Gun Cleaning Kit

Abstract

A gun cleaning kit comprising a handle, an elongate rod, a cylindrical brush comprising radially outwardly projecting metal bristles and a cylindrical wiping element, wherein the handle defines a first part of a two-part coupling and a first end of the rod defines a second part of the two-part coupling such that the handle is capable of being detachably coupled to the first end of the rod via the first two-part coupling; a second end of the rod defines a first part of a second two-part coupling; and each of the cylindrical brush and cylindrical wiping element defines a second part of the second two-part coupling, such that the cylindrical brush and the cylindrical wiping element are each separately capable of being detachably coupled to the second end of the rod via the second two-part coupling.

Claims

1. A gun cleaning kit comprising a handle, an elongate rod, a cylindrical brush comprising a handle, an elongate rod, a cylindrical brush comprising radially outwardly projecting metal bristles and a cylindrical wiping element, wherein the handle defines a first part of a two-part coupling and a first end of the rod defines a second part of the two-part coupling such that the handle is capable of being detachably coupled to the first end of the rod via the first two-part coupling; a second end of the rod defines a first part of a second two-part coupling; and each of the cylindrical brush and cylindrical wiping element defines a second part of the second two-part coupling, such that the cylindrical brush and the cylindrical wiping element are each separately capable of being detachably coupled to the second end of the rod via the second two-part coupling.

2. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 1, wherein the first two-part coupling and/or the second two-part coupling is a threaded coupling.

3. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical wiping element includes a central core which defines the second part of the second two-part coupling at a proximal end thereof and further defines a first part of the second two-part coupling at a distal end thereof.

4. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 1, wherein the elongate rod is padded along its length.

5. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 1, wherein the metal bristles of the cylindrical brush are formed from copper.

6. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 1, wherein the metal bristles of the cylindrical brush are arranged as a helical array about a central core.

7. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical brush includes a central core and the central core carries or defines the second part of the second two-part coupling.

8. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 1, wherein the kit further includes a second elongate rod, wherein the second elongate rod defines one part of a two-part coupling at each end thereof, such that the second rod may be connected to either end of the first elongate rod.

9. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 8, wherein the second elongate rod defines a multi-faceted surface.

10. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 9, wherein the second rod comprises a body having a triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal or hexagonal cross-section.

11. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 1, wherein the handle further defines a front face which faces towards the rod in use and the front face carries or defines a protective polymeric element.

12. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 11, wherein the polymeric element is a bush which is formed from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or nylon.

13. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 1, wherein the handle is a second elongate rod.

14. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 13, wherein the second elongate rod defines a multi-faceted surface.

15. A gun cleaning kit according to claim 14, wherein the second elongate rod comprises a body having a triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal or hexagonal cross-section.

Description

[0044] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a gun cleaning kit according to the first aspect of the invention;

[0046] FIG. 2 shows the cylindrical brush and the cylindrical cleaning pad of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

[0047] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the elongate rod of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

[0048] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an optional second rod that may form part of the kit show in FIG. 1; and

[0049] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the handle which forms a part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

[0050] For the avoidance of doubt, the skilled person will appreciate that in this specification, the terms “up”, “down”, “front”, “rear”, “upper”, “lower”, “width”, etc. refer to the orientation of the components as found in the example when installed for normal use as shown in the Figures.

[0051] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a gun cleaning kit 2 according to the invention. The kit 2 comprises a handle 4, an elongate aluminium rod 6, a cylindrical brush 8 having copper bristles and a cylindrical wiping element in the form of a cylindrical cleaning pad 10.

[0052] The rod 6 defines at its first end a threaded shaft 12 and at its opposite end a threaded bore 14. The handle 4 defines a front face 16 within which is defined a threaded bore 18 configured to receive therein in threaded engagement the threaded shaft 12 of the rod 6.

[0053] The front face 16 of the handle 4 also carries a PTFE (polytetrafluorethylene) bush 20 (shown in more detail on FIG. 5) which acts as a protective polymeric element. The PTFE bush 20 is located within an annular recess (not shown) defined by the front face 16 of the handle 4 and secured by adhesive.

[0054] The cylindrical brush and the cylindrical cleaning pad both include an elongate rigid core 22, 24. Located at one end of each of the elongate rigid cores 22, 24 is a threaded shaft 26, 28. Each of the threaded shafts 26, 28 are configured to form separately a threaded engagement within the threaded bore 14 of the rod 6. The distal end of the elongate rigid core 24 of the cleaning pad 10 defines a threaded bore therein. The threaded bore at the distal end of the rigid core 24 is configured to threadedly receive therein the threaded shaft 26 of the rigid core 22.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows the cylindrical brush 8 and the cylindrical cleaning pad 10 in more detail. As can be seen, the cylindrical brush 8 comprises a plurality of copper bristles 30 extending radially outwards from the core 22. The bristles 30 have substantially the same length and are arranged in a helical array along the axial length of the core 22.

[0056] The cylindrical cleaning pad 10 has a strip 32 of polymeric fibres wrapped helically around the rigid core 24. The strip 32 comprises a fabric backing sheet (not shown) from which extends outwardly a plurality of fingers formed from the polymeric fibres. The fabric backing sheet is adhered to the rigid core 24 such that the fingers extend outwardly from the core 24.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through the rod in which the threaded shaft 12 and the threaded bore 14 can be seen in more detail.

[0058] FIG. 4 shows an optional component, namely a second elongate rod 34 that is not shown in FIG. 1. The second elongate rod 34 is also made from aluminium, but is shorter than the first elongate rod 6. The second elongate rod 34 has a hexagonal cross-section and also defines a threaded shaft 36 at one end and a threaded bore 38 at the other end. The threaded shaft 36 and the threaded bore 38 have the same configuration as the corresponding shaft 12 and bore 14 of the first rod 6. In this way, the shafts are interchangeable and can also be coupled together with the threaded shaft of one being threadedly engaged with the threaded bore of the other. This allows the length of the first rod 6 to be extended. The hexagonal cross-section allows the second elongate rod 34 to be gripped by the jaws (e.g. chuck) of an electric drill and the drill may cause the second elongate rod 34, and any cleaning tool 8, 10 attached thereto, to rotate. Where the second elongate rod 34 is caused to rotate by a separate rotational device, such as an electric drill, the second elongate rod 34 is considered to be the handle in the context of the present invention.

[0059] FIG. 5 shows the handle 4 in more detail. As noted above, the handle 4 is formed from aluminium and defines a gripping portion 40 having a knurled surface. The PTFE bush 20 protects the end of the barrel being cleaned against damage by the handle and the threaded bore 18 is adapted to receive any of the threaded shafts discussed hereinabove, namely the threaded shaft 12 of the rod 6, the threaded shaft 26 of the cylindrical brush 8, the threaded shaft 28 of the cleaning pad 10 or the threaded shaft 36 of the second, hexagonal rod 34.

[0060] In use, the user threadedly couples the handle 4 to the rod 6 and then selects the desired cleaning tool, for example, the cylindrical brush 8. The barrel of the gun may then be cleaned with the cylindrical brush 8. After cleaning with the brush 8, the user may remove the brush 8 from the rod and connect in its place the cylindrical cleaning pad 10. This may be used to remove the debris from the barrel that was loosened by the brush 8. A suitable gun oil may be applied to the cylindrical cleaning pad 10 to provide a protective coating of oil to the inside of the barrel.

[0061] Alternatively, the user threadedly couples the handle 4 to the rod 6, threadedly couples the cylindrical cleaning pad 10 to the distal end of the rod 6, and then threadedly couples the cylindrical brush 8 to the distal end of the cleaning pad 10. The barrel may be cleaned in a single process using the kit in this configuration.

[0062] While cleaning, the PTFE bush 20 protects the ends of the barrel(s) from damage by the handle, should the handle contact the ends of the barrel during cleaning.

[0063] Should the user desire a longer cleaning apparatus, the second rod 34 may be located between the handle and the first rod 6 or between the first rod 6 and the desired cleaning tool. As the second rod 34 includes corresponding threaded portions at either end to the first rod 6, the combined rods 6, 34 would retain a threaded shaft at one end and a threaded bore at the opposite end to which the handle 4 and the respective cleaning tool 8, 10 are secured.

[0064] Alternatively, if the user wishes to use a mechanical tool to assist with the cleaning process, the user may connect the second rod 34 to the proximal end of the first rod 6 and a desired cleaning tool 8, 10 to the distal end of the first rod 6. The hexagonal second rod 34 may then be located within the chuck of a suitable mechanical tool, such as a drill, which rotates the second rod 34. This in turn rotates the first rod 6 and the respective cleaning tool 8, 10.