MACHINE GUN ACCESSORY MOUNT

• US 20120159831A1
• Filed: 03/12/2012
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: LaFrance, Timothy F., Picciotta, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,800,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 42/90
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 27/00 Accessories; Details or attachments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/32 Night sights, e.g. luminescent optical aspects of sighting devices G02B23/00, G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/387 Mounting telescopic sights on smallarms
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/001 Means for mounting tubular or beam shaped sighting or aiming devices on firearms
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/12 for smallarms; for light-rocket launchers shields attached to smallarms F41C27/04

Abstract

In one example, an accessory mount for a gun, such as a machine gun, can include a base configured for attachment of the accessory mount to the gun, a holding mechanism for fixing the position of the base in relation to the gun, and an elongated accessory mounting arm coupled to the base and extending forwardly therefrom, the arm comprising a beam having a vertical web with at least one flange disposed at an upper and/or a lower end thereof.

Claims

1. An accessory mount for a gun, the mount comprising:

a base configured for attachment of the accessory mount to the gun;

a holding mechanism for fixing the position of the base in relation to the gun; and

an elongated accessory mounting arm coupled to the base and extending forwardly therefrom, the arm comprising a beam having a vertical web with at least one flange disposed at an upper and/or a lower end thereof.

2. The accessory mount of claim 1, wherein:

the base comprises an annular structure having a circular central opening configured to be disposed concentrically over a barrel of the gun and a concentric counterbore extending into a rear surface thereof; and

the counterbore defines a substantially planar floor and is configured to be disposed concentrically over a front end of a shroud of the gun, with the floor of the counterbore disposed against a substantially planar front surface of the shroud.

3. The accessory mount of claim 2, wherein:

the base includes a tailpiece extending rearwardly therefrom; and

the accessory mounting arm is coupled to both the base and the tailpiece.

4. The accessory mount of claim 3, wherein the accessory mounting arm is coupled to the base and the tailpiece by a welded joint, a brazed joint, an adhesive joint, or at least one fastener.

5. The accessory mount of claim 4, wherein the at least one fastener comprises a rivet, a dowel pin, a roll pin, a coiled spring pin, or a threaded fastener.

6. The accessory mount of claim 2, wherein the holding mechanism comprises:

a plurality of threaded bolts extending rearwardly from the base through respective bolt apertures contained therein;

a plurality of cleats, each having an opening through which a rear end portion of a respective one of the bolts extends and a hook adapted to grip an edge of a corresponding hole in the shroud of the gun; and

wherein the cleats are arranged such that advancement of the bolts into respective ones of the cleats causes the hook of each cleat to grip the edge of the corresponding hole in the shroud of the gun and the planar floor of the counterbore in the rear surface of the base to be pulled into contact with and held against the planar front surface of the shroud.

7. The accessory mount of claim 1, wherein the web of the accessory mounting arm includes at least one lightening hole extending therethrough.

8. The accessory mount of claim 1, wherein the accessory mounting arm comprises an extrusion.

9. The accessory mount of claim 1, wherein at least one of the base and the accessory mounting arm comprises an anodized aluminum outer surface.

10. The accessory mount of claim 1, wherein the gun comprises an M2 machine gun.

11. The accessory mount of claim 1, wherein:

the gun includes a yoke defining a first mounting and alignment feature;

the base comprises a bracket having a second mounting and alignment feature that is complementary in shape to the first mounting and alignment feature; and

the holding mechanism comprises at least one threaded fastener extendable through an aperture in the bracket and into a corresponding threaded aperture in the yoke while the first and second mounting and alignment features are engaged with each other.

12. The accessory mount of claim 11, wherein:

the first mounting and alignment feature comprises a raised feature extending radially outward from the yoke; and

the second mounting and alignment feature comprises first and second substantially planar surfaces disposed on a side of the bracket configured to face the raised feature of the yoke.

13. The accessory mount of claim 11, wherein:

the bracket includes a pair of forwardly extending slots in a side surface of the bracket facing away from the gun, the slots being configured to receive a side surface of a rear end portion of the accessory mounting arm in a complementary engagement; and

further comprising at least one threaded fastener extending through at least one through aperture in the accessory mounting arm and into a corresponding threaded aperture in the bracket.

14. The accessory mount of claim 11, wherein the gun comprises an M134 minigun.

15. The accessory mount of claim 1, wherein:

the gun includes a gun mount having a front surface, a portion of which is substantially flat and which includes at least one threaded mounting aperture disposed therein;

the base comprises an L-shaped bracket having an upstanding leg with a substantially flat rear surface and at least one through-hole corresponding to the at least one threaded mounting aperture in the gun mount; and

the holding mechanism comprises at least one threaded fastener extendable through the at least one corresponding aperture in the bracket and into the at least one threaded mounting aperture in the gun mount.

16. The accessory mount of claim 15, wherein:

the bracket includes a leg extending forwardly from the upstanding leg, the forwardly extending leg having an upper surface with a pair of forwardly extending slots disposed therein, the slots being configured to receive a bottom surface of a rear end portion of the accessory mounting arm in a complementary engagement; and

further comprising at least one threaded fastener extending through an aperture in the accessory mounting arm and into a corresponding threaded aperture in the bracket.

17. The accessory mount of claim 15, wherein the gun mount comprises an M93 gun mount.

18. A method of mounting an accessory on a gun, the method comprising:

providing an accessory mount in accordance with claim 1;

mounting the accessory mount on the gun; and

mounting the accessory on the accessory mount.

19. A method of mounting an accessory on a gun, the method comprising:

providing an accessory mount in accordance with claim 11;

mounting the accessory mount on the yoke; and

mounting the accessory on the accessory mount.

20. A method of mounting an accessory on a gun, the method comprising:

providing an accessory mount in accordance with claim 15;

mounting the accessory mount on the gun mount; and

mounting the accessory on the accessory mount.