Rapid attachment/detachment mechanism for weapon-mountable lighting devices

Abstract

A mechanism adapted for rapid attachment/detachment of a lighting device to a rail system of a host weapon system. The mechanism includes a body, a fixed rail clamp, and a floating rail clamp that is adjustably attached to the body in an opposing manner to the fixed rail clamp to provide a clamping effect therebetween. The floating rail clamp has a recess in a surface opposite the fixed rail clamp. A holding screw passes through a bore in the fixed rail clamp, and a clamp screw passes through a slot in the floating rail clamp and is threaded into one end of the holding screw. An oppositely-disposed end of the clamp screw protrudes within the recess of the floating rail clamp, and a cam arm has a first end pivotably coupled to the second end of the clamp screw and an oppositely-disposed distal end that protrudes from the recess.

1 . A rapid attachment/detachment mechanism for a weapon-mountable lighting device, the mechanism comprising:
 a body;   a fixed rail clamp that defines a non-adjustable portion of the body, the fixed rail clamp having a bore defined therein;   a floating rail clamp that is adjustably attached to the body in an opposing manner to the fixed rail clamp to provide a clamping effect therebetween, the floating rail clamp having a recess defined in a surface thereof opposite the fixed rail clamp and a slot defined within the recess;   a holding screw passing through the bore in the fixed rail clamp, the holding screw having a head end protruding from the fixed rail clamp and an oppositely-disposed threaded end received in the bore of the fixed rail clamp;   a clamp screw passing through the slot in the floating rail clamp, the clamp screw having a first end threaded into the threaded end of the holding screw and an oppositely-disposed second end protruding within the recess of the floating rail clamp; and   a cam arm having a first end pivotably coupled to the second end of the clamp screw and an oppositely-disposed distal end, wherein all but the distal end of the cam arm is received in the recess of the floating rail clamp when the cam arm is in a closed position that causes the floating rail clamp to move toward the fixed rail clamp.   
     
     
         2 . The rapid attachment/detachment mechanism according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for biasing the floating rail clamp away from the fixed rail clamp. 
     
     
         3 . The rapid attachment/detachment mechanism according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for damping sound and vibration when the cam arm is rotated. 
     
     
         4 . The rapid attachment/detachment mechanism according to  claim 3 , wherein damping means is disposed between the holding screw and the fixed rail clamp. 
     
     
         5 . The rapid attachment/detachment mechanism according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for rotating the holding screw to adjust the clamp screw relative to the floating and fixed rail clamps.