Abstract:
A bipod device attachable to the Picatinny rail on the underside of the barrel of a military-style gun. The housing of the bipod device includes two parallel channels formed therein to store bipod legs. The housing also includes an external longitudinal groove dimensioned and shaped to receive a Picatinny rail and a locking mechanism to secure the housing to the rail. The housing doubly functions as a grip for the user to support the barrel of the rifle. The two legs can be deployed by pulling them free of their channels in the housing and then pivoting them down and apart in one motion to their deployed position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to monopods, bipods, tripods and aiming sticks used in connection with guns. 
     Marksmanship with a gun, particularly at long range, is improved by using a bipod, tripod or aiming stick. These devices support the barrel end of the gun and eliminate some or most all of the motion of the barrel prior to firing. This motion can come, for example, from the heartbeat or breathing of the marksman holding the gun. 
     The typical bipod is mounted to the barrel or forestock of the gun and has two positions, a stored position with the two legs folded approximately parallel to the barrel, and a deployed position with the two legs unfolded so that they are approximately perpendicular to barrel and splayed to provide triangular support for gun at the barrel end from the apex of the triangle thus formed. Many bipods have telescoping legs for use by a marksman in the prone, kneeling or standing position. 
     Bipods work well for the most part but must be rugged so that they do not become bent or broken if the user inadvertently strikes them against a tree or rock while crossing rough terrain. They must also be rust- and corrosion-resistant, and, if part of a military or hunting gun, be capable of taking on non-reflecting or camouflage coatings. Bipods require frequent cleaning so that they are free of dust, dirt and snagged vegetation, particularly in military use. Rust and dirt may make bipods inoperable. 
     Military-style rifles typically include a Picatinny rail mounted above and often below and to the sides of the barrel on its heat shield as a convenient platform for attaching scopes, grenade launchers, and aiming lasers. A Picatinny rail is a long, thin platform having a flattened hexagonal cross section and a series of uniformly shaped and spaced transverse grooves formed along its length with which to attach various devices to the gun. A military-style rifle may also have a bipod attached to the barrel with legs that fold to the sides of the barrel between the Picatinny rails. 
     There remains a need for a more convenient, less troublesome bipod, tripod or aiming stick for use with a gun. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to its major aspects and briefly recited, the present invention is a bipod device that attaches to a military style firearm having a Picatinny rail. The device includes a housing with channels formed therein that are dimensioned to receive the bipod legs. The device includes an exterior longitudinal groove for attaching it securely to the Picatinny rail below the barrel and also serves as a hand hold for the user to support the barrel. 
     To deploy the bipod legs, the ends of its legs, that is, their “feet,” are grasped and pulled in a direction approximately parallel to the barrel and toward its muzzle to bring the legs out of the channels and to an extended position where they are clear of the channels in the device. Once the bipod legs are completely clear of the channels, the legs may be pivoted directly down and apart into a deployed, splayed position approximately perpendicular to the gun barrel. To store the legs, they are directly pivoted from the deployed position back to the extended position where they are again approximately parallel to the barrel, and may then be pushed back into the channels of the device to the stored position. 
     The device itself serves both as a protective leg storage container and as a grip configured to fit the hand of a user when supporting the barrel when firing the gun. Because its long dimension, and therefore its channels, is parallel to the major axis of the barrel, it can store bipod legs of sufficient length, including telescoping legs, for good stability for the user firing from various positions. Importantly, it attaches directly and firmly to a Picatinny rail carried by the underside of the barrel at a point comfortable for the user supporting the barrel. 
     The use of the device to store bipod legs is an important feature of the present invention. Storing the bipod when not in use keeps the bipod legs cleaner, avoids damage to them and having them catch on branches or clothing when hauling the bipod-equipped gun through rough, dense terrain. 
     These and other features and their advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art of firearms and firearm bipods from a careful reading of the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments accompanied by the following drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings, 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a military style rifle equipped with the present bipod device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the military style rifle of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the barrel heat shield and the bipod device with the legs shown in the stored position, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the end of a rifle with the bipod device shown with the legs in the deployed position; 
         FIG. 5A  is a side view of the bipod device with bipod legs in the stored position, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5B  is a side view of the bipod device with bipod legs in the extended position, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5C  is a side view of the bipod device with bipod legs in the deployed position, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of a bipod device, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the bipod device, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a side, cross-sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7  of the bipod device with legs in the stored position, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is an end view of the bipod device taken along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 7 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a bipod device that is attachable to the Picatinny rail on the underside of the barrel of a gun. 
     The term “gun” will refer herein to any firearm having a barrel wherein the barrel may includes a Picatinny rail on its underside. A Pictatinny rail is a long bar that provides a convenient surface for attaching auxiliary devices to firearms. The rail has a flattened hexagonal cross section and a series of transverse grooves along the length of one side of the long bar. The grooves may be evenly-spaced and of constant width. Many military-style guns include Picatinny rails, such as rifles, pistols and machine guns. 
     Referring now to the  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is illustrated a side and a perspective view, respectively, of a gun  10  having a butt stock  12 , a barrel  14 , a receiver  16 , and a fire control mechanism operated by a trigger  18 . The operation of these components of gun  10  is conventional, namely, a round of ammunition is loaded into the receiver  16  where it is positioned adjacent to the proximal end of barrel  14 , and its primer is then detonated by the fire control system upon pulling the trigger  18 . The bullet is thus driven down barrel  14  from its proximal end and out its distal end by the kinetic energy of the exploding gun powder in the cartridge, and on to the target, while the cartridge shell casing is expelled from receiver  16 . 
     In  FIG. 1 , gun  10  shown from the side with the present bipod device  20  attached to barrel  14  just below a heat shield  22 . Bipod device  20  has a housing  72  generally configured to conform to the hand of a user regardless of whether the user is left- or right-handed. Two legs  80 ,  82  of bipod device  20  are shown in the stored position in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 2 , gun  10  is shown from a front perspective view with legs  80 ,  82  in the deployed position. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a right side view of bipod device  20  in relation to heat shield  22 . The left-side view is a near-mirror image of the right side of bipod device  20 .  FIG. 4  shows bipod device  20  from the front perspective with legs  80 ,  82 , in the deployed position. Leg  80  is shown in the stored position with a foot  112  extending therefrom, as seen in  FIG. 3 . Urging leg  80  into the stored position, as seen in  FIG. 3 , and into the deployed position, as seen in  FIG. 4 , are two springs, with  FIGS. 3 and 4  both showing a right spring  96  of the two springs, one on the left and one on the right side. Right spring  96  is attached through a hole  108  formed in a stationary bracket  88  and the opposing end of right spring  96  being attached to a bolt  104 . Left bolt  106  is visible in  FIG. 4 . Right and left bolts  104 ,  106 , are attached to pivoting leg brackets  98 ,  102 , respectively. Pivoting leg brackets  98 ,  102 , each have a pivot pin  92  that extends through a hole in stationary bracket  88 . A brace  90  is attached to stationary bracket  88  to align legs  80 ,  82  and enable them to be pivoted directly to a splayed orientation in the deployed position from a parallel orientation in the extended position. 
       FIG. 5A  illustrates a detailed, right side view of bipod device  20  in the stored configuration.  FIGS. 5B and 5C  illustrate the same right side view of bipod device  20  but with first and second legs  80 ,  82  in the extended and in-use configurations, respectively. The left side of bipod device  20  is a mirror image of the right side. 
     Bipod device  20  includes stationary bracket  88  mounted to the distal end of bipod device  20  and a brace  90  (see  FIG. 4 ). Bracket  88  and brace  90  hold first and second legs  80 ,  82  at an appropriate, splayed angle, as shown in  FIG. 5C , which may be no more than  90  degrees or somewhat less in the deployed position for providing stable support for barrel  14 . When first and second legs  80 ,  82 , are folded to the extended position ( FIG. 5B ), first leg  80  pivots about first pivot pin  92  and second leg  82  pivots about second pivot pin (not shown). First and second legs  80 ,  82 , are parallel to each other in the extended position. From the extended position, first and second legs  80 ,  84  can be pushed into the channels formed in housing  72  where they remain in the stored position, as shown in  FIG. 5A , until their next use. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 6 , which is a top view of bipod device  20 , bipod device  20  includes a first spring  96  connected to first leg  80  via a first pivoting bracket  98  and a second spring  100  connected to second leg  82  via a second pivoting bracket  102 . First and second springs  96 ,  100  are extension springs and are extended when first and second legs  80 ,  82  are moved from the stored position ( FIG. 5B ) but the forces on springs  96 ,  100 , are relieved when first and second legs  80 ,  82 , are then folded the remainder of the way, to the deployed position ( FIG. 5C ). First and second springs  96 ,  100 , thus bias legs  80 ,  82  to the stored and to the deployed positions and away from the intermediate, extended position. 
       FIG. 6  also shows Picatinny rail  118  and its transverse grooves  120 , shown in phantom lines, as well as locking device  122  having a lock nut  124  at one end and a stopper  126  at the opposing end of a rod  158 . Device  20  has a longitudinal groove  150  formed parallel to its long dimension that is shaped to receive Picatinny rail  118  (se  FIG. 9 ) and that allows device  20  to be moved parallel to the long dimension of rail  118 . Tightening lock nut  124  pushes a tooth  152  ( FIGS. 6 and 8 ) on the opposing end of rod  158  into transverse groove  120  so that device  20  cannot thereafter be moved with respect to rail  118 . Loosening lock nut  124  allows locking device  122  to be slid transversely enough to slide that tooth  152  out of transverse groove  120  and thereafter allow bipod device to be moved with respect to Picatinny rail  118 . 
     As also shown in  FIG. 6 , the top view of bipod device  20 , the positions of first and second legs  80 ,  82 , clearly affect the tension on first and second springs  96 ,  100 . As first and second legs  80 ,  82 , are moved axially away from stationary bracket  88 , the tension on first and second springs  96 ,  100 , increases and with it the bias toward the stored and deployed positions and the relative difficulty of moving first and second legs  80 ,  82  from these positions. 
     First and second legs  80 ,  82 , may telescope, as is well known in bipod legs generally, and may terminate in first and second feet  112 ,  114 , respectively, which also serve as convenient handles for grasping and pulling first and second legs  80 ,  82  from the larger diameter sections. The opposing ends of first and second springs  96 ,  100 , are attached to bracket  88  by bolts  104 ,  106 . 
     Bracket  88  is secured to housing  72  from underneath where a tang  128  extends rearward (away from the muzzle end and toward the receiver), as best seen in  FIG. 7  but also visible in  FIG. 8 . Two screws  132  hold tang  128  to housing  72 . Three more screws  136  hold brace  90  to the end of housing  72  and in turn hold bracket  88  fast to housing  72 . Brace  90  assures the alignment of first and second legs  80 ,  82  as they are pivoted from the extended position to the deployed position and back, the ends of which legs  80 ,  82 , are secured to first and second pivoting brackets  98 ,  100  by pivot pins  92 ,  94  and  132 ,  134  (best seen in  FIG. 9 ) so that pivoting brackets  98 ,  102  pivot at an angle with respect to each other. Pivoting brackets  98 ,  102  carry first and second pivot pins  92 ,  94 , respectively ( FIG. 9 ) to maintain the alignment of legs  80 ,  82  with stationary bracket  88  when legs  80 ,  82  are pivoted. Brace  90  has an angled hole  130  (or two separate holes) formed in it for receiving first and second pivot pins  132 ,  134 , that correspond to pivot pins  92 ,  94  in that they are axially aligned with each other; first pin  92  is axially aligned with first pin  132 , and second pivot pin  94  is axially aligned with second pivot pin  134 . Preferably, first pivot pin  92 , first pivot housing  124 , and first pivot pin  132  are integrally formed with pivoting brackets  98 ,  100 , as is second pivot pin  94 , second pivot housing  126 , and second pivot pin  134 . Thus brace  90  serves two functions: it helps to position first and second legs  80 ,  82 , in bracket  88  and it serves as a bearing for first and second pivot pins  132 ,  134 . 
     Brace  90  is conveniently made in two parts, a front part  140  and a rear part  142  to facilitate assembly, as best seen in  FIG. 8 . In addition, a shim  144  inserted between bracket  88  and rear part  142 , may be used to tighten front and rear parts  140 ,  142  together about first and second pivot pins  132 ,  134 . 
     It is intended that the scope of the present invention include all modifications that incorporate its principal design features, and that the scope and limitations of the present invention are to be determined by the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. It also should be understood, therefore, that the inventive concepts herein described are interchangeable and/or they can be used together in still other permutations of the present invention, and that other modifications and substitutions will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims.