Locks – Special application – For portable articles
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-11
2001-12-18
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3627)
Locks
Special application
For portable articles
C070S014000, C211S004000, C211S064000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330815
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention relates broadly to the secure mounting and storage of a firearm to a support structure and, more particularly, to the secure mounting and storage of a firearm to a motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Because of the wide availability of sophisticated and dangerous weaponry on the street and in the hands of today's criminals, it is becoming increasingly necessary for police forces in our communities to respond in kind by carrying more powerful and dangerous firearms, such as those having high-capacity and highspeed magazines or feeding devices, for their own protection and to provide a greater deterrence to those criminals. For example, police forces now commonly purchase sub-machine guns and, in addition, the United States government recently began loaning excess military machine guns, such as the Colt M16, to police forces across the country for their use in combating this increasingly-dangerous criminal element. However, because high-capacity and high-speed magazines are no longer available to the general public, because of the potential risk that such weapons or the high-capacity or high-speed magazines used with such weapons could be stolen from police cars by the very criminal element the police are trying to combat, and because of the potential civil liability that could arise if such weapons or magazines were later used in the commission of a crime, police superiors have been hesitant to allow such weapons and magazines to be carried routinely by officers in their vehicles. Instead, most of these highly-sophisticated firearms remain locked up in storage at the police stations. In some cases, a police officer can sign out one of these weapons if he knows, beforehand, that such fire power may be needed; however, in most cases, such a weapon is needed in an emergency situation when there is not sufficient time to remove the weapon from storage.
In order to facilitate the use of such higher power firearms by law enforcement, a mounting device is required which securely retains such a high power firearm within vehicles in a relatively safe manner free from tampering or unauthorized removal. Such mounting device should be particularly suited to securely retain a firearm and prevent access to the operational elements of the firearm, such as the high-capacity and/or high-speed feeding device or magazine. Furthermore, the mounting device should be easily and relatively permanently mounted to a wall within the cabin or trunk of a vehicle, such as a police car. The mounting device should also be sturdy in construction, not overly cumbersome or difficult to use, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The mounting device should also use a manual keyed lock, rather than an electrical lock, which is easier to by-pass, or a combination lock, which is more difficult to open when the user is experiencing high stress, tension, heart rate, and/or adrenaline rush, as may be the case with a police officer attempting to thwart a crime in progress. There is a further need for a weapon-mounting device and associated locking mechanism, neither of which can be easily overcome by the application of direct blunt force impact, prying with a crowbar or similar device, or bolt cutting. The preferred embodiments of the present invention as set forth below are intended to address these needs.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, the present invention includes: a support structure having a generally planar mounting location; at least one elongate member integral with and extending away from the support structure; a cover member having an opening through which one elongate member extends in generally orthogonal relation to the support structure; and a locking device releasably attached to the elongate member extending through the opening in the cover member such that the cover member is releasably secured in overlapping relation to the support structure for retention of the firearm when disposed between the cover member and the support structure. The support structure itself preferably comprises a wall of a motor vehicle that is preferably located in a trunk of the vehicle and includes a base member defining a generally planar mounting surface and having a back plate with padding. The cover member preferably includes a cover plate with padding disposed in spaced, parallel relation to the mounting location.
In features of the present invention, the mounting device includes a plurality of elongate members extending parallel to one another, including a locking pin and a plurality of elongate support members, the support members in turn including a guide pin for support of the cover member and a plurality of support posts for support of the firearm. The locking pin extends through the opening in the cover member for engagement with the locking device, which preferably comprises a single post meter lock. Furthermore, the locking device is preferably only attached to the cover through its releasable attachment to the locking pin. The slot pin extends through an interlocking slot formed in the cover member and includes a neck portion having a reduced thickness disposed between a head portion and a shaft portion. The interlocking slot itself is defined by the intersection of a first aperture through which the head portion is extendable with a second aperture within which the neck portion is displaceable but through which neither the neck portion nor the shaft portion are displaceable. Positioning of the neck portion within the narrower aperture defining the interlocking slot thereby locks the cover member against movement along the guide pin without first repositioning the guide pin through the larger aperture of the interlocking slot.
In other features of the present invention, either the locking pin or the guide pin, or both pins, support the firearm whether or not mounting posts are also provided. Each elongate member also includes a resilient sleeve such as a rubber sleeve for resilient, non-damaging contact with the firearm.
In yet further features of the present invention, the locking device includes a single post meter lock that fits over the end of the locking pin and, preferably, the locking device is dimensioned so that the locking device cannot be passed through the opening in the cover through which the locking pin extends; the cover member includes a guard member comprising a substantially cylindrical sleeve integral with and extending from the cover member and disposed in surrounding relation to the portion of the locking pin extending through the cover member, with the locking device being disposed within the cylindrical sleeve for protection of the locking device; a second guard member is included on the cover member similarly protecting the portion of the guide pin extending through the interlocking slot; and the cover member includes a clearance slot for the protrusion therethrough of a portion of the firearm.
The present invention also includes the method of securing a firearm to support structure, including the steps of: (1) disposing a firearm adjacent the support structure in proximity to an elongate member integral with and extending away from the support structure; (2) placing the cover member into covering relation to the firearm with a distal end portion of the elongate member extending in generally orthogonal relation to the support structure through an opening defined in the cover member, including (a) guiding transversely through a first portion of a slot defined in the cover member a second elongate member integral with and generally orthogonal to the support structure, the slot having a narrower second portion and the second elongate member including a recessed neck portion disposed between a shaft portion and a head portion, and then (b) sliding the cover member in a direction parallel to the support structure such that the recessed neck portion is disposed through the narrower second portion of the slot whereby the cover plate is fixedly retained on the second elongate member against movement
Barrett Suzanne Dino
Morris Manning & Martin LLP
Tactical Solutions, Inc.
LandOfFree
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