This invention relates to a tool apparatus for installing, removing, and/or adjusting firearm sights, particularly rear sights on handgun slides.
Sights are used in various firearms to enhance the user's ability to more accurately identify and strike a target. Sights are typically comprised of a rear sight and a front sight which are both mounted to the firearm and work in tandem to aid the shooter. Sights may be variably configured depending on their manufacturer and their intended uses. For example, sights used on a handgun may possess a different overall shape than sights used on a rifle, and the way in which various sights (including both front and rear) are mounted to a firearm may also differ.
Rear sights are situated near the rear of the firearm, i.e., closest to the user. For a handgun, the rear sight will usually be placed or mounted on the top of the slide above the grip. Adjustable rear handgun sights are usually mounted in a dovetail groove cut transversely into the top surface of a handgun slide. The present invention particularly relates to a tool used to install, remove, and/or adjust handgun sights so each ensuing reference to a firearm sight should be understood to be particularly pertinent to handgun sights. The rear sight fits tightly into the dovetail groove so that it does not move unintentionally and requires significant force to displace. The rear sight element can be tapped into place or removed using a hammer and punch tool, for example. However, this method of installation and/or removal risks damaging the rear sight and/or handgun slide. By tapping the rear sight too hard, or imprecisely, the rear sight may get dented or reshaped in a way that impedes proper mounting. The same may also occur with respect to the mounting groove found on the handgun slide. Also, mounting and/or removing the rear sight using a hammer and punch tool makes adjustments to the rear sight's placement difficult and imprecise. Proper placement of the rear sight is critical because it must act in tandem with the front sight to pinpoint the target. If the rear sight is misaligned, it will distort the user's aim and result in inaccurate shots. A hammer and punch tool make precise, incremental movements of the rear sight very difficult to achieve. But precise, incremental movements are necessary in order to properly align the rear sight with the front sight.
A variety of special tools and fixtures also are available for mounting and/or removing a rear sight from a handgun, but available models have certain limitations. Typically, the available models include a frame that surrounds the handgun slide and adjustably clamps the handgun slide into place. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 11,199,378 to LoRocco et al. (“LoRocco”), U.S. Pat. No. 11,226,174 to Chen (“Chen”), U.S. Pat. No. 8,910,413 to Hillwig, Jr. (“Hillwig”), U.S. Pat. No. 9,784,535 to Cheng et al. (“Cheng II”), U.S. Pat. No. 10,955,219 to Morris (“Morris”), U.S. Pat. No. 9,593,910 to Fisher (“Fisher”), U.S. Pat. No. 9,464,870 to Gomez (“Gomez”), U.S. Pat. No. 8,707,609 to Fisher (“Fisher II”), and U.S. Pat. No. 9,869,529 to Gomez (“Gomez II”) are prior art that generally possess a frame for inserting the handgun slide and an adjustable clamp that secures the handgun slide in place in order to tap out and/or remove the rear sight; Hillwig is illustrative. In Hillwig, the user may clamp the handgun slide into the block member whereby a jaw member bears against the sight element when urged, i.e., tapped, by the pushing member. In other words, transverse movement of the rear sight is accomplished with a bit that contacts portions of the rear sight that extend upwardly above the top surface of the handgun slide. However, such tools suffer from particular drawbacks which can ultimately lead to damage to the rear sight, the handgun slide, or both. In prior art sight removal tools such as Hillwig, a disproportionate force vector (moment arm) is created as a result of the moving force applied a distance above and offset from the resistance force. In other words, while a lateral force against the uppermost portion of the rear sight is exerted in order to move the entire rear sight from the handgun slide, a latent, opposite force is exerted against the lowermost portion of the rear sight by the mounting groove, causing the same piece, i.e., the rear sight, to possess conflicting force vectors in close proximity. An even longer force vector is created when the force driving the bit (typically a threaded screw drive) is even further above and offset from both the point of contact between the bit and the sight element and the resistance force. A longer force vector requires a greater conflicting force to (re)move the sight element and applies strain to the upward projections of the sight element. It also makes fine adjustments more difficult. These shortcomings can have detrimental effect on the operational capabilities of the rear sight. These shortcomings can also affect the long-term durability of the rear sight.
Prior art tools such as LaRocca, Chen, Hillwig, Cheng, Morris, Gomez, Fisher, and Gomez II also suffer from spatial limitations which make certain types of handgun slides and rear sights impossible to use therewith. It is common in the art, as exemplified by the foregoing references, to clamp the handgun slide within a block or frame in order to secure it from all directions, i.e., from the top, bottom, and sides. Each member of the prior art frames (e.g., the top, bottom, and side members) are fitted with adjustable bolts, rods, screws, or the like. But the presence, primarily, of top and bottom members limit the application of such prior art tools to handgun slides with rear sights that do not exceed the spatial dimensions of the frame. A custom handgun slide or a slide configured for large caliber specifications may be too tall—especially when fitted with an elongate rear sight—to be used within such prior art tools. These prior art tools also impede a user's ability to use them with handgun slides which are presently fitted with externally mounted optical sighting devices or other hardware.
The present invention provides a simple apparatus for installing and/or removing a rear handgun sight without suffering from the same shortcomings as previously described. The present invention is capable of gripping the handgun slide and simultaneously applying both the requisite push contact and driving force directly in line with the resistance load of the rear sight. The handgun slide may be gripped using a wedge rather than multiple bolts or rods. The rear sight can be pushed by a generally longitudinal bit, such as a T-shaped bit or a cylindrical bit, which in turn, is incrementally urged by a drive screw. These features permit a user to precisely install and/or remove a rear handgun sight by contacting the rear sight in an optimal place. The rear sight may be incrementally moved, laterally, in order to more accurately align the sights, or it may be seamlessly removed from the handgun slide entirely without exerting needless forces or using crude tools which can damage the rear sight and the handgun slide.
Some embodiments of the present invention also do not possess a conventional frame which permits handgun slides and rear sights of all heights and dimensions to be used therewith. The lack of a conventional frame, as is commonly found in the art also allows for users to install, adjust, or remove rear sights from a handgun slide while the slide is fitted with ancillary optic devices. Conventional framed rear sight removal tools are cumbersome, and their framework makes any attempted use with a rear slide bearing an optic device or other externally mounted product impossible. Furthermore, the lack of a top member does not detract from the stability in which the handgun slide is gripped, as the wedge acts to completely secure the handgun slide within the tool.
Other aspects, features, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to a person of skill in the art from the detailed description of various embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, all of which comprise part of the disclosure.
Like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the various drawing figures, wherein:
With reference to the drawing figures, this section describes particular embodiments and their detailed construction and operation. Throughout the specification, reference to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “some embodiments” means that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” or “in some embodiments” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the described features, structures, and characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In view of the disclosure herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods, components, materials, or the like. In some instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or not described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments. When referring to a firearm, “forward” will indicate the direction of the muzzle and the direction in which projectiles are fired, while “rearward” will indicate the opposite direction. “Lateral” or “transverse” indicates a side-to-side direction generally perpendicular to the axis of the barrel or to the longitudinal extension of the referenced part. Although firearms may be used in any orientation, “left” and “right” will generally indicate the sides according to the user's orientation, “top” or “up” will be the upward direction when the firearm is gripped, or the apparatus used in the ordinary manner.
Referring first to
A pistol slide 16 may be received in the notch 14 by orienting a bottom edge 18 of the slide against the floor 20 of the notch 14. The slide 16 may then be captured firmly against the first wall 22 of the notch 14 by insertion of a wedge 24 along the opposite side. The wedge 24 engages the angled second wall 26 of the notch 14 to firmly press or clamp the slide 16 against the first wall 22. The wide end of the wedge 24 can be tapped into place to secure the slide 16 by compression and the opposite end may be tapped to dislodge it. The wedge 24 can be made of a strong but non-marring material, such as a polymer material, if desired.
A pusher bit 28 is longitudinally slidable in the base in opposed guide channels 30. The pusher bit 28 includes a face 32 that is configured to abut and contact a sight element 34 directly in line with a sight-receiving dovetail groove 36 that is configured in the top surface 38 of the slide 18. The longitudinal position (relative to the base 12) of the pusher bit 28 is controlled by a drive screw 40 that engages a threaded opening 42 in the base 12.
Referring now in particular to
Referring now in particular to
Also as illustrated in
A tool 50 (such as a hex wrench) may be used to turn the drive screw 40. Using such a tool allows the user to provide controlled torque at highly gradual increments for turning the drive screw 40 and allows removal for compact storage. Alternatively, the drive screw 40 could be provided with a knob or wings (not shown) that allow a highly gradual manipulation of the drive screw 40. As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, if desired, the base 12 may be provided with a recess 51 for receiving the tool 50 for storage. A small magnet 52 may be inset to removably retain the tool 50 in place. Alternatively, the recess 51 may be configured with securement flanges (not shown) which clip the tool 50 therein.
Also, if desired, the pusher bit 28 may be provided with an extension screw or fixed pin (not shown) that longitudinally engages in and slides along a guide groove 56 in the base 12. The extension of the screw 54 into the closed-end guide groove 56 prevents the pusher bit 28 from inadvertently being dislodged from the open ends of the guide channels 30 when not in use. In the illustrated embodiment, the drive screw 40 bears against a rear end surface 58 of the pusher bit 28, applying force in only one direction. If desired, the drive screw 40 could be adapted to be freely rotatably captive to the pusher bit 28 in a well-known manner. Additionally, position-indicating indicia (not shown) may be included on the base 12 and pusher bit 28 to reference relative movement on the sight element 34. Likewise, alignment indicia may be included on the top surface of the tongue portion 44 as a reference for placement of the dovetail groove 36 as the slide 16 is being positioned in the notch 14.
Referring now to
Referring now to
This application is a non-provisional application of provisional patent Application No. 63/365,421, filed May 27, 2022, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63365421 | May 2022 | US |