Abstract:
An accessories mount, for weapons equipped with a tactical rail, comprises a quick-release clamp for a light and a pressure switch for actuating the light. This enables one light to be used on multiple weapons and to be readily mounted or de-mounted for charging the battery(ies) or using unattached to a firearm. The light may also be recharged while still clamped to the mount.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This U.S. non-provisional patent application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/978,849 filed Apr. 12, 2014. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A BIOLOGICAL SEQUENCE LISTING 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention is in the field of firearms, more specifically accessories for firearms, and still more specifically removable and interchangeable accessories. In the field of firearm accessories, this invention is specifically related to illuminating a target area. The invention is also in the field of lighting, more specifically portable, rechargeable or battery-powered lighting for use by individuals. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     As to portable lights themselves, several companies make rechargeable hand-held lights. The most useful configuration for a light in the general context of the use of this invention (aiming a firearm at night and performing searches) is a cylindrical body with a tail-cap switch, represented by most of the tactical lights on the market. A tail-cap switch is typically a momentary-on switch, that is, one that momentarily closes a direct electrical circuit between the battery and the light bulb. 
     A pressure switch differs from a tail-cap or other toggle switch in that an air or liquid filled bulb is squeezed by the fingers and transmits the fluid pressure through a slender flexible tube to a membrane. The membrane toggles the electrical contact without the fingers having to touch the light. 
     Fast and easy mounting and de-mounting of accessories on firearms, especially long guns, is currently accomplished by the use of tactical rails such as the Picatinny rail or the Weaver rail bolted to the top surface of the firearm near the rear of the barrel. The accessories themselves are therefore equipped with mounts secured to a bottom part of the accessory which are shaped to slide on and off the rail. Hence, for fast and easy mounting of a light, it is essential that the light be mountable and de-mountable on a tactical rail in a way that scopes are. Most weapon-mounted lights attach to the mount by a bracket or clamp. They are typically powered by non-rechargeable batteries which can be replaced in situ; the lights are not intended to be removed from the mount on a regular basis. They are operated by a switch on board the light housing such as a tail-cap switch or a remote pressure switch as described above. 
     Some portable lights have a two-prong interface which mates with charging pads in a recharging cradle. It would be possible to fit certain cylindrical flash lights into a scope mount, but to mount such a light in a scope mount would require unscrewing the scope ring bolts, de-mounting the scope, placing the light within the rings, and refastening the scope rings. To remove it for charging or use on another system the user would have to repeatedly unscrew the scope rings. Apart from being less than convenient, repeated separation and assembly will strip the screws and/or the rings. Such lights also do not have pressure switch functionality. 
     Some portable light manufacturers offer a remote pressure switch that can be used in lieu of the original tail-cap switch. This flexibility becomes a liability because when you detach the light, the pressure switch is no longer a practical switch and gets in the way. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Objects of the Invention 
     A first object of the invention is to provide a rail-mountable light, the light also providing a quick release from the mount. A second object is to provide a mount with its own pressure switch that utilizes a quick release clamp mechanism to mate the light with a mount for semi-permanent attachment to a tactical rail. A third object of the invention addresses the need for a reliable connection through the mount between the light and the pressure switch. A fourth object of the invention is to provide charging contacts on the mount that mate with contact pads on a charger in addition to interfacing with switch contacts on the light. A fifth object of the invention allows for the retention of the original tail-cap switch, should the pressure switch be damaged (a kind of back-up on/off to complete the mission before repairing or replacing the damaged part). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An accessories mount, for weapons equipped with a tactical rail, comprises a quick-release clamp for a light and a pressure switch for actuating the light. This enables one light to be used on multiple weapons and to be readily mounted or de-mounted for charging the battery(ies) or using unattached to a firearm. The light may also be recharged while still clamped to the mount. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a portion of a rifle equipped to mount accessories on a tactical rail. 
         FIG. 2  shows a type of tactical rail known as a Picatinny rail. 
         FIG. 3-3A  is an end view of the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is an end view of the second embodiment of the invention using as alternative means for affixing the light, with the means in the open position. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the second embodiment, with the means in the open position. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the second embodiment, with the means in the open position. 
         FIG. 9  is an end view of the second embodiment of the invention, with the means for affixing the light in the closed position. 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of the second embodiment, with the means for affixing the light in the closed position. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of the second embodiment, with the means for affixing the light in the closed position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like elements among the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a portion of a rifle  1  equipped with a Picatinny tactical rail  2  on its upper surface  3  upon which to mount accessories. 
       FIG. 2  shows a Picatinny rail  2  with diamond-shaped flanges  4  extending laterally from both sides of the rail. The flanges  4  are separated by clinch bolt spaces  5 . Countersink holes  6  can be seen enabling the rail  2  to be bolted to the rifle. 
       FIG. 3  is an end view of the first embodiment of the invention, namely, the weapon light mount. It comprises a rail clinch  7  with a flange groove  8  underneath. One of a plurality of rail clinch bolts  9  can be seen extending from right to left in this view. (One or more like bolts are hidden behind this one in this view.) Flange groove  8  is shaped to slide endwardly onto the rail flanges  4  (see inset end view  FIG. 3A  of rail  2  and flanges  4 ) when the clinch bolts  9  are removed. The mount can then be positioned anywhere along the length of the rail  2  and secured in place when the clinch bolts  9  are reinserted through appropriate clinch bolt spaces (see  5  in  FIG. 2 ) and tightened. 
     Other mounting rails to which a clinch may be secured are included within the scope of this invention without limitation. 
     Also in  FIG. 3 , a pair of light clamps  30 A and  30 B is displayed clamping light  31 . The lower ends of the clamps  30  are hinged to clinch  7  by hinges  32  so that when tension clamp bolt  33  is tightened, light  31  will remain in fixed alignment relative to the firearm (see  1  in  FIG. 1 ). As depicted here, tension clamp bolt  33  may quickly loosened and tightened by a knurled nut  36 . Alternatively, the desired speed of removal and re-installation may also be achieved in this invention by biasing clamps  30 A and  30 B towards each other, for example and not by limitation, inserting a biasing means such as a spring between nut  36  and lower end  37  of left light clamp  30 A and/or between bolt head  38  and lower end  39  of the right light clamp  30 B, so that light  31  can be released from between the clamps by pulling the light  31  upwardly. 
       FIG. 3  also shows one of two contact points  34  abutting contact pads  35  in the bottom of light  31  to enable a pressure switch (see  FIG. 4 ) to close the electrical circuit between the battery(ies)  44  and bulb (not shown) within light  31 . The actual position of the points  34  and the pads  35  can be positioned in locations other than those depicted here and still be within the scope of this invention as long as contact between them is enabled. In an alternate embodiment, the contact pads  35  may also be configured and wired so as to enable the light  31  to be recharged in a separate charger when removed from the invention. The scope of this invention does not limit the mount contacts to “points” or the light contacts to “pads” as long as the mating contacts are shaped to provide reliable and durable contact. For example, some contacts are spring-loaded to improve contact and/or equipped to produce an audible click indicating proper engagement. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the first embodiment. It shows light  31  clamped between clamps  30  (only one of which is visible) as a result of tightening tension clamp bolt  33 . This view also shows two clinch bolts  9  binding rail clinch  7  to tactical rail  2 . Pressure switch  40  is shown here arranged to transfer pressure from squeezing pressure bulb  41  through flexible tube  42  into clinch  7 , where a mechanism allows the pressure pulse to toggle a switch (not visible) closing the electrical circuit between the battery(ies)  44  and bulb (not shown) within light  31 . The use of a switch connected to the clinch by a flexible means is highly desirable because there are situations in which it is necessary to turn the light on without consequence, that is, without making noise or changing the aim of the weapon. Other types of switches that meet this requirement, such as, but not limited to, sealed cable releases, as well as switches other than toggle switches, are included within the scope of this invention without limitation. This invention also includes a clinch  7  containing a switch that can be remotely actuated, as by, e.g., an IR or RF remote, without limitation. 
     Also visible on the side of  FIG. 4  is an input connector  43  for direct power to the light, or, in the case of a clinch  7  that contains a rechargeable battery  44 , recharging power. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the first embodiment. Light  31  is not shown in this view to make visible the two contact points  34 , the rail clinch bolts  9  and the tension clamp bolt  33 . 
       FIG. 6  is an end view of the second embodiment of the invention, which uses an alternative means for affixing the light  31  to the rail clinch  7 . The light-affixing means is shown in the open position. Light  31  is equipped with a quick-release foot  60  attached to its bottom surface, which has sidewardly-projecting flanges  61  on each side. As in the first embodiment, light  31  attaches to clinch  7  below. A quick-release lever  62  is rotatably attached to clinch  7 , shown here in its open position. Lever  62  rotates about vertical axis A-A′, which moves cam  63  about the axis. Note that cam  63  has a straight vertical edge  64  positioned far enough to the left when it is open to allow both flanges  61  of foot  60  to be seated on clinch  7 . Also shown here is one of a plurality of contact points  34  which comes into contact with contact pads  35  (not visible in this view) when light  31  is so seated. One of a plurality of clinch bolts  9  are also present. 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of this second embodiment. The light-affixing means is shown in the open position. Light  31  is not shown in this view to make visible the two contact points  34  in clinch  7  and the flexible pressure switch cable  42  attached to clinch  7  which operate as also described in the first embodiment, and to better illustrate the alternative light-affixing means. 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of the second embodiment. The light-affixing means is again shown in the open position. 
       FIG. 9  is an end view of the second embodiment with the light affixing means closed. Lever  62  has been rotated about axis A-A′ so that cam  63  prevents the right-hand flange  61  from moving out of position. 
       FIG. 10  is a top view of the second embodiment. The light-affixing means is shown in the closed position. Cam  63  has been rotated into a position to hold light  31  (not shown for clarity) in place. Lever  62  may be equipped optionally with means biasing it towards this closed position. 
       FIG. 11  is a side view of the second embodiment, also showing cam  63  in the closed position. 
     The utility of these embodiments increases the flexibility and options available to the user. In the case of a patrol officer, for example, the light can be in a charging bracket in his vehicle until needed, removed and attached to the weapon and functioned by the pressure switch. The light can still be used as a hand-held flash light and functioned by the switch in the tail-cap or body. The quick release clamp allows the user to remove the light and attach it to another mount/weapon, place it in a charger, or use it as a hand-held light.