Patent Application
20160153742
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to firearms and more particularly, to a rescue tool that may be removably mounted onto a firearm.
2. Description of Related Art
A wide variety of tools are commonly used by law enforcement personnel, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and military personnel to gain access to structures having secured entryways (for example, a locked door) that prevent easy entry. Such rescue/entry/breaching tools typically include one or more implements having structures intended for use in prying, cutting, puncturing and/or striking. For example, a “Halligan” bar is a well-known multi-purpose tool that can be utilized to gain entry through a locked door or other entry obstruction. A Halligan bar typically consists of an elongated shaft having a claw or fork on one end of the shaft, and a wedge and pick on the other end of the shaft. Either the fork or the wedge of a Halligan bar may be used to open a locked door by forcing them between the door and the doorframe, and prying the two structures apart. Other rescue/entry/breaching tools may include such features as forked prongs, blades, pikes, multi-pronged pry-bars and other wedge-shaped implements.
Military personnel and law enforcement personnel such as those deployed in S.W.A.T. teams, are often required to carry heavy loads during operations. Such loads may include communications equipment, body armor, extra magazines and ammunition, firearms and other weapons, medical supplies, optics, lighting equipment, food and water, and entry/breaching tools. As the weight of loads carried by law enforcement and military personnel increases, tactical effectiveness tends to correspondingly decrease. Thus, there are many advantages in taking steps to effectively reduce the overall weight of such loads. Accordingly, there is strong-felt need in the prior art to reduce the overall loads carried by law enforcement personal and military personnel required to carry both a firearm and one or more rescue/entry/breaching tools. At least one object of the invention disclosed herein is to meet such need.
The novel features believed characteristic of the inventions are set forth in the appended claims. The inventions themselves, however, as well as preferred modes of use, further advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Where used in the various figures of the drawings, the same reference numerals designate the same or similar parts. All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings of the invention only; the extensions of the figures with respect to number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to form the preferred embodiment will either be explained or will be within the skill of persons of ordinary skill in the art after the following teachings of the present invention have been read and understood.
Several embodiments of Applicant's invention(s) will now be described with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise noted, like elements will be identified by identical numbers throughout all figures. The invention(s) illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element that is not specifically disclosed herein.
Systems and devices for utilizing a firearm-mounted rescue tool are disclosed herein. It should be noted that while the exemplary embodiments of rescue tools and other components discussed herein are taught in association with their application in the context of firearms, the systems and devices taught herein could also be equally utilized in connection with other types of non-firearm mechanical devices that would benefit from the incorporation of the types of implements discussed herein.
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It is contemplated that the insertion body may also include other surfaces having shapes and textures that may or may not be useful for the aiding in the entry of buildings, but which may have other advantageous uses. For example, an armorer's tool (214) is formed on the underside of the insertion body in one embodiment of the tool (202). The armorer's tool is semi-circular in shape and includes wedged notches for use in assembling and disassembling the barrel of an AR-15 type firearm. It is contemplated that the insertion body may be sized and shaped to include other types of structures that may aid rescue personnel, law enforcement personnel and military personnel in the performance of their respective duties and in repairing or maintaining their weapons.
A further alternate embodiment of the rescue tool (216) includes an insertion body having a prying implement (217) formed to include forked prongs. The forked prongs (217) are useful not only in prying open various structures, but also in removing nails, screws and other fasteners that may be wedged between the prongs and pried loose. Other embodiments of the rescue tool (226) may include prying implements having prongs of various dimensions, depending upon the function for which they are intended. An even further alternate embodiment of the rescue tool (218) includes an insertion body having a prying implement (219) formed to include an axe like blade and pike (220). Both the blade and the pike may be utilized to break or otherwise puncture structural surfaces of entryways. An even further alternate embodiment of the rescue tool (228) may include an insertion body having a plurality of prying implements (229), each prying implement extending downward in a generally perpendicular orientation with respect to the insertion body and shaft. Ridges formed on the prying implements may be included to provide for increased grip on structural surfaces. It should be noted that while the embodiments discussed herein feature prying implements extending from the insertion body and shaft in a generally downward direction, it is contemplated that other alternate embodiments of the rescue tool may include prying implements or gripping implements having other orientations with respect to the insertion body and shaft, and may extend at various angles from the insertion body and shaft other than perpendicular, depending on the particular function of the implement.
An even further embodiment of the rescue tool (222) includes an insertion body that, as discussed in more detail below with reference to
A collapsible, user-adjustable rescue tool provides rescue, emergency medical, law enforcement and military personnel an advantage not seen in prior art rescue, breaching and entry tools. Namely, the tool may be carried in a shortened mode when in transit or otherwise not in use, but may be lengthened at the user's discretion if needed when entering a building. Allowing the user to lengthen the rescue tool provides the user with a longer lever arm, which in turn provides for increased prying effectiveness (due to increased torque). Law enforcement and military personnel may also adjust the length of the rescue tool for the purpose of using the tool as a defensive or offensive weapon if circumstances of use so warrant. Another advantage of the rescue tool being configured for removable mounting is that the tool may be interchangeably used with a firearm buttstock. More specifically, a user may mount either a buttstock or a rescue tool on his or her pistol, depending on the circumstance facing the user at that particular moment.
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It should be noted that the rescue tool may be constructed out of any number of materials. Non-limiting examples of the types of materials that may be utilized to construct the rescue tool include steel and other metals and metal alloys, and polymers. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that a number of factors should ideally be considered when choosing the type(s) of materials used to construct the rescue tool. Such considerations may include various material properties such as weight, specific modulus, strength, elasticity, hardness, melting point and electrical conductivity. In various embodiments of the rescue tool, the shaft of the tool may be constructed of a different material than the material(s) chosen to construct the insertion body. If formed separately during construction of the rescue tool, the insertion body that is to be integrally attached to the shaft of said tool, may be welded or otherwise permanently or semi-permanently connected to the shaft. With respect to the embodiment (222) shown in
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It should be noted that the description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The preferred embodiment appearing in the drawings was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations will be possible to the disclosed embodiments without going outside the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims. Moreover, it should be noted that uses of the phrase “the present invention” within this disclosure are not intended to limit or otherwise restrict the scope of the invention(s) disclosed and claimed by the inventor, but said phrase is merely intended to refer to certain examples of embodiments of the invention(s).
