Abstract:
A workpiece for securing the slide and frame components of a variety of polymeric handgun, the workpiece secured within a vise to alternatively anchor the slide components within linear channels within the sides of the upper extension of the workpiece or anchor the slide extensions incorporated within the inverted frame component within transverse mounted side clamping members attaching through appropriately selected plurality of transverse bores within the workpiece, the workpiece providing a secure attachment for each component for tooling, repair, modification or other gunsmith related activities without damage to the components.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS—None 
     Background of the Invention 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    A workpiece for securing the slide and frame components of a variety of polymeric handguns, the workpiece secured within a vise to alternatively anchor the slide components within linear channels within the sides of the upper extension of the workpiece or anchor the slide extensions incorporated within the inverted frame component within transverse mounted side clamping members attaching through appropriately selected plurality of transverse bores within the workpiece, the workpiece providing a secure attachment for each component for tooling, repair, modification or other gunsmith related activities without damage to the components. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    A preliminary review of prior art patents was conducted by the applicant which reveal prior art patents in a similar field or having similar use. However, the prior art inventions do not disclose the same or similar elements as the present handgun slide and frame workpiece, nor do they present the material components in a manner contemplated or anticipated in the prior art. 
         [0005]    A handgun holding system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No 8,727,294 to Harms which secures a fully assembled handgun is a side mounting position within adjustable clamping members. It does not independently secure a slide and a frame component of a handgun in a position for any gunsmith or repair activities. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,276 to Pierce, a handgun stand is provided by an angular frame member having a plurality of horizontal post extensions upon which the barrel of a handgun is placed to support one or more handguns. 
         [0006]    Two products exist for sale which provide a means for securing handgun slide and frame components. The first appears to be called a Yavapai 1911 Auto Slide Jig which was located at http://www.brownells.com per the attached related reference. It demonstrates a jig which provides for the engagement of a handgun slide component. In another related reference, a 1911 Extractor Drilling Jig for drilling a hole in the ejector mounted within the frame of a handgun is found at http://grabcad.com per another attached related reference. This jig mounts to part of the frame to provide a drilling guide for a drill bit to drill a hole through either the extractor or the ejector of a 1911 frame handgun according to the limited information found on that website. It is unknown when these devices were published and no patent reference was found for either of these items. 
         [0007]    The present workpiece defines an L-shaped metal or composite fixture which can be mounted within a standard bench vise with the lower vise section secured within the vise extending a component mounting section. Along the lateral side section of the component mounting section are linear side grooves which accept the inner linear slide channels within the slide portion of a handgun which normally engage the slide channel extension of the handgun frame. The workpiece includes a plurality of vertical threaded bores, each bore threadably engaging an externally threaded set screws to secure the handgun slide. The component mounting section also provides a plurality of transverse bores, each bore providing a selected location for the application of a pair of slide extension clamping assemblies for securing the slide mounting extensions of the inverted handgun frame. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Polymer composite handguns are a lighter weight alternative to full metal handguns. They have gained popularity in law enforcement, the military and with civilian owners. Polymeric handguns are generally provided with a milled metal slide with lateral slide grooves engaged with a frame. The frame is made of a polymeric material, commonly a high carbon plastic and includes metal attachments and internal components including the firing mechanism, the trigger mechanism, and the slide extensions, the slide extensions being the means by which the lateral slide grooves of the slide connect for the operation of the handgun. 
         [0009]    These handguns commonly are subject to repair, maintenance and modification by their owners or by professional gunsmiths. During these operations, its is preferable that a secure means to hold the components is provided which will not subject the handgun components to damage, tool marking or deformation. Typical procedures which benefit from a secure mounting means include milling, extractor modification, front cocking serrations, side cuts, lowering of ejection ports, primary compensator cuts, grip enhancement, sight improvement or exchange and upgrade, painting, bluing, sandblasting and retooling. The present workpiece is held within a vise or other anchoring means, with the workpiece retaining the handgun components without deformation, marking, scratching or pressure at locations not intended for such pressure application, engaging the reenforced components of the handgun pieces, specifically the slide and the frame, along those portions of the slide and frame most durable for anchor during the above operations. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The following drawings are submitted with this utility patent application. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of the handgun slide and frame workpiece. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an end view of the base member of the workpiece. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the base member along section lines  3 / 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an inner surface view of the frame support clamping element. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the frame support clamping element. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the workpiece components. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is an upper perspective view of the workpiece mounting the frame of a handgun. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is an upper perspective view of the workpiece mounting the slide of a handgun. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a view of the frame of the handgun indicating the attachment of the frame slide projections as mounting within the frame support clamping assembly. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view along section lines  10 / 10  of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a view of the slide of the handgun indicating the attachment of the slide of the handgun as mounting upon the upper slide grooves on the lateral surfaces of the upper support extension of the base member. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view along section lines  12 / 12  of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    A workpiece  10  securing a slide  200  and a frame  100  component of a variety of semi-automatic handguns, especially those having polymeric component frames, as shown in  FIGS. 1-12  of the drawings, the workpiece  10  comprising a L-shaped base member  20  defining a threaded axial bore  24 , a lower clamping section  22  having a lower surface  26  and extending an upper support platform  30  defining lateral surfaces  32  including axially aligned upper slide grooves  34  on each lateral surface  32 , the lateral surface  32  also providing a plurality of aligned transverse clamping bores  36  below the upper slide grooves  34 , the upper support platform  30  further defining an upper axial channel  38  and at least two threaded vertical anchor bores  39  extending from the axial channel  38  to the lower surface  26  of the lower clamping section  22 , at least two anchor bolts  50  having outer threads  54 , each anchor bolt  50  engaged within a respective vertical anchor bore  39  with an upper contact tip  52  extending through the axial channel  38  and a lower end  56  defining a tool indentation  58  to rotate each anchor bolt  50  while engaged within the vertical anchor bore  39 , and a frame support clamping assembly  70  defining at least two pair of clamp members  80  engaging a common clamp bolt  90  and held against a respective lateral surface  32  by a nut  96  through a selected transverse clamping bore  36 , each clamp member  80  defining a facing inner surface  82  having a frame extension groove  83  extending above the upper support platform  30 , wherein a set of slide rails  210  within the slide  200  of the handgun are retained within the upper slide grooves  34  of the upper support platform  30  and held secure by the upper contact tip  52  of each anchor bolt  50  being extended above the upper support platform  30  within a slide channel  205  of the secured slide  200 ,  FIGS. 8 and 11-12 , and alternatively, wherein the inverted handgun frame  100 , further defining front and rear slide frame extensions  105 , is secured within each frame support clamping assembly  70  with each front and rear slide frame extension  105  being captive between the frame extension grooves  83  of each clamp member  80  held in place by the clamp bolt  90  and nut  96 ,  FIGS. 7 and 9-10 , securely retaining the handgun frame  100  upon the workpiece  10 . 
         [0024]    Each clamp member  80 ,  FIGS. 1 and 4-6 , further defines an upper section  81 , a lower section  84 , an inner surface  82  and an outer surface  88 , each inner surface  82  further comprising the horizontal frame extension groove  83  in the upper section  81  and a lower aperture  85  through the lower section  84  from the outer surface  88  to an indented platform contact surface  86  on the lower section  84 . The lower section  84  is preferably more narrow than the upper section  81 , with the upper section  81  extending above the upper support platform  30 , allowing the platform contact surface  86  to abut the respective lateral surface  32  of the upper support platform  30  when tightened into place. The clamp bolt  90  further defines an upper end  91  having an expanded head  92  with a tool indentation  93 , an outer threaded shaft  94  and an end  95  upon which is placed the nut  96 . The bolt  90  is placed through the lower aperture  85  of a paired clamp member  80 , through the selected transverse clamping bore  36  suited for the appropriate handgun frame  100 , through the lower aperture  85  of the other paired clamp member  80 ,  FIG. 6 , and then tightened as the frame extension grooves  83  of the facing clamp sections  80  compress the slide frame extensions  105  of the handgun frame  100 ,  FIG. 10 , this clamping occurring on two locations presenting the slide frame extensions  105  on the frame  100  while upon the upper support platform  30  of the workpiece  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9 . 
         [0025]    The workpiece  10  may be held horizontally within a vise by securing the lower clamping section  22  with the vise mounted upon a stationary platform for tooling and repair or it may be suspended by a threaded shaft of a hook or peg engaged within the axial threaded bore  24  of the L-shaped base member  20  for painting or surface treatment of the frame and slide while held in a vertical orientation. When held within a vise, the workpiece  10  provides an immovable securing means for retaining each frame  100  or slide  200  without movement while conducting operations on the handgun components. It is contemplated that this secure retention will prove useful when performing sight modification, adjustment or replacement, making rollover cuts, adding cocking serrations on the front of the slide, lowering ejection ports, making French side cuts, sanding, surface treatment and polishing with regard to the slide and for making handle grip improvements, texturing and painting. Placement of the slide  200  within the workpiece  10  as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 11-12  consists of separation of the slide  200  from the frame  100  and removal of a spring, action and barrel within the slide  200 . The stripped slide  200  is then engaged upon the upper support platform  30  with the slide rails  210  slid into the upper slide grooves  34  on the lateral surfaces  32  from the rear end  220  of the slide  200  to the front  215 . Upon reaching a desired location on the upper support platform  30 , the lower surface  26  of the L-shaped base member  20  is accessed,  FIG. 11 , wherein one or more of the anchor bolts  50  are moved upward by rotation of the anchor bolt  50  until the upper contact tip  52  is engaged with the slide channel  205  of the slide  200 ,  FIG. 12 , retaining the slide  200  in a fixed position upon the upper support platform  30 . To disengage, the anchor bolts  50  are lowered by rotation until the contact tip  52  is returned to a location within the axial channel  38  allowing the slide  200  to be removed from the upper support platform  30 . 
         [0026]    Placement of the frame  100  requires the placement of the two frame support clamping assemblies  70  upon the upper support platform  30  of the L-shaped base member  20  as shown in  FIGS. 1, 6-7, and 9-10 . Most generally, the frame  100  is presented as shown in  FIG. 9 , with at least two pair of slide frame extensions  105 , most commonly found in the polymeric composition frame handguns including those marketed by GLOCK®, SMITH &amp; WESSON®, and other manufacturers. In full metal guns, especially those in the 1911 frames, the slide frame extensions  105  may run the full length or most of the length of the handgun frame  100 . In either case, the frame support clamping assemblies  70  will engage the slide frame extensions  105  to secure the frame  100  of the handgun as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9 . Engagement of the frame  100  within the workpiece  10  would require the placement of the frame support clamping assemblies  70  spaced apart to accept the location of the slide frame extensions  105  of the frame  100 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , by placing each paired clamping members  80  with the inner surfaces  82  of each clamping member  80  facing one another and placing the clamp bolt  90  through the selected transverse clamping bores  36 . 
         [0027]    It is contemplated that the workpiece  10  may be made from aluminum or other tool friendly metals, including aluminum, titanium or stainless steel, composite plastics and polymers, or cast compositions which would provide suitable stability for the contemplated work activities conducted on the handgun frame and slide. While the workpiece  10  has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.