US4856218A — Light beam assisted aiming of firearms

Claim 1

Independent Claim 184 words

In apparatus including a flashlight for throwing a light beam assisting the aiming of a firearm having a barrel and a fore-end assembly different from said barrel, the improvement comprising in combination: a lamp and reflector assembly for throwing said light beam upon electric energization of a lamp in the lamp and reflector assembly; a hand grip having an elongate aperture for receiving part of said fore-end assembly; a battery housing for mounting said lamp and reflector assembly below said barrel, said battery housing being integral with said hand grip at a front portion thereof, as seen from a muzzle of said firearm, but offset non-coaxially from said elongate aperture and from said fore-end assembly when said part of the fore-end assembly is received in said elongate aperture of said hand grip; means for attaching said hand grip to said fore-end assembly; an electric circuit for electrically energizing said lamp from an electric battery, including an electric on-off switch; and means in said battery housing for receiving said electric battery and for providing said electric energization of the lamp upon closure of said switch.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 184 words

In apparatus including a flashlight for throwing a light beam assisting the aiming of a firearm having a barrel and a fore-end assembly different from said barrel, the improvement comprising in combination: a lamp and reflector assembly for throwing said light beam upon electric energization of a lamp in the lamp and reflector assembly; a hand grip having an elongate aperture for receiving part of said fore-end assembly; a battery housing for mounting said lamp and reflector assembly below said barrel, said battery housing being integral with said hand grip at a front portion thereof, as seen from a muzzle of said firearm, but offset non-coaxially from said elongate aperture and from said fore-end assembly when said part of the fore-end assembly is received in said elongate aperture of said hand grip; means for attaching said hand grip to said fore-end assembly; an electric circuit for electrically energizing said lamp from an electric battery, including an electric on-off switch; and means in said battery housing for receiving said electric battery and for providing said electric energization of the lamp upon closure of said switch.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including: means for mounting said on-off switch on said battery housing.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 45 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said means for receiving an electric battery include a lamp housing containing said lamp and reflector assembly and being releasably mounted on said battery housing for receiving a part of said electric battery protruding from said battery housing.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, including: means for retaining the lamp securely in said lamp housing, including an elastic coupling between the lamp and said lamp housing.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said lamp and reflector assembly includes means for providing a prefocused beam giving a bright central spot for aiming said firearm, and a lower light level beam for general illumination of a target.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 47 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including: a hand guard in the form of a downward projection of at least part of said offset battery housing as seen from said fore-end assembly, whereby a user's hand is stopped from slipping into the firing range of the firearm.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein: said downward projection carries said lamp and reflector assembly.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 136 words

In apparatus including a flashlight for throwing a light beam assisting the aiming of a firearm having a movable fore-end assembly for loading shells and actuating a firearm action, the improvement comprising in combination: a hand grip for manual actuation of said fore-end assembly having a downward projection as seen from said fore-end assembly; a lamp and reflector assembly on said downward projection for throwing said light beam upon electric energization of a lamp in the lamp and reflector assembly; a battery housing in said downward projection for receiving an electric battery; means for mounting said hand grip on said fore-end assembly for said manual actuation of said fore-end assembly with said hand grip having said downward projection; and an electric circuit for electrically energizing said lamp from said electric battery via an electric on-off switch.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 136 words

In apparatus including a flashlight for throwing a light beam assisting the aiming of a firearm having a movable fore-end assembly for loading shells and actuating a firearm action, the improvement comprising in combination: a hand grip for manual actuation of said fore-end assembly having a downward projection as seen from said fore-end assembly; a lamp and reflector assembly on said downward projection for throwing said light beam upon electric energization of a lamp in the lamp and reflector assembly; a battery housing in said downward projection for receiving an electric battery; means for mounting said hand grip on said fore-end assembly for said manual actuation of said fore-end assembly with said hand grip having said downward projection; and an electric circuit for electrically energizing said lamp from said electric battery via an electric on-off switch.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, including: means for mounting said on-off switch on said battery housing.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 32 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, including: a lamp housing containing said lamp and reflector assembly and being releasably mounted on said battery housing for receiving a part of said electric battery.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, including: an elastic coupling between the lamp and said lamp housing.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 40 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein: said lamp and reflector assembly includes means for providing a prefocused beam giving a bright central spot for aiming said firearm, and a lower light level beam for general illumination of a target.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 28 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein: said downward projection includes a hand guard for stopping a user's hand from slipping into the firing range of the firearm.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 157 words

In a method of providing an aim assistance light beam for a firearm having a fore-end assembly different from said barrel, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of: providing a hand grip with an elongate aperture for receiving part of said fore-end assembly; shaping and constituting a battery housing integrally with said hand grip and for reception of an electric battery remotely from a stock of the firearm, said battery housing being located at a front portion of said hand grip as seen from a muzzle of said firearm and being non-coaxially offset from said elongate aperture and from said fore-end assembly when said part of the fore-end assembly is received in said elongate aperture of the hand grip; and mounting on said battery housing a light source for providing said aim assistance light beam upon energization from said battery through an electric on-off switch provided independently of any trigger and hammer assembly of said firearm.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 157 words

In a method of providing an aim assistance light beam for a firearm having a fore-end assembly different from said barrel, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of: providing a hand grip with an elongate aperture for receiving part of said fore-end assembly; shaping and constituting a battery housing integrally with said hand grip and for reception of an electric battery remotely from a stock of the firearm, said battery housing being located at a front portion of said hand grip as seen from a muzzle of said firearm and being non-coaxially offset from said elongate aperture and from said fore-end assembly when said part of the fore-end assembly is received in said elongate aperture of the hand grip; and mounting on said battery housing a light source for providing said aim assistance light beam upon energization from said battery through an electric on-off switch provided independently of any trigger and hammer assembly of said firearm.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, including the step of: mounting said on-off switch on said battery housing.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 43 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, including the steps of: providing said light source with a lamp housing releasably mountable on said battery housing and shaping said lamp housing for receiving a part of said electric battery protruding from said battery housing.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 43 words

A method as claimed in claim 16, including the steps of: providing an elastic coupling between said light source and said lamp housing; and retaining said light source securely in said lamp housing with said elastic coupling throughout repeated firings of said firearm.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 41 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, including the step of: providing with said light source a prefocused beam giving a bright central spot for aiming of said firearm and a lower light level beam for general illumination of a target.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 52 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, including the step of: equipping said firearm with a hand guard by providing at least part of said offset battery housing as a downward projection as seen from said fore-end assembly to stop any user's hand from slipping into the firing range of the firearm.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method as claimed in claim 19, including the step of: mounting said light source on said downward projection.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-08-14	1993-02-13	1993-08-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-08-14	1997-02-13	1997-08-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-08-14	2001-02-13	2001-08-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Light beam assisted aiming of firearms

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