Detachable protective cover for a firearm

A detachable cover for a firearm includes a pliant elongate body having longitudinal edge portions adapted to be arranged in overlapping substantially aligned relation to each other so that said body is of tubular configuration. Edge portions include means releasably holding edge portions in overlapping engagement to each other so as to maintain the tubular configuration of the body. The body includes opposed terminal end portions and is dimensioned and adapted for being placed in surrounding relation to the telescopic sight and bolt mechanism of a firearm.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to protective covers for firearms and more 
particularly to a detachable cover for protecting the telescopic sight and 
bolt mechanism of a firearm. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
To maintain the effectiveness and safety of firearms, they must be 
adequately protected from rain, dirt and other environmental hazards. This 
especially is true with the more sensitive bolt and telescopic sight 
mechanism of a firearm where often the slightest rust or foreign particle 
can affect adversely the accuracy of the scope and the performance of the 
firearm. Thus, not only must the bolt and telescopic sight mechanism of 
firearms be protected while in storage, but likewise, on hunting trips and 
other excursions where the firearm is carried through difficult terrain 
and adverse environments, adequate protection must be supplied. 
Some firearm covers provide the needed protection in the critical areas of 
the scope and bolt mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 35,456 to Leverich and U.S. 
Pat. No. 2,932,334 to Steen are examples of such protective covers. 
However, it is believed that the use of these protective covers are 
limited since not only are they difficult and unwieldy to handle, but 
their removal from the firearm is time consuming. Thus, their use is 
impractical to those hunters who prefer to maintain a protective cover on 
a firearm at all times during a hunting trip except when the firearm is 
discharged. For these hunters, the protective cover is removed when game 
has been spotted. Thus, a protective cover must be adapted for quick, 
releasable engagement with the firearm to assure that the firearm is ready 
for sighting and discharge before the game has fled. Preferably, the cover 
also should be removable with as little noise as possible since the 
slightest noise in the still of either the woods, marshes or prairies 
often will alarm even the most unapprehensive game animal. 
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a detachable cover 
for protecting the telescopic sight and bolt mechanism of a firearm which 
is detachable from the firearm with minimum time and effort. 
It is another object of this invention to provide a detachable cover for 
protecting the telescopic sight and bolt mechanism of a firearm which is 
detachable from the firearm while creating minimum noise during removal. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are 
accomplished by a detachable cover for protecting a firearm which includes 
a pliant elongate body having first and second longitudinal edge portions 
adapted to be arranged in overlapping substantially aligned relation to 
each other so that the body is of tubular configuration. The body has 
opposed terminal end portions and is dimensioned and adapted for being 
placed in surrounding relation to the telescopic sight and bolt mechanism 
of a firearm. Means are positioned along the longitudinal edge portions 
for releasably holding the edge portions in overlapping engagement with 
each other so as to maintain the tubular configuration of the body. 
In the preferred embodiment, the body is folded upon itself at longitudinal 
edge portions to define a hem thereat. A first set of elongate magnets are 
positioned in spaced-apart relation within the hem of the first 
longitudinal edge portion and a second set of elongate magnets are 
positioned in spaced-apart relation within the hem of the second 
longitudinal edge portion, with the distance between adjacent magnets of 
each set being greater than the elongate length of the magnets. The 
magnets are positioned so that when longitudinal edge portions are 
arranged in overlapping relationship to each other, opposite poles from 
respective first and second sets of magnets are positioned adjacent each 
other to create attractive forces between magnets of the first set and 
magnets of the second set and for releasably holding the longitudinal edge 
portions in overlapping engagement with each other so as to maintain the 
tubular configuration of the body. A draw string is carried within each 
hem at each terminal end portion for drawing the terminal end portions 
into closer engagement with the firearm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring now specifically to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 
1, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the detachable cover 10 
according to the present invention placed in surrounding relation to the 
telescopic sight and bolt mechanism 11 of a firearm 12. As best seen in 
FIG. 2, the cover 10 is made from a pliant, elongate body 13 which 
preferably is waterproof and provides sufficient cushioning material. 
Although any pliant, waterproof material can be used, preferably the 
material is of lightweight construction and exhibits the flexibility and 
durability mandated by the heavy use accompanying a hunting trip. One 
material which has been found suitable for use is a lightweight 
canvas-like woven material commercially sold under the name "Gortex." 
In the preferred embodiment, the body 13 is of substantially rectangular 
configuration and has respective first and second longitudinal edge 
portions 14, 15 and opposing terminal end portions 20, 25. The body 13 is 
dimensioned so that it can be placed in surrounding relation to the 
telescopic sight and bolt mechanism 11 of the firearm 12 with its 
longitudinal edge portions 14, 15 adapted to be arranged in overlapping 
substantially aligned relation to each other. In this positioning, the 
body 13 forms a substantially tubular configuration with the telescopic 
sight and bolt mechanism 11 of the firearm 12 enclosed by the detachable 
cover 10. 
Positioned along the longitudinal edge portions 14, 15 are means releasably 
holding the edge portions in overlapping engagement with each other so as 
to maintain the tubular configuration of the body 13. Preferably the edge 
portions are releasably held in overlapping engagement in a manner 
permitting quick and efficient disengagement. During hunting, often game 
is encountered which is easily alarmed by the sight, sound or smell of a 
hunter. Unless the cover 10 can be removed quickly, the game often will 
have fled to an area out of sight or range from the hunter before the 
cover is removed and the firearm sighted toward the game. In addition, 
some game pass quickly in and out of firing range especially if the game 
is foraging for food, shelter or water. Again, a protective cover quickly 
must be removed and the firearm sighted. 
Pile and hook fasteners such as commonly sold under the mark "Velcro" offer 
one type of fastener which is simple and can be quickly disengaged. When 
secured along the longitudinal edge portions 14, 15, the pile and hook 
fasteners provide sufficient force to releasably hold the edge portions in 
overlapping engagement with each other. When game is sighted, one edge 
portion can be quickly pulled away from the other edge portion and the 
cover removed. However, the disengagement of pile and hook fasteners often 
is noisy so that at shorter hunting distances often encountered when 
hunting from a deer stand, the game will be alarmed by the noise emanating 
from the disengaging pile and hook fasteners and flee therefrom. 
This problem is solved by the preferred embodiment of the present invention 
which has first and second sets 30, 40 of elongate magnets positioned 
along respective first and second longitudinal edge portions 14, 15 to 
provide magnetic forces attracting edge portions toward each other. In the 
illustrated embodiment, each set 30, 40 includes a set of four individual 
magnets 31, 41. To maintain the magnets 31, 41 in their desired position 
along the longitudinal edge portions 14, 15, each of the edge portions are 
folded upon themselves to define hems 32, 42 thereat so as to form an 
envelope to receive the magnets 31, 41 therein (FIG. 4). In the 
illustrated embodiment, suitable stitching 50 is shown interconnecting the 
longitudinal edges 14a, 15a with the body 13 of the protective cover 10 to 
prevent the hems 32, 42 from unraveling. However, suitable adhesive or 
other means also can be used to secure the longitudinal edges 14a, 15a to 
the body. 
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, each of the magnets 31, 41 in each 
set 30, 40 are of substantially planar and rectangular configuration and 
can be secured in a desired position within the hems 32, 42 by suitable 
stitching, adhesive or other means. A substantially planar magnet 
configuration is preferred since larger magnets not only may detract from 
the physical appearance and aesthetics of the protective cover 10, but 
larger magnets can weaken the integrity of the hems. 
As illustrated, each set of magnets 30, 40 is positioned within the 
respective hems 32, 42 with the distance between adjacent magnets 31, 41 
of each set being at least greater than the elongate length of the 
magnets. As will be explained in detail hereafter, the spacing facilitates 
quiet and quick removal of the protective cover 10 from the firearm 12. In 
addition, both sets of magnets 30, 40 are positioned so that when 
longitudinal edge portions 14, 15 of the body 13 are arranged in 
overlapping relationship to each other, opposite magnetic poles (not 
shown) from respective first and second sets of magnets are positioned 
adjacent each other. The alignment between opposite poles creates 
attractive forces between magnets of the first set 30 and magnets of the 
second set 40 to releasably hold the longitudinal edge portions 14, 15 in 
overlapping engagement with each other and maintain the tubular 
configuration of the body 13. Thus, the magnetic north pole of a magnet 31 
in the first set 30 is aligned with the magnetic south pole of a magnet 41 
in the second set 40 creating attractive instead of repulsive forces 
therebetween. 
Once the protective cover 10 is placed in surrounding relation to the 
firearm 12, and the longitudinal edge portions 14, 15 are overlapped and 
engaged with each other by the attractive forces exerted through the sets 
of magnets 30, 40, the terminal end portions 20, 25 then are drawn into 
closer engagement with the firearm 12. At terminal end portions 20, 25 the 
body 13 is folded upon itself to define hems 21, 26 forming envelopes 
thereat. Carried within each hem or envelope is a drawstring 22, 27. By 
pulling each drawstring 22, 27, terminal end portions 20, 25 are drawn 
into closer engagement with the firearm 12 minimizing sliding of the 
protective cover 10 relative to the firearm 12. Once the drawstrings 22, 
27 are taut, they are tied into releasable knots 23, 28. 
It has been found that during hunting, the drawstrings 22, 27 should not be 
tightened and tied (FIG. 3). If game is quickly spotted, the additional 
time of untying and loosening a drawstring added to the time of removing 
the protective cover 10, sighting to the game and discharging the firearm 
12 may create a time frame in which the game already has fled out of 
range. The drawstring is best utilized when the firearm 12 is stored or 
carried from one hunting area to another. 
Once the drawstrings 22, 27 are loosened and untied, the protective cover 
10 is removed readily from the firearm 12. With the firearm 12 held under 
an armpit, the hunter grasps one longitudinal edge portion of the cover 
with one hand and the other longitudinal edge portion with the other hand 
and both edge portions 14, 15 are slid relative to each other in opposite 
directions. Since the spacing between each of the magnets 31, 41 is 
greater than the length of the magnets, as the longitudinal edge portions 
14, 15 are slid relative to each other, the magnets 31, 41 of the first 
set 30 no longer lie adjacent magnets of the second set 40. Instead, each 
magnet of each set 30, 40 lies adjacent a part of the opposing hem which 
does not contain a magnet therein. At this point, the attractive forces 
between the magnets of the first set 30 and the magnets of the second set 
40 are minimized and the protective cover 10 is removed. The total time to 
remove the cover 10 should take no more than a few seconds giving the 
hunter ample time to sight toward the game and discharge the firearm 12. 
In addition, removal is silent and effortless minimizing the chance that 
game may become alarmed. 
Since the protective cover 10 is large enough to cover entirely the 
telescopic sight and bolt mechanism 11 of a firearm 12, the protective 
cover 10 also is large enough to double as a ground cloth. Often, hunters 
must sit on damp or otherwise uncomfortable ground and wait until game 
approaches their position. This not only is bothersome and uncomfortable, 
but it also may detract the hunter's attention making the success of a 
hunt less likely. Fortunately, a hunter easily can solve this problem by 
removing the protective cover 10 from the firearm 12 and placing it 
flatwise upon the earth. Since the protective cover 10 preferably is 
water-resistant, it doubles as a comfortable ground cloth. 
The foregoing embodiment is to be considered illustrative rather than 
restrictive of the invention and those modifications which came within the 
meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are to be included therein.