Handgrip especially adapted for guns

Jan. 4, 1938. c. w. kress 2,104,129

HANDGRIP ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR GUNS

Filed Aug. 25, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1

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Jan. 4, 1938. c. w. kress 2,104,129

HANDGRIP ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR GUNS

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Jan. 4, 1938. c. w. kress 2,104,129

HANDGRIP ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR GUNS

Filed Aug. 25, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3

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Patented Jan. 4, 1938

2,104,129

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,104,129 HANDGRIP ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR GUNS

Claude W. Kress, New York, N. Y.

Application August 25, 1937, Serial No. 160,744

Claims.

My invention relates to hand grips for guns and refers particularly to hand grips possessing a greater number of gripping points than those previously known.

The hand grip of a gun is a device carried by the barrels and grasped by the hand of a person to steady and direct the barrels during aiming and firing.

As the butt of the stock rests more or less firm10 ly against the shoulder of a gunner, it acts as a fulcrum or center of movement of the gun, and hence, the necessity of means whereby the barrels may be properly directed and maintained in the exact desired position is evident.

The means usually adopted for this purpose consists of a short longitudinal device positioned below the barrels which is grasped by the thumb upon one side and by four fingers upon the other side, the bottom of the device resting lightly upon the palm of the hand, such devices being usually of wood, hard rubber or similar materials.

It is evident that in devices of this construction there are but two direct gripping pressures, »5 the horizontal pressure of the thumb and the opposing horizontal pressure of the four fingers, and that there is no forward or backward gripping pressure and no vertical gripping pressure.

In order to produce a downward vertical pres- sure it is customary for gunners to place their thumbs or fingers, or both, over the top of the barrel, a pressure which is not only ineffective but also interferes with the proper sighting of the gun.

A further disadvantage of the above described hand grip is its inability to allow absorption of the recoil by the gripping hand and its arm, with the result that practically all of the recoil acts upon the shoulder of the gunner.

A further disadvantage of the described hand grips is the inability to properly obtain a lifting grip, as the greater portion of the weight of the gun falls upon the right arm in mounting, thus creating a tendency to lift the elbow of the right arm which allows the stock to seat too loosely and too far away from the center of the body, causing undue shooting toward the left.

My invention overcomes all of the above mentioned, and other, objectionable features of the 50 described hand grips, as will be evident from a consideration of my specification and its accompanying drawings.

The device of my invention is of such construction as to allow of five separate and distinct 55 points of gripping contact and to enable the (Cl. 42—71) user to exercise six direct gripping pressures; to wit, two opposed horizontal pressures longitudinally of the barrels, two opposed horizontal pressures at right angles to the barrels and two opposed vertical pressures. 5

It is evident to anyone conversant with the art of guns and the science of gunnery that a hand grip as last described will enable the user to have the maximum of control over a gun as to accuracy of aiming, maintenance of position, 10 insurance of proper mounting, absorption of recoil and ease of general manipulation.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated several modifications of the device of my invention, and the descriptions thereof in my 15 specification will clearly explain their novelty, construction, material, operation and advantages.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating modified forms of the device of my invention, similar parts are designated by similar nu- ₂θ merals:—

Figure 1 is a side view of one form of my device adapted to a double barrel gun.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the device of Figure 1. 25

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the device of Figure 1, showing the position of the device in operation.

Figure 4 is an enlarged bottom view of the device of Figure 1. 30

Figure 5 is an enlarged section through the line 5—5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section through the line 6—6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a section through the line 7—7 of _3gFigure 5.

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the devices of Figures 1 to 7.

Figure 9 is a side view of my device adapted to an over and under gun. ₄₀

Figure 10 is an enlarged section through the line 10—10 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an enlarged section through the line ii—II of Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the founda- 45 tion member of Figures 9, 10, and 11, attached to the gun.

Figure 13 is a side view of a modified form of the device of my invention.

The particular form of the device of my in- 55 vention illustrated in Figures 1 to 8, both inclusive, is adapted for double barrel guns and the formation of the foundation, preferably of wood, is shown in perspective in Figure 8, the drawings representing this element in reversed position ₅₅ a, 104,129 from that which it would occupy when incorporated upon a gun, this position being adopted in order to more clearly show and describe the lower portions of this element of my device.

The foundation is preferably a unitary element comprising a downwardly extended elongated member 20, with the reduced portion 20', the upper portion of which is broadened outwardly forming the thumb and finger grip members 10 21 and 21', within which are the two elongated spaced parallel annular recesses 22 and 22' open at the top and adapted to receive the two gun barrels 23 and 23'.

The rearward end of the members 20' and 21 15 are extended into the flange member 24, within the lower face of which is a recess 25 adapted to receive a washer 26, a hole 21 extending through the flange member 24 for purposes described later.

The forward end of the members 21 and 21' are extended into the forward finger grip flange member 28, the plane of the flange members 24 and 28 being perpendicular to the axis of the elongated member 20.

Projecting forwardly from the flange member 28 is a centrally positioned vertical member 29 and two spaced side members 30 and 31, the members 30 and 31 having open annular recesses 32 and 33 respectively in alignment with 30 the recesses 22 and 22' and adapted to receive the gun barrels 23 and 23' respectively.

The foundation is attached to a double barrel gun as follows:—

A metallic strip filler 33' is placed between 35 and under the barrels 23 and 23' and attached to the web between the barrels by means of a screw 34. The foundation member is then attached to the filler 33' by means of the threaded bolt 35 passing through the recessed washer 36 40 and the hole 37 of the member 20 and by means of the threaded bolt 38 passing through the washer 26 and the hole 27 of the member 24.

Fitted around a portion of the foundation member and attached thereto by glue or other45 wise is a soft resilient gripping member 39, composed of felt, soft rubber, sponge rubber or other suitable material, but X prefer to employ sponge rubber for this purpose.

The resilient gripping member 39 is then cov50 ered with a sheet of rubber, textile or other suitable material 40, which is fixedly attached to the gripping member 39 by glue or otherwise and may be attached to the foundation members by means of screws 41, 41, if desired in order to 55 insure firm attachment.

While it is evident that the entire foundation element may be covered by the resilient gripping material, I prefer to cover the portions as shown in the drawings, in which only the central por60 tion carries the resilient material. In this construction the two forefingers 42 and 43 of the hand 44 are capable of pressing firmly upon the finger grip flange 28, the thumb 45 and the two remaining fingers (not shown) being capable of 65 pressing firmly upon the opposing sides of the finger grip member 21 and the thumb grip member 21', thus allowing of a firm and constant grip upon the part of the several hand digits.

A comparison of Figures 3 and 5 illustrates 70 the effectiveness of the gripping members of my device.

It will be noted that when the device is grasped by the left hand, the two first fingers 42 and 43 will be separated from each other by the ex75 tended member 29 and will press inwardly upon the member 28, the thumb 45 will press inwardly against the member 21' and the two remaining fingers (not shown) will press inwardly against the member 21. The soft rubber cushion 39 will rest upon the palm of the hand 44, the rear- 5 ward portion of the cushion 39 resting upon the ball of the thumb.

It will thus be noted that when the elements of the hand are moved in gripping position, the two rear fingers and the thumb press in opposite 10 horizontal directions at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the barrels, the two fore fingers and the ball of the thumb press in opposite horizontal directions in alignment with the longitudinal axes of the barrels, and the diagonally 15 downward pressure of the thumb and finger is opposed to the upward vertical pressure of the palm of the hand; thus producing a controlled pressure upon the device in six directions and enabling the gunner to have a firm grip upon 20 the gun and allowing him to control the direction of the barrels with certainty and accuracy and to firmly maintain the gun in any desired position of operation.

It is to be further noted that, the extended ele- 25 ment 29 separates the two fore fingers thus placing them in position below the respective barrels and hence, balancing the gun and that the two flange members 30 and 31 prevent these fingers from extending above or over the barrels. The 30 thus confined position of the two fore fingers and the compressible member 39 resting upon the palm of the hand, prevent the other two fingers and the thumb from extending above or over the barrels, thus overcoming an objectionable fea- 35 ture incident to the use of the usually employed gun hand grip.

It is to be further noted that because of the firm grip upon my device by the left hand, a great proportion of the recoil will be absorbed 40 by the left arm of the gunner, thus relieving his shoulder from much of the recoil shock, and that the compressible material of the device will prevent in large measure the blistering of the palm of the hand and the bail of the thumb incident 43 to the recoil effect in the present employed hand grip.

In Figures 9 to 12, inclusive, I illustrate the adaptation of the device of my invention to an over and trader double barrel gun, in which it is 50 necessary to make slight alterations in the foundation member of my device in order to adapt it to this particular gun formation, while still retaining the general principle of my invention.

The foundation member of this modified form 55 of my device comprises two longitudinally elongated elements 50 and 50', preferably of wood, having the rear block elements 51 and 5 i', the forward block elements 52 and 52' and the forwardly extended gun barrel receiving members GO 53 and 53'.

The elongated members 50 and 50' have longitudinal superimposed open annular recesses 54 and 54' and 55 and 55' adapted to receive the gun barrels 56 and 57. The two component elements 65 50 and 50' are connected together by means of the threaded bolts 58, 58 and 58', 58', passing through holes in the members 50 and 50' respectively and threading with the web 60 connecting the barrels 56 and 57. 70

The elements of the foundation member are encased in a compressible resilient material 61 and covering 62 in a manner similar to that employed in the previously described form of the device of my invention. 75

2,104,129

The modified form of my device illustrated in Figure 13 is similar in its general construction to those previously described, except that it is not covered with a pliable resilient material, the 5 sides of the grip, as side TO' shown in the drawings being somewhat fiat and embossed 71' if desired to increase the gripping propensity the corresponding opposite side being of similar construction.

While I have described the device of my invention as applied to guns, it Is evident that it may have other applications.

I do not limit myself to the particular size, shape, number, arrangement, or material of the 15 parts as specifically shown and described, as these are given simply as a means for clearly describing the device of my invention.