Agency Arms Obtains Design patent on their Accelerator Cut

On Apr 3rd Agency Arms posted this.

Not a bad way to get the week started. Another patent was issued and arrived in today. Agency is proud to have our Accelerator cut protected. We have many more patents in the pipe which we will announce as they issue! #agent #agencylife #agency #agencyarms #tradecraft #welcometothebrotherhood

Heading over to the Agency Arms webpage we learn the purported benefits of the Accelerator Cut

“We remove the finger grooves, add “Accelerator Cuts” to the front of the frame, and bevel out the inside area of the trigger guard on a mill. Accelerator Cuts, an after-market weapon customization service, offer enhanced traction on the pistol. With the Accelerator Cuts, muzzle rise is dramatically decreased and follow up shots are faster. We do a non traditional double undercut and dock the front of the trigger guard for aesthetic purposes. We finish the frame off with full stippling and offer Gen 4 back strap melding as well for no additional charge.”

Some may initially find this patent granting unusual, as assorted versions of “thumb rests”, “accelerators”, and “gas pedals” have been around for years–both as add on parts and also cut into frames for custom work. The CZ 75 Tactical Sport Orange comes standard with a gas pedal. GoGun USA sells their own version, as do a number of other manufacturers.

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Boresight Solutions offers something similar with their custom work that they call Frame Index Points.

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As does SSVi, named forward reference point texturing.

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The latest version of the 80% Polymer80 compact Glock frame also comes standard with something close to the Agency Accelerator Cut

The distinction here is that the new Agency Arms patent is that it’s a design patent and not a utility patent. The differences between the two are clearly spelled out by the United States Patent and Trademark Office:

In general terms, a “utility patent” protects the way an article is used and works (35 U.S.C. 101), while a “design patent” protects the way an article looks (35 U.S.C. 171). The ornamental appearance for an article includes its shape/configuration or surface ornamentation applied to the article, or both. Both design and utility patents may be obtained on an article if invention resides both in its utility and ornamental appearance.

and indeed, directly in in Agency’s patent the claim is, “The ornamental design for a portion of a handgun frame, as shown and described“.

Agency Was also around to some questions.

Q:Curious, how does the patenting process work on that? It’s a Glock lower correct? You patent a cut on the lower of another company product?

A:It’s not specific to a Glock pistol frame. The Glock frame was used as reference and our patent applies to a polymer frame.

Q:Pattening a modification seems silly, and unenforceable…..
I remember my ucle having this on his Gen1 glock in the early 1990’s…..
Wasn’t as nice, bur the idea was the same

A:The US Patent office did their research and did not locate any commercial offerings. The patent took nearly two years to issue.

Along with the Q&A on their facebook there was also the normal shit talking and people drinking the hateraid…

Ummmm, cool. You got a patent for a cut on the lower of someone else’s work and gun. Well done … I guess???

So to make a glock better you turn a $500 gun into a $2000 gun that’s looking more And more like a walther ppq m2 which is a $600 gun with a already great trigger? Lol.
If you guys can get the glock trigger to finally feel “right” y’all deserve the nobel peace prize.

AND THE AWARD WINNER:

Congrats. Must feel good to be able to sue people for a commonly used practice that no one else had the audacity or hubris to try and patent

Proving that even the big boys aren’t immune to shitty fanboy ball juggling.

Portions of this were taken from a recoil article which you can find here