Abstract
The invention relates to a speargun handle (1) having a reinforced trigger guard (5) which creates a chamber (6) in which there is a trigger lever (7). The handle (1) has a retaining member (10) with chambers (12) surrounded by a non-slip retaining cover (11). It also has a loading aid (17), a front end (23) for fitting a tube (2), incorporated deflectors (25) for lines and a line holder (32). The handle (1) further comprises a reverse trigger mechanism, wherein the trigger lever (7) is located outside the cartridge (26). The retaining hook (27) may alternatively have a notch for a pivot pin (38) which receives the developing stresses derived from the shaft's (4) launching.
Claims
1. A speargun handle (1), comprising: a guard (5), which creates a chamber (6) for the trigger lever (7), a retention member (10) with chambers (12), surrounded by a non-slip retaining cover (11), a loading aid (17) with a longitudinal groove (18), a front end (23) to which a tube (2) is fitted for launching the shaft (4), line deflectors (25), a trigger mechanism, with a cartridge (26), with a shaft (4) retaining hook (27) and a line holder (32) with a screw (39) on the top of the cartridge (26), wherein the trigger lever (7) is located outside and in front of the cartridge (26), is held on the handle (1) by a pin passing through the hole (34) and, when loaded with the shaft (4) prevents the retaining hook (27) from freely moving.
2. The speargun handle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the trigger lever (7) has indentations (36) up to a projection (40), terminating the retaining hook (27) to reduce the total weight thereof.
3. The speargun handle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the chamber (6) has a groove (8) in which the trigger lever (7) and a flat base (9) move, which acts as a stop in the movement of the trigger lever (7).
4. The speargun handle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the screw (39) can be unscrewed from the upper side of the cartridge (26) without disassembling the trigger mechanism.
5. The speargun handle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge (26) is provided on either side with two oval holes (37) on which there is mounted a pivot pin (38), which during loading is engaged between the recess of the retaining hook (27), receiving and distributing the developing stresses during the launching of the shaft (4), on both the cartridge (26) and the retaining hook (27).
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is illustrated in an exemplary but not limitative manner.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of the speargun of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 2 shows in detail, a perspective illustration of the handle and part of the gun tube.
[0024] FIG. 3 shows in plan view an illustration of the speargun using the handle of the invention, while, respectively, FIG. 4 shows in detail the plan view of the handle.
[0025] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the speargun handle of the invention, while FIG. 6 shows the anti-skid cover of the handle in three-dimensional illustration.
[0026] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cover that is attached to the speargun handle.
[0027] FIG. 8 shows the reel base located on the underside of the handle.
[0028] FIG. 9 shows the trigger mechanism cover and FIG. 10 shows the trigger with its indentations to reduce its weight.
[0029] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the trigger lever and the retaining hook thereof.
[0030] FIG. 12 illustrates, in a three-dimensional representation, the trigger lever retaining hook.
[0031] FIG. 13 shows a prospective, illustrative sketch of the line holder used in the invention trigger mechanism.
[0032] FIG. 14 illustrates the discharge safety of the invention speargun trigger
[0033] FIG. 15 shows an alternative embodiment of the trigger mechanism used in the speargun handle.
[0034] FIG. 16 illustrates in perspective view the retaining hook used in the alternative mechanism of FIG. 15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0035] Referring now to the accompanying figures, we will describe illustrative embodiments of the speargun handle of the present invention in order to illustrate its particular technical characteristics.
[0036] Each speargun, FIG. 1, consists of the handle (1), the tube (2) and the muzzle (3). The shaft (4), FIG. 3, is positioned along the tube (2) and is launched using rubbers not shown here. The handle (1), FIG. 2, has a trigger guard (5) which is an integral part thereof and which is reinforced so as to be able to receive a large part of the loads which are generated during loading and launching the shaft (4). This effectively addresses one of the most important drawbacks of spearguns, which often led to cracks and breaking of the weapon in the middle of the handle due to the generated tensions. The guard (5) creates a chamber (6), FIG. 5, in which the trigger lever (7) is located. The chamber (6) is anatomically designed, helping to properly exert pressure on the trigger lever (7), while having a groove (8) in which the lever (7) moves and a flat base (9) which acts as a stop in its movement. Further, the handle (1) has a retaining member (10), to which the non-slip retaining cover (11), FIG. 6, is applied by which the user holds the speargun. The retaining member (10) is an integral part of the handle (1) and comprises chambers (12) on either side. Chambers (12) are used to add weight or positive buoyancy material to make the speargun heavier or lighter for the user, suitably meeting its requirements. The retaining cover (11) is removable, preferably made of elastomeric materials, so that covers with different slopes or various anatomical, ambidextrous, right-handed, left-handed shapes can be used to better serve a user. The retaining cover (11) may be provided at its base with an extended end (13), FIG. 7, which acts as a terminal point for the user's small finger while retaining the gun. It further has a notch (14) so that the through hole (15) of the retaining member (10) is fully visible through which the user can fasten the handle (1), using a clip or other suitable means. Finally, the ribs (16) further assist in properly retaining the gun.
[0037] The rear side of the handle (1) terminates on a loading aid (17) which may be detachable on the handle body (1) or an integral part thereof. The loading aid (17) increases the surface in loading, so that the handle (1) is fastened better to the diver's body when loading. For this reason, there is a longitudinal groove (18), in which the diver's wetsuit neoprene is enclosed, when loading, thus retaining the gun more effectively in the desirable position.
[0038] Further, the handle (1) has a through bore (19) to which the discharge safety (20), FIG. 14, fits to prevent unexpected and undesirable use of the gun. The discharge safety (20) may alternatively be located at the base of the guard (5), or anywhere else in the guard chamber (6), preventing the trigger lever (7) to move when fitted on the gun.
[0039] At the front of the handle (1) there is a reel base (21), FIG. 8, with a hole (22), for screwing the desirable reel on the handle. The speargun of the invention may accept reels that may be attached to the base, both vertically and horizontally. The front end (23) of the handle (1) can accommodate any type of tube (2) of a corresponding diameter. In front of the guard (5), the gun has a through bore (24), with multiple utilities, depending on the user. Therein, a camera base for underwater shooting can be fitted or alternatively a base for rubbers on spearguns with rollers, known as roller type. Furthermore, a system for hunting larger game, such as tuna, can be fitted. At the upper part of the handle (1) two horizontal deflectors (25), FIG. 2, acting as guides for the lines so as not to tangle with the tube (2) and the rubbers, project on either side. To date, these deflectors are in the centre of the lateral portion of the handle and protrude enough to achieve their purpose, resulting in dyskinesia and often in breaking or entangling of line lengths when arranging them around the barrel.
[0040] The speargun handle of the invention has a reverse type trigger mechanism, but with a very significant innovation. The trigger mechanism consists of a cover, referred to as cartridge (26), FIG. 9, on which the lever retaining the shaft tail (4) abuts the cartridge roof (26). This lever is called retaining hook (27), FIG. 12, and is held by a pin passing through the hole (28) of the handle (1), the holes (29) on the sides of the cartridge (26) and the hole (30) of the retaining hook (27). The design is such that the pin retaining the hook (27) on the cartridge (26) acts as a fulcrum and the forces required to release the shaft (4) are much lower than those exerted on the shaft (4) by the rubbers. When loading the shaft (4), the retaining hook (27) comes in a position parallel to the base of the cartridge (26), so that the boss (31), FIG. 11 thereof, is not visible from the through bore (19). This allows the use of the discharge safety device (20). In loading, the line holder (32), FIG. 13, which moves along the groove (33) of the cartridge (26) and which is screwed onto the handle body from the cartridge by a screw (39), is immobilized by the retaining hook (27). The line holder (32) helps maintain the lines stretched, preventing them from becoming entangled in general. Upon launching the shaft (4), and dropping the retaining hook (27), it is also released accordingly. It is obvious that the line holder (32) may be both right and left of the cartridge (26), and may further be parallel to the roof thereof, as shown in FIG. 4, or perpendicular thereto. An important advantage of the line holder (32) is that because the screw (39) is visible and screwed onto the handle body and not somewhere else, the user is enabled to change side by simply unscrewing the screw (39) without requiring disassembly of the trigger mechanism.
[0041] The trigger lever (7), FIG. 10, is located on the front of the cartridge (26) and outside it. The trigger lever (7) is retained on the handle (1) thanks to a pin passing through the hole (34) of the handle (1) and the hole (35) of the trigger lever (7). A spring that is twisted around the pin allows the trigger lever (7) to reset. As shown in FIG. 11, the retaining hook (27) is prevented from moving due to being blocked by the upper part of the trigger lever (7). If the lever is pressed the hook can move and release the shaft (4). Since the trigger lever (7) is now out of the cartridge (26), the height of the entire trigger mechanism is much lower, while decreasing the length and height of the cartridge (26), optimizing the strength of the handle body (1) between the cartridge (26) and the trigger lever (7) without increasing the external dimensions, reducing the size, the overall parts of the mechanism and its mounting time. A further feature of the trigger lever (7) is the presence of indentations (36) at the rear of the trigger to the projection (40) designed to terminate the travel of the retaining hook (27), reducing its weight without reducing its strength which would lead to its distortion or breakage.
[0042] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the trigger mechanism has a different design with respect to the cartridge (26) and the retaining hook (27). The cartridge (26) has an oval hole (37), FIG. 15, in which a pivot pin (38) rests and moves. The retaining hook (27), FIG. 16, in this case has a slot in which the pivot pin (38) abuts. When the trigger mechanism is loaded, as in FIG. 15, the pivot pin (38) is engaged in the upper side of the oval bore (37) and the recess of the retaining hook (27), whereas when the shaft (4) is launched, the retaining hook moves downward, creating the necessary space for the pivot pin (38) to move toward the lower side of the oval bore (37) of the cartridge (26). In loading, the pin is therefore essentially seated on three points in the oval holes (37) of the cartridge (26) and in the recess of the retaining hook (27). The presence of this pivot pin (38) is particularly important as the developing stresses upon launching the shaft (4) are received by the pin and are distributed both in the cartridge (26) and the retaining hook (27), in contrast with the hitherto available mechanisms having a pin or roller in the engagement where all the developing forces are exerted on the shaft hook and from there are transferred to the trigger lever embedded in the cartridge. At this point, it is noted that the pivot pin (38) may have different shapes or dimensions, such as smaller diameter ends with a shoulder, blocking it inside the cartridge (26), or may be perforated, consisting of two parts, the perforated part abutting the retaining hook (27) of the shaft and the other part passing through and abutting the cartridge walls (26).
[0043] The construction of the handle (1) is such that it is ambidextrous, since both the retaining member (10), the discharge safety device (20), the deflectors (25) and the line holder (32) may operate both for right-handed and left-handed divers and the handle (1) of the gun can be made wholly or partly of any kind of plastic, aluminum, carbon fibre or any other suitable material.
[0044] It is worth mentioning that this particular mechanism, as a simple construction, does not fall short at all in relation to more complicated constructions, which in order to achieve certain levels in good and safe operation, usability, durability, longevity, consist of more pieces increasing the chances of damaging one of them, as well as the time of construction, assembly and total cost in general.
[0045] It is to be noted here that the description of the invention has been made by reference to exemplary embodiments, not limited thereto. Therefore, any change or alteration in anything concerning the shape, dimensions, morphology, scope, materials used and the components of construction and assembly unless they constitute a new inventive step and do not contribute to the technical development of the already known are considered to be contained to the objects and contemplation of the present invention.
