BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for mounting an accessory device to a rail, and more particularly to a quick detachment mount for a rail on a projectile shooting device such as a firearm.

Many firearms are outfitted with one or more rails to which accessories can be secured. A common type of rail is a picatinny rail that includes opposing outer edges and multiple slots along an upper surface thereof. This type of rail is included on a variety of different rifles, handguns and shotguns, as well as other projectile shooting devices so that corresponding accessories can be mounted thereto.

Most rail accessory mounts utilize fasteners that are installed with tools to secure the accessory to the rail. These mounts include a first wall on one side of a base and a block on another side of the base. The block is secured to the first wall via a threaded fastener. When the threaded fastener is tightened, it draws the block closer to the first wall, thereby clamping the mount to the rail in a generally secure manner.

An issue with such a mount is that it requires tools and time to mount and remove it and the associated accessory. Some manufacturers have attached a camming lever to the fastener. The lever is manually operable to cam a surface against the block and thereby exert the clamping force on the rail to secure the mount to the rail. While this is useful in some applications, the lever can be inadvertently actuated to release the mount and accessory from the rail. Further, such a mount typically can be over tightened or under tightened, providing inconsistent attachment of the mount to the rail. In addition, this cammed lever construction, can require extra dexterity to secure the mount to the rail.

Accordingly, there remains room for improvement in the field of rail mounts to secure accessories to rails of projectile shooting devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A quick mount for removably attaching an accessory to a longitudinal rail is provided. The mount can include a base having a first leg with a first undercut wall or element that engages a first longitudinal rail surface, a second leg opposite the first undercut wall or element, a retention plate rotatably mounted to the base adjacent the second leg and a bias element.

In one embodiment, the retention plate is operable in a secure mode in which the bias element urges the retention plate to rotate and engage a second undercut wall or element of the plate against a second longitudinal rail surface, opposite the first longitudinal rail surface, and thereby clamp the mount to the rail.

In another embodiment, the retention plate is operable in a release mode where the second undercut wall disengages the second longitudinal rail surface thereby releasing the mount from the rail.

In yet another embodiment, the first leg can define a plate recess within which the retention plate is movably disposed. The retention plate can pivot or otherwise rotate at least partially into and out from the recess when engaging and disengaging the longitudinal rail.

In still another embodiment, the base can include a mounting surface adjacent the retention plate. The mounting surface can include one or more overhang walls that extend outward toward a longitudinal axis of the base. These overhang walls can be configured to overlap and secure an accessory mounted to or otherwise associated with the mount. The accessory can vary, depending on the application and use. Examples of some accessories are pressure pad switches, on off toggle switches, lighting systems, aiming lasers, bipods, optical sights, iron sights, cameras, and virtually any other rail mounted accessory.

In a further embodiment, the retention plate can be biased by the bias element to the secure mode. The bias element can urge the upper part of the retention plate away from the base such that the second undercut wall or element is moved toward the longitudinal rail to which the mount is joined. This bias element can be disposed between the base and the retention plate such that it, by default, urges the second undercut wall or element to engage the longitudinal rail. The retention plate can be manually engaged along an upper part thereof to compress the bias element and disengage the second undercut wall or element from the rail, thereby facilitating release of the mount from the rail.

In a further embodiment, the mount can include a toggle lock to lock the retention plate in the secure mode. The toggle lock optionally can be mounted directly to the retention plate and distal from the base. The toggle lock can be pivotally joined with the retention plate.

In yet a further embodiment, the toggle lock can be biased to automatically attain or reset to a locking mode. The toggle lock can be engaged by a lock spring to urge the toggle lock to rotate in a manner such that its exterior surface is offset at an angle from an exterior surface of the retention plate. When the toggle lock is pressed to engage it to an unlocked or free mode, the exterior surface of the toggle lock can be parallel to and/or flush with the exterior surface of the retention plate.

In still a further embodiment, the toggle lock can include a toggle lock head, and the base can include a buttress wall. The toggle lock head can be configured to selectively engage the buttress wall of the base to prevent the retention plate from rotating about the rotation axis. When the lock head engages the buttress wall, the retention plate can be temporarily maintained in the secure mode.

In still another embodiment, a method is provided. The method can include: providing a base including a downward extending first lateral leg and a downward extending second lateral leg; placing a first undercut wall of the first lateral leg under a first lower inwardly extending surface of the longitudinal rail; rotating a retention plate upper part about a rotation axis toward the base to compress a bias element; tilting or otherwise rotating the base so the second lateral leg moves toward a first lower inwardly extending surface of the longitudinal rail, and optionally so that a slot flange enters into a transverse slot of the longitudinal rail so that the base is un-slidable along the longitudinal rail; and releasing the retention plate upper part so that the bias element rotates the retention plate about the rotation axis so that a second undercut wall of the retention plate engages a second lower inwardly extending surface of the longitudinal rail. The longitudinal rail can be clamped between the retention plate and the first lateral leg to thereby secure the mount and an associated accessory to the longitudinal rail.

In still another embodiment, the method can include rotating a toggle lock to engage the base and lock the retention plate in a secure mode in which the retention plate cannot disengage the longitudinal rail.

The current embodiments of the accessory mount and related method of use provide the benefits above that previously have been unachievable. These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the description of the current embodiment and the drawings.

Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of operation or to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention may be implemented in various other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in alternative ways not expressly disclosed herein. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Further, enumeration may be used in the description of various embodiments. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use of enumeration should not be construed as limiting the invention to any specific order or number of components. Nor should the use of enumeration be construed as excluding from the scope of the invention any additional steps or components that might be combined with or into the enumerated steps or components.

