MOUNTING RAIL FOR FIREARM

Abstract

A mounting rail for a firearm is described, wherein the rail includes at least one catch arranged on a flat upper surface of the rail. The at least one catch serves as a means of fixation for at least one accessory. The rail also includes a housing that extends longitudinally, and the housing is suited to receive a printed circuit board allowing for an electrical connection with the accessory. The housing is partially defined by at least one recess, each recess being arranged between two opposite flanks of the corresponding catch. A top of the corresponding catch extends transversely on either side of a median plane of the rail above the housing.

Claims

1. A mounting rail for a firearm, wherein the rail comprises: at least one catch arranged on a flat upper surface of the rail, wherein the at least one catch serves as a means of fixation for at least one accessory, wherein the rail comprises a housing that extends longitudinally, wherein the housing is adapted to receive a printed circuit board configured to provide an electrical connection with the at least one accessory, wherein the housing is partially defined by at least one recess, each recess is arranged between and opens onto two opposite flanks of the corresponding catch, such that a top of the corresponding catch extends transversely on either side of a median plane of the rail above the recess, and in that each recess has a ceiling arranged beneath the top of the corresponding catch.

2. The mounting rail of claim 1, wherein the ceiling of each recess is arranged at a height of between 10% and 60% of the height of the corresponding catch relative to a line at a base of the catch.

3. The mounting rail of claim 2, wherein recess has a length greater than or equal to a thickness of the corresponding catch on the level of or below the line at the base of the catch.

4. The mounting rail of claim 3, wherein the length of each recess is between 100% and 120% of the thickness of the corresponding catch.

5. The mounting rail of claim 1, wherein each recess extends from a lower surface of the rail to the ceiling of the corresponding catch.

6. The mounting rail of claim 5, wherein each recess has a rectangular cross-section on a plane parallel to the flat upper surface and/or the lower surface of the rail.

7. The mounting rail of claim 5, wherein each recess extends along an axis perpendicular to the flat upper surface and/or the lower surface of the rail.

8. The mounting rail of claim 7, wherein the center of each recess coincides with the center of the corresponding catch along the axis perpendicular to the flat upper surface and/or the lower surface of the rail.

9. The mounting rail of claim 1, wherein the housing has a rectangular cross-section.

10. The mounting rail of claim 1, wherein a width of the housing is less than 80% of a width of the rail.

11. The mounting rail of claim 1, wherein the at least one catch comprises a series of catches distributed at a regular interval on the flat upper surface of the rail in a longitudinal direction.

12. The mounting rail of claim 1, wherein the rail comprises at least one attachment hole formed at one end of, or in an intermediate area of, the rail.

13. The mounting rail of claim 12, wherein the at least one attachment hole is arranged at the level of an additional catch, wherein the catch is hollow in its center.

14. A firearm comprising: the mounting rail of claim 1; and a printed circuit board inserted in the housing of the rail.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Other characteristics and benefits of this disclosure will be better understood by reference to the description and drawings.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the rail according to the present disclosure.

[0033] FIGS. 2a and 2b show a cross-section of the rail along the width of the rail at the level of a hollow area and top of a catch, respectively.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a section through a median plane of the rail according to the present disclosure.

[0035] FIGS. 4a, 4b, and 4c show a top view, bottom view, and median section of the rail as a whole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mounting rail 2 according to the present disclosure. The rail 2 serves to support the attachment of one or more accessories that assist in firing, such as a laser aiming device. Certain accessories require a power supply and/or a data exchange connection. To this end, it is provided that a PCB 4 is included that comprises a series of electrical contact points 6. The PCB 4 is held within a sheath-shaped housing 8 arranged within the rail 2. The rail 2 has catches (or teeth) 10 distributed at a regular interval over a flat upper surface 12 of the rail 2 in a longitudinal direction. The flat upper surface 12 comprises flat surfaces that define hollow spaces between the catches 10. The catches 10 serve as a means of attachment for the one or more accessories. The catches 10 extend transversely on either side of a median plane of the rail 2. The PCB 4 is held within the housing 8. The sheath-shaped housing 8 is arranged partially in the bases of the catches 10. The tops 14 of the catches 10 serve as protection against any shocks. The tops 14 may each have a flat surface that is parallel to the flat upper surface 12 of the rail 2. The rail 2 may be mounted on a flat upper, lower, or lateral surface of a firearm (not shown), which may, for example, be a submachine gun.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the top of each catch 10 extends transversely on either side of the median plane of the rail 2, above the housing 8. The median plane of the rail 2 extends longitudinally, and is perpendicular to the flat upper surface 12. FIGS. 2a and 2b show a cross-section of the rail 2 along the width of the rail at the level of the hollow area and top 14 of a catch 10. As shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, a recess 20 is formed in the base of the catch 10. The recess has a ceiling 22 arranged below the top 14 of the corresponding catch 10. Moreover, the recess 20 may have a rectangular cross-section in a plane parallel to the top surface 12 and/or a bottom surface 18 of the rail 2. The width of the housing may be less than 80 or 60% of the width of the rail 2. The ceiling 22 of each recess 22 may be arranged at a height between 10 and 60% of the height of the corresponding catch 10, relative to the line 24 at the base of the corresponding catch 10.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows that the housing 8 is defined in part by two recesses 20 arranged between two opposite flanks 16 of the corresponding catches 10. In FIG. 3, each recess 20 extends in the longitudinal direction between the two flanks of the corresponding catch 10. Likewise, each recess 20 extends vertically from the lower surface 18 of the rail 2 to the ceiling 22 of the corresponding catch 10. The length of each recess 20 is greater than the thickness of the corresponding catch 10 at the level of, and below, its baseline 24. The baseline 24 is defined by the intersection between the flanks 16 of the catch 10 in question and the upper flat surface 12. The housing 8 is further defined by areas of the flat upper surface 12. These areas correspond to the flat surfaces that define the hollow spaces between the catches. These areas are adjacent to the corresponding catches 10. Each area of the flat upper surface also serves to hold the PCB 4 in place. Each catch 10 may be rectangular in the median plane of the rail 2. Preferably, the center of each recess 20 coincides with the center of each corresponding catch 10 along an axis perpendicular to the upper surface 12. The length of the recess 20 may be between 100 and 120% of the thickness of the corresponding catch 10 at the level of its base or below it in the body of the rail 2.

[0039] FIG. 4 shows top and bottom views, and a median section of the mounting rail 2 according to the present disclosure as a whole. The rail 2 may comprise attachment holes 30 formed, on the one hand, at the ends of the rail 2, and, on the other, in an intermediate area of the rail 2. The areas surrounding the holes 30 each have additional catches that may also serve as means of attachment for one or more accessories. These catches are recessed in their central part in order to form passages for the corresponding mounting screws.

[0040] The present disclosure may also concern a method of manufacture that is not shown. The method may comprise a step of providing a rail 2 having catches 10 formed on a flat upper surface 12 and spaced apart at a regular interval, and a step of machining the lower surface 18. During the machining step, a series of recesses 20 may be made by a single milling head of a machine tool or by multiple heads operating simultaneously. Each recess 20 in the material extends vertically from the lower surface 18 to the ceiling 22 arranged in the corresponding catch 10, with the ceiling 22 being positioned above the upper surface 12 and the recess 20 having a length greater than the thickness of the corresponding catch 10 at the level of its baseline 24. Advantageously, each recess 20 is centered on the associated catch 10 along an axis perpendicular to the upper surface 12. The machining may be carried out from top to bottom with the rail 26 mounted upside-down on its bench, or from bottom to top with the rail 26 mounted right-side up on its bench. During machining, the rail may be moving or fixed. Likewise, the step of machining the lower surface 18 may be carried out before that of the upper surface 18.

[0041] Furthermore, the description comprises embodiments of the present disclosure in accordance with the following clauses:

[0042] 1. A mounting rail (2) for a firearm, wherein the rail (2) comprises at least one catch (10) arranged on a flat upper surface (12) of the rail (2), wherein the at least one catch (10) serves as a means of fixation for at least one accessory, wherein the rail (2) comprises a housing (8) that extends longitudinally, wherein the housing (8) is suited to receive a printed circuit board allowing for an electrical connection with the at least one accessory,

[0043] characterized in that the housing (8) is partially defined by at least one recess (22), the/each recess (22) is arranged between two opposite flanks (16) of the/each corresponding catch (10), a top (14) of the/each corresponding catch (10) extends transversely on either side of a median plane of the rail (2) above the recess (8).

[0044] 2. Rail (2) according to clause 1, characterized in that the/each recess (22) has a ceiling (22) arranged beneath the top (14) of the/each corresponding catch (10).

[0045] 3. Rail (2) according to the foregoing clause, characterized in that the ceiling (22) of the/each recess is arranged at a height of between 10 and 60% of the height of the/each corresponding catch (10) relative to a line (24) at the base of the catch (10).

[0046] 4. Rail (2) according to the foregoing clause, characterized in that the/each recess (20) has a length greater than or equal to the thickness of the/each corresponding catch (10) on the level of or below the line (24) at the base of the catch (10).

[0047] 5. Rail (2) according to the foregoing clause, characterized in that the length of the/each recess (20) is between 100 and 120% of the thickness of the corresponding catch (10).

[0048] 6. Rail (2) according to any of clauses 2-5, characterized in that the/each recess (20) extends from a lower surface (18) of the rail to the ceiling (22) of the/each corresponding catch (10).

[0049] 7. Rail (2) according to the foregoing clause, characterized in that the/each recess has a rectangular cross-section on a plane parallel to the flat upper surface (12) and/or the lower surface (18) of the rail (2).

[0050] 8. Rail (2) according to clause 6 or 7, characterized in that the/each recess (20) extends along an axis perpendicular to the flat upper surface (12) and/or the lower surface (18) of the rail (2).

[0051] 9. Rail (2) according to clause 8, characterized in that the center of the/each recess coincides with the center of the/each corresponding catch (10) along the axis perpendicular to the flat upper surface (12) and/or the lower surface (18) of the rail (2).

[0052] 10. Rail (2) according to any of the foregoing clauses, characterized in that the housing (8) has a rectangular cross-section.

[0053] 11. Rail (2) according to any of the foregoing clauses, characterized in that the width of the housing (8) is less than 80 or 60% of the width of the rail (2).

[0054] 12. Rail (2) according to any of the foregoing clauses, characterized in that the at least one catch (10) comprises a series of catches (10) distributed at a regular interval on the flat upper surface (12) of the rail (2) in the longitudinal direction.

[0055] 13. Rail (2) according to any of the foregoing clauses, characterized in that the rail (2) comprises at least one attachment hole (30) formed at one end of, or in an intermediate area of, the rail (2).

[0056] 14. Rail (2) according to the foregoing clause, characterized in that the at least one attachment hole (30) is arranged at the level of an additional catch, wherein the catch (10) is hollow in its center.

[0057] 15. Firearm comprising a mounting rail (2) and a printed circuit board (4) inserted in the housing (8) of the rail (2), characterized in that the rail (2) is a rail (2) according to any of clauses 1-13.

[0058] 16. Rail (2) according to any of clauses 1-14, characterized in that the/each recess (20) opens onto the two opposite flanks (16) of the corresponding catch (10).

[0059] 17. Rail (2) according to any of clauses 1-14 or 16, characterized in that the/each recess (20) is formed in the base of the corresponding catch (10).