Mount for firearm sighting device having throw-lever clamp and lever safety latch

Abstract

For firearms, particularly tactical firearms such as the AR-15 tactical rifle, a throw-lever actuated rail clamp is provided for support of various accessories such as optical sighting devices, laser sighting devices, target lighting devices on various part of a firearm to provide for use of the firearm in variable field conditions, during the day or at night. A mount clamp is releasably secured to a firearm rail by a pivotal throw-lever having an eccentric locking component. A safety latch mechanism is mounted for linear movement on the actuating arm of the throw-lever and is moveable to a latched position engaging a latching element of the clamp base to retain the throw-lever at its clamping position. The safety latch is linearly moveable from its latched position to a release position that permits rotational movement of the throw lever toward its release or non-clamping position.

Description

RELATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION [0001] Applicant hereby claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 658,865, filed on Mar. 5, 2005 by Mark C. LaRue and entitled “Mount For Firearm Sighting Device Having Throw-lever Clamp and Lever Safety Latch”. RELATED PATENT APPLICATION [0002] The subject matter of the invention set forth herein is related to the subject matter of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 008,394, filed by Mark C. LaRue on Dec. 9, 2004 and entitled Adjustable Throw-lever Picatinny Rail Clamp, which Application is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention generally relates to mount mechanisms for mounting firearm accessories such as telescopic sighting devices, laser sighting devices, lighting devices and the like to firearms, particularly tactical firearms that are used by military and law enforcement personnel. This invention concerns releasable mounts...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] It is a principal feature of the present invention to provide a throw-lever actuated mount for firearms wherein one or more of the throw-levers of an accessory mount can be secured at its locked or latched condition and will be retained in the latched condition even when subjected to rough handling and / or when subjected to the vibration of sustained rapid firing of the firearm.

[0011] It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a novel mechanism for securing the throw levers of throw-lever type firearm mounts in the locked or clamping position thereof and when desired, to permit simple and efficient release of throw-lever retention, thus permitting manual actuation of the throw-levers even during conditions of darkness and without the need for any special tools, thus enabling the user of the firearm to make accessory changes when desired and yet ensuring that the accessories will remain in place even when the firearm is handled during rough conditions or is subjected to sustained vibration for extended periods of time.

[0012] Briefly, the various objects and features of the present invention are realized through the provision of a releasable clamp type mount mechanism for sighting devices, target lighting devices and other firearm accessories, the mount mechanism having one or more rotatably mounted throw-levers for rotational movement between clamping and releasing positions with respect to the mounting rail system of a firearm. The mount of the present invention is applicable for releasable attachment to Picatinny or Weaver rail systems that are typically fixed to the receivers of tactical firearms, particularly rifles carried by military, tactical or law enforcement personnel. The releasable clamp-type mounts permit various firearm accessories such as sighting devices, lighting devices, etc to be firmly and immovably, but releasably mounted to a mounting rail firearm and also permit the user of the firearm to have the capability for manually releasing and / or installing an accessory mount without the need for tools of any kind.

Problems solved by technology

However, it has also been determined that mechanical clamping devices having throw-levers can become loosened as the firearm is subjected to significant vibration, such as when the firearm is fired rapidly, such as during conditions of sustained rapid fire and has cycled many rounds of ammunition.

Sustained vibration and rough use can cause the throw-levers of accessory mount mechanisms to move, i.e., rotate inadvertently to the release position.

When this condition exists the sighting device of the firearm, whether optical telescope, laser sighting device or the like can become sufficiently loosened that its aim-point can be lost or the sighting device can become loosened to the extent that it may fall completely away from the firearm.

In either case this condition can subject the user of the firearm to considerable danger in the event a firefight is in progress.

It is obvious that either of these disadvantageous conditions, if occurring under tactical field conditions, can be extremely hazardous to the user of the firearm.

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