# US 2014/0196349 A1 · Selectively Releasable Flashlight Attachment Device for Handgun > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196349 A1 - Document ID: US20140196349A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/069,016 - Filed: 2013-10-31 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-11 - Inventors: William H. Rogers; Matthew E. McKendrick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196349A1 ## CPC - F41G 11/003: {Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"} - F41G 1/35: for illuminating the target - F41G: WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING (optical aspects thereof G02B) ## Abstract This releasable flashlight attachment device can be placed and removed on/from the frame of a firearm without the user's hand passing in front of the barrel. It includes: (1) a bottom portion with a receiver section that engages an integral rail portion of a handgun and an adjacent nesting area adapted to hold a small flash light; (2) a cap to secure the light in the nesting area; and (3) a locking tab and spring that automatically engages the locking cross-slot integral to the rail portion, and the locking lab can be oriented in opposite directions in the receiver section to facilitate use of the device for either right or left side flashlight mounting. The bottom portion flexes laterally and has other features that allow the device to be snap mounted and easily demounted by rotation of the handgun relative to the device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A releasable flashlight attachment device for firearms comprising: a receiving section mountable to a firearm accessory mounting rail extending below and parallel to the barrel of said firearm; a flashlight nesting section extending from said receiving section and adapted to hold a flashlight parallel to said barrel and rail so as to project light emitted by said flashlight parallel to said barrel and rail; and said receiving section being engagable and mounted to said firearm accessory mounting rail by sliding on said rail or being snapped into place thereon and being unsnapped therefrom by relative rotation between said device and said rail or sliding off said rail, said receiving section flexing open to snap mount onto said rail, and said receiving section flexing open to demount from said rail. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said nesting section extends laterally from said receiving section to dispose said nesting section to the side of said firearm when the receiving section is mounted to said firearm mounting rail. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a spring and locking tab mountable in said receiving section, said spring and locking tab engaging locking notches in said rail when said receiving section is mounted thereon, said spring and locking tab being mounted in selected opposing directions for placement of said nesting section on either side of said firearm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said receiving section includes parallel sets of side rail engagement features that snap into complemental grooves along sides of said firearm accessory mounting rail when said receiving section is mounted to said firearm accessory mounting rail. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein said side rail engagement features are rounded to readily disengage from said grooves upon said relative rotation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein said nesting section includes a movable lever arm to be grasped by a user in disengaging said side rail engagement features from the groove in which said features are nested when demounting said device from the firearm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein said side rail engagement features have inclined upper surfaces which interface with matching inclined mounting rail ramping surfaces such that the abutting surfaces thereof slide/ramp past each other during snapping engagement or disengagement by said relative rotation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said nesting section and said receiving section are integral. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising an arcuate top piece detachably connected to said nesting section for encasing a flashlight positionable therein. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a user actuatable disengagement lever for disengaging said locking tab from a locking notch in said rail. ### Claim 11 A releasable flashlight attachment device for firearms comprising: a receiving section mountable to a firearm accessory mounting rail extending below and parallel to a barrel of the firearm; a flashlight nesting section adapted to hold a flashlight parallel to said barrel and rail so as to project light emitted by the flashlight parallel to said barrel and rail, said flashlight nesting section extending laterally from said receiving section to dispose said nesting section to one side of the firearm when said receiving section is mounted to said firearm mounting rail; a spring and locking tab mountable in said receiving section, said spring and locking tab engaging selective locking notches in said rail when the receiver is mounted thereon, and said spring and locking tab being mounted in selected opposing directions for placement of said nesting section on either side of the firearm; and said receiving section being engagable and mounted to said firearm accessory mounting rail by sliding on said rail or being snapped into place thereon and being unsnapped therefrom by relative rotation between said device and said rail or sliding forwardly off said rail, said receiving section flexing open in order to snap mount onto said rail, and said receiving section flexing open in order to demount from said rail. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein said receiving section includes parallel sets of side rail engagement features that snap into matching grooves along sides of said firearm accessory mounting rail when said receiving section is mounted to said firearm accessory mounting rail. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein said side rail engagement features are rounded to readily disengage from one side groove upon said relative rotation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein said nesting section includes a lever arm graspable by a user in disengaging said side rail engagement features from said one groove in which said features are nested when demounting said device from said firearm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The device of claim 14, wherein said side rail engagement features have inclined upper surfaces which interface with matching inclined mounting rail ramping surfaces such that the abutting surfaces thereof slide/ramp past each other during snapping engagement or disengagement by said relative rotation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, further comprising a user actuatable disengagement lever for disengaging said locking tab from a locking notch in said rail. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The device of claim 14, wherein said nesting section and said receiving section are integral. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, further comprising an arcuate top piece detachably connected to said nesting section for encasing a flashlight positionable therein. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, further comprising an arcuate top piece detachably connected to said nesting section for encasing a flashlight positionable therein. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, further comprising an arcuate top piece detachably connected to said nesting section for encasing a flashlight positionable therein.