Patent Application
20250003717
The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to a pistol that enables a variety of sights to be attached securely to the pistol slide.
Pistols are traditionally manufactured with a geometry cut into the pistol slide that only accommodates a single make and model of electronic sight. While other models of electronic sights can be attached to the pistol slide, these typically require an adapter that adds height and bulk to the top of the pistol. Furthermore, the electronic sight is vulnerable to becoming loose over time under the influence of recoil forces, which adversely affects the pistol's accuracy.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved pistol that enables a variety of sights to be attached securely to the pistol slide. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. In this respect, the pistol according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of enabling a variety of sights to be attached securely to the pistol slide.
The present invention provides an improved pistol, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide an improved pistol that has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned above.
To attain this, the preferred embodiment of the present invention essentially comprises a frame, an elongated slide operable to reciprocate on the frame and having a top surface, a slide recess defined in the top surface and having a forward edge and a rear edge, the rear edge including a forward facing stop surface, a spacer element connected to the elongated slide at the forward edge and having a spacer rear surface, the spacer element having a predetermined linear dimension configured to define a resulting recess length between the spacer rear surface and the rear edge of the slide recess, and the elongated slide having an optic attachment facility at the slide recess configured to receive an optical element having a length closely received between the spacer element and the rear edge of the slide recess in abutment with the rear edge of the slide recess. The spacer element may be a sight. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.
An embodiment of the pistol of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral 10.
In the current embodiment, the spacer element 26 is a sight. The spacer element includes a pair of vertical protrusions 40, 42 extending above the top surface 16 of the elongated slide 12. The spacer element includes a sloped rear surface 44. The elongated slide is free of a rear sight rear of the slide recess 18 (shown in
The optical element 36 can be received in the slide recess 18. The slide recess has a major floor surface 48, and the optical element has a bottom surface 50 directly abutting the major floor surface. In the current embodiment, the optical element is a reflex sight, but the optical element can be any type of lightweight sight that will not interfere with normal reciprocation of the elongated slide on the frame 14.
The optical element 36 defines an optical aperture 52 having a lower edge 54. The spacer element 26 includes a non-optical sight element portion 56 protruding above the level of the lower edge of the optical aperture. The non-optical sight portion includes a pair of sight posts 58, 60 separated by a notch 62. As is shown in
It should be appreciated that the spacer element 26 is a non-optical sight element received in the slide recess 18 and abutting the forward edge 20. The optical element 36 is an optical sight received in the slide recess and abutting the rear edge 22. The non-optical sight element and the optical sight abut each other. The spacer element has a through hole 88 and a countersink 64 in a forward lobe 66 for a screw 68. The through hole and countersink are biased slightly to the rear of the corresponding threaded hole 70 defined in a recess 72 in the elongated slide 12. The forward lobe and recess are offset left of center so that the screw threading into the threaded hole does not interfere with the firing pin 90 (shown in
To prepare to install an optical element 36, the user first selects a spacer element 26 that fits the selected optical element. The spacer element is placed in the slide recess 18 such that the forward lobe 66 is received in the recess 72 in the elongated slide 12. The screw 68 is then received in the through hole 88 and screwed into the threaded hole 70. Since the through hole and countersink are biased rearwardly, as the screw tightens, the spacer element is pulled forward as the screw works to seat itself. As the spacer element is pulled forward, the V-shaped dovetail 74 of the spacer element will be centered in the V-shaped geometry of the forward edge 20 of the slide recess and pulled tightly down against the top surface 16 of the elongated slide. Then the user inserts the optical element into the slide recess behind and abutting the spacer element and uses screws 76, 78 to engage threaded apertures 46 of the optic attachment facility 34 to pull the optical element tightly down against the top surface of the elongated slide. In the event the selected optical element is not compatible with the threaded apertures of the optic attachment facility, an intervening adapter plate that has apertures corresponding to the optic attachment facility and threaded apertures corresponding to the selected optical element can be used along with additional screws.
Because the optical element 36 is closely captured between the spacer element and the rear edge 22 of the slide recess 18, the optical element is preventing from rotating, and recoil forces are translated to the forward-facing stop surface 24 of the rear edge. The screws 76, 78 are not required to provide recoil resistance. Therefore, smaller screws and smaller threaded apertures can be used to secure the optical element to the top surface 16 of the elongated slide 12. This enables the optic attachment facility to fit more threaded apertures into the slide recess to accommodate a greater variety of optical elements than would otherwise be possible.
In the context of the specification, the terms “rear” and “rearward,” and “front” and “forward,” have the following definitions: “rear” or “rearward” means in the direction away from the muzzle of the firearm while “front” or “forward” means it is in the direction towards the muzzle of the firearm.
While a current embodiment of a pistol has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 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.
Therefore, 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.
This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/403,826 filed on Jan. 4, 2024, entitled “DIRECT MOUNT OPTIC SYSTEM,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/438,803 filed on Jan. 13, 2023, entitled “DIRECT MOUNT OPTIC SYSTEM,” which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all that is taught and disclosed therein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63438803 | Jan 2023 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 18403826 | Jan 2024 | US |
| Child | 18884868 | US |
