Fore grip with bipod

• US 7,111,424 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grip Pod Systems International, LLC
• Original Assignee: Joseph D. Gaddini, Joseph R. Moody
• Inventors: Gaddini, Joseph D., Moody, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): CLEMENT, MICHELLE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US10/725,082
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 42/94, 42/72, 248/171
• US Class Current: 42/72
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/247 Members preventing slipping of the feet for supports with three or more telescoping legs F16M11/36
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/005 integral with the apparatus or articles to be supported
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/06 also serviceable for other purposes, e.g. to be used as spade, chair, ski-stick
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/08 Bipods
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/10 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 23/16 Forestocks; Handgrips; Hand guards pump-action guns F41C7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/563 Camera grips, handles means in general for steadying hand-held apparatus F16M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A fore grip with a concealable and collapsible bipod has a tubular recess consisting of two cylindrical cutouts the housing for the legs when concealed and as the housing for a sliding piston that deploys the legs. A release has a compression spring positioned between piston assembly and the bottom of the first cutout and this spring; The legs are connected to the bottom of the piston via a hinge and spring that when released causes the legs to expand outward until fully deployed.

Claims

1. An ergonomic fore grip mountable to a firearm to stabilize the firearm, comprising:

a) a top end and a bottom end and cut out there through;

b) a mount for attaching the top end of the fore grip to a firearm;

c) a vertically sliding piston inside the fore grip;

d) two legs coupled to the sliding piston;

e) a catch-lock that catches and locks the legs and the sliding piston in a closed position inside the fore grip;

f) a spring-loaded fulcrum release mechanism for releasing the catch-lock;

g) a depressible tension plate on an outside surface of the fore grip to activate the release mechanism causing the spring-piston to drive the legs downward to the bottom end of the fore grip;

h) an expansion spring positioned between the legs causing the legs to expand outward to a locked position after the legs are released from confinement within the fore grip, wherein the sliding piston, the catch-lock, the legs, the spring-loaded fulcrum release mechanism and the expansion spring between the legs are all located and concealed inside of the fore grip in the closed position.

2. The fore grip as defined in claim 1 wherein the sliding piston assembly at the top end of the fore grip includes a piston having a piston shaft and a piston head, the piston head attached to the legs, and a spring mounted between the top end of the fore grip and the shaft for biasing said piston downwardly.

3. The fore grip as defined in claim 2 further including a spring-loaded fulcrum release mechanism having a fulcrum latch plate, with a beveled cut out that serves as a catch surface for the catch-lock to secure the top of the piston shaft and the legs in a stored position.

4. The fore grip as defined in claim 2, further including a hinge for coupling the legs to the sliding piston assembly.

5. The fore grip as defined in claim 1 further including a recessed locking ring at the bottom end of the fore grip to prevent the sliding piston assembly from exiting the fore grip when the legs are deployed.

6. The fore grip as defined in claim 2 further including a tubular recess within the fore grip with at least one longitudinal protrusion and the sliding piston with at least one recess that interfaces with the longitudinal protrusion for preventing rotation of the piston upon deployment of the legs and when the piston and legs are in a stored position.

7. The fore grip as defined in claim 1 wherein the legs are provided with feet.

8. The fore grip as defined in claim 1 wherein the fore grip has a plurality of annular grooves around the circumference of the grip portion.

9. The fore grip as defined in claim 7, wherein the feet include:

a surface portion so that when the legs are concealed within the handle, the feet seal off the deployment and spreader mechanisms from entrance of any material that interferes with the deployment of the legs.

10. The fore grip as defined in claim 1, wherein the two legs includes:

each leg having upper ends and bottom ends, the two legs having feet on each of the bottom ends, the two legs being solely extendable from underneath the fore grip, the two legs having a hinge point at their upper ends for allowing the bottom ends to expand outward from one another.

11. A method for using an ergonomic fore grip with concealable and collapsible bipod legs having a spring-loaded fulcrum release mechanism comprising the steps of:

mounting a fore grip to a lower surface of a firearm;

the fore grip comprising a top end and a bottom end and cut out there through;

a mount for attaching the top end of the fore grip to a firearm;

a vertical sliding piston inside the fore grip;

two legs coupled to the sliding piston;

a catch-lock that catches and locks the legs and the sliding piston in a closed position inside the fore grip;

a spring-loaded fulcrum release mechanism for releasing the catch-lock;

a depressible tension plate on an outside surface;

and an expansion spring positioned between the legs;

wherein the sliding piston, the catch-lock, the legs, the spring-loaded fulcrum release mechanism and the expansion spring between the legs are all located and concealed inside of the fore grip in a closed position;

depressing the tension plate in the spring-loaded fulcrum release mechanism to release the spring-piston that drives the bipod legs downward to release the legs from confinement within the fore grip;

expanding the bipod legs outward beneath the firearm to a fully deployed position;

supporting the fully deployed legs on a surface;

gripping the fore grip; and

firing the firearm that is now supported in a stabilized position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the expanding step further includes the step of:

an expansion spring for expanding the bipod legs outward from one another.