Patent Publication Number: US-6711975-B1

Title: Fore end wrench

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to spanner wrenches and more particularly pertains to a new fore end wrench for removing a locking nut from a slide action of a pump action shotgun. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of spanner wrenches is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,825 describes a device for loosening threaded protectors from a threaded body. Another type of spanner wrench is U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,120 having a tool having a pair of mounting pins for engaging a CPU fan to provide torque to the CPU fan to mount it to a mounting structure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,037 a spanner wrench with a pair of drive pins whereby the distance between the drive pins is adjustable. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,901,411, 6,230,430 and 6,173,519 all have an apparatus for facilitating disassembly of a firearm. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,676,126, 976,391 and 2,403,264 have wrenches that are adjustable for removing a variety of spanner nuts. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 433,870 shows a home disposal de-clogger. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device that has certain improved features allowing for the adjusting of the size of the pins to accommodate differing sizes of channels in locking nuts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention meets the needs presented above by providing an engagement member and an insert member that are interchangeable to all allow the user to accommodate locking nuts having channels of varying sizes. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new fore end wrench that allows for easy replacement of the insert member and the engagement member should they become worn or damaged. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new fore end wrench that allows the removal of locking nuts from a variety of makes of shotguns. 
     To this end, the present invention generally comprises a body member being designed for being inserted into the locking nut of the slide action of the shotgun. The body member is designed for supporting the locking nut of the shotgun. An engagement member extends through the body member. The engagement member is designed for engaging channels of the locking nut whereby rotation of the body member by a user rotates the engagement member against the locking nut for rotating the locking nut to remove the locking nut from the slide action to allow removal of the slide from the slide action. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new fore end wrench according to the present invention shown in use. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention shown in use with the shotgun shown in cross-section. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention with the engagement member removed and the insert member inserted taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new fore end wrench embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the fore end wrench  10  generally comprises a body member  11  being designed for being inserted into the locking nut of the slide action of the shotgun. The body member  11  is designed for supporting the locking nut of the shotgun. The body member  11  has a length of about 3.25 inches and a diameter of about 1 inch. 
     An engagement member  12  extends through the body member  11 . The engagement member  12  is designed for engaging channels of the locking nut whereby rotation of the body member  11  by a user rotates the engagement member  12  against the locking nut for rotating the locking nut to remove the locking nut from the slide action to allow removal of the slide from the slide action. The engagement member  12  has length of about 1.25 inches and a width of about {fraction (3/16)} of an inch. 
     A handle member  13  extends through the body member  11 . The handle member  13  is positioned through the body member  11  proximate a first end  14  of the body member  11 . The handle member  13  comprises a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the body member  11 . The handle member  13  is designed for being engaged by a hand of the user for facilitating rotating of the body member  11 . The handle member  13  has a length of about 4 inches and a diameter of about 0.313 on an inch. 
     The body member  11  comprises a handle bore  15 . The handle bore has diameter of about 0.257 of an inch. The handle bore  15  extends through the body member  11 . The handle bore  15  slidably receives the handle member  13  whereby the handle member  13  is selectively removable from the handle bore  15 . The handle bore  15  of the body member  11  comprises a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body member  11  whereby the handle bore  15  is for perpendicularly aligning the handle member  13  with the body member  11 . 
     The body member  11  comprises a handle locking bore  16 . The handle locking bore  16  extends into the body member  11  from the first end  14  of the body member  11  whereby the handle locking bore  16  intersects the handle bore  15 . 
     A handle locking member  17  is threadably insertable into the handle locking bore  16  of the body member  11 . The handle locking member  17  is rotatable with respect to the body member  11  for changing a linear orientation of the handle locking member  17  in the handle bore  15  of the body member  11 . The handle locking member  17  selectively abuts against the handle member  13  for inhibiting removal of the handle member  13  from the handle bore  15  when the handle member  13  is positioned in the handle bore  15  of the body member  11 . The handle locking member  17  selectively disengages the handle member  13  for permitting removal of the handle member  13  from the handle bore  15  of the body member  11 . The handle locking bore  16  has a longitudinal axis substantially collinear with the longitudinal axis of the body member  11 . 
     The body member  11  comprises a receiving bore  18 . The receiving bore  18  extends through the body member  11 . The receiving bore  18  slidably receives the engagement member  12  whereby the engagement member  12  is selectively removable from the receiving bore  18 . The receiving bore  18  of the body member  11  comprises a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body member  11  whereby the receiving bore  18  is for perpendicularly aligning-the engagement member  12  with the body member  11  for proper insertion of the engagement member  12  into the channels of the locking nut of the shotgun. 
     The body member  11  comprises an engagement locking bore  19 . The engagement locking bore  19  extends into the body member  11  from a second end  20  of the body member  11  whereby the engagement locking bore  19  intersects the engagement bore. 
     An engagement locking member  21  is threadably insertable into the engagement locking bore  19  of the body member  11 . The engagement locking member  21  is rotatable with respect to the body member  11  for changing a linear orientation of the engagement locking member  21  in the engagement bore of the body member  11 . The engagement locking member  21  selectively abuts against the engagement member  12  for inhibiting removal of the engagement member  12  from the engagement bore when the engagement member  12  is positioned in the engagement bore of the body member  11 . The engagement locking member  21  selectively disengages the engagement member  12  for permitting removal of the engagement member  12  from the engagement bore of the body member  11 . The engagement locking bore  19  has a longitudinal axis substantially collinear with the longitudinal axis of the body member  11 . 
     The body member  11  comprises an insert bore  22 . The insert bore  22  has a diameter of about 0.173 of an inch. The insert bore  22  extends through the body member  11 . The insert bore  22  selectively receives an insert member  23  whereby the insert member  23  is designed for being inserted into the channels of the locking nut for facilitating rotation of the locking nut when the engagement member  12  is removed from the receiving bore  18 . The insert member  23  has a length of about 1.25 inches and a width of about 0.125 of an inch. The insert bore  22  of the body member  11  comprises a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body member  11  whereby the receiving bore  18  is for perpendicularly aligning the insert member  23  with the body member  11  for proper insertion of the insert member  23  into the channels of the locking nut of the shotgun. The insert bore  22  is positioned substantially perpendicular to the receiving bore  18  for maintaining a maximum amount of material of the body member  11  between the receiving bore  18  and the insert bore  22  for inhibiting fracturing of the material of the body member  11  between the receiving bore  18  and the insert bore  22 . 
     The engagement member  12  has a diameter greater than a diameter of the insert member  23 . The insert member  23  is designed for engaging channels of a locking nut of a shotgun narrower than the diameter of the engagement member  12  for facilitating removal of the locking nut. 
     The insert bore  22  intersects the engagement locking bore  19 . The engagement locking member  21  selectively abuts the insert member  23  for inhibiting removal of the insert member  23  from the insert bore  22  when the engagement member  12  is removed from the receiving bore  18 . 
     In use, the user selects the insert member  23  or the engagement member  12  according to the size required for the channels of the locking nut and inserted into the associated bore in the body member  11 . The engagement locking member  21  is then turned in the engagement locking bore  19  until the engagement locking member  21  either the selected engagement member  12  or the insert member  23 . The user then inserts the handle member  13  into the handle bore  15  and the handle locking member  17  is rotated to engage the handle member  13  and secure the handle member  13  in the handle bore  15 . The body member  11  is then inserted into the locking nut so that the selected insert member  23  or engagement member  12  engages the channels of the locking nut. The user the grips the handle member  13  and body member  11  to rotate the body member  11  and thus rotate the locking nut to remove and allow the slide of the shotgun to be removed. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.