Abstract:
A handgun grip arrangement in which both large and small grip panels may be interchangeably accommodated. A grip frame projection substantially smaller than the large grip depends from and forms part of the handgun frame. 
     Pairs of large or pairs of small grip panels are opposingly positioned on opposite sides of the frame projection which grip panels have border engagement surfaces and frame projection engagement areas which surfaces are drawn into engagement and which engagement areas are caused to engage such frame projection by operation of fastener means.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Numerous arrangements have been proposed for mounting handle grips on the grip frames of handguns including cushioned handgrips and grips made of solid materials such as wood, plastic, or ivory. 
     In prior proposals and prior practices each handgun was designed to accommodate a particular handgrip or group of handgrips having limited variations and, therefore, such prior designs lacked versatility. 
     While grip frame varying in size and shape have been utilized, the alignment and ready attachment of varying grip panels has not been satisfactory. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Broadly, the present invention comprises a handgun grip frame substantially smaller than the handgun handle which grip frame projection receives and holds a plurality of resilient or rigid grip panel sets. The grip frame and grip panel sets are so shaped that each grip panel engages its opposing grip panel in selected areas only while at the same time each panel engages the grip frame projection in particular areas only. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a revolver of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational cutaway view of the frame handle and trigger area of the revolver; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3--3 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line 4--4 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line 5--5 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line 6--6 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial elevational view of a grip panel showing an internal recess and notches; 
     FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view of the revolver of the invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a partial perspective exploded view of an alternate embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 11 is a right elevational view showing smaller grip panels positioned on the grip frame projection in accordance with the invention; and 
     FIG. 12 is a partial elevational sectional view of the revolver handle showing smaller grip panels. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In FIGS. 1 and 2, revolver 10 includes frame 11, barrel 12, handle 13, hammer 14, cylinder 16, trigger 17, trigger guard 18, and front and rear sights respectively 19 and 21. 
     Handle 13 comprises frame grip projection 22 and right and left grip panels 24, 26 respectively (see also FIG. 4). Panel 26 includes exterior recess 25. Hammer strut 27 and hammer spring 28 are located within grip projection 22. Grip projection 22 includes an upper portion 29 and a lower portion 31. Tapered bevel 23 delineates where grip projection 22 changes in thickness. Upper larger portion 29 includes right side wall 29a and left side wall 29b (FIG. 3) and end wall segments 29c, 29d, 29e, and 29f and likewise lower portion 31 has right side walls 31a, left side wall 31b and end walls 31c, 31d, 31e, and 31f (see also FIGS. 4 and 9). Lower projection portion 31 carries grip pins 30, one on each side wall 31a and 31b. Hammer strut 27 is secured to base piece 32 (see also FIG. 10). 
     Referring further to FIGS. 3-9, grip panels 24, 26 may be made of a resilient or rigid material such as rubber, resin, plastic, wood, steel, or combinations thereof. Panels 24, 26 which are made of hard rubber are deformable in the sense that they will bend, compress or otherwise deform under the forces applied when fastened to the grip projection and to each other. Alternatively, rigid panels may be used such as wooden panels. Each grip panel 24, 26 has an interior grip frame-receiving recess 35 having upper side recess wall 34a, lower side recess wall 34b, end recess walls 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, and 36f and a grip pin recess 37. Recess 35 has more depth above ledge 33 than below ledge 33 to accommodate for the variation in thickness of grip frame projection 22. The grip panel recesses 35 and the grip frame projection 22 are shaped and positioned so that each of grip panels 24, 26 is mounted on the grip projection 22 at four (4) locations. There is engagement between end wall 29d and end recess wall 36b and between end wall 29f and end recess wall 36f. Finally, there is engagement of pin 30 in panel pin recess 37. While four (4) engagement areas are preferred for each panel 24, 26, any number of areas may be used for each panel 24, 26 provided each panel is stabilized on and held tightly to grip frame projection 22. Recesses 35 and grip frame projection 22 are also shaped and sized to be spaced apart providing substantial non-engagement areas thus leaving (a) upper side openings 40a and lower side openings 40b between side walls 29a, 29b, 31a, 31b of grip projection 22 and (b) upper end openings 34a and lower end openings 34b between the grip projection and panels (see FIGS. 3 and 4). 
     Panels 24, 26 have periphery border mating surfaces 43 which engage and, in the case of resilient grips, deform as necessary to form a seal between panels 24, 26 as they are affixed to the revolver handle 13 (see FIG. 7). Border engagement surfaces 43 preferably extend along the entire panel border except the upper edges which engage the frame 11. The width of the border surfaces 43 is relatively narrow to provide for a better engagement as panels 24, 26 deform under the forces applied to them. Interior of border surfaces 43 are panel notches 44 which determine the width of the border surfaces 43. Upper panel arcuate recess notch 46 includes arcuate border surface 47 which engages frame surface 11a. 
     In addition spacing between the frame 11 and the upper portion of each panel 24, 26 is accomplished through formation of an arcuate frame notch 49 (see FIGS. 7 and 8). Each panel notch 46 and frame notch 49 are formed such that the arcuate panel lip portion 51 (with its interior arcuate border surface 47) lies on the frame surface 11a while at the same time leaving an arcuate space 52 between the arcuate lip portion 51 of the panel and the end surface 53 of frame notch 46. Frame arcuate notch 46 includes arcuate frame end surface 53 and the frame arcuate surface 11a (see FIG. 8). Panel notches 46 each include panel arcuate ends 55 and panel arcuate border areas 47 (see again FIGS. 7 and 8). 
     Side openings 40a, 40b, end openings 34a, 34b, and arcuate spaces 52 between the grip frame projection 22 and panels 24, 26 permit attachment of the panels at the four (4) locations described above without interference between the projection and panels at other locations. Since the panels and the projection have dimensional variations due to tolerances, manufacturing conditions, and other reasons, such openings and spaces are made large enough to avoid interference between the panels and projection at those locations. In addition, such spaces may be made even larger to provide for more deformation of the grip panels as operated under the forces of an operator&#39;s hand. In particular, side spaces are provided to permit drawing the panels together using fastener means as further described to cause right panel border engagement surfaces 43 to engage left panel border engagement surfaces 43 prior to the panel recess surfaces 34a, 34b engaging projection sides 29a, 29b, 31a, 31b. Panels 24, 26 deform to provide a good fit against one another and against the arcuate frame sides 11a. 
     While resilient grips are particularly well adopted to the grip frame 22, the grip frame structure itself is equally well adopted to grip panels made of more rigid materials such as wood, plastic, or ivory, to name a few. The method of affixing the grip panels 24, 26 to grip frame 22 at points 30, 29f, and 29d, as well as the arcuate contact surface located at 29a, all apply to affix rigid grip panels to the grip frame, with the deformable characteristic described above not being required for utilizing the grip panels of this invention. 
     Grip panels 24, 26 are drawn together and against the frame by threaded fasteners 60 screwed into threaded holes 61 in grip projection 22 (see FIG. 9). 
     Turning to FIG. 10, an alternative arrangement is shown for holding panels 24, 26 drawn together through a thread bolt 62 passes through one panel 24, the grip projection 22 and the other panel 26 where it receives a threaded nut 63. 
     Finally, FIGS. 11 and 12, show a smaller and differently shaped pair of grip panels including left panel 64 and right panel 66 secured to the grip projection 22. Other numerals on FIGS. 11 and 12 are the same as earlier numerals on FIGS. 1-10 with primes added.