Patent Publication Number: US-2023160664-A1

Title: Mounting device for weapon accessories

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a mounting device for the temporary coupling of accessories to a firearm and to accessories having such an integrally formed mounting device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Accessories for firearms in the context of this application are understood to mean any piece of equipment that is to be temporarily connected to the weapon and also to be detached. These can be laser sights, illuminated dot reticles, range finders, or light sources of any kind. Telescopic sights, IR aiming devices and the like are also to be considered for the purposes of the present disclosure. In principle, however, such a mounting device is also conceivable for mounting on objects other than firearms, such as vehicles, and should therefore be also read in this sense by a person skilled in the art. 
     For the assembly of such mounting devices on the firearm, at least one guide element is required which has a longitudinal extension and which has at least one recess transverse to its longitudinal extension. Such guide elements can be, for example, different rails, such as the bottom rail of GLOCK® pistols, or rails attached to the side or top of the receiver. In particular, the widely used Picatinny rails according to MILSPEC are suitable for the purposes of the present disclosure. 
     Heretofore, a number of possibilities for attaching accessories to rail systems of weapons have been known to a person skilled in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,117,624 B2, 8,127,484 B2, 9,551,550 B2, or 9,857,142 B2 are mentioned as examples. The content of these publications is incorporated into the content of the present application for the jurisdictions in which this is possible. When reading these publications, it quickly becomes clear to a person skilled in the art that more or less complicated clamping devices are required for attaching accessories, for example tactical lights or telescopic sights. 
     From U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,624 B2 a guide device that can be screwed to the housing of the accessory is known which has a rigid extension in the longitudinal direction for fixing the accessory to a guide element and engages in a recess of the guide element, for example a transverse groove of the guide element on a GLOCK pistol. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 9,857,142 B2 proposes an alternative mounting device which can be “swiveled” onto a Picatinny rail and fixed to a recess provided there by means of an extension. This mounting device has a further Picatinny rail for fixing an accessory on the outside. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 8,127,484 B2 a relatively easy-to-use clamping device is proposed, by means of which accessory parts can be fixed to a guide element of a weapon, in particular a Picatinny rail. Due to the eccentric arrangement of the clamping piece, a strong compression can be achieved by means of a lever. 
     Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 9,551,550 B2 describes a mounting device integrated into a housing of an accessory part in which two wedge elements can be moved toward one another by means of a screw connection. As a result, the wedge elements slide along inclined guides in the housing, and a crosspiece is brought into engagement with a recess in a guide element of the weapon. 
     US2011/0061283 A1 discloses the use of a swiveling part which is oriented transvers to the barrel axis and under the load of a spring, in an embodiment turned by 90° and symmetrical to the median plane of the weapon; in both embodiments, the very blocking element is held by force only and therefore, in view of the dynamic forces, not fixed reliable. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,854 B1 discloses a similar device, using a leaf spring, which is in danger to get lost, and, as may be seen in  FIG.  6   , is hardly in a position to achieve reproducible positions, since a ramp is provided in order to make the mounting easier and to avoid the loss, but does not achieve a robust mounting. 
     US2016/0146572 A1 discloses the use of a spring-loaded screwing device, which may be used by hand; the spring should avoid unfastening, which, in view of the dynamic forces makes it necessary to fasten the device remarkably, which is, despite the size of the knob of the screw hardly possible. Additionally, there is the problem of contamination on the one hand and jamming of the screw mechanism on the other hand. 
     The previously known mounting devices are of different complexity in construction and require a plurality of components. In addition, levers require a certain amount of space, while screw heads can only be operated without tools starting at a certain size or shape, which makes them suitable for the designs of such mounting devices only under certain conditions. 
     The object of the present disclosure is to overcome the known aforementioned disadvantages in the prior art and to provide a mounting device which is compact and space-saving. In addition, it is an object of the present disclosure to allow operation that is as simple as possible and can be operated without tools and, moreover, to reduce the risk of unintentional opening, at least in one embodiment. Furthermore, it is an object of the present disclosure to support the locking process, in at least one embodiment, and in a further development even to promote self-locking of the mounting device. 
     In the explanation of the disclosed mounting device, the plurality of interacting elements is only occasionally mentioned below for the sake of brevity in order to facilitate readability. The same applies to the plurality of components that act analogously, for example when the locking spindle is doubled. However, it becomes apparent in the context of the disclosure, both of the description and of the figures; that a multiplication of the elements provided according to the present disclosure inevitably falls within the disclosure of this description. 
     A mounting device according to the present disclosure leads to the achievement of the aforementioned objects. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is directed to mounting devices for the temporary coupling of accessories to a firearm, and accessories including such a mounting device. 
     In one example, the mounting device according to the present disclosure includes a device housing having guides configured to interact with guide elements of the firearm, a spring; at least one bearing knob; at least one locking spindle having a spindle axis, the locking spindle being configured to interact with the bearing knob and the recess; the locking spindle having a first end, a center part, and a second end; where the first end includes a selector knob with a resting protrusion, the center part has at least one locking protrusion formed in a spatial direction normal to the spindle axis, and the second end includes a connection piece; and the locking spindle is disposed in the device housing so that the locking spindle is rotatably and/or longitudinally displaceable. The mounting device is configured so that it can be placed in an open position by a displacement of at least the resting protrusion of the selector knob along the spindle axis, bringing the resting protrusion out of engagement with a detent formed on a side of the device housing, where the detent is complementary in shape to the resting protrusion, thereby enabling a rotation of the locking spindle; the rotation of the locking spindle can disengage the locking protrusion from the recess, thereby enabling a displacement of the mounting device along the guide elements; and the mounting device can be mounted on the firearm in a locking position by bringing the locking protrusion into engagement with the recess and engaging at least the resting protrusion of the selector knob partially or completely with the detent, thereby locking the mounting device in place. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1 A  is a simplified exploded view of a mounting device according to the present disclosure;  FIG.  1 B  shows a mounting device according to  FIG.  1 A  mounted on an accessory. 
         FIG.  2 A  is a schematic oblique view of an illustrative mounting device mounted on a receiver of a pistol;  FIG.  2 B  shows an accessory with an integrally formed mounting device according to the present disclosure mounted on the receiver of a rifle. 
         FIG.  3 A  is a schematic view of a mounting device according to the present disclosure in the unlocked position;  FIG.  3 B  shows the mounting device according to  FIG.  3 A  in the locking position. 
         FIGS.  4 A- 4 C  depict a mounting device according to the present disclosure.  FIG.  4 A  is a schematic view of the mounting device with the locking spindle shown in various positions;  FIG.  4 B  shows corresponding cross-section views along B-B′ of  FIG.  4 A ;  FIG.  4 C  shows a vertical sectional view along C-C′ of  FIG.  2 A . 
         FIGS.  5 A- 5 C  depict a mounting device according to the present disclosure.  FIG.  5 A  is a schematic view of the mounting device with the locking spindle shown in various positions;  FIG.  5 B  shows corresponding cross-section views along B-B′ of  FIG.  5 A ;  FIG.  5 C  shows a vertical sectional view along C-C′ of  FIG.  2 A . 
         FIGS.  6 A- 6 C  depict a mounting device according to the present disclosure.  FIG.  6 A  is a schematic view of the mounting device with the locking spindle shown in various positions;  FIG.  6 B  shows corresponding cross-section views along B-B′ of  FIG.  6 A ;  FIG.  6 C  shows a vertical sectional view along D-D′ of  FIG.  2 B . 
         FIGS.  7 A- 7 C  depict a mounting device according to the present disclosure.  FIG.  7 A  is a schematic view of the mounting device with the locking spindle shown in various positions;  FIG.  7 B  shows corresponding cross-section views along B-B′ of  FIG.  7 A ;  FIG.  7 C  shows a vertical sectional view along D-D′ of  FIG.  2 B . 
         FIGS.  8 A and  8 B  schematically show an illustrative mounting device according to the present disclosure having two locking spindles and a coupling device in two oblique views. 
         FIGS.  9 A and  9 B  are a cross-section views through the spindle axis of the mounting device along E-E′ of  FIG.  8 B ;  FIG.  9 C  shows a sectional view in the y-direction through the central plane of the mounting device of  FIG.  8 B . 
         FIGS.  10 A- 10 C  depict a mounting device according to the present disclosure having two locking spindles.  FIG.  10 A  is a schematic view of the mounting device with the locking spindles shown in various positions;  FIG.  10 B  shows corresponding cross-section views along B-B′ of  FIG.  10 A ;  FIG.  10 C  shows the two locking spindles having opposing directions of rotation. 
         FIGS.  11 A and  11 B  show purely schematically a mounting device according to the present disclosure having tapers in oblique views and in section, in the unlocked position and the locked position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The terms left, right, top, bottom, front and rear always refer to the shooter&#39;s view in the firing direction of the firearm when it is held ready to fire. The weapon has, going through the barrel axis and oriented vertically, a weapon center plane, which, cum grano salis, forms a plane of symmetry. 
     A mounting device according to the present disclosure can include a locking spindle having at least one locking protrusion is rotatably and displaceably mounted in a housing of the mounting device such that in a locking position the locking protrusion contacts a guide element of a firearm in the region of a recess and in the open position is disengaged from the recess. At a first end, the locking spindle has a selector knob at which a resting protrusion protrudes. At a second end of the locking spindle, a connection piece is provided to be connected to a bearing knob. The locking spindle can be pretensioned in the direction of the bearing knob by means of a spring. 
     During handling, the bearing knob is first actuated in order to move the locking spindle slightly along the spindle axis. The selector knob is thus also deflected relative to the device housing, and the locking spindle can rotate into the open position. On the device housing, one or more detents are provided in the region of the selector knob and provide a latching position of the resting protrusion—that is, essentially a defined end position by which an angular position of the locking spindle is defined. The resting protrusion is brought out of its latching position by the relative movement of the locking spindle. The detent on the device housing is preferably designed to be complementary in shape to the resting protrusion. 
     In the release position thus defined, the locking protrusion can be brought out of engagement with a corresponding recess in the weapon-side guide element by rotation of the locking spindle. In this open position, the mounting device can be displaced along the guides or guide elements of the weapon. To attach the mounting device to the firearm, it is necessary to assume the locking position in reverse order, that is, by bringing the locking protrusion into engagement with a recess. The pretensioning of the latching knob results in a spring-loaded locking of the resting protrusion by partial or complete countersinking in the detent of the device housing. 
     The housing of the mounting device has guides which allow longitudinal guidance, especially laterally, along guide elements of a firearm. Preferably, these guides also offer an additional support surface in the vertical direction, that is to say “upward” and/or “downward” when viewed from the weapon, via a profile that is complementary in shape to the guide element. This can also be achieved with a T-profile, as well as preferably when Picatinny rails are used. 
     According to the present disclosure, there is a relatively good lateral and normal guidance of the accessory in the event of a longitudinal displacement on the guide element of the weapon. The guide is preferably designed as guide rails, wherein these guide rails do not have to be continuous in the longitudinal direction. In addition, turning the locking protrusion makes it possible for the mounting device—and thus the accessory—to contact and, where necessary, also clamp on the weapon. By suitably designing the shape, number and tolerances of the locking spindle or spindles and their locking protrusions, a person skilled in the art can achieve a very quick and easy-to-perform coupling of the accessories on the weapon. The relatively compact design is helped by the small number of components and their interaction according to the present disclosure. This also allows a cost-optimized production of high-quality components with low weight. 
     A further advantage of the mounting devices of the present disclosure is the possibility of having the locking position assumed largely automatically by the spring pretensioning. This “self-locking effect” benefits the user during routine assembly after a change of accessories, but especially in stressful situations. 
     For the implementation of the present disclosure and its more detailed explanation, reference is made to the drawings and the following description, in which a number of embodiments are explained in more detail. A person skilled in the art will also find further suggestions for various modifications of the mounting device of the disclosure, such as a two-sided clamping in the longitudinal direction, a double or multiple design of the locking spindle, and various modifications of the locking and latching elements. 
     The present disclosure extends to any type of accessory, such as a tactical light, a red dot sight, or the like, which have such a mounting device integrated. 
     Furthermore, the disclosed mounting device can also be used as an adapter for accessory parts with an alternative mounting device, or as a spacer. This can be used, for example, when a telescopic sight is mounted on an adapter, which can be mounted on the weapon relatively quickly and with repeatability by means of the proposed mounting device. 
       FIG.  1    schematically shows a mounting device  1  ( FIG.  1 A ), as well as the mounting device  1  mounted on an accessory  8  ( FIG.  1 B ) in an exploded view; the direction of the running axis is inserted parallel to the x-direction of the drawn coordinate system. The guide  6  also runs in this direction. 
     In  FIG.  1 A  it can be clearly seen that the locking spindle  10  can be introduced into the device housing  5  along the spindle axis  9  and can be connected to the bearing knob  16  on the connection piece  14 . The connection piece  14  can be designed with the bearing knob  16 , for example, as a detachable screw connection or plug-in connection, or also as a non-detachable plug-in connection. The locking spindle  10  is preferably secured against unintentional loosening on the connection piece  14  by means of a spring ring or, as can be seen in  FIG.  1 A , by means of a pin or spring pin. An equally suitable, albeit non-detachable, plug-in connection is indicated by way of example in  FIG.  9 B . The spring  7  serves to pretension the locking spindle  10  in the installed state in the direction of the bearing knob  16  and thus pulls the selector knob  11  essentially in the direction of the locking position. 
     As shown, the spring  7  is preferably arranged between the device housing  5  and the bearing knob  16 , although alternative arrangements are also conceivable. The spring  7  can be designed as a coil spring, preferably as a conical spring. The bearing knob  16  can under certain circumstances be designed to be hollow in order to accommodate the spring  7  and thus save space. 
     The selected illustrations all have mounting devices  1  designed to be particularly space-saving. It is advantageous that the spring  7 , as well as parts of the bearing knob  16 ; are at least partially accommodated within the device housing  5  by having a bearing recess  18 . Opposite this, a selector recess  19  ( FIG.  5 B ) for at least partial accommodation of the selector knob  11  can be formed on the device housing  5 . As a result of these measures, the bearing and/or selector knobs  11  can be countersunk in a targeted manner relative to the surroundings and accordingly reduce the overall dimensions of the mounting device  1  or the firearm. 
     The locking spindle  10  has a plurality of portions and can be constructed in several parts or, preferably, in one part. A selector knob  11  which has a resting protrusion  12  in at least one spatial direction is formed at the first end. A plurality of latching projections can also be formed, or for example a star-shaped selector knob  11 . The locking spindle  10  has the connection piece  14  described above at the second end. In between, a center portion or center part  13  is formed, from which at least one locking protrusion  15  is formed projecting in at least one spatial direction. In the embodiment in  FIG.  1 A , the locking protrusion  15 , is formed normal to the direction of the resting protrusion  12  when viewed in the circumferential direction of the axis of the locking spindle. The selector knob  11  can under certain circumstances have a plurality of steps toward the center part  13  in order to achieve an improved support or bracing in the selector recess  19  ( FIG.  5 B ). 
     The device housing  5  has one or more openings which run normal to the guide  6  in the transverse direction, that is to say the y-direction in the selected illustration. The guide  6  is designed to interact with the guide elements  3  of a firearm or another object. This can be seen very clearly from  FIG.  1 B , in which the front portion of a receiver  2  and a tactical light  8  with a mounting device  1  can be seen. The receiver  2  has guide elements  3  with a recess  4  on its underside. The accessory  8  can be pushed onto the receiver  2  by longitudinally shifting the mounting device  1  along the dashed lines and fastened by turning the selector knob  11 , as will be explained in more detail later. 
     Furthermore, it can be seen from  FIG.  1    that the mounting device  1  has a plurality of openings (see the corners of the device housing  5 ) in order to be screwed to an accessory  8 , for example. 
     In  FIG.  2   , schematic representations of assembled mounting devices  1  can be seen, the mounting device  1  being screwed to the accessory  8  in  FIG.  2 A  or being formed integrally with the accessory  8  in  FIG.  2 B . In  FIG.  2 A , a tactical light, for example, is attached to a receiver  2 , while a red dot or luminous point sight is shown as an accessory  8  in  FIG.  2 B . Furthermore, it can be clearly seen in  FIG.  2 B  that the mounting device  1  is also very suitable for guide elements  3  of long guns (e.g. rifles). With the receiver  2 , the illustration corresponds to a simplified section through a fore-end profile of an automatic rifle and, as the guide element  3 , represents a greatly simplified guide rail with a plurality of recesses  4 . 
     Guides  6  ( FIG.  1   ) are formed in order to ensure a lateral support of the mounting device  1  on the firearm. Particularly preferably, the guides  6  are matched to the guide elements  3  in accordance with their cross-sectional shape and are thus designed to be complementary in shape. It is left to a person skilled in the art to design the shape and position tolerances accordingly in order to achieve the desired fit; this is also known for guides in the prior art and therefore does not pose a problem with knowledge of the present disclosure. 
       FIG.  3    is a schematic representation of an exemplary mounting device  1  in a side view (left row of images) and in a rear view (right row of images). In this case, the open position can be seen in  FIG.  3 A —that is, for the longitudinal adjustment of the mounting device  1  along the guides  6 —and the locking position in  FIG.  3 B . Here, when viewed together with the other figures, the mounting principle according to the present disclosure becomes clear. In  FIG.  3 A , the selector knob  11  is pushed out of the device housing  5  in the y-direction by actuation of the bearing knob  16  and the resting protrusion  12  is rotated downward, whereby the locking protrusion  15  is “pivoted in” within a recess  27  of the device housing  5 . In this way, the locking protrusion  15  is brought out of engagement with the recess  4  of a receiver  2  or another object and in this position no longer protrudes or only slightly protrudes over the surface of the device housing  5 , as shown particularly well in  FIG.  3 A  on the right (or else  FIG.  11 A ). This makes possible a longitudinal displacement of the mounting device  1  along guide elements  3  ( FIG.  1 B ). As a result of the connection forms mentioned above, the locking spindle  10  in the installed state is therefore mounted so that it can be displaced and/or rotated within limits inside the device housing  5 . 
     If the resting protrusion  12  is rotated in such a way that it fits into the detent  17 , the locking protrusion  15  is also “pivoted out” of the recess  27  (see, for example,  FIGS.  4 - 7 ,  11   ) and can prevent a longitudinal displacement of the mounting device  1  by engaging in a corresponding recess  4  of the guide element  3 . The selector recess  19  and/or the detent  17  are preferably designed complementary in shape to the selector knob  11  or the resting protrusion  12 . This makes it possible for the selector knob  11  and/or the resting protrusion  12  to be at least partially received in the device housing  5  and thus to protrude just a little or not at all from its surface. At the same time, the proposed construction makes it possible for accidental locking or unlocking to be relatively unlikely. In addition, the locked state is clearly visible and can even be felt in the dark, as can be determined relatively easily by the protruding bearing knob  16  or the latched resting protrusion  12 . 
     In  FIGS.  4 - 7    different embodiments can be seen which primarily show the possibilities of different locking protrusions  15 .  FIGS.  4 - 7    are each structured analogously, in that the installation process can be seen from right to left and the locking status can be seen in the left column. In the top row (in each case FIG. XXA), each top view is shown in the z direction. In the middle row (in each case FIG. XXB), sectional views B-B′ of the spindle axis  9  corresponding to the plan views can be seen. Sectional views C-C′ and D-D′ through the center plane of the mounting device  1  on the guide element  3  of a firearm are shown schematically in the respective lower image section (FIG. XXC), as becomes clear when looking at  FIG.  2   .  FIGS.  4 C and  5 D  correspond to  FIG.  2 A  and  FIGS.  6 C and  7 C  with  FIG.  2 B . 
     A possible embodiment is shown in  FIG.  4   , the locking protrusion  15  in the center part  13  being formed on one side of the locking spindle  10 . In the right and middle illustration of  FIG.  4 A , the locking spindle  10  is inserted into the device housing  5 , as can be seen very clearly in section in the illustrations below in  FIG.  4 B . The locking protrusion  15  can be inserted in such a way that it is “pivoted in” within the recess  27 . If the locking spindle  10  is rotated into the working position, that is to say the locked state (see  FIG.  4 A ), the resting protrusion  12  can engage in the detent  17  as described above, and the locking protrusion  15  is “up,” i.e. “pivoted out” of the recess  27 , and is accordingly in engagement with a recess  4 . This state is shown for comparison in  FIG.  4 C  in which the contact of the locking protrusion  15  against the sidewall of the recess  4  can be clearly seen. In the embodiment shown, the accessory  8  is supported by the accessory housing  23  with respect to the receiver  2  and is thus attached to the firearm. 
     The mounting device  1  can thus be supported in the longitudinal direction of the guide  6  with respect to a receiver  2  and can thus be mounted without play on a firearm. The mounting device  1  can also be designed in such a way that the support is accomplished via the guide element  3  by engaging in one or more recesses, as will be explained later. A person skilled in the art can also minimize the clearance in the vertical direction by suitable adaptation of the guide  6  in relation to the guide elements  3  of a firearm. 
     Another possible embodiment can also be seen in  FIG.  4    and particularly clearly in  FIG.  6   , according to which at least one locking protrusion  15  has a cantilever  21  in the direction of the bearing knob  16 . This cantilever  21  serves, in the locking position, to engage in a secondary locking recess  20  arranged parallel to the spindle axis  9  on the device housing  5 . The cantilever  21  additionally supports the locking spindle  10  in the locking state within the device housing  5 , after which an improved load transfer and relief of the bearing points of the locking spindle  10  can be achieved, as can be seen particularly well in  FIG.  6 B . 
       FIG.  5    shows a further possible embodiment of a locking spindle  10  with locking protrusions  15  protruding on both sides. The description of  FIGS.  4   a  and  b    can be applied mutatis mutandis. However, it should be emphasized that, in comparison to the one-sided locking protrusion  15  of  FIGS.  4   , the two-sided design of the two locking protrusions  15  provides additional support for the locking spindle  10  on the device housing  5 , see  FIG.  4   c   . In the locking position, the “upper” locking protrusion  15  presses in the x direction against the receiver  2  on the sidewall of the recess  4 , while the “lower” locking protrusion  15  on the device housing  5  engages the sidewall of the recess  27 . This can relieve the pivot points of the locking spindle  10  within the device housing  5 . 
     Another possible embodiment of a locking spindle  10  is shown schematically in  FIG.  6   . The description of  FIGS.  4 A and  4 B  can be applied mutatis mutandis, the locking protrusion  15  formed on one side in the shown example of  FIG.  6    being interrupted in the longitudinal direction of the locking spindle  10  or being formed as two locking protrusions  15  spaced apart from one another along the spindle axis  9 . This embodiment is particularly suitable for Picatinny rails having a central longitudinal groove, since the two locking protrusions  15  press against the Picatinny rail in the locked state and the longitudinal groove remains free. For this reason, the locking protrusion  15  is also located behind the sectional plane in  FIG.  5 C , in the sectional view D-D′; the function is otherwise as described for  FIG.  4 C . 
     Another possible embodiment is shown in  FIG.  7   , in which the locking protrusion  15  has the cross-sectional shape of a segment of a circle, as can be seen particularly well in  FIG.  7 C . The installation and the function are carried out in the same way as the aforementioned versions. 
     Generally speaking, it is thus possible to form the locking protrusion  15  in at least one further spatial direction, preferably diametrically opposite normal to the spindle axis  9 , as is the case, for example, with the cross-sectional shape of a wave shape or S shape. The embodiment with two locking protrusions  15  ( FIG.  5   ) is also to be understood as falling into this category. 
     The special embodiment of the locking protrusion  15  in the form of a segment of a circle in  FIG.  7    allows an additional support surface on the device housing  5  with suitable coordination with the dimensions of the recesses  4  and thus improves the introduction of force into the receiver  2 , which in turn relieves the bearing points of the device housing  5 , as is also the case with the “two-wing” version in  FIG.  5   . 
     All previous embodiments can also be directly transferred analogously to the following embodiments with two or more locking spindles  10 . 
     In  FIGS.  8  to  11   , possible embodiments for mounting devices  1  with two locking spindles  10  are described below, but three or more locking spindles  10  acting in an analogous manner are also conceivable in a mounting device  1 . 
     In each of  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B  are two perspective exploded views of an accessory  8  having a mounted mounting device  1 , shown schematically. In  FIG.  8 A  the “right” side with two selector recesses  19  can be seen, in which recesses the selector knobs  11  can be accommodated after the locking spindles  10  have been inserted. In this embodiment, only one of the selector knobs  11  has a resting protrusion  12 , which is designed to interact with the detent  17 —mutatis mutandis with respect to the preceding description. The two locking spindles  10  are, however, designed to be actuated together by only one of the locking spindles  10  being actuated, in practice the one with the resting protrusion  12 . The two locking spindles  10  are connected via a coupling device  24 , as can be seen very clearly in conjunction with  FIG.  8 B . 
     The coupling device  24  comprises two disks  25  and a coupling rod  26 , the disks  25  in the installed state each being assigned to a corresponding locking spindle  10  and being connected thereto, preferably detachably, and the coupling rod  26  connecting the two disks  25  to one another. The connection of the disks  25  to the locking spindle  10  can be accomplished, for example, using a plug-in connection with a profile of complementary shape, as can be seen very clearly from  FIG.  8   . The connection of the disks  25  to the coupling rod  26  is also preferably formed via a plug-in connection, the disks  25  having small connecting projections for the coupling rod  26 , as can be seen in  FIG.  8 B . In order for the coupling device  24  to be able to move within the limits described above in the installed state and for the coupling device  24  to not protrude past the surface of the device housing  5 , it is advantageous to provide bearing recesses  18  having a continuous connection to one another on the device housing  5 . 
     The advantage of such a coupling device  24  is primarily that it only has to rotate a locking spindle  10  and still unlock or lock the entire mounting device  1 . 
     The installation state can be seen very clearly in  FIG.  9   , which shows a sectional view E-E′ in the z direction from “above” at the level of the spindle axis  9  (FIG.  9 A). Analogously to the aforementioned embodiments, the locking spindle  10  can be shifted slightly along the spindle axis  9  and rotated about it in the release position.  FIG.  9 C  schematically shows the engagement situation of the locking protrusions  15  in two recesses  4  of a guide element  3  with opposite movement from the rest position into the working position or locking position, as would occur corresponding to the embodiment in  FIGS.  8  and  9 A . This sectional view is shown analogously to  FIGS.  4 C- 7 C  on the spindle axis  9 . This particular connection of the two locking spindles  10  allows the mounting device  1  to be supported on both sides only on the guide element  3 . 
       FIG.  9 B  shows a sectional view corresponding to  FIG.  9 A , the connection piece  14  being designed as a non-detachable plug-in connection. The embodiment is illustrated in the associated detail view. The connection piece  14  has a widening and a notch in which a protrusion of the otherwise hollow bearing knob  16  can engage. It is immediately clear to a person skilled in the art that a reverse arrangement can also be implemented. A hollow locking spindle  10  or connection piece  14  would be formed therein, for example, and the corresponding bearing knob  16  would have a pin-shaped or mushroom-shaped extension on its inside. It is also clear to a person skilled in the art that these extensions, notches, etc. do not necessarily have to be formed around the entire circumference in order to achieve the desired mounting. 
     Likewise, although not shown, a person skilled in the art can relatively easily design the coupling device  24  in a suitable manner in order to cause the two locking spindles  10  to rotate in the same direction of rotation. This measure can reduce the local surface pressure of the locking protrusions  15  on the sidewall of the respective recess  4  or on the bearing points of the locking spindles  10 . 
     Furthermore, variants of the mounting device of the present disclosure are not shown in which a second detent  17  is provided on the device housing  5  in such a way that the locking spindle  10  can also be pivoted “in the opposite direction.” The recess  27  should advantageously be wide enough that the locking protrusion  15  can be pivoted in the “opposite direction.” Such an embodiment is particularly advantageous in combination with two locking protrusions  15 , which are formed on both sides of the locking spindle  10 , since the mounting device  1  is used both “forward” and “backward” when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the guide  6 . This largely corresponds to the idea of a “two-sided” design, since the accessory  8  can thus be attached to the firearm in both directions. Of course, these variants can be combined with all of the embodiments described above. 
     In  FIG.  10    a further embodiment is depicted which shows a mounting device  1  having two independently acting and operable locking spindles  10 ; see in particular  FIG.  10 C . In the chosen example, the directions of rotation of the locking spindles  10  are provided in opposite directions, the function being analogous to the previous description of  FIGS.  4 - 7    and a detailed description being dispensed with at this point. The support on the guide element  3  is therefore carried out analogously to the sectional view in  FIG.  9 C . The two resting protrusions  12  are each assigned here a corresponding detent  17 , which are “aligned with one another.” In this way, two identical locking spindles  10  can be used; alternatively, the alignment of the detents  17  in the same direction would also be possible, provided that the alignment and/or number and/or shape of the locking protrusions  15  are designed as desired according to the preceding description. 
     A further possible independent embodiment is shown in  FIG.  11    which can be combined with all of the preceding embodiments. In the example shown, the device housing  5  has at least one taper  22  for self-centering and locking the resting protrusion  12  in the locking position. The taper  22  represents a bevel or else a ramp and is designed to rise outward in such a way that the resting protrusion  12  is guided into the detent  17  when it is rotated into the locking position along the taper  22 . For a better understanding, a sectional axis F-F′ is drawn in the perspective view in  FIG.  11 A  and extends “in front of” the spindle axis  9  in the x direction. The two representations on the right represent the corresponding cross-sectional views of the plane F-F′ in the x-direction. Especially when viewed together with the locking position in  FIG.  11 B , the course and the positioning of the taper  22  or the resting protrusion  12  become clear. 
     Such a taper  22  can also or alternatively be provided for self-centering of a cantilever  21  on the locking protrusion  15  in the secondary locking recess  20 . In general, a taper  22  can make it easier to snap into the locking position due to the spring pretensioning and, in borderline cases, even cause self-centering or self-locking when the selector knob  11  is released. The taper  22  can correspondingly also be formed on the device housing  5  on the inside of the guides  6 . 
     Thus, by adapting the type, shape, number and design of the locking spindles  10 , the locking protrusions  15 , the springs  7 , and the device housing  5 , etc., an optimization for the respective application can be made in a relatively simple manner by a person skilled in the art. In addition, the outer dimensions and interfering contours can be reduced by suitable measures, such as the provision of bearing  18  and/or selector knob recesses  19 . Furthermore, with the present disclosure it is possible to design the mounting device  1  in such a way that it can be mounted along the guides  6  in two directions, that is to say also “in reverse.” In addition, a self-locking function can be implemented in a relatively simple and user-friendly manner by means of tapers  22 . 
     As mentioned above, the present disclosure also extends to all types of accessories  8 , in particular tactical lights, lasers, red dot or similar sighting devices, as well as silencers which have a mounting device according to any of the preceding embodiments. The device housing  5  of the mounting device  1  can be formed integrally with the accessory housing  23 , whereby a particularly high stability and reduced assembly effort can be achieved. 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the illustrated and described embodiments, but can be modified and configured in various ways. In particular, the shown cross-sectional shapes of the aforementioned receiver parts, pins, rails, recesses, etc. can be adapted to the given basic data, and the lengths and the positions with respect to the receiver can also be easily adapted by a person skilled in the art having knowledge of the present disclosure. The variants shown and described in the individual embodiments can be combined as required. 
     In the description and the claims, the terms “front,” “rear,” “above,” “below” and so on are used in the generally accepted form and with reference to the object in its usual position of use. This means that in a weapon the muzzle of the barrel is “at the front,” that the slide is moved “backward” by the explosive gas, etc. Transverse to a direction essentially means a direction turned 90° thereto. 
     It should also be noted that in the description and the claims, terms such as the “lower region” of an object refer to the lower half and in particular the lower quarter of the overall height; “lowermost region” refers to the lowermost quarter and in particular an even smaller part, while “central region” refers to the central third of the overall height. For the terms “width” or “length,” this applies mutatis mutandis. All these terms have their generally accepted meaning, applied to the intended position of the object under consideration. 
     In the description and the claims, “substantially” means a deviation of up to 10% of the stated value, if physically possible, both downward and upward, otherwise only in the appropriate direction; in the case of degrees (angle and temperature), this means±10°. If there are terms such as “substantially constant” etc., what is meant is the technical possibility of deviation which a person skilled in the art takes as a basis and not the mathematical one. For example, a “substantially L-shaped cross-section” comprises two elongated surfaces, which each merge at one end into the end of the other surface, and whose longitudinal extension is arranged at an angle of 45° to 120° to one another. 
     All given quantities and percentages, in particular those relating to the limitation of the present disclosure, insofar as they do not relate to specific examples, are understood to have a tolerance of ±10%; accordingly, for example: 11% means: from 9.9% to 12.1%. With terms such as “a guide,” the word “a” is not to be considered as representing a singular numeral, but rather is to be considered an indefinite article or pronoun, unless the context indicates otherwise. 
     Unless otherwise stated, the term “combination” or “combinations” mean all types of combinations, starting from two of the relevant components up to a plurality or all of such components; the term “containing” also means “consisting of.” 
     The features and variants stated in the individual embodiments and examples can easily be combined with those of the other examples and embodiments and in particular can be used for characterizing the invention in the claims without necessarily including the other details of the particular embodiment or of the particular example. 
     List of Reference Numbers with Standard English Translations: 
       1  Mounting device 
       2  Receiver 
       3  Guide element(s) 
       4  Recess 
       5  Device housing 
       6  Guide or guide rail 
       7  Spring 
       8  Accessory 
       9  Spindle axis 
       10  Locking spindle 
       11  Selector knob 
       12  Resting protrusion 
       13  Center portion or center part 
       14  Connection piece 
       15  Locking protrusion 
       16  Bearing knob 
       17  Detent or rest 
       18  Bearing recess 
       19  Selector recess 
       20  Secondary locking recess 
       21  Cantilever 
       22  Taper 
       23  Accessory housing 
       24  Coupling device 
       25  Disk(s) 
       26  Coupling rod 
       27  Recess