Infrared aiming light mounting bracket for weapon

• US 4,291,478 A
• Filed: 11/26/1979
• Issued: 09/29/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Lough, Lewis E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Application Number:
  US06/097,614
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 42/1 A, 42/1 S, 42/1 ST, 42/1 F, 33/233, 33/245, 33/250, 33/261, 362/110
• US Class Current: 42/117
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/36 with infrared light source
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/001 Means for mounting tubular or beam shaped sighting or aiming devices on firearms

Abstract

The bracket provides an improved mounting means for conveniently mounting d dismounting an infrared aiming light to a weapon. The bracket has a three point-mounting portion mounted in the weapon handle and a forward and downward angular offset portion extending to an aiming light end of the mounting bracket upon which an infrared aiming light is mounted. The forward and downward angular offset portion conveniently places a dead man switch that is on the front of the infrared aiming light close to the weapon operator'"'"'s hand so that the operator may simultaneously operate the aiming light while bracing the weapon handle. After zeroing in the beam of the aiming light with the bore of the weapon, the bracket and/or infrared aiming light may be disassembled and reassembled without loss of zero.

Claims

1. An infrared aiming light mounting bracket for conveniently mounting and dismounting an infrared aiming light to a weapon wherein the weapon operator may selectively activate said infrared aiming light while continuously bracing the weapon handle, said infrared aiming light mounting bracket comprising:

a weapon end of said mounting bracket having a three point-mounting arrangement therein in which said weapon end is comprised of a bracket shoe having a front pad and a rear pad and relief areas between said front and rear pads wherein said bracket shoe is compatible with the foot of a weapon handle and a tapered thumb screw locking pin and a thumb wheel that is threadably connected to said tapered thumb screw locking pin to extend and lock said tapered thumb screw locking pin firmly into a hole in the upper half of the weapon handle wherein the tapered portion of said tapered thumb screw locking pin forms one point of said three point-mounting arrangement and wedges said mounting bracket firmly against the weapon handle at said front and rear pads wherein said front and rear pads form the other two points of said three point-mounting arrangement;

an aiming light end of said mounting bracket comprised of an aiming light shoe compatible with an IR aiming light foot, and a screw threadable means that is screw threadably connected into said IR aiming light foot to firmly set said IR aiming light into said aiming light end of the mounting bracket; and

an angular offset portion of said mounting bracket that extends forward and downward from said weapon end to said aiming light end of the mounting bracket wherein said IR aiming light has a dead man switch placed in the proximity of the weapon handle bracing hand of the weapon operator so that the thumb of the bracing hand of said weapon operator may selectively activate said IR aiming light by use of said thumb against said dead man switch while continuously bracing said weapon at said weapon handle.

2. A mounting bracket as set forth in claim 1 wherein both of said front pad and rear pad in the weapon handle shoe are comprised of raised portions on beveled sides and on a central flat area between said raised portion beveled sides with said relief areas formed on the remainder of said beveled sides and central flat area between the raised portion beveled sides and raised portion central flat area.

3. A mounting bracket as set forth in claim 2 wherein said aiming light shoe has outer ridges with smooth sides extending down to beveled side portions of about 45°

which extend to a flat base portion upon which said foot of the IR aiming light fits.

4. A mounting bracket as set forth in claim 3 wherein said screw threadable means is comprised of a captivating lever screw assembly.