised key portion extending from said circular embossment, said at least first and second rotated positions further including an opposing underside of said end plate having three key position recesses formed therein for seating said support member between stowed/non-deployed, left-handed and right-handed positions.

10. The brace according to claim 8, further comprising a raised key portion extending from an underside location of said end plate, said at least first and second rotated positions further including a plurality of three position defining key recesses configured into an upper surface of the curved support end portion proximate to said circular embossment for seating said support member between stowed/non-deployed, left-handed and right-handed positions.

11. A brace attachment for use with a single hand operable firearm, comprising:

an “L’ shaped bracket adapted to mounting to the firearm and including each of a bottom and a rear located end plate adapted to being attached to the firearm;

an elongated member having an end portion pivotally mounted to a base which is adapted to being mounted to either of an underside or the firearm or to a butt plate;

a circular embossment configured within an upper surface of said end portion of said elongated member concentric with a mounting aperture extending through said bracket which exhibits a further aligning aperture for receiving a coil spring seated upon a threaded shaft of a mounting screw having an enlarged head, said threaded shaft with supported spring inserting through said end portion of said elongated member and threadably secured within said bracket so that, upon a user pulling the member against a tension of said coil spring, said member displacing a limited distance necessary to unseat and rotate said member to a desired position.

12. The brace according to claim 11, further comprising a raised key portion extending from said circular embossment, with an opposing surface of said bracket having multiple key position recesses formed therein for seating said support member.

13. The brace according to claim 11, further comprising a raised key portion extending from said bracket, a multiple of key recesses further being configured into an upper surface of said end portion proximate to said circular embossment for seating said support member.

14. A brace attachment for use with a single hand operable firearm, comprising:

a bracket adapted to mounting to an underside of the firearm;

an elongated member having an end portion pivotally mounted to a base which is adapted to being mounted to said bracket;

a circular embossment configured within an upper surface of said end portion of said elongated member concentric with a mounting aperture extending through said bracket which exhibits a further aligning aperture for receiving a coil spring seated upon a threaded shaft of a mounting screw having an enlarged head, said threaded shaft with supported spring inserting through said end portion of said elongated member and threadably secured within said bracket;

a raised key portion extending from said circular embossment, with an opposing surface of said bracket having three key position recesses formed therein for seating said support member so that, upon a user pulling the member against a tension of said coil spring, said member displacing a limited distance necessary to unseat and rotate said member between at least first and second positions.