Sling for a shoulder weapon

Abstract

A sling for a shoulder weapon, such as a military assault rifle or carbine, in which the effective length of the sling can be extended quickly and quietly and then easily and quietly retracted to the original length. A quick release plate and an engagement member cooperate to hold a loop of strap material to provide the shorter configuration of the sling, and the quick release plate can be manipulated easily to pass over the engagement member to lengthen the sling. A latching mechanism can be released quickly to disconnect a portion of the sling in an emergency. The opposite ends of the sling can be attached to or disconnected from a weapon easily and quickly using secure, quiet fittings.

1 . A quickly releasable latching assembly for interconnecting adjacent portions of a sling, comprising: 
 (a) an elongate primary load carrying member having opposite first and second ends;    (b) a substantially rigid tongue having opposite inner and outer ends;    (c) a hinge portion extending between and interconnecting said first end of said primary load carrying member and said inner end of said tongue, said primary load carrying member, said tongue, and said hinge portion together defining a throat; and    (d) a keeper mounted on said primary load carrying member and releasably engaging said tongue.    
     
     
         2 . The quickly releasable latching assembly of  claim 1  wherein said keeper is a loop engaging said outer end of said tongue and slidably removable from engagement therewith.  
     
     
         3 . The quickly releasable latching assembly of  claim 1  wherein said primary load carrying member, said tongue, and said hinge portion include respective portions of a continuous flexible strap member.  
     
     
         4 . The quickly releasable latching assembly of  claim 1  wherein said tongue includes a substantially rigid support member enclosed by an outer layer of a textile material.  
     
     
         5 . The quickly releasable latching assembly of  claim 1  wherein said tongue includes a projecting detent portion resisting unintentional disengagement of said keeper from said tongue.  
     
     
         6 . The quickly releasable latching assembly of  claim 1  including a connector loop mounted on one of said adjacent portions of a sling and wherein said second one of said opposite ends of said primary load carrying member is interconnected with another of said adjacent portions of said sling, and wherein a portion of said connector loop is held releasably in said throat.  
     
     
         7 . The quickly releasable latching assembly of  claim 1  including a flexible retainer member attached to said primary load carrying member and holding said keeper in a predetermined position with respect to said primary load carrying member.  
     
     
         8 . A flexible connector for use in a sling, comprising: 
 (a) a flexible elongate tension bearing member having an intermediate portion and opposite first and second ends;    (b) a loop carried on said first end;    (c) a toggle element mounted on said second end and releasably engageable with said loop; and    (d) a strap-receiving ring mounted on said intermediate portion of said tension bearing member.    
     
     
         9 . The connector of  claim 8  wherein said elongate tension bearing member is of strap-like webbing material.  
     
     
         10 . The connector of  claim 8  including a flexible retainer member attached to said tension bearing member and holding said strap-receiving ring in a predetermined location along said intermediate portion thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The flexible connector of  claim 10  wherein said flexible retainer member is of ribbon-like textile material extending alongside and parallel with said intermediate portion.  
     
     
         12 . The flexible connector of  claim 11  including a pair of said strap-receiving rings and a stabilizer member located between said strap-receiving rings of said pair and engaged with said tension bearing member.  
     
     
         13 . The flexible connector of  claim 12  wherein said stabilizer member defines a pair of separate openings, said tension bearing member extending through one of said pair of openings and said flexible retainer member extending through the other of said pair of openings.  
     
     
         14 . The flexible connector of  claim 8  wherein said loop is substantially rigid.  
     
     
         15 . The flexible connector of  claim 8  wherein said strap-receiving ring encircles said intermediate portion of said tension bearing member.  
     
     
         16 . A sling-mounting connector for attachment to a sling swivel of a firearm, comprising: 
 (a) an elongate flexible strap having a pair of opposite first and second ends defining a longitudinal direction;    (b) a toggle member attached to said first end of the flexible strap member and movable with respect to said flexible strap-like member between a transition position oriented parallel with the strap and a stopper position oriented generally transverse to the strap member;    (c) a flexible ribbon-like locking tab attached to and extending from the toggle member, said locking tab being movable into alignment with said strap when the toggle member is in said transition position, and movable into engagement with said toggle member so as to prevent movement of said toggle member to said transition position when in such engagement therewith; and    (d) a first attachment ring attached to said flexible strap adjacent said second end and facing transversely with respect to said longitudinal direction.    
     
     
         17 . The sling mounting connector of  claim 16  also including a second attachment ring attached to said flexible strap adjacent said second end, said second attachment ring facing oppositely away from said first attachment ring.  
     
     
         18 . The sling mounting connector of  claim 17 , in combination with a stock-encircling strap having a pair of opposite ends and a respective connecting stopper toggle member attached to each of said ends, each of said connecting stopper toggle members being engaged with a respective one of said first and second attachment rings.  
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 18  wherein said stock-encircling strap is adjustable in length.  
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 18  including a sling strap receiving loop attached to said stock-encircling strap.  
     
     
         21 . The combination of  claim 18  including a spacer attached to said stock-encircling loop and keeping said sling strap receiving loop open to receive an end connector for a sling therein.  
     
     
         22 . The sling mounting connector of  claim 16  wherein said toggle member is a tribar slide and said first strap is fastened in a loop extending around a central bar of said tribar slide.  
     
     
         23 . The sling mounting connector of  claim 22  wherein said flexible ribbon-like locking tab is fastened in a loop around a side bar of said tribar slide.  
     
     
         24 . A quickly extendible sling, comprising: 
 (a) opposite first and second end portions;    (b) a member defining a strap slide aperture associated with said second end portion;    (c) an elongate main strap member, said main strap member having a stationary first end associated with said first end portion of said sling and a first portion of said main strap member extending from said first end of said main strap member toward said strap slide aperture, said elongate main strap member extending slidably through said strap slide aperture and said slide aperture thereby separating a second portion of said main strap member from said first portion of said main strap member, said second portion extending from said first portion and having a traveling end;    (d) a selectively releasable device located at said traveling end of said second portion of said main strap member;    (e) an engagement member attached to said first portion, said selectively releasable device being held releasably by said engagement member, and said engagement member preventing said selectively releasable device from moving away from said stationery first end along said first portion beyond said engagement member when said selectively releasable device is held by said engagement member; and    (f) a selectively releasable latching assembly releasably interconnecting said second portion of said main strap member with said selectively releasably device, said latching assembly including: 
 (i) an elongate primary load carrying member having opposite first and second ends, said first end of said primary load carrying member being interconnected with said second portion of said main strap member;  
 (ii) a substantially rigid tongue having opposite inner and outer ends;  
 (iii) a hinge portion extending between and interconnecting said second end of said primary load carrying member and said inner end of said tongue, said primary load carrying member, said tongue, and said hinge portion together defining a throat; and  
 (iv) a keeper mounted on said primary load carrying member and releasably engaging said outer end of said tongue.