Abstract:
A firearm supporting apparatus suitable for use with shafts of varying diameters and lengths includes an elongated support member having a clamping surface and a firearm supporting surface; a rigid attachment mechanism connected with the elongated support member; and an adjustable mechanism connecting the attachment mechanism with the elongated support member and adjusting the position of the collar relative to the clamping surface of the support member, the collar and clamping surface securing the support member to the shaft. In one embodiment the adjustable mechanism includes an elongated threaded member connected with the attachment mechanism and the elongated support member and a fastening device associated with the threaded member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the priority of application Ser. No. 10/631,230, filed Jul. 31, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,493,719. 
   TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention generally relates to firearm accessories and, more particularly, to a portable gun rest. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
   The use of supports and rests of various kinds in order to aid the accurate shooting of firearms is well known in the prior art. Gun rests have been used since the invention of firearms. Buffalo hunters in the American West are known to have used bi-pods made of crossed sticks tied together upon which to rest their rifles. It is therefore well known that the use of a supporting device or rest to give stability to a firearm can substantially improve accuracy. 
   One general type of firearm supports are those which are used in shooting from fixed positions and commonly referred to as a category of “bench rests”. These devices are primarily used for target range shooting from a fixed position and are designed and use primarily for testing and sighting in firearms rather than for hunting. These firearm rests are simply are too large and unwieldy for field use. Examples of this type of rest are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,687. 
   Another group of devices can be generally described as bi-pods, tri-pods, and mono-pods. Some of these devices are affixed permanently to the firearm, while others are removable. These devices include a gun support mounted at the top of the mono-pod or at the junction of the two or three legs forming the bi-pod or tri-pod. The leg or legs are integral to the design of the item. A significant limitation of these designs is that the elevation of the firearm in a shooting position is dictated by the length of the integral vertical members; in other words, the vertical height of the firing position cannot exceed the vertical length of the supporting member, nor can it be lower than permitted by the length of the legs. In the case of bi-pods or tri-pods with fixed leg lengths, the lower elevation is limited by the fact that the height is lowered by extending the legs farther outward. As the legs are extended outward, they ultimately reach a point of instability which point is the limit of lower elevation. 
   In order to overcome the shortcoming with respect to elevation, a number of bi-pods and mono-pods have been developed that allow the elevation to be increased and decreased by means of telescoping or nesting tubes which may be extended or retraced to substantial degree. Examples of this type of rest are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,574,899; 6,505,429 and 3,225,656. Although these designs represent an improvement over the fixed leg devices, they still suffer from certain limitations. First, the upper elevation is still limited by the total achievable length of the vertical members. Second, the lower elevation is limited by the length of the longest telescoped section. Third, the vertical members are integral to the rest. If a vertical member is broken or damaged, the whole unit is rendered useless. Further, these units are not sufficiently strong to be used as a walking stick, which would be highly desirable. 
   There are a number of devices that combine the benefits of a gun rest with a walking stick. U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,786 describes a pistol rest mounted at the top of a rigid telescoping support rod. However, this device is not suitable for longer firearms. Further the extent of vertical adjustment is fixed by the total length of the telescoping parts of the rod, and the rod itself is integral to the device. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,964 describes a walking stick and shooting rest that includes an L-shaped cane with a rectangular cross-section and a series of serrations which is placed within a rectangular opening in a shorter, elongated member that may be moved vertically up and down the cane. A gun is rested on the shorter member and the downward weight shift causes the two members to become firmly engaged. This device suffers from two key limitations. First, the upper elevation of the elongated rest is limited by the length of the cane and the rest cannot be used without the use of the cane, which is particularly designed for it. Second, the rest is not firmly attached to the vertical member but instead is simply forced into a fixed position by the weight applied to the rest. 
   Another example of such a device is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0178637. This device is a gun rest consisting primarily of a flat plate with a tear drop shaped hole at one end through a shaft may be inserted. A weight placed upon the plate latches it against the shaft. A firearm may be placed in an angle formed by a bend in the plate distal to the shaft. This device would accommodate a shaft of variable length and material and the shaft, size, and material would be selected by the user. However, the plate that serves as the gun rest is not firmly affixed at any time to the shaft, but, instead, depends upon the weight of the gun to lock it to the shaft. When the gun is removed, the support readily slides up and down on the shaft. In addition, although the support will accept shafts of various diameters, the smaller the diameter, the greater the downward angle of the rest, which may cause an awkward and unstable seating for the firearm. 
   Therefore, providing a gun rest that works with various shafts, including walking sticks, still provides a stable support, and may be removably fixed in a position, would be highly desirable. 
   The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An aspect of the present invention is to provide a pocket-sized gun rest that may be easily carried and works with shafts of varying diameters and lengths, including walking sticks. 
   Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a gun rest that provides a firm, stable, and at least generally horizontal support for a firearm. 
   Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a gun rest that may be positively fixed in a position yet also readily adjusted to various heights along the entire length of a shaft. 
   In accordance with the one or more of the above aspects of the invention, there is provided a firearm supporting apparatus suitable for use with shafts of varying diameters and lengths that includes an elongated support member having a clamping surface and a firearm supporting surface; a rigid attachment mechanism connected with the elongated support member; and an adjustable mechanism connecting the attachment mechanism with the elongated support member and adjusting the position of the attachment mechanism relative to the clamping surface of the support member, the attachment mechanism and clamping surface securing the support member to the shaft. In one embodiment the adjustable mechanism includes an elongated threaded member connected with the attachment mechanism and the elongated support member and a fastening device associated with the threaded member. 
   These aspects are merely illustrative of the innumerable aspects associated with the present invention and should not be deemed as limiting in any manner. These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a firearm supporting apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention in use on a shaft by a shooter in a kneeling position. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the firearm supporting apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a firearm supporting apparatus according to another embodiment. 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of a firearm supporting apparatus. 
       FIG. 5  is a top, partial cut-away, view of a firearm supporting apparatus according to an alternate embodiment. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a firearm supporting apparatus in use by a shooter in a standing position. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a firearm supporting apparatus in use by a shooter in a prone position. 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded view of a firearm supporting apparatus according to yet another embodiment. 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of the assembled firearm supporting apparatus of  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 10  is a top view of a variation of a firearm support similar to that of  FIG. 8   
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   In the following detailed description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. For example, the invention is not limited in scope to the particular type of industry application depicted in the figures. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention. 
     FIGS. 1-7  illustrate a gun rest  10  supported by a shaft  12 . The shaft  12  may be of any length. The diameter of the shaft  12  is limited only by the inside diameter of the collar  20  (discussed in more detail below). Advantageously, the shaft  12  may be a walking stick that the user already possesses or may be a tree limb of suitable length and thickness that is readily found in the field. Alternatives for the shaft  12 , also include wood, metal, plastic or fiberglass poles, although a relatively narrow, elongated item made of any suitably rigid material will suffice. Due to the gun rest&#39;s ability to be utilized with shafts  12  of any length, almost any shooting position can be accommodated, including sitting, kneeling, and standing, regardless of the height or age of the user.  FIGS. 1 ,  6  and  7  illustrate a gun rest  10  in use by a shooter in kneeling, standing and prone positions, respectively. While the shaft shown in these figures is truncated for space purposes, it should be noted that the very same shaft could be used in all three shooting positions, which presents a significant advantage for the gun rest  10 . 
   The gun rest  10  is primarily composed of a support  14 , a collar  20 , a threaded member  16  and a fastening/adjustment device  18 . The support  14  is provided with a longitudinal through hole  22  extending entirely through the length of the support  14 . One end of the support  14  is provided with a rectangular collar slot  26 . The collar slot  26  accommodates the collar  20  when the gun rest  10  is assembled. The collar slot  26  also separates upper  28  and lower  30  support arms. The support  14  may be constructed of practically any rigid material, including wood, plastic, metal, or composites. However, in a preferred embodiment, the support is constructed of a relatively lightweight material, such as wood, plastic or composite, to enhance its portability and ease of use. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the collar  20  itself is constructed of a relatively rigid material, such as PVC, plastic, metal, or other rigid materials. However, it is acceptable for the collar  20  to be made of more flexible materials, such as thinner plastic or metal bands, leather, or fabric. The collar  20  is provided with a hole  36  in one side. In a preferred embodiment, the height of the collar  20  on the side having the hole  36  is somewhat greater than the collar&#39;s height on the side opposite the hole  36 . This variation in height, shown in  FIG. 3 , eases the task of inserting the threaded member  16  into the hole  36 , as described below. In another embodiment, a plurality of collars  20  with varying diameters is provided. This allows the gun rest  10  to be used with an even larger number of shafts  12  of different diameters. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the threaded member  16  and collar  20  are a single piece, similar to an eyebolt. This arrangement advantageously results in a reduction of material costs and further strengthens the overall structure. 
   The gun rest is assembled by inserting the threaded member  16 , threaded end first, through the collar hole  36  and then through the longitudinal through hole  22  in the support  14 . The collar hole  36  should be large enough to allow the body of the threaded member  16 , which may be a bolt, screw or other similar elongated threaded device, to freely pass yet small enough to prevent the head of the threaded member  16  from passing. The fastening/adjustment device  18 , which may take the form of a wing nut, threaded knob, or a similar threaded object, is then screwed onto the threaded end of the threaded member  16  to secure the assembly. 
   Once the gun rest  10  is assembled it is ready to be secured to the shaft  12  at any point along the shaft&#39;s height. The fastening/adjustment device  18  should be unscrewed slightly to allow the collar  20  to be moved slightly away from the support, thereby exposing at least the majority of the inside diameter of the collar  20 . This minimizes the interference of the upper  28  and lower  30  support arms with the shaft  12  as the collar  20  is slipped over the shaft  12 . Once the collar  20  is slipped onto the shaft  12 , a user may determine a desirable height for the gun rest  10  along any part of the length of the shaft  12 . Once a desirable height is found, the user secures the gun rest at that height by screwing the fastening/adjusting device  18  further onto the bolt  16 . This action draws the collar back into the collar slot  26 , allowing the upper  28  and lower  30  support arms to overlap the edge of the collar  20  and eventually engage the shaft  12 . As the fastening/adjusting device  18  is tightened, the shaft  12  is gradually engaged by the far side of the collar  20  on one side of the shaft  12  and by the upper  28  and lower  30  support arms on the opposite side of the shaft  12 , effectively “pinching” the shaft between these points and thereby securing the gun rest  10  onto the shaft  12  at this position. In order to remove or adjust the gun rest  10 , the user must simply loosen the fastening/adjusting device  18 , thereby disengaging the collar  20  and upper  28  and lower  30  support arms from the shaft  12  slightly. The positioning of the hole in the collar  20 , and consequently the connection with the threaded member  16 , directly opposite that portion of the collar  20  that engages the shaft ensures a more rigid and stable connection with the shaft  12 . 
   In an alternate embodiment, the ends of the upper  28  and lower  30  support arms are provided with concave clamping surfaces  40  in order to increase the actual contact area between the rounded side of the shaft  12  and the support arms, thereby providing a more secure clamping action between the support and the shaft. In addition, the clamping surfaces  40  may be provided with flexible pads  41 , such as rubber, plastic, neoprene, leather, or the like, to minimize any marring of the shaft surface. This is particularly desirable if a user utilizes a favorite walking stick as the shaft  12 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, the support  14  is provided with a contoured surface  38  forming a concave cradle to positively support a firearm or a user&#39;s hand. In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least the contoured surface  38  is covered with a flexible material  24 , such as cloth, low density plastic, neoprene, rubber, or leather. This covering prevents the support  14  from scratching firearms and also reduces any noise made by the gun rest  10  if it is dropped, which is essential when hunting. In addition, if the flexible material  24  used is of a non-skid design, such as neoprene or rubber, for example, slippage of firearms during firing is minimized. This covering may be extended to cover the entire support  14 . The support  14  and/or flexible material covering  24  may also be provided with a suitable coloring, i.e., camouflage print, to allow the gun rest  10  to better blend in with a user&#39;s other hunting gear and clothing. 
     FIG. 5  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the gun rest  10 . The support  14  is provided with a transverse hole  32  instead of a collar cutout and longitudinal through hole. An adjustable clamp  34 , e.g., a standard hose clamp with a flexible metal band  42  and threaded tightening mechanism  44 , is installed in the transverse hole  32 . Prior to installation of the gun rest  10  on the shaft  12 , the adjustable clamp  34  is loosened to its largest diameter in order to allow the clamp  34  to fit over the shaft  12 . Once the user has found a desirable height for the gun rest  10 , the clamp  34  is tightened to secure the shaft  12  tightly between the flexible band  42  and a clamping surface  40 , thereby fixing the gun rest  10  in position on the shaft  12 . Similarly to the upper and lower support arms of the first embodiment, the clamping surface  40  may be concave. To remove or adjust the gun rest  10 , the clamp  34  is simply loosened. 
     FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate an alternate embodiment of a firearm support  110  that is similar to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2-4 . As with that embodiment, firearm support  110  includes a support  114 , a threaded member  116  and a fastening/adjustment device  118 . However, the collar or attachment mechanism  120  of firearm support  110  is a rectangular or diamond-shaped structure with an open portion. In alternate embodiments, other basic shapes may be utilized for the attachment mechanism  120  with the common feature remaining the open portion in the structure. The threaded member  116  engages the attachment mechanism  120  at one corner, while the opposite corner of the attachment mechanism engages the surface of the shaft  112 . 
   The opening in the attachment mechanism  120  enhances use of the firearm support  110  by allowing it to be engaged with a shaft  112  at any point along the length of the shaft  112  rather than being slipped over the very top or bottom of the shaft  112  and then moved along the length of the shaft  112  to a desired position. This feature also enables the support to be used with saplings or fence posts, e.g., between railings or wires. The angling of the attachment mechanism  120 , with the corner of the mechanism directly opposite the connection with the threaded member  116  engaging the shaft  112 , serves to evenly distribute the forces exerted on the mechanism  120  and provide a more rigid and stable connection to the shaft  112 . While it is within the scope of the invention to construct the attachment mechanism out of a number of suitable materials, an alloy steel is used in a preferred embodiment to provide additional strength to minimize deflection of the attachment mechanism during use. 
   As with the other disclosed embodiments, it is within the scope of the invention to utilize a one piece threaded member  116 /attachment mechanism  120  combination that is similar in appearance to an eyebolt. This arrangement provides additional rigidity and stability to the overall mechanism. 
   The remaining structures and manner of assembly of the embodiment of  FIGS. 8-10  are similar to those of the previously described embodiment. 
   Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, this has been by way of illustration and the invention should not be limited.