Patent Application
20240033787
The present disclosure generally relates to weapon cleaners and more particularly to bore cleaners for a bore of a firearm.
Firearms use an explosive charge to shoot a round (e.g., bullet, etc.) through a bore of a barrel. After each shoot, residue from the explosive charge and the round may be left within the bore. The residue can build up over time, negatively impacting the firearm's accuracy and overall performance. To maintain the firearm in proper working order, the bore of the barrel is periodically cleaned to remove any build-up of residue.
In one aspect, a firearm bore cleaner for cleaning a bore of a firearm comprises a cleaning segment having an elongate cleaning body sized and shaped to clean the bore of the firearm when the cleaning segment is moved along the bore of the firearm. The cleaning segment has a head end portion and an opposite tail end portion. The cleaning segment includes a tail end connector adjacent the tail end portion. A pulling segment has an elongate pulling body sized and shaped to be inserted into the bore of the firearm. The pulling segment has a head end portion and an opposite tail end portion. The pulling segment includes a head end connector adjacent the head end portion of the pulling segment. The tail end portion of the pulling segment is connected to the head end portion of the cleaning segment. The head end connector of the pulling segment and the tail end connector of the cleaning segment are configured to releasably connect to each other to couple the head end portion of the pulling segment and the tail end portion of the cleaning segment together such that the cleaning segment and the pulling segment form a closed loop.
In another aspect, a method of cleaning a bore of a firearm with a firearm bore cleaner comprises inserting a head end connector of a pulling segment of the firearm bore cleaner through the bore of the firearm. A tail end portion of the pulling segment is connected to a head end portion of a cleaning segment of the firearm bore cleaner such that the cleaning segment moves with the pulling segment. The method further includes connecting the head end connector of the pulling segment to a tail end connector of the cleaning segment to form a closed loop that extends through the bore of the firearm and continuously moving the closed loop through the bore to clean the bore.
In another aspect, a method of forming a firearm bore cleaner comprises inserting an end of an elongate fabric tube through an opening in the elongate fabric tube and into a lumen of the elongate fabric tube to form a loop at a tail end of the elongate fabric tube, inserting a portion of a tether into the opening and into the lumen of the elongate fabric tube, sewing the tether and the end of elongate fabric tube to the elongate fabric tube, and connecting a tail end connector to a tail end of the tether. The tail end is opposite the portion of the tether sewn to the elongate fabric tube. The method further includes connecting a head end connector to an elongate pulling body. The head end connector is configured to releasably attach to the tail end connector. The method further includes connecting a tail end of the elongate pulling body to a head end of the elongate fabric tube. The head end of the elongate fabric tube is opposite the tail end.
Other objects and features of the present disclosure will be in part apparent and in part pointed out herein.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
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The cleaning segment 12 and the pulling segment 14 are connectable end-to-end to form a closed loop. As explained in more detail below, the closed loop makes it easier to repeatedly move the cleaning segment 12 through the bore of the firearm to clean the bore. To form the closed loop, the tail end portion 34 of the pulling segment 14 is connected to the head end portion 18 of the cleaning segment 12. Likewise, the head end portion 32 of the pulling segment 14 is connected to the tail end portion 20 of the cleaning segment 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the cleaning segment 12 and the pulling segment 14 are configured to make two connections therebetween to form the loop. At least one of these connections is releasable. In the illustrated embodiment, both connections are releasable. When the connections are not formed, the cleaning segment 12 and the pulling segment 14 are free of connection to each other and are movable with respect to one another. When at least one of the connections is formed, the cleaning segment 12 and the pulling segment 14 move with each other. In an alternative embodiment, the one of the connections can be non-releasable or fixed and the other connection can be releasable. For example, the connection between the tail end portion 34 of the pulling segment 14 and the head end portion 18 of the cleaning segment 12 can be non-releasable and the connection between the head end portion 32 of the pulling segment 14 and the tail end portion 20 of the cleaning segment 12 can be releasable, or vice versa. Having at least one releasable connection enables the firearm bore cleaner 10 to be threaded through the bore of the firearm before the closed loop is formed.
Referring to
In the illustrated embodiment, each connector 36, 38, 40, 42 is a threaded connector. Each connector 36, 38, 40, 42 includes a threaded portion configured to threadably connect each set of connectors together. The head and tail end connectors 36, 38 of the cleaning segment 12 are male connectors. Each of the head and tail end connectors 36, 38 of the cleaning segment 12 include a threaded portion 44 (e.g., a male threaded portion). Each threaded portion 44 has external threads. The head and tail end connectors 40, 42 of the pulling segment 14 are female connectors. Each of the head and tail end connectors 40, 42 of the pulling segment 14 include a threaded portion 46 (e.g., a female threaded portion). The threaded portions 46 have internal threads and are configured to receive the respective threaded portions 44 of the head and tail end connectors 36, 38 of the cleaning segment 12. Threadably connecting the threaded portions 44, 46 of the head end connector 40 of the pulling segment 14 and the tail end connector 38 of the cleaning segment attaches the head end portion 32 of the pulling segment and the tail end portion 20 of the cleaning segment together (broadly, forms the connection between the head end of the pulling segment and the tail end of the cleaning segment). Threadably connecting the threaded portions 44, 46 of the head end connector 36 of the cleaning segment 12 and the tail end connector 42 of the pulling segment 14 attaches the head end portion 18 of the cleaning segment and the tail end portion 34 of the pulling segment together (broadly, forms the connection between the head end of the cleaning segment and the tail end of the pulling segment).
The firearm bore cleaner 10 includes at least one swivel 48 (
In one embodiment, at least one of the tail end connector 42 of the pulling segment 14 and the head end connector 36 of the cleaning segment 12 includes a swivel 48. For example, both the tail end connector 42 of the pulling segment 14 and the head end connector 36 of the cleaning segment 12 can include a swivel 48. In one embodiment, the head end connector 36 of the cleaning segment 12 includes the swivel 48. In this embodiment, the swivel 48 is operatively disposed between the threaded portion 44 of the head end connector 36 of the cleaning segment 14 and the elongate cleaning body 16 to permit the threaded portion of the head end connector of the cleaning segment to rotate relative to the elongate cleaning body of the cleaning segment when the tail end connector 42 of the pulling segment 14 and head end connector of the cleaning segment are being threadably attached to one another. In another embodiment and as illustrated, the tail end connector 42 of the pulling segment 14 includes the swivel 48. In this embodiment, the swivel 48 is operatively disposed between the threaded portion 46 of the tail end connector 42 of the pulling segment 14 and the elongate pulling body to permit the threaded portion of the tail end connector of the pulling segment to rotate relative to the elongate pulling body of the pulling segment when the tail end connector of the pulling segment and the head end connector 36 of the cleaning segment 12 are being threadably attached to one another.
Any number of the connectors 36, 38, 40, 42 can include a swivel 48. Having a swivel 48 in at least one of the connectors 36, 38, 40, 42 allows portions of the cleaning segment 12 and/or pulling segment 14 to rotate relative to one another when two connectors are being threadably connected (broadly, when the cleaning and pulling segments are being connected together to form the closed loop). This makes it easier to attach one set of end portions of the cleaning segment 12 and the pulling segment 14 together to form the closed loop when the other set of end portions are already connected together. The swivel 48 allows the cleaning segment 12 and the pulling segment 14 to be connected to form the at least one connection without twisting the cleaning segment or the pulling segment. For example, the head end connector 40 of the pulling segment 14 and the tail end connector 38 of the cleaning segment 12 can be threaded together to make a first connection between the cleaning and pulling segments. Then, the head end connector 36 of the cleaning segment 12 and the tail end connector 42 of the pulling segment 14 can be threaded together to make a second connection between the cleaning and pulling segments and form the closed loop. The swivel 48 permits the threaded portion 46 of the tail end connector 42 of the pulling body 14 to rotate relative to the elongate pulling body 30 such that the elongate pulling body does not twist as the second connection is made.
Without at least one swivel 48, making the first connection between the cleaning segment 12 and the pulling segment 14 would generally inhibit or make it more difficult to rotate and attach the loose set of connectors 36, 38, 40, 42 to make the second connection and form the closed loop. In addition, the rotations required to connect the loose set of connectors 36, 38, 40, 42 to form the second connection and the closed loop would twist the cleaning segment 12 and/or pulling segment 14, and this twisting would be present in the closed loop, which would negatively impact the performance of the firearm bore cleaner 10 as it is being moved through the bore of the firearm. The swivel 48 can generally be disposed anywhere on the firearm bore cleaner 10 to permit rotation and does not have to be incorporated into one of the connectors 36, 38, 40, 42, such as one of the connectors of the loose set of connectors that are connected to form the closed loop. In this embodiment, the swivel 48 is separate from the connectors 36, 38, 40, 42 but permits rotations of one or more of the connectors relative to a component of the firearm bore cleaner 10 (broadly, permits rotation of the two connectors being connected relative to each other without requiring the twisting of the cleaning and/or pulling segments 12, 14) to prevent twisting or winding of a component (e.g., the elongate cleaning body 16, the elongate pulling body 30) of the firearm bore cleaner on itself as the threaded connection is made between two connectors to form the closed loop. Other types of connectors are within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the connectors can be snap-fit connectors. The swivel may not be necessary in a firearm bore cleaner using other types of connectors if the connectors do not require rotation relative to one another to connect and disconnect. However, the swivel may still be included to provide other benefits such as reducing the effects of any twisting and winding applied by a user while pulling the firearm bore cleaner along the bore of the firearm.
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The combined length of the cleaning segment 12 and the pulling segment 14 is at least twice the length of the bore to be cleaned, so that the firearm bore cleaner 10 can extend into one end of the bore, through the bore, out the other end of the bore, and be connected to itself outside of the bore to form the closed loop. Desirably, the combined length of the cleaning and pulling segments 12, 14 is greater than the length of the bore to be cleaned to provide slack and clearance to permit the user to manipulate the portion of the firearm bore cleaner 10 exposed outside the bore to pull the firearm bore cleaner along or through the bore. Any combination of the lengths of the cleaning segment 12 and the pulling segment 14 can be used to form the total length of the firearm bore cleaner 10. For example, the cleaning and pulling segments 12, 14 can be of equal lengths or unequal lengths. For instance, the pulling segment 14 can be longer than the cleaning segment 12 or vice versa. Desirably, the pulling segment 14 is longer than the length of the bore so that a portion of the pulling segment will always be disposed outside the bore (regardless of the position of the bore along the closed loop) for a user to manipulate to pull the firearm bore cleaner 10 along the bore.
One method of forming the firearm bore cleaner 10 will not be described. To form the cleaning segment 12, first a length of material (e.g., flexible fabric tube) is cut to a desired length for forming the elongate cleaning body 16. To form the loop 24, an end of the elongate cleaning body 16 (e.g., the elongate fabric tube) is inserted through an opening in the elongate cleaning body and into the lumen of the elongate cleaning body. This forms the loop 24 at the tail end of the elongate cleaning body 16. The opening may be formed by separating fibers of the elongate cleaning body 16. In the illustrated embodiment, stiches can be sewn into the elongate cleaning body 16 to secure the inserted end of the elongate cleaning body to the rest of the elongate cleaning body. Other ways of forming the loop, such as with adhesive, are within the scope of the present disclosure. The tether 54 is also secured or attached to the elongate cleaning body 16. This can be done in various ways and at various locations. For example, the tether 54 can be attached to the loop 24 or on the elongate cleaning body 16 toward the head end of the loop. In the illustrated embodiment, a portion of the tether 54 is inserted into an opening of the elongate cleaning body 16 and into the lumen of the elongate cleaning body. The tether 54 can be inserted into the same opening as the end of the elongate cleaning body 16 that forms the loop 24, as shown in
To form the pulling segment 12, a length of material (e.g., a cord, plastic coated cable, etc.) is cut to a desired length for forming the elongate pulling body 30. The head and tail end connectors 40, 42 are then attached. The head end connector 40 is attached to the elongate pulling body 30 (e.g., a head end thereof), such as by crimping. Similarly, the tail end connector 42 is attached to the elongate pulling body 30 (e.g., a tail end thereof), such as by crimping. With the cleaning and pulling segments 12, 14 formed, these segments can now be connected together. The tail end portion 34 of the pulling segment 14 (e.g., the tail end of the elongate pulling body 30) can be attached to the head end portion 18 of the cleaning segment 12 (e.g., the head end of the elongate cleaning body 16) via the head end connector 36 and the tail end connector 42 to form the first connection. If desired, the tail end portion 20 of the cleaning segment 12 (e.g., the tail end of the elongate cleaning body 16) can be attached to the head end portion 32 of the pulling segment 14 (e.g., the head end of the elongate pulling body 30) via the tail end connector 38 and the head end connector 40 to form the second connection. The firearm bore cleaning tool 10 may be sold with the cleaning and pulling segments 12, 14 separate from each other (e.g., with neither connection formed), with one connection formed, or with both connections formed.
A method of cleaning the bore of the firearm will now be described. In general, the cleaning and/or pulling segments 12, 14 are threaded through the bore and then connected together to form the closed loop. To form the loop, the head end connector 36 of the cleaning segment 12 and the tail end connector 42 of the pulling segment 14 are connected together and the head end connector 40 of the pulling segment and the tail end connector 38 of the cleaning segment are connected together. Alternatively, the other ends of the cleaning and pulling segments 12, 14 could be connected, by flipping the orientation of the pulling segment. After the firearm bore cleaner 10 is looped, the firearm bore cleaner is pulled continuously to repeatedly move the cleaning segment 12 through the bore (broadly, the firearm bore cleaner is pulled continuously through the bore) until the bore is sufficiently clean. Specifically, in one method of cleaning the bore of the firearm, first the head end connector 40 of the pulling segment 14 is inserted through the bore of the firearm. At this step, the pulling and cleaning segments 12, 14 can already be attached to each other via the end connectors 36, 42 such that the cleaning segment move with the pulling segment or the cleaning and pulling segments can be attached together after the pulling segment is inserted into the bore. After the head end connector 40 of the pulling segment 14 is inserted through the bore, the head end connector of the pulling segment is attached to the tail end connector 38 of the cleaning segment 12, thereby forming the closed loop that extends through the bore of the firearm. The head end connector 40 of the pulling segment 14 and the tail end connector 38 of the cleaning segment 12 are threadably coupled together. The at least one swivel 48 rotates during the attachment of the head end connector 40 of the pulling segment 14 and the tail end connector 38, to eliminate the effect twisting these connectors relative to one another has on the remaining components of the firearm bore cleaner, as described herein. After the closed loop is formed, the firearm bore cleaner 10 is then moved continuously through the bore to clean the bore. The user repeatedly grips the pulling segment 14 and/or cleaning segment 12 to move the cleaning segment head end first into and through the bore to clean the bore. A solvent (not shown) may be applied to the cleaning segment 12, such as to the solvent holder 22, before or during this step to help remove the residue from the bore. The user repeatedly moves the cleaning segment 12 through the bore until the bore is sufficiently cleaned. After the cleaning is completed, the user disconnects at least one set of connectors 36, 38, 40, 42 to break the closed loop. The user can disconnect the head end connector 40 of the pulling segment 14 and the tail end connector 38 of the cleaning segment 12 and/or the head end connector 36 of the cleaning segment and the tail connector 42 of the pulling segment. After at least one of the connections is broken, the user pulls any remaining portion of the cleaning segment 12 and/or pulling segment 14 out of the bore.
The looped firearm bore cleaner 10 makes it easier and faster to clean the bore by enabling the user to only move or pull the firearm bore cleaner 10 in one direction and does not require the user to manually realign the cleaning segment 12 with the bore of the firearm each time the cleaning segment is inserted into the bore, unlike conventional firearm bore cleaners. Because the firearm bore cleaner 10 is threaded through the bore and forms a closed loop, the cleaning segment 12 will automatically become aligned with the bore before each insertion into the bore as the user pulls the firearm bore cleaner.
When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
It will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope defined in the appended claims.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
This application is a division of U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 17/444,263, filed Aug. 2, 2021, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/060,018, filed Aug. 1, 2020, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63060018 | Aug 2020 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17444263 | Aug 2021 | US |
| Child | 18483674 | US |
