Abstract:
A device for catching and holding spent cartridges ejected from a conventional AR-15, M16, AR-10, or similar type rifle. The device consists of a steel frame with a cloth bag and two mounting pins that removably attach to a mount connected to the rifle. This positions said bag adjacent to the rifle&#39;s ejection port to catch spent cartridges during firing of the weapon.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/084,701, filed May 8, 1998. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a cartridge collection device and more particularly a cartridge collection device comprising a removable container for catching and holding spent cartridge cases ejected from a rifle, especially automatic and semi-automatic firearms. 
     Semi-automatic and automatic firearms eject empty cartridge cases after firing. These metal cases are often lost or damaged as they land on the ground. Picking up scattered, dirty cases is always a difficult task. Since cartridge cases comprise the majority of the cost of ammunition and can be used for reloading numerous times, it is desirable to collect all spent cartridge cases. There also exists a danger of an ejected cartridge case striking another shooter and causing him to accidentally discharge his weapon. Such representative firearms are the AR-15, M16, AR-10 and similar type rifles. 
     Originally, devices for catching spent cartridges were bags or sacks supported on the ground placed in the direction of cartridge ejection. This design only works for firearms being shot in one direction or by individual shooters that it is set up for. If the firearm is turned or repositioned or if another shooter of a different height is using the device without repositioning the bag, the spent cartridges will not be caught. This problem was resolved by having the case catcher attached to the firearm. The devices, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,593, U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,834, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,787 have the feature in common that they cannot be used for conventional flat-top type receivers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,787 cannot be used with a conventional scope mount and scope. All three patents have a plastic main portion that does not offer the structural strength of a metal type frame. The patents cited have to be taken off, rotated or partially disassembled to empty its contents. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are: 
     (a) To provide a case catcher that can be used with or without a conventional scope mount and scope; 
     (b) To provide a case catcher that can be used on conventional handled receivers as well as conventional flat-top type receivers; 
     (c) To allow easy emptying of case catcher by the use of hook and loop closure fastened at the bottom of the bag without the hassle of disconnecting from firearm; 
     (d) To provide a one handed quick disconnect of case catcher for easy on/off use, transportation, or storage; 
     (e) To provide a case catcher bag with a sloping cloth back portion to absorb impact of ejected cases and eliminate cases bouncing back into firearm; 
     (f) To provide a lightweight, durable, and attractive firearm accessory; 
     (g) To provide a rigid mounting system and metal frame that will not flex under the weight of cartridge cases; 
     (h) To provide a case catcher that can be made in a variety of colored fabric; 
     (i) To provide a mounting system that locks case catcher securely in place with two ball detents to prevent falling off under the recoil of a firearm; 
     (j) To provide a case catcher bag that has a sloping back portion made of cloth to direct ejected cartridge cases into the lower portion of bag; 
     (k) To provide a case catcher bag that slopes away from the shooters hand to provide clearance for trigger and magazine release; 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of cartridge case catcher and mount. 
     FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of cartridge case catcher attached to an AR-15, M16, AR-10 or similar type firearm with conventional handle. 
     FIG. 3 shows the cartridge case catcher with mount attached to an AR-15, M16, AR-10 or similar type firearm with conventional handle. 
     FIG. 4 shows cartridge case catcher attached to the conventional scope rings of an AR-15, M16, AR-10 or similar type firearm with a conventional flat-top receiver. 
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS 
       10  Mount 
       12  Mounting Nut 
       14  Mounting Bolt 
       16  Bag 
       18  Frame 
       20  Hook and Loop Closure 
       21  Trim 
       22  Ball Detent with Spring 
       24  Taper 
       26  Mounting Pins 
       28  Mounting Holes 
       30  Scope Ring Mounting Holes 
       32  Handle 
       34  Flat-top Receiver 
       36  Trigger 
       38  Sloping Back 
       40  Sloping Front 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for catching and holding spent cartridges ejected from a rifle to prevent lost or damaged cartridges and prevent striking other shooters. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In its first embodiment, shown in FIGS.  1 , 2 , 3 , the cartridge case catcher bag  16  is composed of multiple pieces of cloth sewn together with a sloping back  38  and a sloping front  40 . The cloth bag  16  has an opening in the bottom that is fastened together with hook and loop closure  20 . There are four pieces of plastic trim  21  that holds the fabric securely to the frame  18 . Frame  18  is a metal fabrication that is welded, brazed, or otherwise permanently fastened together. The front part of the frame  18  is made up of two mounting pins  26  with a portion of their tip in the shape of a taper  24 . Near taper  24  is a ball detent with spring  22  that allow mounting pins  26  to securely lock into mount  10 . Mount  10  is made of a hard plastic type material with chamfered corners, a grooved top, and a hole to accept mounting bolt  14 . Mount  10  also has two mounting holes  28  to accept the mounting pins  26  of frame  18 . Mounting bolt  14  along with mounting nut  12  securely fasten mount  10  to handle  32  of firearm. 
     The second embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, mounting pins  26  of case catcher is inserted into scope ring mounting holes  30  in the firearm&#39;s scope rings for the attachment to conventional flat-top receiver  34 . 
     OPERATION-FIGS.  1 , 2 , 3 , 4   
     The manner in using cartridge case catcher in FIGS.  2 , 3  is to put mounting bolt  14  through hole in firearm&#39;s handle  32 , through mount  10 , and into mounting nut  12 . Tighten mounting nut  12  to secure mount  10  to handle  32 . Insert mounting pins  26  of frame  18  into mounting holes  28  and push bag  16  until ball detent with spring  22  clears the back side of mount  10  and securely locks case catcher to mount  10 . Upon firing, empty cases will eject into sloping back  38  and fall to bottom of bag  16 . Sloping front  40  prevents interference of bag  16  with trigger  36 . When bag  16  is full, pull on both sides of hook and loop closure  20  to open bottom of bag  16  and allow empty cases to fall out. Press both sides of hook and loop closure  20  to reseal bottom of bag  16 . 
     Another variation of FIGS.  1 , 2 , 3  is to use case catcher with a conventional scope mount. A typical AR-15, M16, AR-10 or similar type firearm&#39;s scope mount has a bolt attached to it. Insert the scope mount bolt through handle  32  of firearm, through mount  10  and into mounting nut  12 . The operation of case catcher is identical to that without a scope mount as explained above in Operation-FIGS.  1 , 2 , 3 , 4  paragraph  1 . 
     FIG. 4 shows another variation of case catcher being used without mounting bolt  14 , mounting nut  12 , or mount  10 . Mounting pins  26  of frame  18  are inserted and pushed through scope ring mounting holes  30  to securely fasten case catcher to an AR-15, M16, AR-10, or similar type firearm with a conventional flat-top receiver  34 . The operation of case catcher is the same as described previously. To remove case catcher for storage or transportation, pull on bag  16  to release ball detent with spring  22  and disconnect case catcher from mount  10  or scope ring mounting holes  30 . 
     CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
     Accordingly, the reader will see that the present invention contains many novel features. The cartridge case catcher can be used with or without a conventional scope mount and scope. It can also be used on conventional handled receivers as well as conventional flat-top type receivers. Furthermore, the cartridge case catcher has the additional advantages in that 
     It provides a case catcher that can be easily emptied using hook and loop closure at bottom of bag; 
     It provides a back portion made of cloth to absorb impact and eliminate possibility of spent cartridge bouncing back into firearm; 
     It provides a rigid frame and mounting system that will not deform under the weight of many cartridge cases; 
     It provides a case catcher that can be made in a variety of colors; 
     It provides a rigid mounting system that locks case catcher securely in place with two ball detents to prevent falling off under the recoil of a firearm; 
     It allows the case catcher bag to be quickly disconnected with one hand for easy on/off use, transportation, or storage; 
     It provides a sloping back to direct spent cases into the lower portion of bag. 
     Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the frame can be made from a casting, forging, or even an injected molded polymer. The shape of the bag can have other shapes, such as circular, oval, trapezoidal, triangular, etc. The bottom of the bag can be fastened with a zipper, buttons or a clamp. 
     Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.