FIREARM ACCESSORY ADAPTER AND RELATED METHODS OF USE

• US 20140298703A1
• Filed: 04/02/2014
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chambermax LLC
• Original Assignee: Chambermax LLC
• Inventors: Gale, Brian D., Sohm, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,328,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 42/71.02
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 3/72 Operating handles or levers; Mounting thereof in breech-blocks or bolts F41C7/02, F41C7/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 27/00 Accessories; Details or attachments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 3/00 Pistols, e.g. revolvers specially adapted for underwater use F41C9/06; for slaughtering or stunning animals A22B; for shooting bolts into concrete constructions, metal walls or the like B25C
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/10 with notch
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49963 Threaded fastener

Abstract

A slide cover plate adapter and related methods of use for adding functionality to a semi-automatic handgun. The slide cover plate adapter replaces a factory slide cover plate located at a rear wall of a slide assembly in conventional semi-automatic handguns. The slide cover plate adapter includes a channel engagement portion and an accessory engagement portion that are spaced apart and coupled with a bridging member. The channel engagement portion operably couples to the slide assembly while the accessory engagement portion provides a convenient attachment point for any of a variety of handgun accessories.

Claims

1. A handgun adapter system, comprising:

an adapter body having a channel engagement portion, a bridging member and an accessory engagement portion, the channel engagement portion defining an engagement wall having an engagement profile, where said engagement profile is configured such that the engagement wall is adapted for slidable insertion within a cover channel of a slide body of a handgun.

2. The handgun adapter system of claim 1, further comprising:

an accessory having an accessory body, the accessory body defining an accessory cavity, wherein the accessory cavity receives the bridging member and the accessory engagement portion for coupling the accessory to the handgun.

3. The handgun adapter system of claim 2, wherein the accessory engagement portion includes a flange wall, and wherein the accessory cavity includes a flange cavity and a bridging cavity, said flange cavity receiving the flange wall and said bridging cavity receiving the bridging member.

4. The handgun adapter system of claim 2, wherein the bridging member includes a bridging aperture and the accessory body includes an accessory aperture, wherein coupling of the accessory to the handgun aligns the bridging aperture with the accessory aperture to define a locking aperture, and wherein an insertion member is slidably inserted through the locking aperture to positively lock the accessory body to the adapter body.

5. The handgun adapter system of claim 2, wherein the accessory is selected from the group consisting essentially of:

a gripping accessory, a rear sight accessory and a mounting rail accessory.

6. A semi-automatic handgun comprising the handgun adapter system of claim 2.

7. A method for adding accessories to a handgun, comprising:

attaching an adapter to a cover channel on a handgun, the adapter having a channel engagement portion, a bridging member and an accessory engagement portion, the channel engagement portion having an engagement wall with an engagement profile, wherein the engagement wall is slidably inserted into the cover channel; and

attaching an accessory to the accessory engagement portion, the accessory including an accessory cavity adapted to receive the accessory engagement portion.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the accessory engagement portion includes a flange wall and wherein the accessory cavity includes a flange cavity and a bridging cavity, and wherein the step of attaching the accessory to the accessory engagement portion further comprises:

receiving the bridging member within the bridging cavity; and

receiving the flange wall within the flange cavity.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the bridging member includes a bridging aperture and the accessory includes an accessory aperture, and wherein the step of attaching the accessory to the accessory engagement portion further comprises:

defining a locking aperture through alignment of the bridging aperture and the accessory aperture; and

positioning an insertion member within the locking aperture to positively lock the accessory to the adapter.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the insertion member comprises a threaded fastener and wherein the step of attaching the accessory to the accessory engagement portion further comprises:

securing the threaded fastener within the locking aperture.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the accessory comprises a gripping accessory, and wherein the method further comprises:

providing an enhanced gripping area for racking a slide assembly on a handgun.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the accessory comprises a rear sight accessory, and wherein the method further comprises:

increasing a sight radius between a front sight and a rear sight on a handgun.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the accessory comprises a mounting rail accessory, and wherein the method further comprises:

providing at least one rail surface on a handgun.

14. A semi-automatic handgun, comprising:

a frame assembly;

a slide assembly, the slide assembly including a slide body having a cover channel; and

an adapter having a channel engagement portion, a bridging member and an accessory engagement portion, the channel engagement portion defining an engagement wall having an engagement profile, where said engagement profile is configured such that the engagement wall is adapted for slidable insertion into the cover channel to operably couple the adapter to the slide body.

15. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 14, further comprising:

an accessory having an accessory body, the accessory body defining an accessory cavity, wherein the accessory cavity receives the bridging member and the accessory engagement portion for coupling the accessory to the handgun.

16. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 15, wherein the accessory engagement portion includes a flange wall, and wherein the accessory cavity includes a flange cavity and a bridging cavity, said flange cavity receiving the flange wall and said bridging cavity receiving the bridging member.

17. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 15, wherein the bridging member includes a bridging aperture and the accessory body includes an accessory aperture, wherein coupling of the accessory to the handgun aligns the bridging aperture with the accessory aperture to define a locking aperture, and wherein an insertion member is slidably inserted through the locking aperture to positively lock the accessory body to the adapter body.

18. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 15, wherein the accessory comprises a gripping accessory gripping accessory having an enhanced gripping area including a wedge profile for racking the slide assembly relative to the frame assembly.

19. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 15, wherein the accessory comprises a rear sight accessory having a sight body and a rear sight, the sight body increasing a sight radius between a front sight and the rear sight.

20. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 15, wherein the accessory comprises a mounting rail accessory including at least one rail surface extending along the slide body.