Auxiliary device for a weapon and attachment thereof

Abstract

An attachment system is provided for attaching an auxiliary device to a weapon having a frame, and in particular to a weapon frame in the area forward of the trigger guard. An attachment mechanism on the auxiliary apparatus is adapted to be engageable with a rail on the weapon to selectively attach the auxiliary apparatus. The weapon may include a transverse slot which can be engaged by a portion of the auxiliary device to prevent the auxiliary apparatus from sliding relative to the weapon due to recoil forces associated with firing the weapon.

1 . An illumination device for use with a weapon having a frame with longitudinal extending rails extending between a trigger guard and a forward end of the frame and a transverse slot aligned substantially perpendicular to the rails, the illumination device comprising: 
 a housing: 
 a first structural member extending upward from a first side of the housing and extending along at least a portion of a length of the first side of the housing;  
 a second structural member extending upward from a second side of the housing,  
   wherein the second side of the housing is located opposite to the first side of the housing, and wherein the second structural member extends along at least a portion of a length of the second side of the housing such that it is substantially parallel to the first structural member, and wherein both the first and second structural members are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the housing; and    a spring-biased mechanism extending above a top surface of the housing, and wherein the spring-biased mechanism is configured to engage the transverse slot in the frame of the weapon to prevent inadvertent removal of the device.    
     
     
         2 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination device comprises least one source of illumination located within the housing for projecting a beam of visible light forward of the housing.  
     
     
         3 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination device comprises an aiming device.  
     
     
         4 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary device comprises at least one source of illumination and an aiming device.  
     
     
         5 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second structural members are spaced by a fixed distance.  
     
     
         6 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second structural members comprise mounting members that are complimentarily-shaped with respect to rails of a weapon to which the illumination device is adapted to be attached.  
     
     
         7 - 9 . (canceled)  
     
     
         10 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the spring-biased mechanism comprises a positioning member biased in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         11 . The illumination device of  claim 10 , wherein the positioning member comprises a bar, a pin, a detent ball, a post, or a ball bearing.  
     
     
         12 . The auxiliary device of  claim 10 , wherein the positioning member comprises a pin biased to move in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal axis for engagement in the transverse slot in the frame of the weapon.  
     
     
         13 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the spring-biased mechanism includes first and second end portions, and wherein a user may use at least one of the end portions to cause compression of a spring to move the spring-biased mechanism out of engagement with the transverse slot in the frame of the weapon.  
     
     
         14 - 21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the spring-loaded bar includes an end portion, which extends beyond at least one of the first structural member and the second structural member.  
     
     
         23 - 28 . (canceled)  
     
     
         29 . The illumination auxiliary device of  claim 1 , wherein the spring biased mechanism comprises one of a compression spring and a leaf spring disposed such that at least a portion of a biasing force from the spring is in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal axis, the spring being operable to bias the spring biased mechanism into engagement with the transverse slot in the frame of the weapon.  
     
     
         30 . (canceled)  
     
     
         31 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the spring-biased mechanism further comprises an engaging surface, wherein relative sliding movement between the illumination device and weapon causes the engaging surface to cause the spring biased mechanism to overcome the biasing force of the spring-biased mechanism until the latching mechanism is aligned with the transverse a slot in the frame of the weapon.  
     
     
         32 . (canceled)  
     
     
         33 . (canceled)  
     
     
         34 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the spring-biased mechanism has a first side having a first protuberance extending outwardly from the first side and a second side having a second protuberance extending outwardly from the second side.  
     
     
         35 . (canceled)  
     
     
         36 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a cavity configured to receive one or more batteries.  
     
     
         37 . (canceled)  
     
     
         38 . (canceled)  
     
     
         39 . An illumination device for use with a weapon having a frame with longitudinal extending rails extending from about a trigger guard to substantially the forward end of the frame and a transverse slot aligned substantially perpendicular to the rails, the illumination device comprising: 
 a housing;    a first structural member extending upward from a first side of the housing and extending along at least a portion of a length of the first side of the housing;    a second structural member extending upward from a second side of the housing, wherein the second side of the housing is located opposite to the first side of the housing, and wherein the second structural member extends along at least a portion of a length of the second side of the housing such that it is substantially parallel to the first structural member, and wherein both the first and second structural members are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the housing; and    a spring-biased mechanism movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the spring-biased mechanism is engageable in the transverse slot disposed on the weapon frame to resist movement of the illumination auxiliary device along the longitudinal axis and in the second position the spring-biased mechanism is spaced from the transverse slot so as not to resist movement of the illumination device along the longitudinal axis.    
     
     
         40 - 49 . (canceled)  
     
     
         50 . An illumination device for use with a weapon having a frame with longitudinal extending rails extending between a trigger guard and a forward end of the frame and a transverse slot aligned substantially perpendicular to the rails, the illumination device comprising: 
 a housing having a first fixturing mechanism and a second fixturing mechanism;    a first structural member extending upward from a first side of the housing and extending along at least a portion of a length of the first side of the housing;    a second structural member extending upward from a second side of the housing, wherein the second side of the housing is located opposite to the first side of the housing, and wherein the second structural member extends along at least a portion of a length of the second side of the housing such that it is substantially parallel to the first structural member, and wherein both the first and second structural members are substantially parallel to a central, longitudinal axis extending along a length of the housing; and    a spring-biased mechanism disposed about biased in a direction normal to a top surface of the housing, the spring-biased mechanism capable of being coupled to the first fixturing mechanism for locating the spring-biased mechanism in a first position along the longitudinal axis and capable of being coupled to the second fixturing mechanism for locating the spring-biased mechanism in a second position along the longitudinal axis.    
     
     
         51 - 70 . (canceled)  
     
     
         71 . The illumination device of  claim 39 , wherein the illumination device comprises at least one source of illumination located within the housing for projecting a beam of visible light forward of the housing.  
     
     
         72 . The illumination device of  claim 39 , wherein the spring-biased mechanism comprises a positioning member biased in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         73 . The illumination device of  claim 39 , wherein the spring-biased mechanism includes an end portion, and wherein a user may use the end portion to cause compression of a spring to move the spring-biased mechanism out of engagement with the transverse slot.  
     
     
         74 . The illumination device of  claim 50 , wherein the illumination device comprises at least one source of illumination located within the housing for projecting a beam of visible light forward of the housing.  
     
     
         75 . The illumination device of  claim 50 , wherein the spring-biased mechanism comprises a positioning member biased in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         76 . The illumination device of  claim 50 , wherein the spring-biased mechanism includes an end portion, and wherein a user may use the end portion to cause compression of a spring to move the spring-biased mechanism out of engagement with the transverse slot.