WO2000003191A2

WO2000003191A2 - Batons

Info

Publication number: WO2000003191A2
Application number: PCT/GB1999/002100
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ian Robert Grossett
Original assignee: Michael Lupton Associates Ltd.
Priority date: 1998-07-13
Filing date: 1999-07-13
Publication date: 2000-01-20
Also published as: WO2000003191A3; AU4917699A

Abstract

A police baton comprises an outer tube (5) having first and second ends (51, 52). An inner section (1) has first and second ends (11, 12) and is telescopically extendable and retractable within the outer tube (5) with the second end (12) of the inner section (1) captive within the outer tube (5). The inner section (1) is non-rotatable about its axis, within the outer tube (5). The inner section (1) has an external portion (13) which, when the inner section (1) is fully extended, extends externally of the outer tube (5) from the first end (51) of the outer tube to the first end (11) of the inner section. All of the external portion (13) of the inner section (1) is of circular cross section without any projection from its surface or discontinuity in its surface. This configuration may provide a telescopically extendable baton which works very efficiently, whilst affording significant safety features.

Description

BATONS

This invention relates to batons, and is concerned particularly with batons for public order or defence use. Such batons are conventionally used by Police Forces around the world and, for ease of reference, will be referred to in this specification as "police batons".

For many years, the Policeman's truncheon was a standard piece of equipment, typically comprising a stout wooden baton, often of a length of about 40 cm, but available in other lengths.

In recent years, extendable batons have become popular. Typically, these comprise at least one telescoping section contained within an outer tube. In one very popular model, the telescoping section is of generally circular cross-section but formed with a flat which is engaged by a member within the outer tube to prevent the telescoping section from rotating, so that a locking button can engage correctly to hold the telescoping section in an extended position. Another model of baton is formed with a keyway on its telescoping section to prevent rotation thereof. Another model allows the telescoping section to rotate, but employs a locking button which protrudes from the surface of the telescoping section.

A disadvantage of such known extendable batons is that the various means that are provided on the telescoping section, either to prevent rotation thereof or to lock the telescoping section in position, provide sharp surfaces or protrusions which can cause unnecessary injury to a person receiving a blow from the baton. In this respect, Police Officers are trained in the use of batons, such that they may immobilise a suspect without causing permanent injury. However, injuries can arise from the features mentioned above.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention aim to provide police batons which may be improved in the foregoing respect.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a police baton comprising: an outer tube having first and second ends; and an inner section which has first and second ends and is telescopically extendable and retractable within the outer tube with the second end of the inner section captive within the outer tube: wherein: the inner section is non-rotatable about its axis, within the outer tube; the inner section has an external portion which, when the inner section is fully extended, extends externally of the outer tube from the first end of the outer tube to the first end of the inner section; and all of said external portion is of circular cross-section without any projection from its surface or discontinuity in its surface.

Preferably, said external portion is formed with an end portion at said first end, which end portion is of domed shape and forms no discontinuity with the rest of said external portion.

Preferably, all of said external portion is cylindrical, apart from an end portion at said first end, which end portion is of domed shape, and forms no discontinuity with the rest of said external portion. Preferably, the inner surface of said outer tube is formed with a longitudinal keyway, and said inner section is provided at or adjacent said second end of said inner section with a key which engages said keyway to prevent rotation of said inner section within said outer tube.

Preferably, said inner section is provided at or adjacent said second end of said inner section with a recess in which said key engages.

Preferably, a resilient member is provided in said recess adjacent said key, to allow limited sliding movement of said key in said recess against a resilient bias provided by said resilient member.

Preferably, a pair of said keys are provided in said recess, and said resilient member is provided between said pair of keys to urge said pair of keys apart.

Preferably, said resilient member comprises an O-ring.

Preferably, said resilient member comprises a compression spring.

Preferably, said outer tube is formed by extrusion.

Preferably, said outer tube is of aluminium.

Preferably, said outer tube is provided with a grip between the longitudinal mid-point of the tube and said second end thereof.

Preferably, said grip is formed by knurling said outer tube. Preferably, said inner section is formed in one piece.

Preferably, said inner section comprises a bar of plastics material.

Preferably, said inner section comprises a bar of nylon material.

Preferably, said outer tube is provided with a first end cap which engages said first end of said outer tube and serves to retain said second end of said inner section captive within said outer tube.

Preferably, said outer tube is provided with a second end cap which closes off said second end of said outer tube.

Preferably, said second end cap is formed with a passage to allow air into and out of said outer tube.

A police baton as above may further comprise a strap carried on said second end cap.

Preferably, said outer tube is formed with a passage to allow air into and out of said outer tube.

Preferably, said inner section is provided with a button which is biassed radially outwardly of said inner section, and said outer tube is formed with an aperture to receive said button when said inner section is fully extended. Preferably, said outer tube is formed with a further aperture to receive said button as a light detent when said inner section is fully retracted.

Preferably, said button comprises a body of a first material and an outer head of a second material which is softer than said first material.

Preferably, said button is mounted for sliding movement within a sleeve which is located in a bore provided in said inner section and is of a material which is harder than that of said inner section.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side, sectional view of an extendable police baton;

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken on the line U-H of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows the baton in top plan view, when fully extended;

Figure 4 shows the baton in top plan view, when fully retracted;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged view similar to Figure 5, but showing an alternative spring-biased key and push-button arrangement. In the figures, like reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts.

The illustrated extendable police baton comprises an outer tube 5 which has first and second ends 51, 52. An inner section 1 is mounted for telescopic sliding movement within the outer tube 5, such that it may slide between a fully extended position, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3, and a retracted position as shown in Figure 4.

The first end of the outer tube 5 is closed off by a first end cap 51, which screwthreadedly engages the outer tube 5. The second end of the tube of outer end 5 is closed off by a second end cap 6, which is formed with a passage 61 to allow air to pass therethrough.

The outer tube 5 is preferably formed as an extrusion, for economy of manufacture, and is provided with a keyway 55 which extends the full length of the outer tube, and is closed off by the first and second end caps 51, 52.

The outer tube 5 is formed with a transverse passage 53 to allow air to pass in and out of the tube 5. It is also formed with an elongate recess 54 to receive a button 2 which is mounted in the inner section 1.

The outer surface of the outer tube 5 is knurled to provide a grip 56, which extends at least over a portion between the longitudinal mid-point of the outer tube 5 and its second end 52. The second end cap 6 is formed with an external annular recess 62 which retains a strap 7 of leather or other suitable material. The telescopic inner section 1 is preferably made in one-piece as a solid nylon bar - for example, of nylon 66 machined by centreless grinding. A first end 11 of the inner section 1 is of domed shape. A second end 12 of the inner section 1 is held captive within the outer tube 5. To this end, the inner section 1 is formed with an elongate recess 14 in which there engages a key 8 of substantially rectangular cross section. The key 8 engages both the recess 14 in the inner section 1 and the keyway 55 formed in the outer tube 5. The key 8 may be of plastics, aluminium or any other suitable material.

Towards the second end 12 of the inner section 1 there is formed an external annular groove 15 which communicates with the recess 14, and in which there are mounted a pair of O-rings 4 and a resilient annular spacer 10. Adjacent its second end 12, the inner section 1 is formed with a radial bore 16, in which there are mounted the above-mentioned button 2 and a compression spring 3 which resiliently urges the button 2 in a radially outward direction.

Apart from the recess 14, groove 15 and bore 16, the outer surface of the inner section 1 is completely smooth and of right circular, cylindrical cross-section, without any projection from its surface, other than the first end portion 11 itself which as mentioned above is of domed shape, preferably with a radius of curvature equal or similar to the radius of the rest of the inner section 1.

Thus, in use, when fully extended, the inner section 1 has an external portion 13 which extends externally of the outer tube 5 from the first end 51 of the outer tube 5 to the first end 11 of the inner section 1. This external portion 13 is of circular cross-section without any projection from its surface. Nevertheless, the provision of the key 8 which engages both the recess 14 of the inner section 1 and the keyway 55 of the outer tube 5, prevents rotation of the inner section 1 with respect to the outer tube 5. This ensures that the button 2 can resiliently engage the elongate aperture 54 in the outer tube 5 to hold the baton in its extended position.

A particularly important feature is that, whatever the curvature of the first end portion 11, it affords no discontinuity or step with the adjoining external portion 13 of the inner section 1. There is a smooth transition from the external portion 13 to the first end portion 11. Thus, there is no risk of injury in use, due to any discontinuity or step between the first end portion 11 and the external portion 13 of the inner section 1.

Use of the illustrated baton will now be described.

The baton will normally be carried in a retracted position, as illustrated in Figure 4. Here, the first end 11 of the inner section 1 just protrudes from the first end cap 9 at the first end 51 of the outer tube 5. In this position, the button 2 carried on the inner section 1 engages lightly with the inner end of the passage 53 that is formed in the outer tube 5. To this end, the diameter of the passage 53 will be somewhat less than the maximum diameter of the button 2, such that the button 2 engages the inner end of the passage 53, under the resilient bias of the spring 3, only as a light detent.

In order to extend the baton to the fully extended position shown in Figures 1 and 3, the baton will typically be flicked sharply downwardly by a wrist and/or arm action, such that the inner section 1 flies out of the outer tube 5 under the effect of centripetal force. Such force is sufficient to overcome the light detent of the button 2 at the inner end of the passage 53.

The inner section 1 continues to fly out until the key 8 hits the inner edge of the first end cap 9. Under its own momentum, the inner section 1 continues to move outwardly very slightly, compressing the resilient spacer 10 and O-rings 4 as it does so. This is sufficient to allow the button 2 to be urged resiliently outwardly by the spring 3 into engagement within the elongate aperture 54. As the momentum of the inner section 1 is expended, the resilient bias of the resilient stop 10 and O-rings 4, which are then slightly under compression, urges the inner section 1 resiliently back into the outer tube 5, such that the inner edge of the button 2 abuts firmly against the adjacent wall of the elongate aperture 54.

Thus, the baton remains locked in an extended position for use. It will be appreciated that, as the inner section 1 is travelling out of the outer tube 5, air is free to enter the outer tube 5, via both the transverse passage 53 in the outer tube 5 and the longitudinal passage 61 in the second end cap 62. The latter passage 61 ensures a free passage of air, even if the transverse passage 53 is inadvertently blocked by an operator's hand.

In order to retract the baton after use, the outer tube 5 is grasped with one hand adjacent its first end 51, such that the button 2 may be depressed in the aperture 54. With the other hand, the inner section 1 is then pushed back into the outer tube 5 until it is fully retracted to the position illustrated in Figure 4. Again, air is free to pass out of the outer tube through the passages 53 and 61. It may thus be appreciated that the illustrated example of the invention provides a telescopically extendable baton which works very efficiently, whilst affording significant safety features. Since the external portion 13 of the inner section 1 is of uniform, circular cross-section without any projection from its surface, it can be used in a trained manoeuvre to disable a suspect without any risk of causing unnecessary injuries due to sharp edges of any flats, keyways, projecting buttons, fasteners or the like. A further safety feature is afforded by forming the inner section 1 of a solid plastics material (eg nylon), rather than a harder material such as metal.

By way of example, the baton may have a fully extended length of about 63 cm, and a fully retracted length of about 36 cm. The outer tube may have an outer diameter of about 28 mm and the inner section 1 an outer diameter of about 20 mm.

The resilient stop 10 and/or O-rings 4 may be replaced by a single resilient member - e.g. an annular member of substantially rectangular section.

In another alternative variant as shown in Figure 6, the key 8 is replaced by two keys 8a and 8b, resiliently urged apart by a compression spring 20. This eliminates the need for the groove 15, which affords greater strength to the second end 12 region of the inner section 1. The spring 20 replaces the resilient spacer 10 and O-rings 4, to provide resilient deformation under load of the keys 8a, 8b and thus excellent shock absorption, without risk of permanent deformation of the parts 8a, 8b and 20. The two keys 8a, 8b may be of nylon (or aluminium or any other suitable material), and counterbored to receive the respective ends of the spring 20.

Also in Figure 6, the push button 2 has a steel body 21 fitted with a nylon dome 22. The steel body gives greater strength - for example, against shearing in the event of an attempted forced closure of the baton - whilst the nylon dome minimises wear of the inside surface of the outer tube 5 as the inner section 1 travels in and out of the outer tube 5.

The radial bore 16 is provided with a sleeve 23 of steel or other hard- wearing metal or other material, to provide mechanical strength and inhibit wearing of the bore 16 due to forces transmitted via the button 2.

The inner section 1 may alternatively be of metal - e.g. aluminium - and of solid or hollow section. It may alternatively comprise a metal bar or tube coated with an outer layer of plastics material. A further alternative material is NYLOTRON, which in addition to strength, has both lightness and a degree of resilience.

In this specification, the verb "comprise" has its normal dictionary meaning, to denote non-exclusive inclusion. That is, use of the word "comprise" (or any of its derivatives) to include one feature or more, does not exclude the possibility of also including further features.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment^). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A police baton comprising: an outer tube having first and second ends; and an inner section which has first and second ends and is telescopically extendable and retractable within the outer tube with the second end of the inner section captive within the outer tube: wherein: the inner section is non-rotatable about its axis, within the outer tube; the inner section has an external portion which, when the inner section is fully extended, extends externally of the outer tube from the first end of the outer tube to the first end of the inner section; and all of said external portion is of circular cross-section without any projection from its surface or discontinuity in its surface.

2. A police baton according to claim 1, wherein said external portion is formed with an end portion at said first end, which end portion is of domed shape and forms no discontinuity with the rest of said external portion.

3. A police baton according to claim 1, wherein all of said external portion is cylindrical, apart from an end portion at said first end, which end portion is of domed shape, and forms no discontinuity with the rest of said external portion.

4. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inner surface of said outer tube is formed with a longitudinal keyway, and said inner section is provided at or adjacent said second end of said inner section with a key which engages said keyway to prevent rotation of said inner section within said outer tube.

5. A police baton according to claim 4, wherein said inner section is provided at or adjacent said second end of said inner section with a recess in which said key engages.

6. A police baton according to claim 5, wherein a resilient member is provided in said recess adjacent said key, to allow limited sliding movement of said key in said recess against a resilient bias provided by said resilient member.

7. A police baton according to claim 6, wherein a pair of said keys are provided in said recess, and said resilient member is provided between said pair of keys to urge said pair of keys apart.

8. A police baton according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said resilient member comprises an O-ring.

9. A police baton according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said resilient member comprises a compression spring.

10. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said outer tube is formed by extrusion.

11. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said outer tube is of aluminium.

12. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said outer tube is provided with a grip between the longitudinal mid-point of the tube and said second end thereof.

13. A police baton according to claim 12, wherein said grip is formed by knurling said outer tube.

14. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said inner section is formed in one piece.

15. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said inner section comprises a bar of plastics material.

16. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said inner section comprises a bar of nylon material.

17. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said outer tube is provided with a first end cap which engages said first end of said outer tube and serves to retain said second end of said inner section captive within said outer tube.

18. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said outer tube is provided with a second end cap which closes off said second end of said outer tube.

19. A police baton according to claim 18, wherein said second end cap is formed with a passage to allow air into and out of said outer tube.

20. A police baton according to claim 18 or 19, further comprising a strap carried on said second end cap.

21. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said outer tube is formed with a passage to allow air into and out of said outer tube.

22. A police baton according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said inner section is provided with a button which is biassed radially outwardly of said inner section, and said outer tube is formed with an aperture to receive said button when said inner section is fully extended.

23. A police baton according to claim 22, wherein said outer tube is formed with a further aperture to receive said button as a light detent when said inner section is fully retracted.

24. A police baton according to claim 22 or 23, wherein said button comprises a body of a first material and an outer head of a second material which is softer than said first material.

25. A police baton according to claim 22, 23 or 24, wherein said button is mounted for sliding movement within a sleeve which is located in a bore provided in said inner section and is of a material which is harder than that of said inner section.