Selectively Releasable Flashlight Attachment Device for Handgun

Abstract

This releasable flashlight attachment device can be placed and removed on/from the frame of a firearm without the user's hand passing in front of the barrel. It includes: (1) a bottom portion with a receiver section that engages an integral rail portion of a handgun and an adjacent nesting area adapted to hold a small flash light; (2) a cap to secure the light in the nesting area; and (3) a locking tab and spring that automatically engages the locking cross-slot integral to the rail portion, and the locking lab can be oriented in opposite directions in the receiver section to facilitate use of the device for either right or left side flashlight mounting. The bottom portion flexes laterally and has other features that allow the device to be snap mounted and easily demounted by rotation of the handgun relative to the device.

1 . A releasable flashlight attachment device for firearms comprising:
 a receiving section mountable to a firearm accessory mounting rail extending below and parallel to the barrel of said firearm;   a flashlight nesting section extending from said receiving section and adapted to hold a flashlight parallel to said barrel and rail so as to project light emitted by said flashlight parallel to said barrel and rail; and   said receiving section being engagable and mounted to said firearm accessory mounting rail by sliding on said rail or being snapped into place thereon and being unsnapped therefrom by relative rotation between said device and said rail or sliding off said rail, said receiving section flexing open to snap mount onto said rail, and said receiving section flexing open to demount from said rail.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said nesting section extends laterally from said receiving section to dispose said nesting section to the side of said firearm when the receiving section is mounted to said firearm mounting rail. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a spring and locking tab mountable in said receiving section, said spring and locking tab engaging locking notches in said rail when said receiving section is mounted thereon, said spring and locking tab being mounted in selected opposing directions for placement of said nesting section on either side of said firearm. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving section includes parallel sets of side rail engagement features that snap into complemental grooves along sides of said firearm accessory mounting rail when said receiving section is mounted to said firearm accessory mounting rail. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein said side rail engagement features are rounded to readily disengage from said grooves upon said relative rotation. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein said nesting section includes a movable lever arm to be grasped by a user in disengaging said side rail engagement features from the groove in which said features are nested when demounting said device from the firearm. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein said side rail engagement features have inclined upper surfaces which interface with matching inclined mounting rail ramping surfaces such that the abutting surfaces thereof slide/ramp past each other during snapping engagement or disengagement by said relative rotation. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said nesting section and said receiving section are integral. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an arcuate top piece detachably connected to said nesting section for encasing a flashlight positionable therein. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a user actuatable disengagement lever for disengaging said locking tab from a locking notch in said rail. 
     
     
         11 . A releasable flashlight attachment device for firearms comprising:
 a receiving section mountable to a firearm accessory mounting rail extending below and parallel to a barrel of the firearm;   a flashlight nesting section adapted to hold a flashlight parallel to said barrel and rail so as to project light emitted by the flashlight parallel to said barrel and rail, said flashlight nesting section extending laterally from said receiving section to dispose said nesting section to one side of the firearm when said receiving section is mounted to said firearm mounting rail;   a spring and locking tab mountable in said receiving section, said spring and locking tab engaging selective locking notches in said rail when the receiver is mounted thereon, and said spring and locking tab being mounted in selected opposing directions for placement of said nesting section on either side of the firearm; and   said receiving section being engagable and mounted to said firearm accessory mounting rail by sliding on said rail or being snapped into place thereon and being unsnapped therefrom by relative rotation between said device and said rail or sliding forwardly off said rail, said receiving section flexing open in order to snap mount onto said rail, and said receiving section flexing open in order to demount from said rail.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said receiving section includes parallel sets of side rail engagement features that snap into matching grooves along sides of said firearm accessory mounting rail when said receiving section is mounted to said firearm accessory mounting rail. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein said side rail engagement features are rounded to readily disengage from one side groove upon said relative rotation. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein said nesting section includes a lever arm graspable by a user in disengaging said side rail engagement features from said one groove in which said features are nested when demounting said device from said firearm. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein said side rail engagement features have inclined upper surfaces which interface with matching inclined mounting rail ramping surfaces such that the abutting surfaces thereof slide/ramp past each other during snapping engagement or disengagement by said relative rotation. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising a user actuatable disengagement lever for disengaging said locking tab from a locking notch in said rail. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein said nesting section and said receiving section are integral. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising an arcuate top piece detachably connected to said nesting section for encasing a flashlight positionable therein. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising an arcuate top piece detachably connected to said nesting section for encasing a flashlight positionable therein. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising an arcuate top piece detachably connected to said nesting section for encasing a flashlight positionable therein.