Gun barrel cleaning device with quick-detachable cleaning implement

Abstract

A gun barrel cleaning device includes a quick-detachable coupling mechanism releasably coupling a handle to a cleaning implement for cleaning a gun barrel bore. A thrust bearing is preferably provided for supporting the cleaning implement on the handle and for facilitating axial rotation of the cleaning implement relative to the handle. The gun barrel cleaning device may comprise part of a gun barrel cleaning kit, which may include a variety of different cleaning implements. A novel sheath for storing a gun barrel bore-cleaning implement is also disclosed.

1 . A gun barrel cleaning device, comprising: 
 a handle;    an elongate gun barrel cleaning implement sized for insertion into a gun barrel; and    a quick-detachable coupling mechanism releasably coupling the handle to the cleaning implement, the quick-detachable coupling mechanism including a male part having an axis, a female part receiving the male part coaxially therein, and a latching device, located within the handle, slidably movable axially between an unlatched position in which the cleaning implement is detachable from the handle and a latched position preventing the cleaning implement from being detached from the handle.    
   
   
       2 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 1 , further comprising a thrust bearing supporting the cleaning implement on the handle and facilitating rotation of the cleaning implement relative to the handle.  
   
   
       3 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein, further comprising a spring for biasing the latching device toward the latched position.  
   
   
       4 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the quick-detachable coupling mechanism includes a detent ball;    one of the male part and the female part of the quick-detachable coupling mechanism is supported at an end of the cleaning implement and includes a circumferential groove; and    the other of the male part and the female part is supported on the handle and includes an axial bore and radially extending passage along which the detent ball is movable between a first position seated in the circumferential groove and a second position retracted from the circumferential groove.    
   
   
       5 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 4  wherein the latching device includes a recess aligned radially with the passage to permit movement of the detent ball from the first position to the second position and a latched position wherein the latching device interferes with movement of the detent ball from the first position to the second position.  
   
   
       6 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 4  wherein the male part is supported on the handle, the axial bore is formed in the male part, and the latching devise is supported in the axial bore.  
   
   
       7 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein an outer circumferential mounting groove is formed in an end of the cleaning implement.  
   
   
       8 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein the latching device is axially movable to force the male and female parts of the quick-coupling mechanism apart.  
   
   
       9 . A gun cleaning kit including the gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       10 . A gun barrel cleaning device comprising: 
 a handle;    an elongate cleaning implement having an axis;    a quick-detachable coupling mechanism releasably coupling the handle to the cleaning implement, the quick-detachable coupling mechanism including a latching device slidably movable between an unlatched position in which the cleaning implement is detachable from the handle and a latched position preventing the cleaning implement from being detached from the handle; and    a plurality of thrust bearings at a first end of the handle and a plurality of thrust bearings at a second end of the handle supporting the cleaning implement on the handle and facilitating rotation of the cleaning implement about its axis relative to the handle.    
   
   
       11 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 10  wherein the thrust bearing includes ball bearings.  
   
   
       12 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 10  wherein the thrust bearing includes a first thrust bearing part that bears the load of axial movement of the cleaning implement in a first direction and a second thrust bearing part that bears the load of axial movement of the cleaning implement in a second direction opposite the first direction.  
   
   
       13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 10  wherein: 
 the quick-detachable coupling mechanism includes a male part having an axis, a female part receiving the male part coaxially therein, and a detent ball;    one of the male part and the female part is supported in an end of the cleaning implement and includes a circumferential groove; and    the other of the male part and the female part is supported on the handle and includes an axial bore and a radially extending passage along which the detent ball is movable between a first position seated in the circumferential groove and a second position retracted from the circumferential groove.    
   
   
       15 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 14  wherein the latching device includes a recess aligned radially with the passage to permit movement of the detent ball from the first position to the second position and a latched position wherein the latching device interferes with the movement of the detent ball from the first position to the second position.  
   
   
       16 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 10  wherein the latching device is axially movable to force the male and female parts of the quick-coupling mechanism apart.  
   
   
       17 . A gun cleaning kit including the gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 10 .  
   
   
       18 . A gun barrel cleaning device, comprising: 
 a handle;    a cleaning implement sized for insertion into a gun barrel; and    a quick-coupling mechanism releasably coupling the handle to the cleaning implement, the quick-coupling mechanism comprising a male part having an axis, a female part receiving the male part coaxially therein, and a detent ball, one of the male part and the female part supported at an end of the cleaning implement and having a circumferential groove, and the other of the male part and the female part supported on the handle and having an axial bore and a radially extending passage along which the detent ball is movable between a first position seated in the circumferential groove and a second position retracted from the circumferential groove, the quick-coupling mechanism further comprising a latching device, located within the handle, slidably movable relative to the other of the male part and the female part between an unlatched position wherein a recess of the latching device is aligned radially with the passage to permit movement of the detent ball from the first position to the second position and a latched position wherein the latching device interferes with movement of the detent ball from the first position to the second position.    
   
   
       19 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 18 , further comprising a thrust bearing supporting the cleaning implement on the handle and facilitating rotation of the cleaning implement relative to the handle.  
   
   
       20 . The gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 18  wherein the latching device is axially movable to force the male and female parts of the quick-coupling mechanism apart.  
   
   
       21 . A gun cleaning kit including the gun barrel cleaning device of  claim 18 .  
   
   
       22 - 25 . (canceled)