Abstract:
A gun rail accessory comprising housing having a bottom side with vertically extending exterior walls to a top side image area with said bottom side having a channel extending between opposing walls and wherein at least one housing side wall has a pair of spaced fasteners movable to engage channel resident flexible locking tabs thereby enabling the anchoring of the accessory to the gun rail.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to firearms and, more specifically, to an attachable accessory for a firearm gun rail. 
     Gun rails are brackets fastenable to firearms, such as, rifles and handguns for the purpose of attaching accessories, such as scopes, lasers, lights, etc. to the firearm. The rail portion is standardized while the bracket portion is manufactured in a variety of fastening elements and configurations dependant on the type of firearm and the gun rail may comprise a plurality of spaced rails for attachment of a plurality of accessories. 
     The present invention provides a gun rail article comprising housing having an attachment portion with vertically extending exterior walls to an image portion with said attachment portion having a channel extending between opposing walls and wherein at least one housing side wall has a pair of spaced fasteners movable to engage channel resident flexible locking tabs thereby enabling the anchoring of the gun rail article to the gun rail. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There are other mountable devices designed for gun rails. 
     While these devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they where designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
     It is thus desirable to provide a gun rail article having an image portion and an attachment portion mountable to a gun rail forming an ornamental or accessory device for a gun rail. 
     It is further desirable to provide a gun rail article wherein said image portion and said attachment portion may be separable for varying the image portion of said gun rail article. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article as an ornament or accessory for a gun rail. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article having housing comprising a top portion forming an image portion, bottom portion forming attachment portion and opposing side walls. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article wherein said attachment portion has a linear channel for receiving said gun rail. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article wherein said channel abuts a pair of free standing linearly aligned flexible tabs. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article having a pair of exterior fasteners that are movable to engage said flexible tabs thereby fastening said article to the gun rail. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article wherein said channel can incorporate a plurality of spaced apart ribs matable to the gun rail. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article wherein said image portion can incorporate an image receptacle having a peripheral ridge for receiving a user provided article therein. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article wherein said image receptacle has a pair of spaced apart fastener apertures whereby said user provided article can be threadely attached thereto. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article wherein said image portion can be removable from said attachment portion having said channel therein. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article wherein said image portion may be a sculptured or cast high relief or low relief. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a gun rail article wherein said image portion relief can be selectively removable by fastener or permanently bonded to said bottom side. 
     Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
     The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a gun rail accessory comprising housing having a bottom side with vertically extending exterior walls to a top side image area with said bottom side having a channel extending between opposing walls and wherein at least one housing side wall has a pair of spaced fasteners movable to engage channel resident flexible locking tabs thereby enabling the anchoring of the accessory to the gun rail. 
     The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of the gun rail mountable article of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the gun rail article of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the gun rail article of the present invention slidably mountable to a gun rail. 
         FIG. 4  is an assembly view of the gun rail article of the present invention mounted to a gun rail. 
         FIG. 5  is an orthographic view of the gun rail article of the present invention slidably mountable to a gun rail 
         FIG. 6  is an illustrative view of a pair of embodiments of the gun rail mountable article of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of a pair of embodiments of the gun rail mountable article of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of a mounted pair of embodiments of the gun rail mountable article of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a rear view of the gun rail article of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a rear view of the gun rail article of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the gun rail article of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 12A and 12B  a partial cross sectional view of the gun rail article of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 13A and 13B  are partial cross sectional views of the gun rail mountable article of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the figures illustrate the Gun Rail Mountable Article of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures.
           10  Gun Rail Mountable Article of the present invention     12  weapon     14  gun rail     16  housing of  10       18  image portion of  16       20  attachment portion of  16       22  weapon barrel     24  ventilated barrel shroud     26  heat insulator     28  image portion receptacle     30  receptacle ridge     32  design plate     34  design plate fastener aperture     35  threaded fastener aperture of  18       36  gun rail attachment fastener     37  gun rail fastener aperture     40  article mounting channel     42  transverse channel ribs of  14       44  flexible tab     46  article rib     48  bonding element     50  upper flange of  20       52  lower flange of  20         

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention (and several variations of that embodiment). This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments, practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For definition of the complete scope of the invention, the reader is directed to appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of the gun rail mountable article  10  of the present invention. The gun rail mountable article  10  used to identify or personalize any weapon  12  of a gun rail  14  using the Picatinny or Weaver rail system. The article  10  comprises housing  16  having an image portion  18  and an attachment portion  20 . The image portion  18  provides for a plurality of selectable reliefs where the relief may be separable from the attachment portion  18  and fastened thereto by fastener or an image portion receptacle that receives anything from military style dog tags to Velcro patches or customized logos held within said receptacle by fastener. Also shown is the barrel  22 , ventilated barrel shroud  24  and heat insulator  26  of the weapon  12 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the gun rail article  10  of the present invention. Shown is the gun rail article  10  having housing  16  incorporating an image portion  18  and an attachment portion  20  having means for gun rail article attachment to a gun rail. Illustrated is an embodiment where the image portion  18  has an image portion receptacle  28  with a peripheral receptacle ridge  30  for receiving a design plate  32  therein that may have letters, numbers, graphic design or picture thereon. The design plate  32  has a fastener aperture  34  and image portion receptacle  28  has a pair of threaded fastener  35  coaligned therewith for fixing the design plate  32  to the image portion receptacle  28  with a design plate fastener  38 . Furthermore, the image portion receptacle  28  has a fastener aperture  35  on the opposing end so that the design plate  32  can be rotated 180 degrees and fastened to the other threaded fastener aperture  35  whereby the gun rail article  10  can be mounted to a weapon&#39;s left side gun rail or right side gun rail within the article mounting channel  40  and secured thereto with gun rail attachment fasteners  36  to accommodate viewing the design plate  32  in a desired orientation. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the gun rail article  10  of the present invention slidably mountable to a gun rail  14 . The gun rail article  10  incorporates an article attachment portion  20  with an article mounting channel  40  defined by a beveled upper flange  50  and a perpendicular lower flange  52  projecting therefrom providing means for mounting the gun rail article  10  to a gun rail  14  either by sliding the article mounting channel  40  onto the gun rail and securing it thereto with gun rail attachment fasteners  36  or if transverse channel ribs  42  are provided, by snapping the gun rail article  10  onto the gun rail  14 . In either case, the gun rail article housing  16  incorporates side wall mounted gun rail attachment fasteners  36  for fixing the gun rail article  10  to the gun rail  14  once positioned to a desired location. 
       FIG. 4  is an assembly view of the gun rail article  10  of the present invention mounted to a gun rail  14 . The gun rail article  10  is mountable to a gun rail  14  either by sliding the article mounting channel  40  of the gun rail article  10  onto the transverse ribs  42  within the channel mounting means then by snapping the gun rail article  10  onto the gun rail  14 . Gun rail attachment fasteners  36  provide means for fixing the gun rail article  10  to the gun rail  14  once positioned at a desired location. 
       FIG. 5  is an orthographic view of the gun rail article  10  of the present invention slidably mountable to a gun rail  14 . The gun rail article  10  incorporates an article mounting channel  40  for mounting the gun rail article  10  onto the transverse channel ribs  42  of the gun rail  14  either by sliding the gun rail article  10  onto the gun rail  14  and securing it thereto with gun rail or by snapping the gun rail article  10  onto the transverse ribs  42 . The gun rail article housing  16  incorporates side wall mounted fasteners  36  for fixing the gun rail article  10  to the gun rail  14  once positioned to a desired location. 
       FIG. 6  is an illustrative view of the gun rail mountable article  10  of the present invention depicting a pair of embodiments of the design plate  32  used to identify or personalize any weapon using the Picatinny or Weaver rail system. The article comprises a housing  16  having an image portion  18  and an attachment portion wherein said image portion  18  has an image area and said attachment portion incorporates means for article attachment to a gun rail  14 . The image area provides for a plurality of selectable reliefs where the relief may be separable from the attachment portion and fastenable thereto by fastener or an image portion receptacle that receives anything from military style dog tags to Velcro® patches or customized logos held within said receptacle by fastener. Also shown are side wall mounted gun rail attachment fasteners  36  that when fastened contact channel resident flexible tabs, shown in  FIG. 7 , thereby releasably fastening the gun rail article  10  to a gun rail  14 . The article mounting channel  40  slides onto the transverse ribs  42  and affixed thereto by the gun rail attachment fasteners  36 , preferably set screws. The design plate  32  resides within the receptacle ridge  30  of the image portion  18  and secured therein by a design plate fastener  38 . 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of a pair of embodiments of the gun rail mountable article  10  of the present invention. Illustrated is a sectional view of a gun rail  14  having a pair of gun rail articles  10  mountable to a gun rail  14  by sliding the article mounting channel  40  along the gun rail transverse ribs  42 . The present invention also provides embodiments having channel resident transverse rails allowing for the gun rail article  10  to be snapped onto the gun rail  14  at a desired location. Embodiments of the gun rail mountable article  10  are used to identify or personalize any weapon using the Picatinny or Weaver rail system. Each illustrated gun rail article comprises housing having an image portion and a channeled bottom portion for attachment to a gun rail. The image portion provides for a plurality of selectable reliefs where the relief may be separable from the bottom portion and fastened thereto using fastener or permanently bonded, such as adhesively. Additionally provided for is an embodiment having an image area receptacle  28  that receives anything from military style dog tags to Velcro® patches or customized logos held within said receptacle  28  by fasteners. Gun rail attachment fasteners  36  are then fastened, which contact channel resident flexible tabs  44  thereby releasably fastening the gun rail articles  10  to the gun rail  14 . Embodiments of the housing  16  provide for a releasable recessed design plate  32  and a flush mounted design plate  32 . 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view of a mounted pair of embodiments of the gun rail mountable article  10  of the present invention. Illustrated is a sectional view of a gun rail  14  having a pair of gun rail articles  10  mountable to a gun rail  14  by sliding the article mounting channel  40  along the gun rail transverse ribs  42 . The present invention also provides embodiments having channel resident transverse rails allowing for the gun rail article  10  to be snapped onto the gun rail  14  at a desired location. Embodiments of the gun rail mountable article  10  are used to identify or personalize any weapon using the Picatinny or Weaver rail system. Each illustrated gun rail article comprises housing having an image portion and a channeled bottom portion for attachment to a gun rail. The image portion provides for a plurality of selectable reliefs where the relief may be separable from the bottom portion and fastened thereto using fastener or permanently bonded, such as adhesively. Additionally provided for is an embodiment having an image area receptacle  28  that receives anything from military style dog tags to Velcro® patches or customized logos held within said receptacle  28  by fasteners. Gun rail attachment fasteners  36  are then fastened, which contact channel resident flexible tabs  44  thereby releasably fastening the gun rail articles  10  to the gun rail  14 . Embodiments of the housing  16  provide for a releasable recessed design plate  32  and a flush mounted design plate  32 . 
       FIG. 9  is a rear view of the gun rail article  10  of the present invention. Shown is a rear view of the gun rail article attachment portion  20  comprised of channel mounting means for mounting the gun rail article  10  to a gun rail by snapping it thereto. The article ribs  46  may be incorporated for structural supports depending on the type of material and thickness. Also shown are channel resident flexible tabs  44  that lockingly engage the gun rail through fastening of gun rail attachment fasteners  36  and the article mounting channel  40 . Additionally, as aforementioned, the image portion may be seperable from the attachment portion allowing for selective replacement of the design plate  32  of the gun rail article  10 . Therefore the present invention provides a fastener aperture  34  for securing the design plate  32  to the attachment portion  20 . 
       FIG. 10  is a rear view of the gun rail article  10  of the present invention. Shown is a rear view of the gun rail article attachment portion  20  comprised of an article mounting channel  40  for mounting the gun rail article  10  to a gun rail by sliding the gun rail article  10  onto the gun rail. Also shown are channel resident flexible tabs  44  that lockingly engage the gun rail through fastening of gun rail attachment fasteners  36 . 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the gun rail article  10  of the present invention. Shown is a perspective view of the gun rail article having an image portion  18  wherein the design plate  32  is flush mounted to the attachment portion  20 . As previously shown, the design plate  32  may be seperable from the attachment portion  20  allowing for selective replacement thereof. Therefore the present invention provides an image portion fastener and attachment portion fastener aperture for securing the image portion  18  to the attachment portion  20 . Alternately, the image portion  18  may be fixed to the attachment portion  20  through use of adhesive or other suitable bonding element  48 . 
       FIGS. 12A and 12B  a partial cross sectional view of the gun rail article  10  of the present invention. Shown is the gun rail article  10 , taken from  FIG. 8  as indicated, comprising a unitary article having a top side image portion and a bottom side attachment portion. Depicted is the unitary embodiment providing for the gun rail article  10  having ribs  46  providing for snapping the gun rail article  10  onto the gun rail  14  and an embodiment without ribs, which can be slid onto the gun rail  14 . 
       FIGS. 13A and 13B  are partial cross sectional views of the gun rail mountable article  10  of the present invention taken from  FIG. 8  as indicated, showing the article  10  comprising an image portion  18  being a flush mounted design plate  32  separable from the attachment portion  20  allowing for selective replacement of the image portion  18  of the gun rail article  18  through a fastener aperture  32  and fastener for securing the image portion to the attachment portion prior to attachment to the gun rail  14 .