Patent Application
20190170468
The present invention relates to weapon maintenance, and more specifically, to a tool configured to hold at least one segment of a cotton swab for cleaning the chamber of rifles, and especially bolt action and semi-automatic rifles.
While both bolt action and semi-automatic rifles are a staple of the military, they are also commonly used in hunting, competitive shooting, and tactical applications. Examples of well-known bolt action and semi-automatic rifles include the Remington 700, AR-15, and the M-16. While the uses of these weapons vary, they share a defining structural characteristic insofar as they all utilize a rotating locking bolt.
With the bolt action rifle, the Remington 700, the weapon's bolt is operated manually by opening and closing the chamber with the rotation of a small handle. A gas operated semi-automatic rifle, the AR-15 and the M-16, also utilizes a rotating bolt; however, when the weapon is fired, internal combustion builds gas pressure to automatically unlock then open and close the chamber.
These complicated, mechanical devices are known to be very consistent, accurate and durable, if kept meticulously clean. Firing residues such as carbon, barium, antimony and lead, as well as environmental contaminants such as grit and oil, must be cleaned from the chamber and associated inner mechanical parts such as the bolt locking lugs. Failure to remove these contaminants will cause the rifle to malfunction and/or become damaged.
Unfortunately on these style rifles, due to the design of the chambers and chamber locking mechanisms, the bolt locking lugs hereafter referred to as locking lugs, are difficult to clean due to limited accessibility. This is primarily because the chamber consists of a recessed port that houses the locking lugs. On bolt action rifles, the chamber and the locking lugs can only be accessed through the ejection and loading port of the receiver. This recessed area has blind surfaces that cannot be seen or easily touched. On gas operated rifles the chamber and locking lugs can be accessed by separating the upper and lower receivers, and then removing the bolt carrier group. Although the rifle can be broken down to provide better access to the chamber, there is still limited access to the back of the locking lugs. The locking lugs are the key component to the operation of these rifles, making it imperative that the entire area is clean of contaminants and debris.
Referring to
A variety of rifle cleaning implements are used in an attempt to access the hard-to-reach areas of a rifle, including brushes, rags, pads, cotton swabs, and an extension rod to insert a cleaning implement deeper into the weapon's chamber. While these implements and arms are useful, some surfaces in the chamber still cannot be easily reached. In particular, referring to
Cotton swabs are commonly used to clean rifles, especially in military settings. They are desirable cleaning implements insofar as they are economical, easy to transport, and effective on the areas they can reach. However, cotton swabs cannot reach all the regions of the rifle that require cleaning, and in particular, the back surface of the locking lug. This is depicted in
People frustrated by the limited access of cotton swabs have attempted to access the back locking lug surfaces by bending the “stick” portion of a cotton swab. While this aids in being able to access the desired area, the integrity of the cotton swab is compromised since the wooden or cardboard “stick” is significantly weakened. Thus only light pressure can be applied for cleaning lest the “stick” may break, thereby undesirably depositing a cotton swab segment within the weapon which may be difficult to retrieve. Light pressure is also typically inadequate to properly clean the weapon and remove built up debris.
As can be seen, there is a need for a rifle cleaning device that offers the benefits of a cotton swab, while providing the capability of accessing the harder to reach areas of the weapon. It is desirable that the cleaning device is economical, easy to transport, easy to use, easy to manufacture, and can be used with a variety of sizes and styles of cotton swabs. It is also desirable that the cleaning device is optimally sized and shaped for use with specific weapons.
An elongated weapon cleaning device has at least one aperture at a terminal end that is sized and shaped to receive and frictionally secure the stick portion of a cotton swab. The aperture can be temporarily slightly enlarged due to an integrated hinge, thereby allowing insertion of the stick then exertion of frictional holding force on the stick. The cotton swab, or more likely the cotton swab segment, is secured at an angled position in order to access and clean all surfaces of a locking lug within the chamber of the weapon, and in particular the back surface of the locking lug which is particularly difficult to reach. A cotton swab segment can be inserted upwardly or downwardly into the aperture, thereby causing the cotton swab segment to protrude at an angle, or the corresponding supplementary angle, for each aperture.
The invention includes four preferred embodiments: a linear cleaning device embodiment having one aperture at each of both ends (
In use, one breaks down the weapon to expose the inside of the upper receiver, removes the bolt carrier group from the upper receiver, inserts the cotton swab stick portion of a cotton swab segment into the aperture of a cleaning device, and cleans the surfaces of the upper receiver, chamber and locking lugs.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
The following structure numbers shall apply to the following structures among the various FIGS.:
10—Cleaning device;
12—Linear cleaning device embodiment;
14—Single bend cleaning device embodiment;
16—Double bend cleaning device embodiment;
18—Screw-on cleaning device embodiment;
20—Elongated member;
21—Axis;
22—Bend;
23—Angle;
24—First terminal end;
25—Second terminal end;
26—Aperture;
27—First hinge;
28—Second hinge;
29—Attachment means;
30—Rod;
60—Cotton swab stick;
62—Cotton swab head;
63—Cotton swab segment;
70—Bolt action rifle;
71—Upper receiver;
72—Chamber;
74—Locking lug;
76—Bolt carrier group;
77—Bolt;
78—Barrel
80—Longer segment; and
81—Shorter segment.
Referring to
There are four preferred embodiments of the present invention: linear cleaning device embodiment 12; single bend cleaning device embodiment 14; double bend cleaning device embodiment 16; and screw-on cleaning device embodiment 18.
Referring to
Referring to
Double bend cleaning device embodiment 16 is shown in
Referring to
In use, one cleaning their weapon would remove the front and rear takedown pins, break down the weapon to expose the upper receiver, and then remove the bolt carrier group from the upper receiver thereby exposing the opened upper receiver and chamber. A user would insert cotton swab stick 60 of cotton swab segment 63 within aperture 26 of cleaning device 10, and clean surfaces of upper receiver, chamber and locking lugs with cotton swab head 62 of cotton swab segment 63. Cotton swab segments should be replaced as they become soiled. Cotton swab segments may be formed by breaking cotton swab sticks to desired length, preferably ½″ to ¾″ from tip-to-tip. The specific cleaning device to employ depends on the model of the weapon. The specific aperture to employ depends on the surfaces of the weapon to be cleaned. The specific orientation of the aperture, upper or lower, that the cotton swab segments are inserted into depends also on the surfaces of the weapon to be cleaned.
Specifications of certain structures and components of the present invention have been established in the process of developing and perfecting prototypes and working models. These specifications are set forth for purposes of describing an embodiment, and setting forth the best mode, but should not be construed as teaching the only possible embodiment. Rather, modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. Examples of modifications include varying embodiment lengths and segment lengths and angles. It should be understood that all specifications, unless otherwise stated or contrary to common sense, are +/−10%, and that ranges of values set forth inherently include those values, as well as all increments between.
