Multipoint Accessory Rail for Composite-Frame Pistol

Abstract

Accessory mounting rails having locating and clamping elements can be secured to the lower frame of a composite-framed pistol with uniform clamping force to prevent distortion of the lower frame and improve firearm operational reliability. Standard or custom accessory-mounting features may be provided in one or more locations above, below, and to the right and left sides of the pistol's barrel, allowing a number of accessories to be installed and operated together.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An accessory mount for a pistol, comprising:
 a clamp structure adapted to interface with a lower frame of a pistol below a barrel of the pistol;   a cage structure coupled to the clamp structure and configured to surround a slide of the pistol, said cage sized and shaped to permit the slide of the pistol to reciprocate without interference from the cage;   at least one locating element extending from a left side of the clamp structure to a right side of the clamp structure, said at least one locating element functional to prevent the accessory mount from sliding forward or backward along the lower frame by interfering with a feature of the lower frame;   a clamping fastener extending from the left side of the clamp structure to the right side of the clamp structure, said clamping fastener functional to urge the left side of the clamp structure towards the right side of the clamp structure and to pinch the lower frame without ability to prevent the accessory mount from sliding forward or backward along the lower frame by interfering with a feature of the lower frame; and   a plurality of accessory-mounting structures coupled to the clamp structure and the cage structure, each accessory-mounting structure of said plurality of accessory-mounting structures adapted to secure at least one accessory to the pistol.   
     
     
         2 . The accessory mount of  claim 1  wherein the locating element is functional to urge the left side of the clamp structure towards the right side of the clamp structure and to pinch the lower frame, and
 wherein the locating element and the clamping fastener together distribute a total clamping force evenly along the clamp structure. 
 
     
     
         3 . The accessory mount of  claim 1  wherein the clamping fastener is a first clamping fastener, the accessory mount further comprising:
 a second clamping fastener extending from the left side of the clamp structure to the right side of the clamp structure, said second clamping fastener functional to urge the left side of the clamp structure toward the right side of the clamp structure and to pinch the lower frame without ability to prevent the accessory mount from sliding forward or backward along the lower frame by interfering with a feature of the lower frame, 
 wherein said first clamping fastener and second clamping fastener together distribute a total clamping force evenly along the clamp structure. 
 
     
     
         4 . The accessory mount of  claim 1  wherein each accessory-mounting structure of the plurality of accessory-mounting structures is configured to secure accessories adapted to mount to a standard mounting rail chosen from the group consisting of a Picatinny rail and a Weaver rail. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory mount of  claim 1  wherein a first accessory-mounting structure of the plurality of accessory-mounting structures is configured to secure accessories adapted to mount to a first standard mounting rail, and
 a second accessory-mounting structure of the plurality of accessory-mounting structures is configured to secure accessories adapted to mount to the standard mounting rail. 
 
     
     
         6 . The accessory mount of  claim 1  wherein a first accessory-mounting structure of the plurality of accessory-mounting structures is configured to secure accessories adapted to mount to a first standard mounting rail, and
 a second accessory-mounting structure of the plurality of accessory-mounting structures is configured to secure accessories adapted to mount to a second, different standard mounting rail. 
 
     
     
         7 . An accessory mount for a pistol, comprising:
 a cage structure having a shape similar to a Greek letter Omega (Q) when viewed from a front, said cage structure having an upper loop shaped to surround a slide of the pistol without interfering with a reciprocating motion of the slide of the pistol, said cage structure having a lower clamp shaped to mate securely with a lower frame of the pistol below a barrel of the pistol;   the lower clamp having a plurality of openings to accept a corresponding plurality of fasteners traveling from a left side of the pistol to a right side of the pistol, transverse to and below a barrel of the pistol;   a first length of a standard accessory mounting rail coupled to the cage structure and aligned with the barrel of the pistol; and   a second length of a standard accessory mounting rail coupled to the lower clamp below the barrel of the pistol and aligned therewith.   
     
     
         8 . The accessory mount of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of openings is two openings. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory mount of  claim 8  wherein a positioning fastener passing through the first opening of the two openings passes adjacent the lower frame of the pistol at a location where the positioning fastener prevents the accessory mount from moving forward or backward on the lower frame by interfering with the lower frame. 
     
     
         10 . The accessory mount of  claim 8  wherein a clamping fastener passing through the second opening of the two openings passes adjacent the lower frame of the pistol at a location where the clamping fastener does not interfere with the lower frame as the accessory mount is moved forward or backward on the lower frame. 
     
     
         11 . The accessory mount of  claim 4  wherein the first length of the standard accessory mounting rail is a Picatinny rail. 
     
     
         12 . The accessory mount of  claim 4  wherein the second length of the standard accessory mounting rail is a Picatinny rail. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory mount of  claim 4  wherein the first length of the standard accessory mounting rail is a different shape than the second length of the standard accessory mounting rail. 
     
     
         14 . An accessory mount for a pistol comprising:
 a segment of extruded channel having an Omega (‘Ω’) profile and a length;   a loop of the extruded channel sized to surround a slide of a pistol and allow the slide to reciprocate without interference;   a shape of the extruded channel between swashes of the Omega profile adapted to complement a shape of a lower frame of the pistol below the barrel and forward of a trigger assembly, said segment of extruded channel shaped transversely to its length to form a shaped structure, wherein a side profile of the shaped structure comprises   a first opening for a locating element to pass from one side of the extruded channel to another side of the extruded channel, said locating element positioned to interfere with the lower frame of the pistol and prevent the shaped structure from sliding along the lower frame;   a second opening for a clamping element to pass from the one side of the extruded channel to the another side of the extruded channel, said clamping element positioned not to interfere with the lower frame of the pistol when the shaped structure slides along the lower frame;   a first length of a standard accessory mounting rail at an upper extreme of the Omega profile and aligned with the barrel; and   a second length of a standard accessory mounting rail at a lower extreme of the Omega profile and aligned with the barrel.   
     
     
         15 . The accessory mount of  claim 14  wherein the first length of the standard accessory rail is longer than the second length of the standard accessory rail. 
     
     
         16 . The accessory mount of  claim 14  wherein a side of the shaped structure comprises a plurality of openings for attaching an accessory to the side of the shaped structure. 
     
     
         17 . The accessory mount of  claim 14  wherein a side of the shaped structure comprises a plurality of openings for attaching a length of standard accessory rail to the side of the shaped structure. 
     
     
         18 . The accessory mount of  claim 14  wherein a side of the shaped structure comprises a skeletonizing opening. 
     
     
         19 . The accessory mount of  claim 14  wherein the extruded channel is formed of aluminum. 
     
     
         20 . The accessory mount of  claim 18  wherein the extruded channel is treated with an anodized surface finish.