US 6,591,533 B2 · Locking hinge

Abstract

A locking hinge especially used in a folding shoulder rest for paintball guns. The locking hinge comprises a first hinge plate and a second hinge plate in relative rotation. The first hinge plate has a hinge joint axis, a plurality of symmetric mounting holes, and a counter bore for receiving the locking mechanism. The counter bore in the first hinge plate contains a spring and a locking cylinder. The locking cylinder has a taper on the end directed toward the second hinge plate. The second hinge plate has a relative hinge joint axis, a plurality of tapered circular cavities or notches, and a means for symmetric mounting. The locking mechanism sufficiently aligns with the tapered circular cavities or notches at plurality of predetermined positions thereby preventing rotation of the hinge plates. A minor misalignment between the locking mechanism and tapered circular cavities further provide rigid locking of the hinge plates.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A locking hinge used to pivot the shoulder rest from the gun action of a folding gunstock of a paintball gun, comprising:

a first hinge plate including a counterbore, a first hole, and first hinge mounting holes attachable with one of the shoulder rest and gun action;
and
a second hinge plate including at least one tapered circular cavity and at least one tapered notch, a second hole, and second mounting holes attachable with an other of the shoulder rest and gun action;
a hinge bolt assembled through the first hole in the first hinge plate and the second hole in the second hinge plate defining a hinge joint axis;
and
a locking cylinder having a tapered end and an axis parallel to the hinge joint axis, said tapered end being engageable with a selected one of said tapered circular cavities and said tapered notches, said axis of said locking cylinder and an axis of said selected tapered circular cavity or said tapered notch being laterally offset when said locking cylinder is engaged in said selected tapered circular cavity or said tapered notch.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Locking hinge

Life of this patent

Locking hinge

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14