Abstract:
A portable firearm resting assembly for providing an easily carried and set up tripod rest for holding a firearm when the firearm is not in use. The portable firearm resting assembly includes a tripod assembly having a pair of main legs, a support leg, and a carrying case for storage of the tripod assembly. In an embodiment, the support leg is shorter than the main legs and a cord is provided for holding the main legs in a spread position during use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to firearm rests and stands and more particularly pertains to a new portable firearm resting assembly for providing an easily carried and set up tripod rest for holding a firearm when the firearm is not in use. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of firearm rests and stands is known in the prior art. More specifically, firearm rests and stands heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,016,802; 3,703,046; 1,355,660; 2,569,435; 1,524,973; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 290,963. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new portable firearm resting assembly for holding a firearm while the firearm is not being used. The inventive device includes a tripod assembly having a pair of main legs and a shorter support leg, a cord for holding the main legs in a spread position during use, and a carrying case for storage of the tripod assembly. 
     In these respects, the portable firearm resting assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing an easily carried and set up tripod rest for holding a firearm when the firearm is not in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of firearm rests and stands now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new portable firearm resting assembly construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing an easily carried and set up tripod rest for holding a firearm when the firearm is not in use. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new portable firearm resting assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the firearm rests and stands mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new portable firearm resting assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art firearm rests and stands, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a tripod assembly having a pair of main legs and a shorter support leg, a cord for holding the main legs in a spread position during use, and a carrying case for storage of the tripod assembly. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new portable firearm resting assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the firearm rests and stands mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new portable firearm resting assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art firearm rests and stands, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new portable firearm resting assembly that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new portable firearm resting assembly that is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new portable firearm resting assembly which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such portable firearm resting assembly economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable firearm resting assembly which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable firearm resting assembly for providing an easily carried and set up tripod rest for holding a firearm when the firearm is not in use. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable firearm resting assembly which includes a tripod assembly having a pair of main legs and a shorter support leg, a cord for holding the main legs in a spread position during use, and a carrying case for storage of the tripod assembly. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable firearm resting assembly that is lightweight for facilitating carrying while hunting. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable firearm resting assembly that protects a firearm in the field by preventing placing of the firearm directly on the ground. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new portable firearm resting assembly according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the invention in a storage position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, a new portable firearm resting assembly embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the portable firearm resting assembly  10  generally comprises a tripod assembly  12  that includes a pair of main legs  22  and  24  and a support leg  26 . The main legs  22  and  24  are pivotally coupled to each other such that lower ends  23  and  25  of main legs  22  and  24 , respectively, are positionable in spaced relationship to each other when the main legs  22  and  24  are in a spread position. 
     The support leg  26  is pivotally coupled to the main legs  22  and  24  such that a lower end  27  of the support leg is positionable in spaced relationship to the lower ends  23  and  25  of the main legs  22  and  24  when the main legs  22  and  24  are in the spread position. Thus, the tripod assembly  12  is designed for resting on a support surface  2 . 
     A carrying case  32  is provided for holding the tripod assembly  12  when the tripod assembly  12  is in a closed position. The closed position is defined by the main legs  22  and  24  and the support leg  26  being pivoted such that the lower ends  23  and  25  of the main legs and the lower end  27  of the support leg are positioned adjacent to each other. 
     In an embodiment, the main legs  22  and  24  are pivotally coupled together at a medial portion  33  and  35  of each of the main legs  22  and  24 , respectively. Each main leg  22  and  24  also includes an upper portion  34  and  36  extending upwardly away from the medial portion  33  and  35  and a lower portion  37  and  39  extending downwardly away from the medial portion  33  and  35 . 
     The upper portions  34  and  36  are each covered by a cushioning material  31 . Thus each of the upper portions  34  and  36  is designed for preventing damage to a firearm  4  resting on the upper portions  34  and  36 . 
     A top portion  42  of the support leg  26  is pivotally coupled to either one of the main legs  22  and  24  ( 24  as shown in the drawing figures). The support leg includes a lower portion  44  extending downwardly from the top portion  42  of the support leg  26 . The lower portion is pivoted to extend just below a crux  46  formed between the pivoted main legs  22  and  24 . Thus, the crux  46  rests against the support leg  26  when the tripod assembly  12  is in the open position. 
     A flexible line  48  is provided and includes a first end  47  coupled to the lower portion  37  of one of the main legs  22  and a second end  49  coupled to the lower portion  39  of main leg  24  such that the flexible line  48  extends between the lower portions  37  and  39  of the main legs  22  and  24  for preventing the lower ends  23  and  25  from spreading apart beyond a predetermined distance. 
     The carrying case  32  is generally rectangular and includes an open top end  52 , an elongated pair of sides  53  and  54 , an elongated front  55 , an elongated back  56 , and a closed bottom end  57 . 
     The carrying case  32  also includes a flap  58  extending from a back edge  59  of the open top end. The flap  58  is designed for extending over the open top end  52  for covering the open top end  52 . The flap  58  includes a first connection member  62  coupled to an interior face of the flap  58 . A second connection member  64  is coupled to an outer face of the elongated front  55  of the carrying case  32 . The second connection member  64  is complimentary to the first connection member  62  whereby the first connection member  62  is selectively engageable to the second connection member  64 . Thus, the flap  58  is held in a covering position over the open top end  52  to define a closed position of the carrying case  32 . 
     In an embodiment, a loop member  66  is coupled to an exterior face of the elongated back  56 . The loop member  66  is designed for receiving a belt  6  therethrough such that the carrying case  32  is designed for coupling to the belt  6  of a user. 
     A plurality of end caps  72  are provided for preventing debris from entering the main and support legs  22 ,  24 , and  26 . End caps  72  positioned on the lower ends of each of the main and support legs are further provided for promoting stable gripping relative to the support surface  2 . End caps  72  are positioned over an associated one of the main leg lower ends  23  and  25 , the support leg lower end  27 , the main leg upper ends  20  and  21 , and the support leg upper end  29 . 
     In use, the tripod assembly is removed from the carrying case. The lower ends of the main legs are spread sufficiently to permit the support leg to be pivoted such that the lower portion of the support leg passes between the main legs. The main legs are then fully spread until the flexible line is fully extended between the main legs. The opened tripod assembly is then placed on the ground or other support surface. A firearm may then be placed or propped between the cushioned top portions of the main legs. Thus the full length of the firearm is prevented from lying directly against the ground. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.