SigSauer pistol with concealed radio transmitter

• US 4,996,787 A
• Filed: 05/29/1990
• Issued: 03/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (Brookfield Asset Management Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Jack N. Holcomb
• Inventors: Pangratz, Konrad K., Holcomb, Jack N.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/529,380
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 42/6, 42/7, 42/50, 42/71.02, 42/106, 42/71.01, 340/539, 340/567, 340/693, 379/428, 379/434, 379/440, 455/66, 455/89, 455/90
• US Class Current: 42/7
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/65 Box magazines having a cartridge follower
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 27/00 Accessories; Details or attachments not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A SigSauer pistol is modified to hold on the inside of its plastic handle grip an antenna assembly and spring contacts connected conductively to the antenna assembly. A modified magazine casing in the handle of the pistol has a chamber below a false bottom for receiving batteries and a printed circuit board carrying a radio transmitter and microphone. Electrical contacts on the outside of the magazine casing engage the spring contacts on the inside of the handle grip when the magazine casing is slidably inserted into the usual metal handle body on the pistol. Corresponding contacts on the inside of the magazine casing engage contacts on the printed circuit board that are connected electrically to the transmitter. Downwardly-facing battery switch contacts in the chamber are connected electrically to the transmitter and are positioned to engage respective terminals of two series-connected batteries.

Claims

1. A SigSauer pistol having:

a hollow metal handle body of generally rectangular cross-section with a front wall, a back wall, and opposite side walls with respective openings therein, said handle body having a longitudinal cavity between said front, opposite side and back walls which is open at the lower end of said handle body for the slidable insertion and removal of a magazine casing for holding bullets;

a plastic grip having a back segment on the outside of said back wall of said metal handle body and side segments on the outside of said side walls of said metal handle body covering said openings in said side walls;

said back segment of said grip having a shallow recess which is open at the front of said back segment;

an antenna assembly received in said recess, said antenna assembly including a radiating element;

one of said side segments of said grip having a shallow recess which is open at the inside of said one side segment and registers with said opening in the corresponding side wall of said metal handle body;

an insulation panel received in said recess in said one side segment of said grip, first and second spring contacts on said insulation member, said contacts being exposed at the inside of said one side segment of said grip and projecting through said opening in the corresponding side wall of said metal handle body, said first contact being conductively connected to said radiating element of said antenna assembly, and insulated electrical wires connected conductively to said first contact and extending outside said recess in said one side segment of the grip;

a hollow magazine casing slidably insertable into and removable from said longitudinal cavity in said metal handle body through said open lower end, said magazine casing having a front wall, opposite side walls and a back wall, a pair of electrical contacts on the outside of one of said side walls of the magazine casing for engagement respectively with said spring contacts when said magazine casing is fully inserted into said longitudinal cavity in said metal handle body;

a false bottom in said magazine casing spaced above the lower end of the magazine casing, a spring-operated follower slidably received in said magazine casing above said false bottom for pushing bullets up along the magazine casing;

said magazine casing having a chamber below said false bottom, battery switch contacts in said chamber for engagement by battery terminals, and a radio transmitter and microphone in said chamber having electrical connections to said battery switch contacts and said electrical contacts on the outside of said magazine casing.

2. A pistol according to claim 1 wherein said antenna assembly comprises:

a thin flat circuit board received in said shallow recess in said back segment of said grip;

a ground plane on the rear face of said circuit board;

and a radiating element on said rear face of said circuit board.

3. A pistol according to claim 2 wherein:

said transmitter and microphone are on a printed circuit board positioned in said chamber next to said one side wall of said magazine casing;

and said battery switch contacts face downward in said chamber between said printed circuit board and the opposite side wall of the magazine casing from said one side wall for engagement with respective batteries received in said chamber between said printed circuit board and said opposite side wall of the magazine casing.

4. A pistol according to claim 3 and further comprising:

a pair of electrical contacts on the inside of said one side wall of the magazine casing which are respectively connected conductively to said contacts on the outside of said one side wall of the magazine casing;

and a pair of electrical contacts on said printed circuit board connected electrically to said transmitter and microphone and engaging said contacts on the inside of said one side wall of the magazine casing.

5. A pistol according to claim 1 wherein:

said transmitter and microphone are on a printed circuit board in said chamber next to said one side wall of the magazine casing;

and further comprising;

a pair of electrical contacts on the inside of said one side wall of the magazine casing which are respectively connected conductively to said contacts on the outside of said one side wall of the magazine casing;

and a pair of electrical contacts on said printed circuit board connected electrically to said transmitter and microphone and engaging said contacts on the inside of said one side wall of the magazine casing.

6. A pistol according to claim 5 wherein:

said battery switch contacts face downward in said chamber between said printed circuit board and the opposite side wall of the magazine casing from said one side wall.

7. A pistol according to claim 6 wherein said antenna assembly comprises:

a thin flat circuit board received in said shallow recess in said back segment of said grip;

a ground plane on the rear face of said circuit board;

and a radiating element on said rear face of said circuit board.

8. A pistol comprising:

a hollow metal handle body having a front wall, a back wall and opposite side walls, one of said side walls having an opening therein, said metal handle body having a longitudinal cavity therein between said front, back and side walls which is open at the lower end of said metal handle body for the slidable insertion and removal of a magazine casing for holding bullets;

a plastic grip on the outside of said back and side walls of said metal handle body, said grip having a shallow first recess therein which is open next to said back wall of said metal handle body and a shallow second recess therein which is open next to said opening in said one side wall of said metal handle body;

an antenna circuit board received in said first recess and carrying a radiating element and a ground plane;

an insulation panel received in said second recess, first and second electrical contacts on said panel which are exposed at said opening in said one side wall of said metal handle body, one of said contacts being connected to said radiating element and the other of said contacts being grounded;

a hollow magazine casing slidably received in said longitudinal cavity in said metal handle body;

a false bottom in said magazine casing spaced above the lower end of the magazine casing, a spring-operated follower slidably received in said magazine casing above said false bottom for pushing bullets up along the magazine casing;

a pair of electrical contacts on the outside of said magazine casing for engagement with said first and second contacts on said insulation panel when said magazine casing is fully inserted into said longitudinal cavity in said metal handle body;

said magazine casing having a chamber below said false bottom;

battery switch contact means in said chamber for engagement by respective battery terminals;

and a radio transmitter and a microphone in said chamber connected electrically to said contacts on the outside of said magazine casing and to said battery switch contact means.

9. A pistol according to claim 8 wherein:

said electrical contacts on the outside of the magazine casing are on one wall thereof;

and further comprising;

a pair of electrical contacts on the inside of one wall of the magazine casing respectively connected conductively to said contacts on the outside of said one wall of the magazine casing;

a printed circuit board carrying said transmitter and microphone and positioned in said chamber next to said one wall of the magazine casing;

and a pair of electrical contacts on said printed circuit board engaging said contacts on the inside of said one wall of the magazine casing and connected electrically to said transmitter.

10. A pistol according to claim 9 wherein:

said battery switch contact means faces downward in said chamber on the opposite side of said printed circuit board from said one wall of the magazine casing.