Patent Abstract:
A firearm accessory holder and method for making it, the accessory holder including a housing, for holding a firearm accessory, and a mounting rail coupled to the housing, the mounting rail being complementary to a bayonet mounting rail on a firearm.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a firearm accessory holder, in general and, in particular, to an accessory holder mountable on a firearm. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    There is provided according to the present invention an accessory holder including a housing, for holding an accessory, and a mounting rail, complementary to a bayonet mounting rail, integrally formed with or coupled to the housing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    The present invention will be further understood and appreciated from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an accessory holder constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the accessory holder of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the accessory holder of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the accessory holder of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the accessory holder of  FIG. 1  mounted on a firearm. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention relates to a firearm accessory holder with a mounting rail that is not a conventional mounting rail. Rather the mounting rail is complementary to the mounting rail on a firearm designed for mounting a bayonet on the firearm. The accessory holder enables mounting other accessories on the firearm, such as a flashlight, laser pointer, etc., in the location designed to hold a bayonet, without requiring the use of a Picatinny rail. 
         [0010]      FIGS. 1 to 4  are side, front, top and perspective views, respectively, of an accessory holder  1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. Accessory holder  1  includes a mounting rail  10  substantially the same as the mounting rail on a conventional bayonet and complementary to a bayonet mounting rail on a firearm. Mounting rail  10  includes locking means  12 , such as a track for a locking pin (not shown), for locking accessory holder  1  relative to the complementary rail on the firearm. 
         [0011]    Accessory holder  1  further includes a firearm accessory housing  20  adapted and configured to hold one or more of a variety of accessories. Accessory housing  20  may be coupled to, or integrally formed with the mounting rail  10 . According to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, accessory housing  20  is a substantially hollow cylindrical member, such as is suitable for holding a flashlight. Accessory holder  1  further includes securing means  30  for securing the accessory inside housing  20 . Securing means  30 , according to this embodiment of the invention, includes a pair of arm members  32  extending upward from the bottom of housing  20 . Each arm member  32  includes a lug  34 , having an aperture  36 . The two apertures  36  are arranged to be aligned with each other, allowing for coupling of lugs  34  to one another, as by a screw (not shown). When an accessory (not shown) is placed inside housing  20 , lugs  34  are urged towards one another, as by rotation of the screw, until arm members  32  apply pressure on the accessory, thereby securing the accessory inside the housing. 
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the accessory holder of  FIGS. 1-4  mounted on an exemplary firearm. As can be seen, accessory holder  1  is mounted on the bayonet rail  7  which is part of or mounted on firearm  5 . In this example, a flashlight  8  is mounted inside accessory holder  1 . Alternatively, any other suitable accessory, such as a laser pointer, etc. may be mounted inside accessory holder  1 . 
         [0013]    The accessory holder allows the firearm holder to take advantage of the bayonet rail by mounting other useful accessories on the firearm when the bayonet is not needed, without requiring the addition of an intermediary Picatinny rail. 
         [0014]    While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made. It will further be appreciated that the invention is not limited to what has been described hereinabove merely by way of example. Rather, the invention is limited solely by the claims which follow.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5