WO2007128346A1

WO2007128346A1 - Device to associate a bayonet to a firearm

Info

Publication number: WO2007128346A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/062157
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gabriele Frati; Roberto Rossi; Fabio Toncelli
Original assignee: Oreste Frati Snc
Priority date: 2006-05-09
Filing date: 2006-05-09
Publication date: 2007-11-15

Abstract

Device (10) to associate a bayonet (11) to a firearm (12), such as a rifle, a machine gun or similar weapon. The device (10) comprises a support element (23) having first coupling elements able to selectively couple with the firearm (12) and second coupling elements (30, 31) able to selectively couple with the bayonet (11).

Description

"DEVICE TO ASSOCIATE A BAYONET TO A FIREARM"

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a device to associate a bayonet to a firearm, such as a rifle, a machine gun or a similar weapon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In traditional rifles, the bayonet is attached onto the barrel of the rifle by means of a first attachment present on the hilt of the bayonet, which is attached on the flash hider of the barrel of the rifle, and a second attachment, present in the rear part of the handle, which is attached under the sight.

The known attachment system has several disadvantages. In the first place, the system requires a certain barrel length, and therefore it has proved to be not usable in most rifles of the new generation which have a very short barrel, that is, not very protruding.

In the second place, if the rifle is suitable for accessory elements to be attached on the barrel, such as night visors, torches or grenade launchers, when these elements are assembled it is substantially impossible to mount the bayonet.

Another disadvantage derives from the fact that, with the known attachment system, the mounted bayonet causes vibrations of the barrel which lead to inaccuracies at the moment of firing.

One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a device to associate a bayonet to a firearm, which will allow the simultaneous assembly of other devices, such as for example grenade launchers or torches, and which will allow an easy coupling of the bayonet onto the firearm, and an easy removal therefrom. Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve a device which will guarantee a low level of vibrations during the firing of the rifle, even when the bayonet is mounted. Another purpose is to achieve a device which will allow the bayonet to be mounted also on weapons with a very short barrel.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the main claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, a device according to the present invention is used to associate a bayonet to a firearm, such as for example a rifle, a machine gun, or a similar weapon.

According to a characteristic of the present invention, the device comprises at least a support element having first coupling means able to selectively couple with the firearm and second coupling means able to selectively couple with the bayonet

In this way, thanks to the support element, which can be for example a slider, the invention allows the bayonet to be coupled easily onto the firearm, or removed simply therefrom. It is provided to use the invention advantageously in a firearm having at least one rail; in this form of embodiment, the first coupling means comprise guide means able to slide on the rail. ™ J ~

According to one solution of the invention, the device also comprises clamping means associated with the first coupling means and able to be selectively activated in order to clamp the support element onto the rail. Advantageously, the rail is of the standardized type, for example of the type used by the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) forces, guaranteeing the simultaneous assembly of other devices, such as for example grenade launchers, or torches. According to the invention, the rail is advantageously mounted on the stock of the firearm, allowing to mount the bayonet even on weapons having a very short barrel.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the second coupling means comprise at least a coupling element able to be inserted into a corresponding aperture of the bayonet.

To be more exact, the coupling element is disposed in a front part of the support element and the aperture is made in the hilt of the bayonet itself.

The cooperation between the coupling element and the aperture guarantees a substantially solid coupling of the bayonet and the support element, advantageously keeping the level of vibrations low even when the weapon is fired.

The second coupling means comprises at least a guide element able to cooperate with a mating attachment element of the bayonet.

To be more exact, the attachment element comprises at least a hook, which is able to cooperate with a mating seating made in the guide element and is able to be selectively activated in order to clamp the bayonet removably to the support element.

In order to associate the bayonet to the firearm, once the support element is inserted and clamped onto the rail, the soldier has to insert the coupling element, with a single operation, into the aperture of the hilt of the bayonet, and the guide element into the attachment element.

In order to clamp the bayonet to the support element, it is enough for the soldier to make the bayonet slide on this element until the hook is activated in the corresponding seating.

In this position, a secure clamping of the bayonet to the firearm is ensured.

In order to remove the bayonet from the support element, it is enough for the soldier to de-activate the hook and remove the bayonet from the support element.

This operation can be carried out extremely quickly, allowing the soldier to remove the bayonet rapidly from the firearm. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein: - fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a device according to the present invention to associate a bayonet to a firearm shown in a first operating position;

- fig. 2 is a front view of the firearm in fig. 1 in a second operating position; - fig. 3 is a rear view of the firearm in fig. 1 in the first operating position;

- fig. 4 is a view of the firearm in fig. 1 in a third operating position;

- fig. 5 is a view of a detail of fig. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to the attached drawings, a device 10 according to the present invention is used to associate a bayonet 11 to a firearm, which in this case in an assault rifle 12 of a known type.

The assault rifle 12 comprises, in correspondence with the mouth 14 of the barrel 18, a rail 16 disposed longitudinally with respect to the barrel 18 and mounted on a stock 19 coaxial therewith.

The rail 16 comprises in a single body two longitudinal supports 17 disposed laterally and opposite each other, and a plurality of transverse grooves 21 made in a single piece in the central part which is external during use. In this case, the rail 16 is of the standardized type used with the NATO forces, and is known as the "Picatinny rail".

The device 10 according to the present invention comprises a slider 23, made of high-resistance metal, for example Ergal®, or other analogous or comparable material suitable for the purpose.

The slider 23 comprises two longitudinal guides 25 disposed laterally and opposite, each one able to slide on the respective and mating longitudinal support 17. The slider 23 has two lateral hooks 26 each free to rotate with respect to a respective pin 29 able to be constrained to the body of the slider 23, and each of which is provided with a tongue 27 able to be inserted between two adjacent transverse grooves 21, so as to allow the selective clamping of the slider 23 to the rail 16.

The slider 23 also has, on an external side, a rear hook

28, also provided with a tongue, not shown, and able to be inserted in snap-in fashion between two adjacent transverse grooves 21 so as to guarantee a better clamping to the rail 16.

The slider 23 also comprises a coupling element 30, in this case with a hexagonal section, which protrudes frontally from what is, during use, the front end of the slider 23; in correspondence with what is, during use, its rear end and made in its lower face, the slider 23 also has a guide element 31. The functions of the coupling element 30 and of the guide element 31 will be clarified in detail hereafter in the description.

The guide element 31 of the slider 23 is box-like in shape, and comprises two respective guides 33 made in a piece on the two opposite faces and, during use, longitudinal with respect to the barrel 18, and two respective seatings 34 disposed in a substantially transverse direction with respect to the barrel 18.

The bayonet 11 in turn comprises a hilt 36 disposed between the blade 37 and the handle 38, and an attachment element 40 disposed at the opposite end of the handle 38. In its segment protruding upwards with respect to the handle 38, the hilt 36 comprises a hole 41, of a shape and size mating with those of the coupling element 30.

The attachment element 40 comprises an inner cavity 42 having two slits 43, each one able to slide on the mating guide 33 of the guide element 31.

The attachment element 40 also comprises two snap-in hooks 46 each one having a respective tongue, not shown, able to be inserted in snap-in fashion into the respective seating 34 of the guide element 31. In order to associate the bayonet 11 to the assault rifle 12, once the slider 23 is in position on the rail 16, the soldier has to insert the coupling element 30, with a single operation, into the hole 41 of the hilt 36 and the guide element 31 into the attachment element 40. In order to clamp the bayonet 11 to the slider 23, it is enough for the soldier to make the bayonet 11 slide on the slider 23, until the two snap-in hooks 46 snap into the respective seatings 34 of the guide element 31. In this position, a secure clamping of the bayonet 11 is guaranteed. Moreover, the hexagonal shape of the hole 41 and the coupling element 30 allows to prevent any rotation movement of the bayonet 11, even though it comes within the field of the invention to provide other shapes, for example round, square or polygonal in general.

To remove the bayonet 11 from the slider 23, it is enough for the soldier to press the two snap-in hooks 46 and remove the bayonet 11 from the slider 23. This operation can be carried out extremely quickly, allowing the soldier to rapidly remove the bayonet 11 from the assault rifle 12.

If the rail 16 is the Picatinny rail or suchlike, it is possible to associate to the assault rifle 12, or firearm in general, other devices as well as the bayonet 11, such as for example a grenade launcher, or a torch for night visors, making the weapon extremely versatile.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the device 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of device to associate a bayonet to a firearm, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims

1. Device to associate a bayonet (11) to a firearm (12), such as a rifle, a machine gun or similar weapon, characterized in that it comprises at least a support element (23) having first coupling means (25) able to selectively couple with said firearm (12) and second coupling means (30, 31) able to selectively couple with said bayonet (11).

2. Device as in claim 1, wherein said firearm (12) comprises a rail (16), characterized in that said first coupling means comprises guide means (25) able to slide on said rail (16) .

3. Device as in claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises clamping means (26, 28) associated with said first coupling means (25) and able to be selectively activated in order to clamp said support element (23) on said rail (16).

4. Device as in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said second coupling means comprises at least a coupling element (30) able to be inserted into a corresponding aperture (41) of said bayonet (11).

5. Device as in claim 4, characterized in that said coupling element (30) is disposed in a front part of said support element (23), and in that said aperture (41) is made in the hilt (36) of said bayonet (11).

6. Device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said second coupling means comprises at least a guide element (31) able to cooperate with a mating attachment element (40) of said bayonet (11).

7. Device as in claim 6, characterized in that said attachment element (40) comprises at least a hook (46), which is able to cooperate with a mating seating (34) made in said guide element (31) and is able to be selectively activated so as to clamp said bayonet (11) removably to said support element (23).