Patent Grant
7895877
This version of the invention is concerned with the field of firearms accessories. More specifically, this version of the invention is concerned with gun barrel stamper for impressing upon a gun barrel a series of identifying alphanumeric characters in an even sequence and straight line.
Creating identifying marks, such as alpha-numeric characters, on the surface of a gun barrel involves the use of metal punch dies and a means to exert force or pressure against each individual punch die so as to impress the individual alpha-numeric character located at one end of each punch die upon the exterior surface of gun barrel. In many cases, a series of several alpha-numeric characters must be impressed upon the exterior surface of the gun barrel in order to create a usable identifying mark, serial number, or the like. For such alpha-numeric characters to be effective as an identifying mark, they must be impressed upon or otherwise crated on the exterior surface of the gun barrel in an even sequence and straight line so as to prevent any misreading or misunderstanding of the various alpha-numeric characters that comprise the identifying mark.
However, it is exceedingly difficult or impossible to create an identifying mark upon the exterior surface of a gun barrel in such a manner using conventional methods and devices. For instance, a common method involves placing a gun barrel in a holding device, such as a vice, and banging individual punch dies with a hammer or mallet against one end of the punch die to impress upon the gun barrel the individual alpha-numeric character located at the opposed end of the punch die. This process is not only laborious and time consuming but frequently ineffective as the punch die may slide off the exterior surface of the gun barrel when being struck by the hammer or mallet. In addition, the alpha-numeric characters that may be eventually transferred to the exterior surface of the gun barrel are usually done so in an uneven and haphazard manner, which makes reading or understanding the identifying mark difficult or impossible. Various punch die stamping devices and mechanisms are available in prior art and design. However, such devices are limited in the ability to create a series of alpha-numeric characters upon the exterior surface of a gun barrel.
The subject of the instant invention introduces a gun barrel stamper that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of previous methods and devices for stamping, impressing upon, or otherwise creating alpha-numeric characters upon the exterior surface of a gun barrel. The gun barrel stamper is comprised of a die container with interior space, a die ram inserted into the interior space of the die container, a series of punch dies located within said interior space of the die container, and fasteners for releasably attaching the gun barrel stamper to the exterior surface of a gun barrel and urging the punch dies located within the die container against the exterior surface of a gun barrel so as to impress upon the exterior surface of the gun barrel a series of alpha-numeric characters in an even sequence and straight line.
The existence of a stamping device designed to create in an even sequence and straight line a sequence of alpha-numeric characters upon the exterior surface of a gun barrel is unknown at the present time. For example, numerous designs for stamping devices and tools for use with firearms and gun jigs have been provided in the prior art. Even though these designs may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present version of the invention. These designs are exemplified by the following patents:
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to develop devices for stamping or otherwise inscribing marks upon gun barrels and various other components of firearms. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved gun barrel stamper that impresses or otherwise creates a series of various alpha-numeric characters upon the exterior surface of a gun barrel in an even sequence and straight line so that a readable, identifying mark is created upon the exterior surface of the gun barrel. In these respects, the present version of the invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art and, in so doing, provides an apparatus that substantially fulfills this need. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.
The present version of the invention, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, relates to the field of firearms accessories. More specifically, this version of the invention is concerned with gun barrel stamper for impressing upon a gun barrel a series of identifying alpha-numeric characters in an even sequence and straight line. My version of the invention overcomes all of the shortcomings listed previously, in addition to novel aspects that will be described in detail hereinafter.
Described briefly, according to a typical embodiment, the invention presents a gun barrel stamper that consists of a die container, a die ram, and a series of punch dies located within the die container against the die ram. The die container is comprised of a first longer sidewall, second, opposed longer sidewall, and shorter sidewall. An elongate aperture is located medially within each longer sidewall, and a circular aperture is located medially within the shorter sidewall. The sidewalls of the die container enclose an interior space.
A first bar is attached to the first longer sidewall between the elongate aperture located within the first longer sidewall and shorter sidewall and extends therefrom for some distance. A second bar is attached to the second longer sidewall between the elongate aperture located within the second longer sidewall and shorter sidewall and extends therefrom for some distance. Cylindrical bores extend completely through the first and second bars.
The die ram is comprised of a first shorter sidewall, second, opposed shorter sidewall, first longer sidewall, and second, opposed longer sidewall. An elongate aperture is located medially within the die ram. A first rectangular bar is located on the first longer sidewall between the elongate aperture and second shorter sidewall and extends therefrom for some distance. A second rectangular bar is located on the second longer sidewall between the elongate aperture and the second shorter sidewall and extends therefrom for some distance. A cylindrical bore extends completely through each bar.
Two threaded fasteners are inserted within the elongate apertures of the die container and die ram. A threaded fastener is inserted within the circular aperture of the shorter sidewall of said die container. A first U-shaped fastener with opposed threaded ends is releasably attached to the first and second bars of the die container. The threaded ends of the first U-shaped fastener occupy the cylindrical bores of said first and second bars. Cooperating threaded fasteners are attached to the threaded ends of the first U-shaped fastener.
A second U-shaped fastener with opposed threaded ends is releasably attached to the first and second bars of the die ram. The threaded ends of the second U-shaped fastener occupy the cylindrical bores of said first and second bars. Cooperating threaded fasteners are attached to the threaded ends of the second U-shaped fastener.
Punch dies are located within the interior space of the die container and are locked in place when the die ram is inserted into the die container. The first shorter sidewall of the die ram makes contact with and urges against the punch die located adjacent to the first shorter sidewall of the die ram. The threaded fastener located with the circular aperture of the shorter sidewall of the die container is rotated until it makes frictional contact with and urges against the punch die located at the second, opposed end of the series of punch dies. Threaded fasteners are inserted into the aligned, elongate apertures of the die container and die ram to attach the die container and die ram to each other and to lock the punch dies in position within the interior space of the die container.
To impress a series of alpha-numeric characters upon the exterior surface of a gun barrel, a portion of the gun barrel is located within the U-shaped fasteners, and the U-shaped fasteners are then releasably attached to the die container and die ram as previously described. A series of punch dies the desired alpha-numeric characters is disposed within the interior space of the die container as referenced previously. The ends of the punch dies with the alpha-numeric characters extend slightly beyond adjacent sidewalls of the die container.
The cooperating threaded fasteners located upon the threaded ends of the U-shaped fasteners are rotated to attach the die container and die ram and threaded fasteners to the gun barrel. The cooperating threaded fasteners are further rotated to urge the ends of the punch dies with the alpha-numeric characters against the exterior surface of the gun barrel with force or pressure sufficient to impress upon or otherwise create the same numeric-numeric characters upon the exterior surface of the gun barrel in an even sequence or straight line.
As needed, the number of punch dies located within the interior space of the die container can be increased or reduced as necessary and locked in place within the die container by relocating the die ram within the die container so as to impress upon the exterior surface of the gun barrel the desired sequence of alpha-numeric characters.
An elongate spacer can be fitted over the threaded ends of one of the U-shaped fasteners when the gun barrel stamper is being used with a gun barrel that tapers or slopes. The spacer maintains the die container and die ram with punch dies locked in place therein in approximate parallel relation to the longitudinal axis of the gun barrel. As such, the punch dies impart or otherwise create a clean, even impression of alpha-numeric characters when the die container and die ram with punch dies locked in place therein are urged against the gun barrel as described previously. The stamper may also include a die spacer adjustment mechanism that adjusts the die space to accommodate punch dies having non-standard widths.
My invention, therefore, resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed. It is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified.
In order that the detailed description of the invention may be better understood and that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated, additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent methods and structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
Accordingly, it is an object of my version of the invention to provide a low-cost, easy-to-manufacture, and easy-to-market gun barrel stamper.
A further object of my version of the invention is to provide an easy-to-use and versatile gun barrel stamper.
A significant object of the invention is to provide a gun barrel stamper that is comprised of a die container with interior space, a die ram inserted into the interior space of the die container, a series of punch dies located within said interior space, threaded fasteners for attaching the die container and die ram to each other and locking the punch dies in position within the interior space of the die container, and threaded fasteners for releasably attaching the die container and die ram to the exterior surface of a gun barrel so as to exert the punch dies locked in glace within the die container with force or pressure sufficient against the exterior surface of the gun barrel to impress alpha-numeric characters upon the exterior surface of said gun barrel.
A final but very significant object of the invention is to provide a gun barrel stamper that can impress upon the exterior surface of a gun barrel a series of alpha-numeric characters in an even sequence and straight line and can accommodate punch dies that are not of standard width.
For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the present invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more fully understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS
Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, to
A first rectangular bar 26 is located on the first longer sidewall 14 between the elongate aperture 20 and the shorter sidewall 18 and extends therefrom for some distance. A second rectangular bar 28 is located on the second longer sidewall 16 between the elongate aperture 20 and the shorter sidewall 18 and extends therefrom for some distance. A cylindrical bore 30 extends completely through each bar 26, 28.
Referring again to
A U-shaped fastener 40 having two threaded ends 42 is aligned for insertion of said threaded ends 42 through the cylindrical bores 30 of the first 26 and second 28 rectangular bars. The threaded ends 42 of the first U-shaped fastener 40 are mated with cooperating threaded fasteners 44 to secure said U-shaped fastener 40 to the rectangular bars 26, 28.
A series of punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 is aligned for insertion into the interior space 24 of the die container 12. The punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 are of the type well known in prior art and design having at one end thereof a raised impression or protuberance in the shape of an alpha-numeric character. The shape of the alpha-numeric character is transferred to a second, impressionable surface, such as a metallic surface, by pressing with considerable force or otherwise urging the end of one of the dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 containing the shape of the alpha-numeric character against the second surface. In this manner, various sequences of alpha-numeric characters can be transferred to the second surface for identification, inventory control, security, and the like.
A die ram 58 is illustrated in
A U-shaped fastener 76 having two threaded ends 78 is aligned for insertion of said threaded ends 78 through the cylindrical bores 74 of the rectangular bars 70, 72. The threaded ends 78 of the U-shaped fastener 76 are mated with cooperating threaded fasteners 80 to secure said U-shaped fastener 76 to the rectangular bars 70, 72.
The die container 12, die ram 58, and fasteners 32, 36, 38, 40, 44, 76, 80 are comprised of material that is rigid and durable, such as carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, various composite materials, and the like.
During use, the die ram 58 is inserted into the interior space 24 of the die container 12. An appropriate number of punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 is then inserted into the interior space 24 of the die container 12 between the end of the threaded fastener 38 inserted through the aperture 22 of the shorter sidewall 18 of the die container 12 and the first shorter sidewall 60 of the die ram 58. The ends of the punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 with the raised impression or protuberance in the shape of an alpha-numeric character are positioned to extend slightly beyond the bottom side edges of the sidewalls 14, 16, 18 of the die container 12 and bottom side edges of the sidewalls 60, 62, 64, 66 of the die ram 58.
Once the punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 are positioned within the interior space 24 of the die container 12 as desired, the punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 are locked in place by inserting the threaded fasteners 32 through the aligned apertures 20 of the die container 12 and aperture 68 of the die ram 58 so that the first shorter sidewall 60 of the die ram 58 makes contact with and urges against the punch die 46 closest to the first shorter sidewall 60 of the die ram 58. At this point, the cooperating threaded fastener 44 can be rotated upon the shaft of the threaded fastener 34 to lock the die container 12 and die ram 58 together in place. The threaded fastener 38 inserted within the aperture 22 of the shorter sidewall 18 of the die container 12 is then rotated until the end of the threaded fastener 38 makes contact with and impinges against the closest punch die 56. In this manner, the punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 are locked in place within the interior space 24 of the die container 12 between the first shorter sidewall 60 of the die ram 58 and end of threaded fastener 38 located within the aperture 22 of the shorter sidewall 18 of the die container 12.
Referring to
As needed, the number of punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 located within the interior space 24 of the die container 12 can be increased or reduced as necessary and locked in place within the die container 12 by relocating the first shorter sidewall 60 of the die ram 58 within the interior space 24 of the die container 12 so as to impress upon the exterior surface of the gun barrel 82 the desired sequence of alpha-numeric characters.
An elongate spacer 84 with apertures 86 at opposed ends thereof is provided for stamping alpha-numeric characters upon the exterior surface of a tapering gun barrel. Depending upon the slope or angle of the tapering gun barrel, the spacer 84 is secured to one of the U-shaped fasteners 40. 76 between the gun barrel and the bottom side edges of the sidewalls 14, 16, 18, of the die container 12 and bottom side edges of the sidewalls 60, 62, 64, 66 of the die ram 58.
The gun barrel is first located within the U-shaped fasteners 40, 76 and then the spacer 84 is placed over one of the U-shaped fasteners 40, 76, depending upon the slope of the gun barrel, by inserting the threaded ends 42, 78 of one of the U-shaped fasteners 40, 76, respectively, through the apertures 86 of the spacer 84. The U-shaped fasteners 40, 76 are then attached to the die container 12 and die ram 58 as described previously. In this manner, the spacer 84 maintains the die container 12 and die ram 58 with punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 locked in place therein in approximate parallel relation to the longitudinal axis of the gun barrel so as to ensure that the punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 create a clean, even impression of alpha-numeric characters when the die container 12, die ram 58, and punch dies 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 locked in place therein are pressed against the gun barrel as described previously.
Referring to
While this version of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the version of the invention are desired to be protected. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
From the foregoing, it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that an improved gun barrel stamper has been provided. The invention is relatively simple and easy to manufacture, yet affords a variety of uses. While my description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the version of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of the preferred embodiment thereof. The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/125,682, filed on Apr. 28, 2008.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61125682 | Apr 2008 | US |
