Flashlight adapter for a handgun

• US 5,816,683 A
• Filed: 03/07/1997
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christiansen, Ned F.
• Original Assignee: Christiansen, Ned F.
• Inventors: Christiansen, Ned F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/813,565
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 362/110, 362/114, 42/103
• US Class Current: 362/110
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 27/00 Accessories; Details or attachments not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A flashlight adapter for a handgun having a base retainer receivable into the interior of a magazine through a distal end thereof. A spring biases the base retainer toward the distal end. The magazine has a flange about the distal end of the magazine. A magazine base is removably engaged on the flange and is secured in its assembled position by protuberances extending from the base retainer being received in apertures in the magazine base. The magazine base has a channel therein for receiving a lightholder for holding a flashlight therein. The lightholder is selectively received within the magazine base.

Claims

1. In a flashlight adapter for a handgun, the handgun having a grip in which a magazine is received, the magazine having an open interior, an open distal end, and a spring housed therein, the improvement comprising, a base retainer received in the magazine distal end and the interior of the magazine, the base retainer having first and second ends abutting opposing walls defining the open interior of the magazine, the base retainer additionally having a first surface facing into the interior of said magazine and being engaged by the spring to continually urge the base retainer toward the magazine distal end;

a magazine base releasably coupled to the magazine distal end and base retainer and having means thereon defining a guide track and means thereon defining a detent, both facing away from the magazine distal end; and

a holder member for holding a flashlight thereon removably received on the magazine base, the holder member and magazine base having operatively engaged latch means for securing the holder member to the magazine base, the holder member including a guide part slidably received on the guide track to support the holder member on the magazine base, the holder member additionally including a movable holder latch member selectively engaging the detent on magazine base, when in the first position thereof, so as to selectively secure the holder member to the magazine base and selectively disengaging the detent, when in the second position thereof, to facilitate removal of the guide part of the holder member from the guide track of the magazine base.

2. The flashlight adapter for a handgun according to claim 1, wherein the base retainer generally extends throughout the entirety of an area of the open interior of the magazine.

3. The flashlight adapter for a handgun according to claim 1, wherein the base retainer has at least one protuberance extending generally axially relative to the magazine from a second surface thereof when the base retainer is within the interior of the magazine, the second surface of the base retainer being remote from the first surface thereof, and wherein the magazine base has at least one aperture which respectively receives the at least one protuberance therein when the spring presses the base retainer toward the magazine distal end so as to prevent a slidable disengagement of the magazine base from the magazine distal end.

4. The flashlight adapter for a handgun according to claim 3, wherein a surface of the at least one protuberance is in close contact to an edge of the at least one aperture, whereby the magazine base is essentially prevented from moving relative to the handgun during recoil thereof.

5. The flashlight adapter for a handgun according to claim 3, wherein the magazine has a magazine flange extending radially from the magazine distal end, and wherein the magazine base has a wall member, a plate extending transverse the wall member, and a base flange extending transverse the wall member defining a channel therebetween, the channel slidably receiving the magazine flange therein to secure the magazine base on the magazine, and wherein the apertures in the magazine base are positioned in the plate.

6. The flashlight adapter for a handgun according to claim 5, wherein the base retainer has a protrusion means for preventing a front to back movement of the base retainer when slidably removing the magazine base, the protrusion means extending generally axially relative to the magazine from the first surface of the base retainer.

7. The flashlight adapter for a handgun according to claim 5, wherein the magazine base has an intermediate wall extending between two opposing sides of the wall member and is front to back spaced from a third side of the wall member, wherein the wall member has a lightholder flange extending from an edge of the wall member remote from the base flange, the wall member, the plate, and the lightholder flange defining an elongate T-shaped channel for receiving the lightholder therein, the intermediate wall closing an end of the T-shaped channel, and wherein the lightholder has an elongate T-shaped member receivable in the T-shaped channel.

8. The flashlight adapter for a handgun according to claim 7, wherein the T-shaped member has a stem, a crosspiece positioned on the stem, and a groove extending into the stem of the T-shaped member through the crosspiece of the T-shaped member, and wherein the lightholder latch is pivotally secured in the groove to latch the T-shaped member in the T-shaped channel adjacent the intermediate wall.

9. The flashlight adapter for a handgun according to claim 8, wherein the T-shaped member has apertures extending transversely therethrough, the lightholder latch has an aperture extending therethrough transverse the longitudinal extent thereof generally aligned with the apertures of the T-shaped member, and a pin extends through the aperture in the lightholder latch and extends into the apertures in the T-shaped member thereby pivotally joining the lightholder latch within the groove.

10. The flashlight adapter for a handgun according to claim 8, wherein the lightholder latch has a tooth extending into one of the two apertures in the magazine base when the T-shaped member is inserted into the T-shaped channel so that the tooth contacts an edge of the one aperture preventing a lateral movement of the lightholder relative to the magazine in a first direction and the intermediate wall prevents a lateral movement of the lightholder relative to the magazine in a second direction.

11. The flashlight adapter for a handgun according to claim 10, wherein the lightholder latch is essentially U-shaped an has a bight section joining first and second legs, the first leg being generally rigid, has a finger-engaging section, and has the tooth extending therefrom, the second leg being elastically yieldable which allows the lightholder latch to be displaced when force is applied to the finger-engaging section so that the tooth is removed from contact with the edge of the aperture in the second position and the lightholder is removable from the magazine base in the first direction.

12. A lightholder for a handgun, comprising:

a lightholder body adapted to secure a flashlight thereon,

a securing member extending outwardly from said lightholder body having a latch movable between first and second positions,

a magazine base slidably receivable on a magazine in a first direction, said magazine base having a channel therein and a detent thereon, said channel receiving the securing member when the securing member is slid thereon in a second direction, said detent receiving said latch therein when said latch is in said first position and said securing member being fully inserted into said channel, and

a base retainer adapted to be positioned within a magazine having a securement means for securing said magazine base on a magazine by essentially preventing movement of said magazine base in a direction opposite said first direction.

13. A method for removably securing a flashlight to a handgun, comprising the steps of:

pressing a base retainer positioned in a magazine in a first direction toward an open end of the magazine,

sliding a magazine base onto a magazine in a second direction transverse of the first direction,

preventing the magazine base from moving in the first direction when slid onto the magazine,

inserting at least one protrusion extending from the base retainer into at least one detent in the magazine base when the magazine base is fully inserted onto the magazine, the insertion of the protrusions thereby preventing the magazine base from moving in a third direction opposite the second direction,

sliding a lightholder into a guide way within the magazine base in the third direction, and

removably latching a lightholder latch into a detent in the magazine base securing the lightholder against movement in the second direction.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of selectively pressing the lightholder latch into an unlatched position so as to allow removal of the lightholder opposite the fourth direction.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of inserting the at least one protrusion includes the step of closely contacting a surface of the at least one protrusion to an edge of the at least one detent thereby preventing movement of the magazine base in the third direction during recoil created when firing the handgun.