Patent Publication Number: US-7913439-B2

Title: Accessory mount

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     This application claims the benefit of previously filed provisional application Ser. No. 60/763,219, filed Jan. 30, 2006, entitled ACCESSORY MOUNT. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to accessory mounts for rifles and, more particularly, to an accessory mount for a rifle with an offset scope mount and/or a side light mount. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various mounts for securing accessories such as a scope or light, for example, to a rifle are known in the art. Typically these mounts are secured to the rifle above the receiver or above the barrel in line with the rifle&#39;s open sights and a scope or other accessory is attached to the mount. 
     One problem with these mounts is they often obscure the open sight on the rifle and require removal when the scope or other accessory is not used. Another problem is when using the rifle with protective head or face gear, the gear comes in contact with the butt stock of the rifle and may interfere with the use of a scope mounted on the rifle or with the normal sight. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an accessory mount for an M-16-type rifle with an offset mount for a scope and/or a side mount for an accessory such as a flashlight. The accessory mount may be attached to the carrying handle of an M-16-type rifle without obscuring or interfering with the open sight tunnel formed through the top of the carrying handle. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the accessory mount of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a right end view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is left end view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a right side view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a left side view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 1  with the light bracket shown removed. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 1  and a partial view of an M-16 rifle. 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged perspective view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a right side view of an alternate embodiment of an accessory mount. 
         FIG. 10  is a left side view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 13  is a right end view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 14  is a left end view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the accessory mount of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , the accessory mount of the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral  20 . Accessory mount  20  includes an elongated body  22 , a pair of scope mounting blocks  24  and  26 , and a light mounting bracket  28 . The elongated body  22  includes a channel  30  for receiving the carrying handle  32  of an M-16-type rifle  34 , and an aperture  36  for securing the accessory mount  10  to the underside of the carrying handle  32  with a bolt or other fastener (not shown). Channel  30  is angled or tapered from left to right to accommodate the angled attachment of the carrying handle  32  with respect to the rifle  34  and to mount the accessory mount level. 
     Scope mounting blocks  24  and  26  each include an angled mounting surface  38  and  40 , respectively, for mounting a scope  42  to the accessory mount  20 . Scope mounting blocks  24  and  26  each include adjustment teeth  44  and  46  extending from the angled mounting surfaces  38  and  40 , respectively, for adjusting the distance from the eye piece  48  of the scope  42  to the shooter&#39;s eye. 
     Light mounting bracket  28  includes upper  50  and lower  52  rails or grooves adapted to slidably receive a mounting clip  54  attached to a flashlight  56 . Light mounting bracket  28  also includes a transverse retention slot  58  which releasably secures a spring latch bar  60  on the mounting clip  54 . The light mounting bracket  28  is secured to the body  22  of the accessory mount  20  by two machine screws or other fasteners, not shown, through apertures  62  and  64 . 
     The accessory mount  20  is preferably machined from a solid block of hardened aluminum but may be made of other suitable materials. The configuration of the accessory mount  20  provides a shooter a better cheek to gun stock contact and thus a more stable shooting position when shooting with an optical magnification device (scope  42 ). When used in a military environment, an infantry or squad sniper rifleman may use the open sights on an M-16A2 while the accessory mount  20  and scope  46  are mounted on the weapon. Additionally, the offset scope  46  allows a user in full chemical gear to make an accurate shot using the scope  46 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9-15 , an alternative embodiment of an accessory mount is generally indicated by reference numeral  100 . Accessory mount  100  includes an elongated body  102  with a channel  104  for receiving the carrying handle of an M-16-type rifle, an aperture  106  for securing the accessory mount  100  to the underside of the carrying handle, and a light mounting bracket  108 . Light mounting bracket  108  includes upper  110  and lower  112  rails or grooves adapted to slidably receive a mounting clip attached to a flashlight (shown in  FIG. 7 ). Light mounting bracket  108  also includes a transverse retention slot  114  which releasably secures a spring latch bar on the flashlight mounting clip (shown in  FIG. 7 ). 
     Accessory mount  100  is preferably machined from a solid block of hardened aluminum but may be fabricated from other suitable materials. The configuration of the accessory mount  100  provides the shooter with a convenient mount for a flashlight without obscuring the open sight on the rifle. 
     It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except in so far as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.