Abstract:
A tool to assist in the field removal of a rifles&#39;s hand grips or hand guards, comprising a pair of releasably joined split ring segments which are adapted to urge the slip ring of a rifle away from the rifle&#39;s mounting ring, thereby freeing the rifle&#39;s hand grips. Elastic means are provided linking the device with the rifle&#39;s stock thereby permitting pressure to continuously urge the slip ring away from the mounting ring.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Modern American field weaponry, specifically its field rifles, as exemplified by the M- 16  and AR- 15  may fire rapidly. This generates intense heat in its barrel. If a user were to touch the barrel, severe bums may result. Thus, hand guards are provided and elaborate gas dissipation systems have been developed. Nevertheless, weapons must be disassembled for cleaning purposes. In the field, heretofore, this has usually required two or more personnel to remove the hand guards and hold the stock. Sometimes this may not be possible. Thus it would clearly be advantageous to permit a single person, the user, to dissemble the hand guards and thereby be able to clean the device. This problem has been dealt with by this invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The purpose of this invention is to assist in the ready removal of hand grips from various weapons, primarily rifles such as the M- 16  and AR- 15 . It comprises a new tool that will attach to the slip ring, using a cable to exert a force on the slip ring and allow the cable to be locked in position by hooking it behind the stock of the weapon. 
     Among the advantages of this tool is that it can be left on the weapon while cleaning the barrel, and also while the weapon is in active use. It does not have to be removed to fire the weapon. 
     Another advantage of the tool is that it will allow a single individual to perform a function that currently requires two persons. At this time, one person must pull down the slip ring, while a second person removes the hand grip from the barrel. In order to reassemble the weapon the same procedure must be performed in reverse. 
     The tool works in a fashion similar to a crossbow, in that a cable or rope is drawn back and locked behind the stock of a weapon. When the cable is drawn back, pressure is applied to the slip ring, which disengages, and allows the hand grip to be released for removal. This allows the handler to remove the hand grip on his own, as well as to reinstall it. This tool eliminates the need for a second person to help perform the task. It will save time and manpower in the field. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded, party broken, perspective, of the split ring, fasteners, and one embodiment of the connector, comprising the tool of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the tool, partly broken, shown attached to a rifle illustrated in phantom lines; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged, detail plan of the portion of the connector shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the split ring and the connector of FIG. 1, the cable portion being broken; 
     FIG. 5 is a vertical section through the split ring and one set of fasteners, the other set shown in exploded fashion; 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 are Axial sections through the split ring of two separate embodiments, one for use with a slip ring of uniform diameter, and the other for use with decreasing diameter from rear to front; 
     FIGS. 8 and 9 are partly broken elevations of two different slip rings positioned in rifles so as to accommodate the separate split ring devices of FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively; 
     FIG. 10 is a vertical section through the assembled split ring of FIG.  7  and slip ring of FIG. 9; and 
     FIGS. 11 and 12 respectively are an isometric view of a broken part of a split ring segment and connector, and an elevation of an assembled split ring and a broken part of said connector, both figures depicting a second connector embodiment. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Initially, consider FIGS. 2,  8  and  9 , and particularly the rifle shown therein. 
     Conventional rifles, such as an M- 16  or an AR- 15 , include a stock  90 , a barrel  20 , and receiver  30 . Adjacent the receiver, the barrel is provided with a hand grip or guard  40 , which is usually bifurcated axially, for obvious reasons, into sections  40 -A and  40 -B. This invention is directed to permitting one person to easily remove this hand guard from the barrel, while in the field. 
     Near one end of hand guard  40 , mounting ring  41  includes a depending skirt (not specifically shown) which is movably slidable on barrel  20  and receives a depending partial skirt from each hand guard half. The mounting ring, in turn, abuts combination ramp sight and sling connection  42 , which may be secured to the barrel, thereby prohibiting further axial movement of the mounting ring and the hand guard to the right, in FIG.  2 . Moving now to the left of FIG. 2, and more particularly to FIGS. 8 and 9, the hand guard is releasably secured to receiver  30 , via slip ring  43 -A or  43 -B. These slip rings are limitedly axially movable along skirts depending from guard segments  40 -A and  40 -B. This movement is controlled by an internal spring mechanism, not shown. The slip ring is spring biased by said mechanism toward the hand guard  40 , but may be urged and moved toward receiver  30 , thereby releasing said guard segments&#39; skirts from within the slip ring. The mechanism comprising the rifle described thus far is not claimed to be new, save for the varying diameter slip ring of FIG. 9, more specifically detailed hereafter. A conventional rifle, such as that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,676 illustrates the internal spring mechanism discussed above, but not forming a part of the invention, as such. 
     Move now to that which does comprise the invention. It does comprise structure permitting the hand guard  40  to be removed by one person. It does this by exerting a force against slip ring  43 -A or  43 -B. The structure permitting the same is best shown in FIG.  1 . 
     The split ring is joined to either embodiment of a connector. 
     The central component is the split ring or collar  50  or  51 . The only difference between these two variations lies in the fact that ring  50  has a uniform thread diameter, while such thread diameter of ring  51  tapers, i.e., decreases from left to right in FIGS. 9 and 10. This latter variation is designed to accommodate those rifles having an accommodatingly configured slip ring. Other than in discussing FIGS. 9 and 10, most of this description will be written in the context of a uniform diameter slip ring and split ring. 
     Ring  50 , or  51 , includes two similar halves numbered  50 -A and  50 -B. These halves, or segments, are removably joined by a pair of externally threaded male fasteners  59  and a further pair of internally threaded female fasteners  52 . Tangentially oriented passageways  53  are provided to ring segment  50 -A. These passageways may be threaded or may receive an internally threaded bushing (not shown). The internally threaded female fastener would rest against the bushing. The ring segment  50 -B has opposed unthreaded, tangentially oriented passageways  54  (only one shown in FIG.  1 ), to receive the male fasteners&#39; threaded portion there through. Thus, the split ring when assembled may clamp the external periphery of slip ring  40 . 
     Note the presence of annular chamferred face  55  extending around one side of both segments  50 -A and  50 -B. This chamferred face faces the front, or ramp sight  42  end, of the rifle. Likewise, note depending annular lip  56  extending around the inner or rear face of said ring segments. This lip assures the desired range of motion of the split ring in certain rifles, i.e., the inventive tool (split ring  50 ) is prevented by the slip ring from moving forwardly of said slip ring. As described later, the tool grasps or clamps the slip ring, with the beveled face  55  facing forwardly and the lip  56  at the rear of the slip ring which extends radially inward of the aforementioned serrations. Internal serrations or threads  57  (forming peaks and valleys) as formed on split ring  50 . Note that the internal serrations of one embodiment of split ring  50  includes equal diameter serrations to match the similar configuration of slip ring  43 -A. (See FIG.  8 ). Likewise, the split ring  51  of FIG. 9 includes a varying diameter set of serrations to match the like configuration of slip ring  43 -B. Note that lip  56  is of lesser internal diameter than the adjacent serrations, i.e., extends more radially than do the serrations. 
     To this point, the tool, sans connector, may be assembled on the rifle. The two sides  50 -A and  50 -B are positioned encircling the slip ring  43 -A or  43 -B. Male fasteners  59  have their threaded ends inserted through passageways  54  of member  50 -B, threadedly engage passageway  53  (or a bushing inserted therein) and threadedly engage female fastener  52  which would be positioned adjacent threaded passageway  53 , or its bushing. The threads or serrations of the split ring would have been chosen so as to match those of the slip ring. 
     Consider now the connector or harness portion of the invention, disconnecting the hand guard from the barrel. Two embodiments of this connector are illustrated. 
     In the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12, a field goal appearing device is attached to the unthreaded end of male fasteners  59 . A like device is positioned on the unthreaded end of female fasteners  52 . Each such goal device includes a pair of spaced skirts  61  linked by a rod or like linking member  62 . An elastic cable or rope  71  is hooked, clamped, or otherwise linked to member  62 , by a clamp or other tethering means  72 . An elastic handle  73  (see FIG. 1) allows the user to pull rope  71  around and secure rope  71  around the rifle stock, thereby withdrawing the slip ring from locking the hand guard shirts. 
     The alternate connector embodiment of FIG. 1 includes the rope  71  and handle  73  previously described. Instead, however, of using the skirts  61 , to secure rope  71  to female fasteners  52 , this embodiment utilizes a pair of nooses  75  linked by a shaft  76 , to which shaft rope  71  is connected. This arrangement also permits pulling the slip ring away from the hand guard&#39;s skirts, allowing the guards to be removed. 
     Although limited embodiments have been described, it should be obvious that numerous modifications would be possible by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is determined by the following claims.