Patent Publication Number: US-8112926-B2

Title: Reversible stop hook for a gun magazine and kit for a gun

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The objects of the present invention are a reversible stop hook for a gun magazine and a kit for a gun. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the weapon field, particularly the one of the guns, it is known to provide a stop hook adapted to be housed in the gun transversally to the magazine to be locked. 
     Stop hooks of the reversible type are also known, i.e. which can be used both by a right-handed shooter and a left-handed shooter. In a known example of a stop hook of the reversible type, it is provided that the hook can be inserted into the gun by arranging one button-shaped end thereof either on the right or the left side of the same gun as a function of the shooter&#39;s requirements. In other words, the (right or left) setting of the gun can be changed by extracting the stop hook from the gun, then rotating it by 180° and then inserting it again into the housing thereof inside the gun. A reversible hook is for example described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,337. 
     The known stop hooks have some drawbacks; for example, the reversibility is achieved by a structure that is somewhat complex, which requires expensive materials and processing and causes complications to the user in the assembling and disassembling step of the hook on the gun. 
     In fact, with reference to the stop hooks of the type described above, the need for being able to assemble and disassemble them easily and intuitively, preferably directly on the gun, having at disposal in any case a hook being effective and reliable in holding the magazine in the housing thereof, is deeply felt in the field. 
     A further need for personalizing some weapon details so as to make the use thereof easier is deeply felt in the field. 
     Therefore, the problem at the heart of the present invention is to provide a reversible stop hook for a gun magazine which has such structural and functional characteristics as to meet said requirements while overcoming the drawbacks mentioned above with reference to the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This problem is solved by means of a reversible stop hook for a gun magazine in accordance with claim  1 . Further embodiments are the object of the dependent claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further characteristics and the advantages of the stop hook for a gun magazine according to the invention will be understood from the description of preferred exemplary embodiments as set forth herein below, which are given by way of indicative and non-limiting example, with reference to the annexed figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of a gun frame comprising a stop hook for a magazine according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a cut-away perspective view of a gun comprising a stop hook for a magazine according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows an enlarged cut-away perspective view of the stop hook illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a sectional view along line IV-IV from  FIG. 1  in which the gun frame is partially illustrated and in which the stop hook is shown in a cut-away manner; 
         FIG. 5  shows a sectional view along line IV-IV from  FIG. 1  in which the gun frame is partially illustrated and in which the stop hook is shown in an assembled manner; 
         FIG. 6  shows an enlarged perspective view of the assembled stop hook, in accordance with a possible variant of embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  shows an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a kit according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to said figures, a gun as a whole comprising a frame  12  expanding in a grip  14  has been indicated with  10 . 
     A magazine adapted to be accommodated in a housing  18  within the grip through a lower aperture has been indicated with  16 . The magazine  16  comprises a box  20  extending along the housing  18  and grip  14 . In accordance with a possible embodiment, notches for example located in the opposite sides of the box have been indicated with  22 . 
     A housing  24  is located transversally to the magazine and the box thereof and passes through the grip  14 , for example in a front area of the same grip. The housing  24  extends along a longitudinal direction  24   a  located transversally to the magazine. 
     A reversible stop hook as a whole adapted to be slidingly housed in the housing  24 , transversally to the magazine  16  to be locked or more precisely to the box  20  thereof has been indicated with  26 . 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment, the stop hook  26  comprises a coupling element  28  extending along the housing  24 . The coupling element  28  comprises a button-shaped end  30  and a stop end  32  for the magazine. 
     According to a possible embodiment, the coupling element  28  is U-shaped with a central length expanding along the longitudinal direction of the housing  24 . The button-shaped end  30  and the stop end  32  define the U arms. 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment, the stop end  32  is shaped so as to lock the magazine  16  within the housing  18 , thus defining a constraint on the extraction of the magazine from the grip. Advantageously, the stop end  32  comprises at least one tooth  36  adapted to be inserted into a corresponding notch  22  of the box  20  of the magazine  16 . In other words, the configuration of the stop end  32  of the coupling element  28  is such to be coupled with the magazine box. 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment, elastic means, preferably a helical spring, being accommodated on the coupling element  28  and interposed between the button-shaped end  30  and a strike  40  inside the housing  24  have been indicated with  38 . The elastic means are adapted to keep the button-shaped end  30  away from the strike  40  and thus the stop end  32  in an interference position with the magazine. 
     According to a possible embodiment, a first component of the coupling element  28  has been indicated with  42  and a second component of the coupling element  28  has been indicated with  44 . 
     Advantageously, the first component  42  comprises the button-shaped end  30  and the second component  44  comprises the stop end  32  for the magazine  16 . 
     The first and second components are partially inserted one inside the other along the longitudinal direction of the stop hook. Advantageously, the first component is partially inserted into the second component. In other words, in accordance with a possible embodiment, the second component  44  is provided with a housing  46  adapted to partially accommodate the first component  42 . Advantageously, the housing  46  extends along the longitudinal direction of the stop hook and is open to the inside of the housing  24  in order to accommodate the first component. Preferably, the housing  46  extends along the whole second component  44  also opening to the outside of the stop hook. 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment, a cross rib  48  extends to the inside of the housing  46 . In the case where the housing  46  has a substantially cylindrical shape such as illustrated in the figures, the cross rib  48  is an annular rib. Preferably, the cross rib is located either at an area inside the housing  46 , or at an end opening to the stop end  32 . 
     Preferably, the cross rib  48  is defined on either side by respective cross surfaces  48   a.    
     According to a possible embodiment, the first component  42  comprises a coupling portion  50  with the second component  44 . With reference to the embodiment shown in the figures, the housing  46  of the second component  44  is adapted to accommodate the coupling portion  50  of the first component  42 , inserted along the longitudinal direction of the stop hook. 
     According to a possible embodiment, the coupling portion  50  is provided with at least one longitudinal notch  52 , preferably a plurality of longitudinal notches  52  defining at least a longitudinal tongue  54 . In the shown embodiment, there are provided four longitudinal notches  52  and four respective longitudinal tongues  54 . 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment, the coupling portion  50  is provided with a cross groove  56 . In the case where the first component is partially inserted into the second component, the cross rib  56  is for example provided in the outer surface of the coupling portion  50  and is adapted to accommodate the cross rib  48  of the second component. 
     In the case where the coupling portion  50  has a substantially cylindrical shape such as illustrated in the figures, the cross groove  56  is an annular groove. Preferably, the cross rib is located either at one area inside the housing  46 , or at an end opening to the stop end. Preferably, the cross groove  56  is defined on either side by respective cross surfaces  56   a.    
     In the case where the coupling portion  50  comprises one or more longitudinal notches  52 , the cross groove  56  is arranged along the area including these longitudinal notches. In other words, the cross groove  56  is interrupted by the longitudinal notches  52 . 
     According to a possible embodiment, the coupling portion  50  is provided with a cavity  58  extending along the longitudinal direction of the stop hook. Advantageously, such as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 3-5 , the cavity  58  extends along the whole first component  42  opening both to the inside and the outside of the stop hook. Alternatively, such as for the embodiment from  FIG. 6 , the cavity  58  extends for a length of the first component  42  and is open only to the inside of the stop hook. 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment, the coupling element  28  further comprises a third component  60 . With reference to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , in which the first component is hollow and inserted into the second component, the third component  60  is inserted at least internally in the coupling portion  50  of the first component  42 , in order to prevent the first and second components from mutually unfastening. In other words, in accordance with a possible embodiment, the coupling element  28  comprises the third component  60  being inserted into the first component  42 , particularly into the coupling portion  50  thereof which is, in turn, inserted into the second component  44 . The three components of the coupling element  28  are coaxial to one another along the longitudinal direction of the same coupling element. 
     In accordance with the embodiment shown in the figures, in which the housing  46  of the second component  44  extends along the longitudinal direction of the second component until it opens to the outside of the stop hook, the third component  60  is inserted from the side of the second component along the longitudinal direction of the stop hook. 
     Preferably, the third component  60  comprises a head  62  being made integral with a peg  64  extending along the longitudinal direction of the stop hook and is provided with a portion axially located at the coupling portion  50 . 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment, the head  62  integrates into the end of the second component, i.e. the stop end  32 . Preferably, the head  62  is completely inserted into the housing  46 . 
     In accordance with an embodiment such as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 3-5 , the cavity  58  of the first component  42  extends until it opens to the outside of the stop hook and the housing  46  of the second component  44  extends from the opposite side until it opens to the outside of the stop hook. Advantageously, the third element  60  comprises a head  62  and a peg  64  which internally passes through the first component and the second component and comprises a coupling end  66  with an appendix  68 , which is opposite to the head  62 . 
     Advantageously, the coupling end  66  of the peg  64  is provided with a cross groove  70  and the appendix  68  comprises a tubular extension  72  with a cross rib  74  adapted to be accommodated in the cross groove  70 . Preferably, the tubular extension  72  comprises one or more longitudinal notches  76 . 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment such as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 3-5 , the appendix  68  integrates the button-shaped end  30  of the first component  42 . In other words, the cavity  58  of the first component extends in order to accommodate the appendix  68  and forms the button-shaped end. Advantageously, the appendix  68  externally covers the first component. 
     According to a possible embodiment, the appendix  68  is adapted to form the outer surface of the button-shaped end  32  on which the shooter acts in order to release the magazine. Preferably, the appendix  68  has a shape, size, surface materials and finishing adapted to form an ergonomic button for the shooter. 
     According to a general aspect of the invention, the first component and the second component are partially inserted one inside the other along the longitudinal direction of the stop hook and the coupling portion of the first component is either deformable or yielding, in order to mutually fasten the first and second components at least along the longitudinal direction. With reference to the described and shown embodiment, the coupling portion  50  is either deformable or yielding due to the presence of the longitudinal notches and longitudinal tongues which can bend to the inside of the cavity  58  while the coupling portion  50  is being inserted into the second component in order to pass the cross rib  48 . 
     In other words, the coupling portion of the first component is either elastically deformable or yielding while the first and second components are being mutually inserted in order to pass and set in a mutual abutment constraint elements on the relative motion in the longitudinal direction of the first and second components. These constraint elements consist for example of the cross rib  48  and cross groove  56 , even if other embodiments can be provided. In fact, while the coupling portion  50  is being inserted into the second component  44  along the longitudinal direction, the longitudinal tongues  54  bend in order to pass the cross rib  48  and then regain the elastic deformation when the cross rib  48  is accommodated in the cross groove  56 . The mutual cross surfaces  48   a  and  56   a  provide a constraint on the relative motions of the first and second components along the longitudinal direction  24   a.    
     Advantageously, there is provided a shape coupling between the coupling portion  50  and the second component  44  and, with reference to the shown embodiment, this shape coupling is defined by the mutual coupling between the cross groove  56  and the cross rib  48 . 
     According to a general aspect of the invention, the third component defines a constraint for the coupling portion which is either deformable or yielding. In other words, with reference to the shown embodiment, the third element defines either a constraint or a hindrance element on the deformation of the coupling portion  50  in the opposite direction to the inserting one of the coupling portion into the second component. 
     Considering the shown embodiment of the coupling portion  50 , the longitudinal tongues  54  bend while the coupling portion is being inserted into the second component and elastically return in the undeformed position in order to carry out the shape coupling between the first and second components. The inserting of the third component prevents the longitudinal tongues from either being deformed or bent to the inside of the housing, subsequent to opposite tensile forces on the first and second components. 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment, the present invention further relates to a kit for a gun comprising a reversible stop hook  26  for a magazine  16  according to one of the embodiments described above. The kit further comprises at least one further button-shaped end adapted to replace the one of the stop hook. Preferably, there is provided a plurality of further button-shaped ends which can be selected in order to personalize the weapon as a function of the shooter&#39;s requirements. The button-shaped ends vary in shape and/or sizes and/or materials and/or surface finishing. 
     In accordance with the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the button-shaped end is made integral with the first component. Therefore, the kit according to the invention provides at least one further first component integrating at least one further button-shaped end. Preferably, there is provided a plurality of further first components, their respective button-shaped ends may vary in shape and/or sizes and/or materials and/or surface finishing. 
     In accordance with a different embodiment, the button-shaped end comprises an appendix  68  which is removable relative to the first component. In this case, the kit comprises at least one further removable appendix adapted to replace the removable appendix of the first component. Advantageously, each button-shaped end comprises fastening means either with the appendix or the further appendix. 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment, a third element of the stop hook comprises a coupling end with the appendix  68 . Alternatively, the removable appendix is a head of the third element of the stop hook. 
       FIG. 6  and  FIG. 3  show not only two different embodiments for the kit described above but also two possible configurations of the button-shaped end. Moreover,  FIG. 7  shows a kit comprising three appendices which have been indicated with  68 ,  68   a , and  68   b , respectively. The same embodiments may be applied in the case where the appendix is made integral with the first component thus providing three different button-shaped ends. 
     It will be described herein below the mode of assembling and use for the stop hook for a magazine described above, with reference to the shown embodiment. 
     The annexed figures show the stop hook being preset for being used by a right-handed shooter. In fact, the button-shaped end is situated on the gun left side in order to be pressed by means of the shooter&#39;s right thumb. 
     The assembling of the stop hook is directly carried out in the housing  24  of the gun, by acting along the longitudinal direction of the same housing and stop hook. 
     The first component  42  is inserted from the gun left side into the housing  24 . The elastic means  38  are located around the first component. 
     The second component  44  in inserted from the gun right side into the housing  24 . 
     By approaching the first and second components along the longitudinal direction within the housing  24 , the coupling portion  50  of the first component  42  is inserted into the housing  46  of the second component  44 . During insertion, the longitudinal tongues  54  meet the cross rib  48  and bend by elastically deforming and caving in to the inside of the cavity  58 . When the cross rib  48  is at the level of the cross groove  56 , the longitudinal tongues  54  are free to elastically return in the undeformed position. The cross rib  48  is set into the cross groove  56  and its respective cross surfaces  56   a  and  48   a  define a constraint on the mutual translation of the first and second components along the longitudinal direction. 
     Then the third component  60  is inserted into the housing  46  and the cavity  58  from the side of the second component  44 . A portion of the peg  64  is set at the coupling portion thus providing a constraint for the longitudinal tongues, so as to prevent the bending thereof to the inside. 
     The shooter can personalize the weapon by presetting either a button-shaped end or an appendix selected between the ones available in the kit. As a function of the embodiment, it will be sufficient to replace the appendix  68  which can be directly mounted either on the first component or the third component. Alternatively, the entire first component comprising the button-shaped end integral can be replaced. 
     The assembled stop hook operation mode is substantially conventional. In fact, the elastic means affect the coupling element by moving away the button-shaped end from the strike  40  of the housing  24  and thus hold the tooth  36  inserted into the corresponding notch  22  of the box  20 . 
     By exerting a pressure on the button-shaped end, the elastic means are compressed and the coupling element is translated along the housing  24  in order to release the magazine. 
     From what has been stated above, it should be appreciated that the fact of providing a stop hook for a magazine according to the present invention allows to meet said need for having a reversible hook, which is easy to be assembled by the user and reliable. 
     The described advantageous configuration allows an assembling directly within the housing in the gun, thus acting along the longitudinal direction and without entailing rotary motions among the parts. 
     A further advantage of the stop hook according to the invention is the unusual structural simplicity of the latter, which allows the latter to be manufactured with a very low cost. For example, the single components can be advantageously provided by moulding. 
     The presence of the third component allows to make the connection between the first and second components sure and reliable, thus avoiding the provision of high strength and elasticity characteristics for the material of the deformable coupling portion. In other words, either the deformability or yielding of the coupling portion allows the two components to be mutually inserted whereas the reliability of the seal is ensured by the third component which prevents the coupling portion from being released. Consequently, the material with which the stop hook is manufactured is not required to be selected as a function of the elastic and strength characteristics of the coupling between the first and second components. 
     It is understood that variants and/or additions to what has been described and shown above can be provided. 
     Alternatively to what is shown in the annexed figures, the coupling portion of the first component may be externally inserted onto the second component. Alternatively, the coupling portion can be provided in the second component comprising the magazine stop end. 
     In both cases, the cross rib and the cross groove can be provided either on the first or second component. Alternatively, in both cases, different shape couplings can be provided. 
     Alternatively to what is shown in the figures, the third component can be inserted from the side of the first component along the longitudinal direction of the stop hook. The cavity  58  of the first component extends along the longitudinal direction of the first component until it opens to the outside of the stop hook in order to accommodate the third component. The button-shaped end is thus defined by the head of the third component which integrates into the button end of the first component. In the case where the appendix of the third component is provided, this appendix can integrate into the stop end of the second component. 
     The third component may have shape and sizes which are different from the ones shown. For example, both the head and the appendix can be removably mounted on the peg. Otherwise, in the case where the coupling portion is outside, the third component may have a tubular shape. 
     In accordance with a possible embodiment, the peg  64  of the third component internally passes through the first component and the second component and an end which is opposite to the head does not open to the outside of the stop hook. Optionally, the peg comprises a coupling end with an inner portion either of the first or second component. 
     In accordance with the shown embodiment, the first component comprises the button-shaped end and the second component comprises the magazine stop end. According to different embodiments, the opposite can be provided. 
     Optionally, an appendix can be removably fastened directly on the first component, at the button-shaped end, thus providing suitable fastening means. 
     Independently from the provided embodiment, the coupling element may comprise a third component being at least partially inserted along the first and second components according to the longitudinal direction of the stop hook. This third component defines a constraint for the coupling portion which is either deformable or yielding. Advantageously, the coupling portion of the first component is internally hollow in order to accommodate the third component. 
     In accordance with a further embodiment, the first, second and third components provide an expansion coupling between the first and second components. Either the deformation or the yielding of the coupling portion can be caused by the same third component within the same coupling portion. 
     The coupling portion can be manufactured differently from what has been shown in order to provide a portion which is either elastically deformable or yielding. 
     The coupling between the stop end and the box can be different from what has been described and shown. 
     To the preferred embodiment of the stop hook for a magazine described above, those skilled in the art, aiming at satisfying contingent and specific needs, will be able to carry out several modifications, adjustments and replacements of elements with other elements being functionally equivalent thereto, without thereby departing from the scope of the following claims.