Firearms with target illuminators

Apparatus for firing projectiles at targets and for illuminating such targets combine a projectile-firing weapon and a target illuminator. A track-and-slide combination includes a slide on the target illuminator and a track on the weapon for that slide, and a releasable slide-in-track stop in such track-and-slide combination. In the case of a firearm that has a trigger actuated by a bent trigger finger of a shooter for the firing thereof, a push-button or transverse slide switch for the target illuminator may be mounted within reach of a pad of such trigger finger prior to actuation of the trigger. For example, the shooter may draw the firearm with his or her trigger finger then outstretched for actuation of the target illuminator switch, and may then bend such trigger finger for firing of the weapon by actuation of the trigger. Such and other appliances may have a battery compartment, and a contact plate interconnecting batteries in such compartment. A contact plate retainer may be coupled to that contact plate, and a contact plate retainer receptacle may be provided therefor in the battery compartment.

FIELD OF INVENTION
 The subject invention relates to firearms with target illuminators, to
 target illuminators for firearms, and to battery compartments and
 battery-driven appliances.
 BACKGROUND
 Numerous battery-driven appliances have been proposed and have been made
 over the years. An example thereof is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,594, by
 Bernie E. Bjornsen, III, Dr. Peter Hauk, and Dr. John W. Matthews, for
 Ergonomic Electrical Current Switching Systems, issued Aug. 5, 1997 to
 Laser Products Ltd., and hereby incorporated by reference herein.
 Illustrated embodiments of that prior-art development include a firearm
 target illuminator laterally attached to the weapon. Typically, such
 target illuminator has a compartment for batteries that energize an
 electric light source through a switching device. Also typically, such
 light source is contained in a lamp module that is threaded onto the
 battery compartment. As development progresses, such threading of the lamp
 housing onto the battery compartment may eventuate misalignment among
 battery and lamp terminals.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 Against this background and the broader prior art, the subject invention,
 from a first aspect thereof, resides in apparatus for firing projectiles
 at targets and for illuminating such targets, and more specifically
 resides in the improvement comprising, in combination, a projectile-firing
 weapon, a target illuminator including a battery compartment including
 battery elements, a substantially round contact plate interconnecting such
 battery elements and a contact plate retainer coupled to such contact
 plate and a contact plate retainer receptacle in the battery compartment
 jointly constituting a security against angular movement of such
 substantially round contact plate in the battery compartment, a
 track-and-slide combination including a slide on that target illuminator
 and a track on such weapon for that slide, and a releasable slide-in-track
 stop in such track-and-slide combination.
 From a second aspect thereof, the invention resides also in apparatus for
 firing projectiles at targets with a firearm actuated by a bent trigger
 finger of a shooter, and for illuminating such targets, and more
 specifically resides in the improvement comprising, in combination, a
 target illuminator including a battery compartment including battery
 elements, a substantially round contact plate interconnecting such battery
 elements and a contact plate retainer coupled to such contact plate and a
 contact plate retainer receptacle in the battery compartment jointly
 constituting a security against angular movement of such substantially
 round contact plate in the battery compartment mounted on such firearm,
 and a push-button switch mounted within reach of a pad of that trigger
 finger prior to actuation of the firearm.
 According to an embodiment of the invention, such combination may include
 the above mentioned track-and-slide combination and releasable
 slide-in-track stop.
 From a second aspect thereof, the invention resides also in an electric
 appliance including batteries, and more specifically, resides in the
 improvement comprising, in combination, a battery compartment for such
 batteries, a contact plate interconnecting such batteries, a contact plate
 retainer coupled to that contact plate, and a contact plate retainer
 receptacle in that battery compartment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
 The drawings show apparatus 10 for firing projectiles 12 at targets
 symbolically indicated at 13 and for illuminating such targets.
 FIGS. 1 to 3 show a handgun, firearm or other projectile firing weapon 15
 and a target illuminator 16 in the apparatus 10 which also includes a
 track-and-slide combination 17 including for instance a slide 18 on the
 target illuminator 16 and a track 19 on the weapon 15 for such slide 18.
 The weapon 15 also may have a component 21 traditionally known as its
 "slide" that customarily carries the weapon's barrel 22 and the typical
 front and rear sights 23 and 24, and that is capable of sliding on the
 receiver and frame 25 of the weapon. The slide 18 of the target
 illuminator 16, which slides in the track 19 of the weapon, is to be
 distinguished from the just described "slide" 21 of the weapon which
 slides on its receiver-frame 25.
 Reference may also be had to the above mentioned International Application
 PCT/US95/09471, published Feb. 13, 1997 under Publication No. WO 97/05443
 and hereby incorporated by reference herein. Such international
 application in its FIGS. 2, 2A and 2C discloses attachment of accessories,
 such as target illuminators, to hand weapons by means of a dovetail
 structure alternatively described as a bayonet socket or any other mount.
 According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3,
 the apparatus 10 also includes a releasable slide-in-track stop 27 in the
 track-and-slide combination 17. As its name implies, such component 27
 releasably stops the slide 18 of the target illuminator 16 in the track 19
 of the weapon 15, whereby the target illuminator in effect becomes and
 remains part of the weapon, until it is intentionally removed therefrom.
 Such releasable slide-in-track stop 27 includes a stop 28 on one of the
 above mentioned track 19 and slide 18, such as on the track 19, and a
 detent 29 on the other of such track 19 and slide 18, such as on the slide
 18, releasably engaged with such stop 28 against a bias, such as provided
 by a leaf spring 31, for example.
 Pursuant to a more specific embodiment of the invention, the releasable
 slide-in-track stop 27 includes a stop 28 on one of the above mentioned
 track and slide, such as on the track 19, and a manually actuable latch 33
 on the other of such track and slide, such as on the slide 18. Such latch
 33 is releasably engaged with the stop 28 against bias 31, such as at 29.
 According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the releasable
 slide-in-track stop 27 includes a cross slot 35 in track 19, and a detent
 29 on the slide 18 releasably engaged with such cross slot as a stop 28.
 The manually actuable latch 33 on the slide 18 may be releasably engaged
 with such cross slot 35 against bias 31, such as about a pivot 36.
 Pursuant to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch 33 has a
 center of mass 38 spaced from the pivot 36 so that the mass of the latch
 maintains that latch engaged with the stop 28 or cross slot 35 during
 recoil of the projectile-firing weapon 15. FIGS. 1 and 3 show such center
 of mass 38 located behind the pivot 36, as seen from said stop, for slides
 18 of target illuminators 16 located below the barrel 22 or receiver-frame
 25. However, such center of mass may have to be located between the latch
 detent or tip 29 and the latch pivot 36 for certain rifles or other weapon
 systems in which the target illuminator 16 with slide 18 is mounted above
 the projectile-firing barrel 22.
 Reverting to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the latch 33 may
 have an upturned handle or finger engagement portion 39 whose mass in
 effect shifts the center of mass 38 away from the latch pivot 36 toward
 the end of the latch at 39, opposite the detent or latch tip 29.
 In practice, this prevents the recoil forces of the weapon 15 from causing
 the latch detent 29 to jump the stop 28 or cross slot 35 whereby the slide
 18 and thereby the target illuminator 16 could objectionably move along
 the track 19 and eventually become disengaged from the weapon 15 while the
 weapon is being fired.
 The apparatus may include a switch 41 for the target illuminator 16 on its
 slide 18. Such switch may have an OFF position and an alternative ON
 position. In the illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention, the
 switch 41 is a transverse shuttle switch; that is, the switch actuator at
 the lead line of reference numeral 41 operates transversely to the weapon
 10 (e.g. in and out of the drawing of FIG. 1).
 For best service to the marksperson or shooter, the switch 41 for the
 target illuminator 16 on the slide 18 preferably has an OFF position, an
 alternative releasably continuous ON position, and a momentary ON
 position. Switching devices which provide these three modes of operation
 are commercially available, and a block 42 in FIG. 1 is symbolic of such a
 switching device. By way of example, the OFF position of the switch 41 may
 be the center position of that transverse shuttle switch. Such transverse
 shuttle switch may be actuated or shifted to its alternative releasably
 continuous ON position, by a finger of the marksperson or shooter. Such
 transverse shuttle switch alternatively may be momentarily actuated or
 oppositely shifted to its momentary ON position by typically another
 finger of the marksperson or shooter; with the expression "finger" being
 considered sufficiently broad to cover a thumb as well.
 In this respect and in general, the drawings show apparatus 10 for firing
 projectiles 12 at targets 13 with a firearm 15 having a trigger 49 which,
 as well known, is actuated by a bent trigger finger of a shooter. A target
 illuminator 16 is mounted on that firearm, such as in the manner mentioned
 above. A transverse shuttle switch or other push-button switch 41 is
 mounted within reach of a finger tip or pad of the mentioned trigger
 finger when outstretched prior to actuation of the trigger 49.
 The marksperson or shooter thus may actuate the target illuminator light
 switch 41 as he or she draws the weapon. In many practical situations,
 this provides the best and fastest light switch control without impairment
 of a quick draw.
 Additionally or alternatively, an electrical terminal 54 may be provided on
 the slide 18 for a switch for the target illuminator 16. The latter switch
 may be a familiar tape switch or another external switch on the weapon 15.
 By way of example, FIG. 1 shows a switch 56 for the target illuminator 16
 on the projectile-firing weapon 15, and an electrical terminal 54 on the
 slide 18 for that switch and for the target illuminator 16. FIG. 5 shows a
 detached side view of that switch 56. Such switch 56 may be called a
 slimline switch that ergonomically mounts on the weapon 15 for most
 effective actuation and that may have a switch terminal 57 for connection
 or connectable to its corresponding target illuminator terminal 54 for ON
 and OFF actuation of the illuminator 16.
 According to FIG. 6, the external switch 56 may be of a bilateral design
 having switch elements 61 and 62 on either side of the weapon 25 for easy
 access and convenient actuation. A switch element mount 63 that also
 comprises electrical leads to and from the switch elements extends from
 the switch terminal 57 to such elements 61 and 62. For such and similar
 switch configurations, reference may, for example, be had to the above
 mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,594, by Bernie E. Bjornsen, III, Dr. Peter
 Hauk, and Dr. John W. Matthews, for Ergonomic Electrical Current Switching
 Systems, issued Aug. 5, 1997 to Laser Products Ltd., and hereby
 incorporated by reference herein.
 The illustrated apparatus also includes a compartment 64 for batteries 48.
 In this respect and in general, a standard dictionary definition of the
 term battery in electrical terminology is "(1) a group of two or more
 cells connected together to furnish electric current, (2) a single voltaic
 cell." In the same manner, The New IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical
 and Electronics Terms, published by The Institute of Electrical and
 Electronics Engineers (Fifth Edition, 1993), provides the following
 definition:
 "battery (primary or secondary). Two or more cells electrically connected
 for producing electric energy. [Common usage permits this designation to
 be applied also to a single cell used independently. In this document,
 IEEE Std 100, unless otherwise specified, the term `battery` will be used
 in this dual sense.]"
 Within the scope of the invention, a battery may simply be a single cell or
 element. However, when otherwise indicated, the subject disclosure and
 accompanying claims use the term battery in the ancient sense to refer to
 a combination of two or more primary or secondary cells or battery
 elements.
 In particular, embodiments of the invention arrange the battery elements 48
 side by side for the target illuminator 16 on the slide 18. Such
 side-by-side arrangement of the individual battery elements 48
 advantageously avoids the recoil-related battery damage encountered in
 "in-line" battery systems in which two or more battery elements are
 arranged in series, with positive and negative terminals of adjacent
 battery elements touching each other. Each battery element 48 may be
 suspended by or supported between current pickup contacts 66 that act as
 individual shock absorbers for the battery elements in their compartment
 64.
 A frontal lamp module 43 is shown only in FIGS. 1 and 7, but would also be
 present in FIGS. 2 and 3, except that it has been omitted from those
 figures for a better view of the battery compartment interior 64. Such
 frontal lamp module 43 completes the target illuminator 16. The
 illustrated example of that module includes an electric lamp 45 energized
 by battery elements 48 through switches 41 and 56, terminals 66 and a
 terminal spring 46 interconnected therewith. The lamp 45 is mounted in a
 reflector 51 and is protected against weapon recoil and other shocks by a
 shock-absorber spring 52. A bezel 53 with lens or transparent cover plate
 59 complete the lamp module.
 FIGS. 1 to 4, 7 and 8 also show a contact plate mounting and alignment
 system according to another aspect of the invention. An example of a
 contact plate for or in such system is seen at 72 in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 7.
 As seen in FIG. 4 such contact plate 72 carries the above mentioned
 terminals 66 that are engaged or contacted by corresponding terminals of
 battery elements 48, such as seen in FIG. 1 and such as contemplated also
 for a mode of operation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.
 In particular, FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section through a flashlight or
 other battery-driven appliance 70 having a contact plate mounting and
 alignment system according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 1 to
 4, 7 and 8 show an electric appliance 16 or 70 including battery elements
 48, a battery compartment 64 or 71 for such battery elements, a contact
 plate 72 interconnecting such battery elements, a contact plate retainer
 73 coupled to that contact plate 72, and a contact plate retainer
 receptacle 74 in the battery compartment 64 or 71.
 According to the embodiments as seen in FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and 8, the contact
 plate retainer 73 includes a rod 76 coupled to the contact plate 72. In
 other words, the contact plate 72 may be mounted on the retainer 73 or rod
 76. As seen in FIGS. 2, 7 and 8, the contact plate retainer receptacle may
 include at 74 a it corresponding bore for such rod 76 in the battery
 compartment 64 or 71.
 Various circuits are known for connecting battery elements in series or for
 that matter in parallel or in any combination of series and parallel
 connection. By way of example, FIG. 4 shows a lead or bar 65
 interconnecting one of the terminals 66 with a central terminal 83. FIG. 4
 also shows a lead or bar 67 interconnecting the remaining two terminals 66
 on that contact 43 plate 72. In this respect, the contact plate 74 may in
 fact be a circuit board.
 An opposite contact plate or circuit board is shown at 81 in FIGS. 1 and 7.
 Such opposite contact plate or circuit board 81 may have similar leads or
 bars for further interconnecting terminals 66 or 86, 87 and 88 that are in
 contact with opposite terminals of battery elements 48. FIGS. 1 to 7 of
 the above mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/985,556 show
 circuit boards and similar devices for effecting alternative series
 connections.
 In this respect, FIG. 7 of this disclosure, as did FIG. 1 of that earlier
 Application Ser. No. 08/985,556, shows a series arrangement and connection
 of several battery elements. In particular, such battery elements 48 are
 connected in series between a load or lamp terminal or terminal spring 46
 on the one hand, and a terminal 82 of a switch 90 on the other hand.
 Similarly, the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 has several battery
 elements 48 connected in series between the load or lamp terminal or
 terminal spring 46 on the one hand, and terminals of switches 42 and 56 on
 the other hand. According to the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4,
 these battery elements 48 advantageously are arranged side by side.
 A similar arrangement is provided for in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8
 where spaces 77 to 79 in the battery compartment 71 permit the reception
 of three battery elements or combinations side by side, instead of the one
 string of battery elements 48 shown in FIG. 7. Shock absorbing current
 pickup contacts 66 may also be used in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, as
 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, or shock-absorbing contact springs,
 such as seen at 86 to 88 in FIGS. 7 and 8 may be used in the embodiment of
 FIGS. 1 to 4 as well.
 In both kind of embodiments, central terminals 83 and 84 or equivalents
 thereof may be provided in the first and second contact plates or circuit
 boards 72 and 81 for interconnecting whatever arrangement of battery
 elements 48 with the load or lamp terminal 46 on the one hand and the
 switch 42, 56 and 90, or switch terminal 82, on the other hand.
 The first contact plate 72 may be moveable relative to a remainder of the
 appliance 16 or 70 or relative to the battery compartment 64 or 71. By way
 of example, the first contact plate 72 may be located on a retainer 73
 that releasably retains such contact plate at a housing of the appliance,
 such as at the battery compartment 64 or 71.
 By way of example, the retainer 73 may comprise a rod 76 which, in turn,
 may be axially moveable in a corresponding bore 74 in the battery
 compartment or other housing of the appliance.
 In this manner the contact plate 72 may be lifted or swung out of the way
 and battery elements may be inserted into, and may be removed from, the
 battery compartment 64 or 71 through its top, after temporary removal of
 the load or lamp assembly 43 therefrom, as suggested by the exploded view
 of FIG. 3. After completion of such an operation, the contact plate 72 may
 be moved or swung back into its normal position such as seen in FIGS. 1
 and 7.
 According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the contact plate
 retainer 73 includes a pair of spaced rods 76 and 176 coupled to the
 contact plate 72. The above mentioned contact plate retainer receptacle
 also may include a pair of spaced corresponding bores 74 and 174 in the
 battery compartment, such as seen in FIG. 2, for the pair of spaced rods
 76 and 176 specifically shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
 A socket is threaded in the battery compartment at the contact plate 72,
 such as in the form of a lamp module 43 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. The
 contact plate retainer system of the currently discussed aspect of the
 invention, such as embodied at 73 in FIGS. 3 and 7 and described above,
 effectively precludes undesirable angular movement of the round contact
 plate 72 and misalignment of contact plate terminal 66 and the like
 relative to terminals of battery elements 48 when the socket or lamp
 module 43 is threaded into the battery compartment 46 or 71. This
 effectively overcomes a problem that arose with progressive development
 and sophistication of battery compartment and power supplies.
 This extensive disclosure will render apparent or suggest to those skilled
 in the art various modifications and variations within the spirit and
 scope of the invention.